The Jurgen Klinsmann era begins for the U.S. men's national team on Wednesday and while many of the players the new U.S. coach has called in are familiar faces, there is still plenty of mystery about what Klinsmann's first lineup will look like.
Some regulars like Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore won't be making the trip to Philadelphia, while Tim Howard and Landon Donovan are among the first-choice players who will be in attendance.
As for how the rest of the squad will look like? That becomes a tougher proposition to decipher.
Here is the squad we can see Klinsmann trotting out onto the field at Lincoln Financial on Wednesday night:
Projected USA Lineup vs. Mexico
Some quick thoughts on this lineup:
You would imagine Klinsmann will want to start a defense that is familiar with each other. This back four has played together before so it makes the most sense, though I'll acknowledge that Tim Ream has been struggling and could be the odd man out here.
Edgar Castillo could start on the left, but so could Brek Shea. Don't see Klinsmann using Donovan on the left. DaMarcus Beasley is another intriguing option.
Freddy Adu gets the start here but could easily wind up on the bench seeing as how he's not currently with a team training regularly. In retrospect, you could see Donovan in that position, with one of the many wingers on the roster sliding onto the right wing.
Agudelo gets the nod, though Edson Buddle could definitely merit a look. Agudelo has been very hit and miss in MLS play, and wasn't an overwhelming hit at the Gold Cup either.
——-
What do you think of this lineup? Who are you hoping gets the start for the USA against Mexico?
Share your thoughts below.