U.S. Men’s National Team interim manager Dave Sarachan is sticking with youth as expected for the May 28 friendly at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania against Bolivia.
Christian Pulisic’s return to the USMNT was confirmed by Sarachan last month, and he’ll be joined by Weston McKennie, Josh Sargent, Tim Weah and a host of talented young players.
Pulisic is also tied for the most appearances in the 22-man squad with midfielder Joe Corona.
In addition to Pulisic and Corona, Eric Lichaj and Jorge Villafana are the only players with more than 10 caps for the USMNT.
Among the other intriguing names on the roster are Julian Green, who helped Greuther Furth survive relegation in the 2. Bundesliga and Manchester United youth product Matthew Olosunde.
Twenty of the 22 players called in for the Bolivia are based in Europe, with Toronto FC goalkeeper Alex Bono and LAFC center back Walker Zimmerman being the only MLS representatives.
Goalkeepers:Â Bill Hamid, Alex Bono, Ethan Horvath
Defenders:Â Cameron Carter-Vickers, Eric Lichaj, Matt Miazga, Matthew Olosunde, Erik Palmer-Brown, Antonee Robinson, Jorge Villafana, Walker Zimmerman
Midfielders:Â Joe Corona, Lynden Gooch, Julian Green, Alejandro Guido, Weston McKennie, Keaton Parks, Christian Pulisic, Rubio Rubin, Tim Weah
Forwards:Â Andrija Novakovich, Josh Sargent
Guido isn’t national team quality. I get they part of it is availability but there’s so many options ahead of him.
So many people here not realizing this match is not on a FIFA date, or that some Euro-based players still have important club matches this week, or that they said players will be swapped in for the European matches (Brooks, Yedlin, Moore, probably a few more MLSers).
C’mon people.
While technically not on the FIFA Schedule, most of the European Leagues have already finished or are finishing this week….
Bundesliga – Pro/Rel matchs 5/21/18
Bundesliga 2 – Pro/Rel match 5/22/18
Premier League/La Liga/Legue 1 – finished
Championship – Last Playoff game for promotion 5/26/18
Youth sides/B teams may still have games, but the vast majority of the leagues are finished and national teams playing in the WC are assembling their preliminary rosters to get some games together before the WC kicks off.
Since we’re not going to the WC there is no reason to Antagonize clubs by forcing player releases.
Probably would have gone with Arriola over Gooch. Not that either is setting the world on fire but maybe this helps Gooch find a move. Have to wonder if he could also be in MLS soon.
This roster has only 2 strikers listed. And while you can play Weah or even Pulisic up front, I think you need another striker and it should be Bobby Wood. Two reasons–he hasn’t played all the much the second half of the Bundesliga season, so he doesn’t need the rest that much, and I think he needs a confidence boost and playing for the national team could perhaps help that. He’ll only be 29 for the next WC, so he’s young enough to be included in the group for qualifying and, hopefully, playing in the next WC.
I’m sure he will stick with the 4-1-4-1 and get both strikers playing time up top, wood will be there for the next 2 games I’m sure.
I see Alejandro Guido on the roster. Saw him in some youth games I thought he would have be with the USMNT years ago. Any word on his current team/playing?
Plays for Tijuana in Liga Mx. 28 appearances across all competitions 13 starts, no goals or assists.
Would love to see this 4-2-3-1
—
———–Novakovich————–
—
Weah——-Green———Pulisic
—
——-Parks——–Mckennie—–
–
Robinson–Miazga-CCV–Olosunde
—
————-Bono——————-
—
Its Bolivia’s B team, let the kiddo’s play and screw up all they want. This is the best time for some serious f-ing up learning stuff. Armband to Pulisic.
I’m not sure starting a guy that played in just 12 U23 matches the last one being in February sends the right message. There were rumors that ManU were looking to loan Olosunde to Red Bulls this Summer so perhaps this is an MLS tryout. That should excite a conspiracy theorist like you.
Johnny still throwing mud. Let the kiddos play serious minutes. No point starting Lichaj at RB against Boliva’s B team, wasted minutes. Give the kid a chance if he screws up no problem. I might have rather called in a Shaq Moore or someone else but he’s not on the roster for Bolivia game.
If you play a kid who isn’t ready, then that affects everyone else not just them. If Olosunde isn’t ready Pulisic and McKinnie are having to cover for him and keeps them further from the offense. That hampers Green and Novakovich as well. Miazga and CCV can’t play their normal space either because they are stretched to the right. It is not so simple as playing all the new guys who cares. One or two guys not being up to the level and it makes the whole match meaningless for not just them but everybody.
A national Team with
Lynden Gooch, Julian Green, Weston McKennie, Keaton Parks, Christian Pulisic,and Tim Weah (“Yanks abroad firepower!!!”)
–
A National Team without
Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, Graham Zusi, Omar Gonzalez……
–
I don’t think there is ANYTHING to complain about…lol 😀
Only real complaints would be the inclusion of Lichaj. I would have preferred to have had Moore called up/played.
Levante II where Moore plays has a match next Saturday, he would likely join the squad in Europe.
No Yedlin? No Brooks? I guess they need the rest.
Wonder how many changes will be made for the Euro friendlies.
Apparently about 10 changes after this game
Rumors out that Tyler Adams to RB Leipzig
I AM a little surprised no Gyasi Zardes, Tyler Adams (who is apparently headed to Red Bull Leipzig in the Bundesliga), Zach Steffen, or Darlington Nagbe. Especially surprised about Adams and Steffen if the point was to blood as many young guys as possible.
Still, I’m very geeked to see the young guys go.
I think those players will be added after the Philly game.
Crew have a match the 27th and ATLU have one the 30th. Wouldn’t be surprised to see either of those two for France or Ireland.
I think Nagbe was one of the culprits from our qualifying failure. Time for new blood.
No way to just throwing out Nagbe.
You do not just automatically throw out every player involved in a disappointing team, particularly ones with his kind of skillset. Wouldn’t rid us of Yedlin or Villafana either.
Nagbe struggles when you try to make him a focal attacking player, but he does exceptionally well when he plays a deeper-lying, tucked-in shuttler-type role, which is especially relevant when you’re playing a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1. His technicality, comfort on the ball, and exceptional speed become massive assets in that situation.
He is definitely not ready to be pushed out of the pool. I’d personally put him as our fourth or fifth best player…behind Pulisic, Brooks, and (maybe) Weston McKinnie, if McKinnie is indeed as good as he’s looked in his initial outings against the likes of Portugal.
Nagbe sucks. Hate to be harsh but every game I’ve seen him in US or Portland I just don’t get the skill sets you guys talk about. Btw I’m not saying push him out but his not a guy that MUST be on every call up
I guess Atlanta disagrees. They forked over a BUNCH for him – but they’re also playing him correctly – not as an 8 or an outright winger, and definitely not as an attacking player, but as a deeper-lying midfielder, and he’s looked very, very good in that role.
Like I said, he struggles when you push him into a focal attacking role. But as a guy with a role to play and a job to do, he’s an entirely different cat.
If he has to play in such a very specific role, he’s probably not the 3rd or 4th best player we have. He also may be the 4th or 5th best player on Atlanta.
I sounded the warning about Nagbe some time ago, pointing out that he has limitations. He’s not bad, he was just over hyped. I liken him to Dembele at Tottenham. If you need someone to dribble out of tight spaces and/or bring the ball up from one box to another, then he’s your man. That makes him useful against teams that do a lot of pressing. However, he doesn’t score much or provide the kind of pass that lead to goals. So he’s pretty one dimensional.
I am just happy to see the kids! I am less concerned about results and more interested in several of this youngsters getting experience at the international level.