DeAndre Yedlin

A New USMNT Back Four

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Shane O'Neill (center) should partner with John Anthony Brooks at center back. (Photo: Bart Young / Colorado Rapids)
Shane O’Neill (center) should partner with John Anthony Brooks at center back. (Photo: Bart Young / Colorado Rapids)

 

New players like Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, and Shane O’Neill have been thoroughly covered by this writer, and with the arrival of John Anthony Brooks, it would appear that the United States Men’s National Team has a new crop of young and talented defenders who can improve the quality and efficacy of the USMNT’s Back Four.

Despite being perhaps the U.S.’ most talented center back, Geoff Cameron isn’t included in this list because he can be more effective for the USMNT as a midfield destroyer to partner with Michael Bradley who plays the more box-to-box defensive midfield role.

World Soccer Source has covered in various articles how Cameron and Bradley can partner together better than Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley, and World Soccer Source has also extensively covered how a new Front Six has emerged for the U.S. national team that has the potential to produce better and more effective soccer.

Using a Front Six made up of Geoff Cameron, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore should greatly improve the USMNT, but a new and improved Back Four is needed as well.

Many observers view change as risky, but Jürgen Klinsmann’s defenses and line-ups have been characterized by change.

With the skill and athleticism that John Anthony Brooks and Geoff Cameron showed as center backs against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United States displayed for perhaps the first time ever a tandem of higher-level center backs playing technically-advanced soccer against a top national team.

Given this writer’s belief that Cameron would be better served in the midfield, Brooks will need a new center back partner, and it’s time to start incorporating or starting Shane O’Neill of the Colorado Rapids as Brooks’ center back partner.

O’Neill has shown over almost a full MLS season a much higher level of technical ability, athleticism, and defensive skills than both Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler; O’Neill just didn’t receive the credit for it.

O’Neill surpasses both Gonzalez and Besler in a number of areas, including the ones outlined above, but more importantly, O’Neill is quite visibly a better overall soccer player who shows an excellent understanding of the game and where he needs to be.

Based on how well Brooks played against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the fact that he’s a Bundesliga starter, Brooks has to be considered a starter from now on for the USMNT, and O’Neill gives Brooks a center back partner, who like Cameron, isn’t just a good defender, but a good all-around player with a thorough understanding of the game and the ability to play well when the competition goes up.

Taking nothing away from Besler and Gonzalez, the next step for the United States would be to employ more athletic and more skilled center backs like Brooks and O’Neill who are also tall with two modern outside backs like Chris Klute and DeAndre Yedlin who present a two-way threat from their outside back positions.

The United States Men’s National Team continues to have more quality players in the American player pool, but it’s time to use these players rather than waiting for some unknown amount of time to use them.

Yedlin, O’Neill, Brooks, and Klute have all shown a glimpse of what using four defenders with excellent athleticism and technical ability could look like for the USMNT, and the key to improving the national team is to actually use these better players.

While many people do not feel comfortable using new or younger players in a World Cup qualifier, it is important to not remain complacent and just ride out a winning streak, especially when the very last game against Bosnia and Herzegovina used many different players than the players responsible for the wins before.

Therefore, the USMNT has been winning with different players during the winning streak, and the next step is to have the courage to use fast and skilled two-way outside backs with tall, athletic, and skilled center backs.

Defensively, mistakes can always happen whether a coach uses the same defenders or new defenders, so there is never a guarantee that merely using most of the same defenders will eliminate mistakes. At any time, a ball can be played over or through the defensive back four, no matter how experienced they are.

If Jürgen Klinsmann learned anything during his time as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team, it’s that many of the new players that he introduced into the line-up exceeded his expectations. Players like O’Neill, Yedlin, and Klute have an extensive body of MLS performances, and in some cases, international performances that show the types of players that they are.

While playing out of position, Brad Evans and DaMarcus Beasley have held their own at right back and left back, but Yedlin and Klute look to be a higher-caliber of natural, modern outside backs who present a threat attacking and defending.

To continue to improve and close the gap with top national teams, in addition to being better prepared for the 2014 World Cup (assuming the U.S. qualifies), it is time to use the new players who have the tools needed to compete against better competition, rather than just using defenders who hold their own.

For a country that has been producing better and better players, the path to greater soccer success at the international level is to incorporate and field the new and better players.

A close examination of Chris Klute, DeAndre Yedlin, Shane O’Neill, and John Anthony Brooks will reveal a more talented group of defenders than Brad Evans, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and DaMarcus Beasley, even if the four defenders just mentioned have done well against CONCACAF competition.

It’s important to remember that Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and DaMarcus Beasley didn’t play against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that the USMNT’s winning streak has included a revolving door of players.

Some of the new defenders are very impressive, and they have earned the right at the very least to be strongly considered for the USMNT.

 

MORE ON THE USMNT’S FRONT SIX AND BACK FOUR:

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/american-mls-defenders-to-watch/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/the-cameron-bradley-defensive-midfield-tandem/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/usmnt-back-four-options/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/better-usmnt-front-6-emerges/

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/new-progress-in-usmnt-tactics/

 

American MLS Defenders to Watch

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Gale Agbossoumonde. (Source: Toronto F.C.)
Gale Agbossoumonde. (Source: Toronto F.C.)

 

This MLS season has seen the rise or appearance of several quality defenders who look to be international-caliber players who Jürgen Klinsmann and the United States Men’s National Team would be wise to call up to the national team or at least closely scout and seriously consider.

Defense is a problem for the USMNT, and with a Front Six potentially made up of Geoff Cameron, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, Clint Dempsey, and Jozy Altidore, the defense appears to be the real problem to be addressed right now.

MLS has seen an increase in skilled American players at every position over time, and this season has shown that there are a number of exciting national team prospects playing in MLS who can improve the national team.

Below is the list of several of the more notable international-caliber MLS defenders who mark an increase in the skill-level of MLS defenders.

 

Chris KLUTE

The Colorado Rapids left back has been covered in great detail by this writer, but this extremely fast outside back brings excellent defensive timing and fundamentals with a willingness to surge forward in the attack and look to play crosses or cut inside toward the penalty box. Klute is a two-footed left back who has a tall, lean frame that makes him a natural runner and sprinter, but his game is built on using his speed and skill in concert, as opposed to just relying on speed. An excellent athlete who plays with skill, elegance, and aggressiveness.

More on Chris Klute:

http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2013/07/soccer-website-calls-rapids-defender-chris-klute-best-us-left-back

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/player-profile-chris-klute/

 

Andrew FARRELL

The New England Revolution right back has described himself as a center back who has been playing as a right back for New England, and his speed and technical ability allows him to be able to defend fast and crafty attackers by dispossessing them and passing or dribbling out of trouble in the back. While Farrell has excelled as a right back, the USMNT could use speed, strength, technical ability, and good defensive qualities in the center of the national team’s defense. Farrell has been receiving more media attention that Chris Klute, but both players are new and exciting talents that the national team would be wise to incorporate.

 

DeAndre YEDLIN

The Seattle Sounders right back has received even more media attention than Farrell and Klute, in addition to a spot on the MLS All-Star team. Yedlin is an exciting player who brings speed and aggressive attacking play at right back, and this is something that the USMNT has never really had. Yedlin looks to go forward as much as possible, and he knows how to play wall passes and make overlapping runs as he looks to break down the sideline. Looking at Klute, Farrell, and Yedlin, there is a nice crop of new MLS defenders who look to be international-caliber defenders in terms of their skill and athleticism. Often described as primarily an outside back that attacks well but lacks some polish defensively, Yedlin doesn’t shy away from slidetackles, and he possesses both good timing on his tackles and an ability to tackle leading with either his right or left foot. Yedlin’s defending is better than it’s made out to be, and perhaps the USMNT would be wise to not hold the age and lack of international experience of Klute, Farrell, and Yedlin against them.

 

Gale AGBOSSOUMONDE

Gale Agbossoumonde’s name has been floating around in American soccer circles for years, and the 21 year old is now playing MLS this year. Agbossoumonde’s athleticism, calmness and skill on the ball, and defensive awareness are evident, and he enjoyed a string on starts at center back while other Toronto FC center backs were injured. Agbossoumonde is an important player for MLS and the USMNT because he represents an upgrade in skill and athleticism to Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, and Oguchi Onyewu. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season goes for Agbossoumonde and how much he plays, but the technical and defensive skills combined with excellent athleticism are certainly evident in his game. It might be hard for Agbossoumonde to get close to seeing time with the national team unless he becomes a regular starter for Toronto FC. Regardless of playing time, Agbossoumonde is a player who has the calmness in the back as well as all of the physical gifts and technical skills to be a useful player for the U.S. national team.

 

Shane O’NEILL

The USMNT needs center backs. Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez are certainly an upgrade to Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, and Oguchi Onyewu, but Geoff Cameron is clearly the most talented and athletic center back, despite being the scapegoat for many observers. Cameron looks to be very useful as a midfield destroyer to partner with Michael Bradley in the line of two defensive midfielders, and even if Cameron were playing at center back, he would still need a capable partner.

Shane O’Neill has looked very capable and free of any serious flaws. O’Neill performed well in the 2013 U-20 World Cup, and he has excelled for the Colorado Rapids this season where he has not only played center back but also as a defensive midfielder and as an outside back. O’Neill like the other defenders listed above is young, which prevents many observers from seriously advocating for him to be included on the USMNT, but O’Neill is certainly good enough.

While Cameron was asked to play as a right back or used as a defensive midfielder, Gonzalez and Besler have held their own as center backs at the international level, but Klinsmann and the United States need more center backs. Shane O’Neill should be a serious contender for one of the center back spots on the USMNT, and O’Neill’s play in MLS and with the U-20 squad has received widespread praise. O’Neill’s age shouldn’t prevent him from being taken seriously for a national team spot, especially since he can perform as a center back, outside back, and as a defensive midfielder.

 

WHERE DO THESE DEFENDERS FIT INTO THE USMNT POOL?

At center back, the current players who actually have the combination of defensive qualities, technical ability, and athleticism to really compete against better competition are Geoff Cameron, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Michael Parkhurst, Matt Besler, and Omar Gonzalez. The center backs listed above (Agbossoumonde, Farrell, and O’Neill) deserve the opportunity to show how they compare to the defenders listed in the previous sentence. As Cameron looks to be a vital piece of fielding a strong midfield, the younger MLS defenders deserve an opportunity to compete with Orozco, Parkhurst, Besler, and Gonzalez for center back spots.

The situation at the outside back positions is totally different for the national team, as Timothy Chandler’s level of commitment is unclear and many of the selections at outside back look to be merely makeshift selections. Additionally, Fabian Johnson appears to be more of a winger than a left or right back.

Furthermore, outside backs like Jonathan Spector and Eric Lichaj have been totally frozen out of the national team set-up by Klinsmann.

Given this outside back situation, players like Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell (who also plays as a center back) deserve serious consideration, rather than holding their age against them. Lots of young players prove to be valuable and necessary additions to national teams, and the USMNT simply isn’t good enough to not consider players like Klute, Yedlin, and Farrell.

 

OTHER AMERICAN MLS DEFENDERS TO WATCH CLOSELY:

Amobi OKUGO

Zach LOYD

London WOODBERRY

 

MORE COVERAGE OF THE USMNT DEFENSE:

https://www.worldsoccersource.com/usmnt-back-four-options/

 

USMNT: 23 for Brazil (August 2013)

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The World Soccer Source 23-Man USMNT 2014 World Cup Roster Proposal 

(August 2013 Edition)

 

COMMENT:

This 23-man USMNT Roster Proposal is less conservative than other projections and predictions that you will find from other writers and websites.

The purpose of not just going with the current group of Jürgen Klinsmann regulars who are doing a good job at staying on top of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying table is not to purposely propose a group of inexperienced and young players for the sake of creating controversy.

On the contrary, the purpose is that this group of players below represents a sincere attempt to not just survive the group stage but to give young, talented, and athletic players the chance to try and raise the level of play of the USMNT.

For example, Gyasi Zardes and Mario Rodriguez are on the list over Eddie Johnson, which will seem almost comical to many people.

The reason that this writer selected Zardes and Rodriguez, despite the excellent combination of skill and overall athleticism of Johnson, is that this writer believes that these two young and internationally inexperienced players, if they happen to play for whatever reason over starters like Juan Agudelo or Terrence Boyd, will relentlessly attack the goal no matter the opponent more so than Johnson will.

It’s important to remember that Rodriguez is highly-regarded by Tab Ramos, and Rodriguez plays in Germany. Additionally, Zardes is widely-considered an extremely talented striker in MLS circles, and Zardes seemed to have no problem playing against Real Madrid yesterday who were fielding a strong line-up, including Casemiro at the defensive midfielder role.

 

Here is the roster proposal:

 

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad GUZAN, Tim HOWARD, Nick RIMANDO.

CENTER BACKS (4): Gale AGBOSSOUMONDE, Andrew FARRELL, Shane O’NEILL, Michael OROZCO FISCAL.

OUTSIDE BACKS (3): Chris KLUTE, Kofi SARKODIE, DeAndre YEDLIN.

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS (3): Michael BRADLEY, Geoff CAMERON, Benji JOYA.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS (5): Freddy ADU, Joe Benny CORONA, Clint DEMPSEY, Mix DISKERUD, Benny FEILHABER.

FORWARDS (5): Juan AGUDELO, Jozy ALTIDORE, Terrence BOYD, Mario RODRIGUEZ, Gyasi ZARDES.

 

NOTES:

-There are 7 defenders as opposed to 8 because Geoff Cameron plays center back as well as both outside back positions.

-Michael Orozco, Geoff Cameron, Andrew Farrell, Shane O’Neill can all play as outside backs and as defensive midfielders.

-Geoff Cameron is as much of a center back as he is a defensive midfielder.

-Benji Joya is a box-to-box midfielder listed with the defensive midfielders.

-Freddy Adu and Benny Feilhaber are on this roster proposal. Both of these players are highly-valued by World Soccer Source for their proven-ability and record of performing and making a positive impact at the international level regardless of the opponent. Many Americans and non-Americans consider these two players to be inconsistent and lazy playmakers with a poor attitude, but World Soccer Source considers them to be invaluable midfielders for the USMNT due to their ability to bring creative and quality passing and attacking play to a national team that lacks these qualities.

 

USMNT Starting XI Proposal (4-1-2-1-2): Howard; Yedlin, O’Neill, Farrell, Klute; Cameron; Bradley, Joya; Corona; Agudelo, Dempsey.

 

ROSTER ALTERNATES:

FORWARDS: Teal BUNBURY, Alonso HERNANDEZ, Eddie JOHNSON, Tony TAYLOR, José VILLARREAL.

MIDFIELDERS: Landon DONOVAN, Junior FLORES, Luis GIL, Joe GYAU, Jeremy HALL, Perry KITCHEN, Dax MCCARTY, Brek SHEA.

DEFENDERS: Matt BESLER, Omar GONZALEZ, Fabian JOHNSON, Eric LICHAJ, Michael PARKHURST, Jonathan SPECTOR, Caleb STANKO.

GOALKEEPERS: Cody CROPPER, Tally HALL, Bill HAMID, Clint IRWIN, Sean JOHNSON, Dan KENNEDY, Luis ROBLES.

 

 

USMNT Back Four Options

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Chris Klute (right) might be the best American left back. (Photo: Eamon Queeny / The Columbus Dispatch)
Chris Klute (right) might be the best American left back. (Photo: Eamon Queeny / The Columbus Dispatch)

 

Recently, World Soccer Source examined a Front Six option that Jürgen Klinsmann could start for the USMNT to maximize what he learned from World Cup qualifying and the Gold Cup, but the defensive Back Four is still a big question mark.

In the Front Six, this writer advocated that the USMNT start Geoff Cameron as a midfield destroyer with Michael Bradley as more of the box-to-box variety of defensive midfielder with a line of three attacking midfielders in front of them: Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, and Clint Dempsey.

To read that article and more about the logic of the Front Six click  HERE.

Combining that Front Six with either Tim Howard or Brad Guzan in goal, the best defensive back four is an area that is very much a pressing issue. The popular opinion seems to be that Matt Besler is a lock at one of the center back spots, and that is certainly what Jürgen Klinsmann believes.

The entire defensive back four is still a big question mark because there are new outside backs on the scene who look as though they offer a package of skills and physical gifts that the United States Men’s National Team has never had. These outside backs are Chris Klute and DeAndre Yedlin, but it’s important to note that Andrew Farrell falls into this category too as he has been used as right back by the New England Revolution instead of his natural position of center back.

Therefore, the Back Four of the USMNT is nothing but questions. Is Matt Besler a lock as a starter? If so, who should partner with him at center back? Should it be Omar Gonzalez or should it be Michael Orozco Fiscal? Furthermore, is it possible that two completely different center backs are the best center back tandem for the U.S.?

One route that the United States could take would be to start Matt Besler at center back with either Omar Gonzalez or Michael Orozco, but give DeAndre Yedlin and Chris Klute a chance to start with them as the outside backs. This approach would keep the center back situation somewhat stable, but it would shake things up at the outside back spots.

Actually letting Chris Klute play against Bosnia-Herzegovina would be a bold move for Klinsmann, if he even puts him on the roster, but it would offer the U.S. the opportunity to really see a gifted and athletic left back storming up and down the left sideline.

DeAndre Yedlin has received much more media attention that Klute, but Klute is likely a more polished defender. Yedlin is a very promising right back who is skilled at attacking and defending, and using him against Bosnia-Herzegovina would be an excellent opportunity for Klinsmann to see two young and talented outside backs who are both exceptionally fast facing off against international competition for the full national team.

No one knows what the best defensive back four for the USMNT is, and the only way to really know is to play outside backs like Yedlin and Klute and see what happens. Anything the U.S. can do to make its defense more equipped to deal with fast and skilled attackers is necessary.

There are several defenders that need to be tested and evaluated by Klinsmann. At center back, Klinsmann needs to see how Shane O’Neill can do with the full national team, and it would be useful to see Andrew Farrell playing his preferred position of center back.

Looking at these two players in regards to their defensive qualities, their comfort on the ball, and their high-level of athleticism, it is possible that Shane O’Neill and Andrew Farrell might prove to be a better center back tandem than Matt Besler plus Omar Gonzalez or Michael Orozco.

If Andrew Farrell can play as an outside back and as a center back, one idea of a list of eight defenders would be Andrew Farrell, DeAndre Yedlin, Chris Klute, Fabian Johnson, Michael Orozco, Shane O’Neill, Omar Gonzalez, and Matt Besler. It’s important to note that Geoff Cameron would be listed as a midfielder, even though he obviously excels as a defender as well.

This list presents the USMNT with the opportunity to start a back four of DeAndre Yedlin, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, and Chris Klute, but it also allows for a number of other combinations of center backs and outside backs. For example, Michael Orozco can start as a right back, and Fabian Johnson could start at left back.

Given the group of players listed above, the United States could start any number of defensive back fours. One option would be to start Yedlin, Orozco, Besler, and Klute. Another option would be to start Orozco, Gonzalez, Besler, and Johnson. The youngest and most experimental option would be to start Yedlin, Farrell, O’Neill, and Klute.

These are back fours to consider, and using one of them behind Cameron, Bradley, Donovan, Corona, Dempsey, and Altidore would offer Klinsmann the opportunity to learn more about what his best combination of players is, and there might be more than one. This system allows Cameron and Bradley to cover for Chris Klute and DeAndre Yedlin when they make attacking forays.

Really progressing as a national team will require some new faces to be allowed to play, in order to truly test out more of the American player pool.

While a Front Six made up of Cameron, Bradley, Donovan, Corona, Dempsey, and Altidore is a tactically sound and proven group of players, the best defensive back four for the U.S. is unknown.

Maybe starting Yedlin and Klute will improve the USMNT, and maybe Andrew Farrell deserves a shot to play his natural position of center back or perhaps start at right back over Yedlin.

It’s time to see if there is room to improve the defensive back four of the United States.

 

Post Gold Cup USMNT XI

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Despite a Gold Cup Final that did contain a lot of long balls and not a great deal of excitement, Jürgen Klinsmann likely has come closer to playing the style of proactive, one-to-two touch soccer where the attack starts from the defenders.

Without going into too many of the players who haven’t played in any friendlies with the full national team, the USMNT now is in a better position that it was before the start of the Gold Cup.

Why?

The Gold Cup displayed how Joe Benny Corona and Mix Diskerud brought a certain creative and more advanced style of passing that was somewhat missing from the United States Men’s National Team as a whole before the Gold Cup.

While certainly Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey can play creative and quick-passing soccer that is more often seen outside of the United States, there was a missing piece to a midfield that was built around Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones or Geoff Cameron playing as a defensive midfield tandem with Clint Dempsey playing as a second striker without any player to connect the three.

Joe Benny Corona and Mix Diskerud provide this missing link, and Klinsmann now realizes that Landon Donovan is too good to exclude from his rosters and line-ups.

Any discussion of a Best USMNT XI requires one to draw a distinction between who based on their participation in full national team games should be in the starting line-up and who needs to be incorporated.

The way to include the best of the proven players and the best of the newer players is to start the more proven players and use several roster spots for players who have given strong indications based on their skill level and performances at the club or youth levels that they have something to contribute to the success of the national team.

This writer wrote an article entitled, “A Better USMNT Front Six Emerges,” and that article outlined which players should start in front of the defensive back four. That article can be found by clicking here.

That article advocated for using a 4-2-3-1 formation with the Front Six being Geoff Cameron and Michael Bradley behind (from right to left) Landon Donovan, Joe Benny Corona, and Clint Dempsey with Jozy Altidore as the lone striker.

An argument could be made that Mix Diskerud should also be used at the central attacking midfielder role, and he is also a good choice to fill that role. Obviously, anyone who follows American soccer closely knows that someone like Benny Feilhaber has proved effective in this role, but based on their play in the Gold Cup, Corona and Diskerud are excellent choices to play a playmaking role in between Dempsey and Donovan and behind Altidore.

The real question is the defensive back four. Who should Jürgen Klinsmann use there? There are many indicators that at right back and left back that DeAndre Yedlin and Chris Klute are needed now, but at center back Klinsmann does have several options.

Matt Besler continues to surpass this writer’s expectations. While some of the younger MLS center backs like Shane O’Neill or Andrew Farrell (who has been used out of position at right back by the New England Revolution) might prove to be better, using Besler as the left center back is a reasonable and wise choice, particularly because he brings speed and good technical ability to the center of the defense, and he continues to use his weaker right foot more and more.

Klinsmann appears to be sold on Matt Besler, but Klinsmann also appears to be trying to decide who his center back partner should be. Remember that this is assuming that Klinsmann will only use center backs that have been playing for the national team (as opposed to some of the promising younger options), but this writer believes that Klinsmann might be a little more open to trying other outside backs, excluding DaMarcus Beasley who is performing well at left back.

Incorporating Chris Klute into the USMNT at left back will require first that Klute is selected to participate in a friendly or in a camp before World Cup qualifying, so Beasley is likely the prudent choice from Klinsmann’s perspective among the people who have actually been playing for the United States.

Read more on Chris Klute by clicking HERE.

Right Back is a different situation because Michael Parkhurst has done well there, but he doesn’t make as many attacking forays on the right side as Beasley does on the left side.

Since Parkhurst appeared to possess enough speed and quickness to do well as a right back, using Parkhurst at his natural position of center back might give Besler a faster and more technically-skilled partner than Clarence Goodson who is not quite quick enough and prone to hitting way too many 50 yard long balls just in the general vicinity of the U.S.’ striker.

Another center back option or even a right back option is Michael Orozco Fiscal who brings technical skill, speed, quickness, strong heading ability, and good defensive instincts and skills.

Looking at all of these positions, a first step for Jürgen Klinsmann and the USMNT could be to start this XI below:

 

Tim HOWARD; Michael OROZCO, Michael PARKHURST, Matt BESLER, DaMarcus BEASLEY; Geoff CAMERON, Michael BRADLEY, Landon DONOVAN, Joe Benny CORONA, Clint DEMPSEY; Jozy ALTIDORE.

 

There is another option, which some might describe as a more risky or experimental starting line-up, but it includes almost all of the same players as those above. This more adventurous Starting XI advocates using two young two-way outside backs from MLS: Chris Klute at left back and DeAndre Yedlin at right back. Below is the Starting XI that attempts to give the USMNT better defending and attacking out wide:

 

Tim HOWARD; DeAndre YEDLIN, Michael OROZCO, Matt BESLER, Chris KLUTE; Geoff CAMERON, Michael BRADLEY; Landon DONOVAN, Joe Benny CORONA, Clint DEMPSEY; Jozy ALTIDORE.

 

This second starting line-up would be the first step in using the players who have shown a real ability to perform on the international level with two outside backs who have the ability to improve the effectiveness of the United States out wide from a defensive and from an attacking standpoint.

 

USMNT: Risk, Failure, and Success

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Benji Joya (8). (Photo: MexSport)
Benji Joya (8). (Photo: MexSport)

 

The best athlete in the history of American sports said over and over again that failure was the key to his success. That athlete was Michael Jordan.

American soccer has more potential for success right now than at any time in the entire history of soccer in the United States. The key to success is actually fielding unproven players at the international level who have demonstrated the potential ability and the athleticism to be competitive with elite soccer nations.

A vast majority of the coaches in the United States including Jürgen Klinsmann are afraid to risk losing by playing starting line-ups made up of several internationally unproven players in meaningful games, but there is a way to accomplish this without jeopardizing qualification for the 2014 World Cup.

The solution is quite simple: use a Starting XI made up of proven players and fill the remaining roster spots with new but talented players in addition to players who are too good to exclude.

 

After the Gold Cup, the USMNT could start the follow starting line-up without taking any more risks than usual:

Tim Howard; Jonathan Spector, Maurice Edu, Geoff Cameron, Eric Lichaj; Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones; Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber, Clint Dempsey; Jozy Altidore.

 

The Starting XI listed above isn’t really a risky line-up by any means, as all of those players have ample experience playing international soccer at a respectable level.

If the whole world considers the United States Men’s National Team to be a team with just a few technically-skilled players, then why not use friendlies to field new players who have demonstrated the ability to offer an improvement over many of the players Jürgen Klinsmann has been using?

The sort of undertaking described above is considered risky by many, but couldn’t it also be considered risky not to attempt to strengthen areas where the USMNT is weak?

Beginning to improve the caliber of players fielded by the United States isn’t a question of teaching experienced players to play differently, but it is a question of actually starting promising players who could do very poorly in their first game or games.

On the other hand, maybe they’d do well.

The first step in this process is easy because the first step is deciding which players among the players that Klinsmann has been starting in World Cup qualifying absolutely have to start, and this list of names is short.

Tim Howard or Brad Guzan have to start. Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey have to start, but who else absolutely has to start? Maybe Landon Donovan has to start too.

Looking at that list, that list includes five names for four starting spots leaving seven Starting XI spots up for grabs. Starting line-up space for seven open spots leaves the door open for a lot of possibilities.

Looking at right back, DeAndre Yedlin of the Seattle Sounders seems like a risk worth taking, given his performances in MLS and in the U-20 World Cup, not to mention the two-way threat he poses. Yedlin has speed that’s close to Chris Klute’s speed, and using them as the outside backs would certainly improve the U.S.’ ability to attack and defend out wide.

Moving to center back, Geoff Cameron has demonstrated that he has a level of athleticism and skill, not to mention size, that has never really been given a chance to partner with a center back of similar qualities.

Why can’t Gale Agbossoumonde, Andrew Farrell, or Shane O’Neill be given a shot to start with Cameron? What’s the real argument against that?

Is there any proof that Omar Gonzalez or Matt Besler can outplay Agbossoumonde, Farrell, or O’Neill in an international game when they are partnered with Cameron? Those are all good MLS players, so trying them out should be something that the USMNT’s coaching staff and American soccer writers are interested in seeing.

None of those three players have been given the chance to show how they can perform compared to Besler and Gonzalez, but Besler was started against Mexico in Estadio Azteca in a World Cup qualifier with essentially no significant international experience. Besler and Gonzalez have done well, but have they really proven that they are the best?

At left back, Chris Klute hasn’t been given the chance to show how he can do compared to DaMarcus Beasley and Fabian Johnson. Beasley and Johnson aren’t even really left backs. Klute actually is a two-way left back, and he’s a very fast and skilled two-way left back who uses both feet.

If Americans really want to see better soccer, where’s the backing for at least using a friendly to field a backline of Yedlin, Agbossoumonde, Cameron, and Klute with Howard as the goalkeeper? Certainly, the United States has never fielded a back four with that degree of speed and technical ability.

There doesn’t appear to be any real risk, particularly in a friendly. The U.S. might lose, but the U.S. might lose anyway. Klinsmann’s World Cup qualifying rosters and line-ups have been completely make-shift and experimental anyway.

All of the players listed above are players who are garnering attention from the American soccer media and American soccer fans. None of those players are soccer players taken off the street; those are all well-known professional players.

One of the arguments that Klinsmann’s methods have been working is the USMNT’s victory over Italy.

The U.S. played Italy in a friendly, only to have Mario Balotelli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, and Daniele De Rossi not start. The USMNT can’t really say that it beat Italy convincingly, if Balotelli wasn’t playing. Cesare Prandelli and Italy clearly felt like they didn’t need to use their best players against the U.S. because, if Italy lost, everyone would know Italy didn’t use its best players.

Certainly, Clint Dempsey played well against Italy, but Americans already knew that Dempsey could perform well against elite opponents.

Rather than not taking any risks in friendlies, the USMNT would be better served to see how much potential it could show if a bunch of young, athletic, and skilled defenders were allowed to play with a slightly older Geoff Cameron who too hasn’t really been given a fair chance to play with an adequate center back partner.

Assuming Michael Bradley is playing as a defensive midfielder and Landon Donovan is out on the right wing, why not start Freddy Adu or Joe Corona as a central attacking midfielder with Clint Dempsey out left? This group of players has been used before with success, at least with Adu playing with Dempsey and Donovan. Whereas, Corona hasn’t really been given the chance to play with Dempsey yet.

With the players mentioned above, there are only a few line-up choices left to make for the purpose of this experiment.

Does the U.S. use another defensive midfielder or perhaps a box-to-box midfielder with Bradley, or should the U.S. start two forwards? If the USMNT plays another midfielder with Bradley, is there any reason not to let Benji Joya start with Bradley?

Furthermore, who should the U.S. start at striker?

Jozy Altidore has improved greatly over the past two seasons in Holland, and the players listed above provide him with the service he needs to score goals.

On the other hand, if Altidore has already proven himself by scoring so many goals in Holland as well as showing that he can score for the U.S. when provided with service, shouldn’t the USMNT see how Juan Agudelo or Terrence Boyd can play with the players listed above?

Lots of questions. Few answers.

It’s time to start answering some of those questions, and the way to answer those questions is to start the following Starting XI:

Howard; Yedlin, Agbossoumonde/Farrell/O’Neill, Cameron, Klute; Bradley, Joya/Holden; Donovan, Adu/Corona/Feilhaber, Dempsey; Agudelo/Boyd.

 

USMNT: 23 For the 2014 World Cup

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Michael Bradley (Photo: Garrett Ellwood / Colorado Rapids)
Michael Bradley (Photo: Garrett Ellwood / Colorado Rapids)

 

23-MAN USMNT ROSTER PROPOSAL FOR THE 2014 WORLD CUP

 

GOALKEEPERS (3):

 

*Tim HOWARD

Brad GUZAN

Luis ROBLES / Dan KENNEDY / Clint IRWIN

 

CENTER BACKS (4):

 

*Geoff CAMERON (CENTER BACK / OUTSIDE BACK / DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER)

Shane O’NEILL (CENTER BACK / OUTSIDE BACK / DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER)

*Andrew FARRELL (CENTER BACK / OUTSIDE BACK)

Gale AGBOSSOUMONDE

 

OUTSIDE BACKS (4):

 

*DeAndre YEDLIN (RIGHT BACK / LEFT BACK)

Kofi SARKODIE

*Chris KLUTE (LEFT BACK / RIGHT BACK)

Fabian JOHNSON (RIGHT BACK / LEFT BACK)

 

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS (2):

 

*Michael BRADLEY

Perry KITCHEN

 

BOX-TO-BOX MIDFIELDERS (3):

 

*Stuart HOLDEN

Mix DISKERUD

*Benji JOYA

 

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS (4):

 

*Clint DEMPSEY

Benny FEILHABER

Joe CORONA

*Freddy ADU

 

STRIKERS (3):

 

*Juan AGUDELO

Jozy ALTIDORE

Terrence BOYD

 

* STARTERS

 

USMNT STARTING XI (4-1-2-1-2) : HOWARD; YEDLIN, FARRELL, CAMERON, KLUTE; BRADLEY; JOYA, HOLDEN; ADU; AGUDELO, DEMPSEY.

 

U-20 World Cup: Tab Ramos Improves U.S. XI

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Tab Ramos made several line-up changes. (Photo: ISIphotos.com)
Tab Ramos made several line-up changes. (Photo: ISIphotos.com)

 

Unlike Jürgen Klinsmann, the United States’ U-20 coach Tab Ramos’ roster and line-up selections make sense. The criticism from the American soccer media before and after the first U-20 World Cup game for the United States was the exclusion of some Major League Soccer players and the inclusion of Javan Torre in the starting line-up.

 

Ramos’ line-ups have been balanced, and, by and large, strong at every position. Against France, Ramos used four capable defenders playing their natural positions, three different kinds of midfielders, and three strikers up top who brought different qualities.

 

Ramos used two modern outside backs in DeAndre Yedlin and Juan Pablo Ocegueda, which is an improvement over Klinsmann’s use of players out of position at outside back. Ramos also used two center backs who combined speed, skill, and sufficient size to compete against France.

 

Will Trapp was used as a defensive midfielder, but he doesn’t seem to possess anything remotely close to the speed, size, skill, or physicality of Michael Bradley. Trapp did make several key tackles against France, which was an improvement over his performance against Spain, but the line-up was basically without a midfield destroyer.

 

Trapp’s parter along with Luis Gil was Benji Joya, and Joya is the real deal. Joya is underrated by many in the American soccer media who seem to feel that Joya was responsible for covering the same amount of defensive duties as Trapp despite the fact that Joya wears the number 8 jersey for a reason instead of Trapp’s number 6 jersey.

 

Tab Ramos deploys Luis Gil as a playmaker, and this is a position that Klinsmann simply refuses to use on his United States Men’s National Team. Gil is good at playing final balls, helping the U.S. to maintain possession, and scoring goals, and he was used behind a trident of strikers.

 

This trident of strikers was a change in tactics from the formation used against Spain, and using Mario Rodriguez, José Villarreal, and Alonso Hernandez as strikers allowed the U.S. to try to stretch the French backline in addition to pressuring them when France had possession.

 

MLS Players Who Belong on the USMNT

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Gale Agbossoumonde. (Source: Toronto F.C.)
Gale Agbossoumonde. (Source: Toronto F.C.)

 

Despite criticism of the quality of Major League Soccer, there have always been talented American players in MLS who have been able to perform and excel at the international level. Here are several American MLS players who the USMNT can use and why they need to be used by Jürgen Klinsmann:

 

Juan Agudelo

 

The U.S. Men’s National Team is simply not good enough to not need strikers of Juan Agudelo’s technical ability, fearlessness, nose for goal, and creativity—not to mention that all of these playing qualities are found in a quick, tall, fast, and strong athlete.

 

Juan Agudelo is way too skilled and athletic to not play for a team like the United States which not only struggles to score goals or produce a technically-advanced style of play but that also is regarded by national teams and people from around the world as a physically-fit but somewhat technically weak national squad.

 

George John

* From a previous World Soccer Source article found here .

For several years now, it’s been unclear why Geoff Cameron, Omar Gonzalez, and George John weren’t all incorporated into the USMNT and steadily given more playing time. It took Klinsmann about five or six months to even call Cameron and Gonzalez into a USMNT camp, but Klinsmann essentially totally ignores John besides all of the praise of his play from players, coaches, scouts, and foreign clubs. The Greek national team has even expressed interest in having John play for them. Like Cameron and Gonzalez, John is technically-skilled with the ball while also being a strong defender, and he has a level of athleticism above players like Clarence Goodson and Carlos Bocanegra. Matt Besler of Sporting Kansas City has been used by Klinsmann, but John is visibly more talented than Besler who is largely one-footed.

 

Perry Kitchen

 

The U.S. Men’s National Team needs Perry Kitchen. If Michael Bradley were ever injured or suspended (like in the 2009 Confederations Cup Final when Brazil scored three second half goals), then the United States would only have Jermaine Jones as a technically-skilled defensive midfielder to replace Bradley. While Edu is a much better player than many Americans give him credit for, Kitchen is a player who can bring the U.S. another effective defensive midfielder with advanced two-footed skill on the ball, and there is room for Kitchen on a 23 man roster. Kitchen’s ability to play center back along with his comfort on the ball make him a player that is needed in a balanced USMNT roster with skilled replacements at every position.

 

Benny Feilhaber

 

Benny Feilhaber (along with Freddy Adu) is the only American playmaker who has ever demonstrated with the national team that he has the ability to bring the technical ability needed to not only play at Michael Bradley’s, Clint Dempsey’s, and Landon Donovan’s level, but also to bring the vision and passing ability to break down defenses in a way that the other three midfielders listed above can’t. Once a player consistently performs well for the USMNT for six years even against the most elite competition in international soccer (and he’s under 30 years old), there really is not a good excuse for not including a player like Feilhaber on the roster, unless you have better playmakers who are improving the U.S.’ passing and setting up goals. The USMNT does not.

 

Gale Agbossoumonde

 

Agbossoumonde has everything you could want in a center back: defensive instincts, skill on the ball, speed, controlled tackling, strong heading ability, lateral quickness, and calmness. Agbossoumonde is young, but he is way too talented and athletically gifted to ignore. Now playing in MLS at 21 years old, Agbossoumonde has demonstrated in a string of starts that he deserves to be strongly considered for the upcoming friendlies, World Cup qualifying, and the Gold Cup. It’s important to give Agbossoumonde his first USMNT cap, so that he can serve the American defense for years to come.

 

Andrew Farrell

 

Andrew Farrell’s versatility, skill, speed, and strength is needed on a USMNT with a history of poor defensive performances. The sooner players like Farrell are incorporated into the national team, the sooner the players without the skill and athleticism to be effective defenders against elite attackers will be phased out of the U.S. Men’s National Team.

 

 

Amobi Okugo

 

Amobi Okugo now plays as a center back after being converted from a defensive midfielder, but he can certainly play both. Okugo certainly is the type of player the USMNT needs: a fast, technically-skilled, two-footed, quick, tall, and defensively strong center back. Okugo continues to improve as a center back, and his style of play based on skill plus athleticism is a major upgrade from many of the American center backs in the past who simply headed balls out of the back or cleared the ball 50 yards downfield. Okugo can help prevent the United States from being in the situation it was in against Mexico where the United States needed Maurice Edu at center back and defensive midfielder at the same time (instead Klinsmann had to use both Michael Bradley and Maurice Edu as defensive midfielders to protect Matt Besler at center back).

 

Chris Klute

 

Chris Klute has all of the technical and physical tools to perform well at the international level. Klute as an outside back brings a strong combination of attacking and defensive skill. Whether Klute is just included in a USMNT camp to be looked at more closely or put on the roster for the upcoming friendlies or even considered for the Gold Cup or World Cup qualifying, American soccer fans should keep an eye on Chris Klute. There is often talk of putting certain MLS players on the USMNT, but their technical abilty and athleticism doesn’t translate to the international level. Klute just might be a sleeper who has all of the tools and gifts to play international soccer.

 

José Villarreal

 

José Villarreal is exactly what the United States Men’s National Team needs: a creative, quick, aggressive, and technically-skilled striker. Villarreall has garnered a lot of attention for his play in MLS, in Under-20 World Cup qualifying, and his play in the CONCACAF Champions League. If one watches Villarreal closely in games for the LA Galaxy and reviews his highlights, it becomes clear why he’s knocking on the door of the USMNT roster; he’s probably ready to play for the USMNT right now.

 

Honorable Mention:

Zach Loyd

Kofi Sarkodie

DeAndre Yedlin

Dax McCarty

Jeremy Hall

 

EDIT: DeAndre Yedlin belongs on the USMNT now. His combination of attacking skill and bravado combined with his speed and defensive tenacity and timing makes him a modern outside back who the USMNT sorely needs.

 

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