By: COLIN REESE
The 23-man United States Men’s National Team roster proposed below includes a balance of center backs, outside backs, defensive midfielders, attacking midfielders, and forwards (Number 9s and second strikers).
Here is World Soccer Source’s Best USMNT 23 for February 2015:
GOALKEEPERS: Brad GUZAN, Clint IRWIN, Zack STEFFEN
-Guzan is the clear Number 1, but it’s time to bring Irwin and Steffen into the fold.
-Irwin is one of the very best keepers in MLS, and the USA would be wise to start making the young Steffen part of the senior squad.
DEFENDERS: Ventura ALVARADO, John BROOKS, Shane O’NEILL, Steve BIRNBAUM, DeAndre YEDLIN, Greg GARZA, Andrew FARRELL, Chris KLUTE
– Alvarado, Brooks, O’Neill, and Birnbaum are the four center backs.
– Michael Orozco is one of the best American center backs and somewhat of a big-time snub from this 23-man roster, but Birnbaum showed well against Chile. O’Neill is widely considered one of the very best center back prospects for the USA.
– Yedlin, Garza, Farrell, and Klute are the outside backs. Klute, who is right-footed, plays left back and right back.
– Farrell is a center back that had been playing as a right back for the New England Revolution, and Alvarado, who is really a center back, can play every defensive position for Club América.
– Garza recently injured his knee, and depending on the gravity of the injury, Fabian Johnson would deserve his left back spot. The argument can be made that Johnson, despite being more skilled than both players, doesn’t track back on defense as well as Klute or Garza.
MIDFIELDERS: Michael BRADLEY, Geoff CAMERON, Maurice EDU, Benny FEILHABER, Mix DISKERUD, Dillon POWERS
-Bradley, Cameron, and Edu are defensive midfielders. Bradley also plays as a box-to-box midfielder.
-Powers plays as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder, and defensive midfielder.
-Feilhaber and Diskerud are attacking midfielders that have also become two-way central midfielders.
FORWARDS: Clint DEMPSEY, Jozy ALTIDORE, Joe Benny CORONA, Juan AGUDELO, Rubio RUBIN, Alejandro GUIDO
– Dempsey plays as a withdrawn striker, attacking midfielder, and winger.
– Corona and Guido are attacking midfielders that play as wings, second strikers, and Number 10s.
-Guido is more of a senior team player for Tijuana than Paul Arriola, who is another American with Xolos to watch.
-Altidore, Agudelo, and Rubin are Number 9s.
-Agudelo and Rubin are more versatile than Altidore, and they can both play wide as well.
-Agudelo is the most talented of the American strikers.
Editor’s Note: World Soccer Source normally includes Benji Joya because of his overall skill, athleticism, and his completeness as a midfielder, but Joya’s status with Santos Laguna is currently unclear after not being signed by the Chicago Fire after his loan with MLS.