This is the U.S. Men’s National Team squad everyone wanted to see. For months, Dave Sarachan’s selections walked the line between safe and bold, opting for a combination of familiar faces and young upstarts that usually created a unique blend.
With a clash against Bolivia looming, though, Sarachan unveiled a squad loaded with promise and one featuring a number of players that could and should be vital pieces for years to come.
Christian Pulisic is the obvious headliner, leading the way for a roster filled with talented foreign-based stars. The average age of the squad is just 22 years old and the team features only two players born before 1990. Seven players are looking for their first caps and squad includes nine players that would be age-eligible for participation in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
“We’ve been really happy to see the progress of a number of our players abroad this season,” Sarachan said. “Guys like Matt Miazga, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Weston McKennie, Andrija Novakovich and Antonee Robinson have all received valuable minutes and experience in good environments this season. For them, the timing of this game is excellent, given that they are all coming off very solid seasons for their clubs and should be in good form. Fitness will not be a factor, so I think the timing bodes well for this particular camp and game against Bolivia.”
“As I’ve talked about throughout this process, the theme is to offer opportunity to this younger generation of talented players that have potential down the road with the program,” Sarachan added. “We’ve had first-time call-ups in every camp since November, and this is another extension of that. We’re going into the Bolivia game with newer faces along with a few familiar players as well. Overall, these types of games provide great chances for players to bank key minutes in international matches.”
While players like Miazga, Carter-Vickers and McKennie have rapidly gone from prospect to regular, the squad features several new faces looking to make the full leap to the senior level. Among the two more surprising are Alejandro Guido and Matt Olosunde. The two haven’t broken through with Club Tijuana or Manchester United, respectively, but both remain intriguing prospects for the future. Olosunde, in particular, is one to watch given his pace, size and skill at the fullback position.
Keaton Parks and Josh Sargent were certainly expected. Sargent, joined only by Novakovich and Timothy Weah as options atop the field, is likely in line for his first cap after joining the group earlier this year. Parks, meanwhile, broke through at Benfica this season and will now look to battle it out with a crowded group in central midfield. With this roster, though, that group is a bit light with MLS options like Cristian Roldan, Marky Delgado, Wil Trapp and Darlington Nagbe not involved. Because of that, Parks could certainly see time alongside someone like McKennie.
While newcomers are a highlight, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the squad are some of the returns. After helping stave off relegation with Greuther Furth, Julian Green has jumped back into the picture while Lynden Gooch is back in the fold despite a tough season for Sunderland.
Pulisic still provides the most intrigue, though. The Borussia Dortmund star hasn’t been with the group since the loss in Trinidad & Tobago, and his integration alongside future cornerstones like McKennie will be an aspect to watch over the next few months and years.
“It’s no secret that Christian has a very bright future for many years to come with the U.S. Men’s National Team,” Sarachan said. “The opportunity to have him a part of any group that we assemble is very important, not just for him personally, but for this group going forward.
“It’s very good to have Christian back in the mix. It’s been a number of months and I think when you can add the quality he provides to any team, that’s a big bonus for the program.”
It remains to be seen what this roster will look like in the coming weeks. Sarachan says he expects “numerous changes” following the Bolivia match as he takes travel consideration, MLS schedules and European post-season fatigue into play.
However, at least for one match, the U.S. will be going with youth, and that provides a bit of excitement to the upcoming friendly.
“Like all of the matches we’ve played since November, the expectation is that the players respond well to the challenges they’ll face on the day against a team that will punish your mistakes,” Sarachan said. “The hope is that we continue the form that we have already shown in terms of being aggressive and not allowing a lot of time and space to the opponent, all with the hope that we have the freedom to create good chances and come away with a positive result.
“Given the way the roster has come along for the Bolivia game and those who will be available for Europe, I think it’s developed well and I’m looking forward to getting started with the group that we’ve finalized for the opening of our camp in Philadelphia.”
as in “It’s been a long road,
to get us from there to here.
it’s been a long time,
but our time is finally here.
And we can feel a change in the wind right now.
nothing’s in our way.
and they’re not gonna hold us down no more.
no they’re not gonna hold us down.
’cause we’ve got faith of the heart.
we’re going where my our heart will take us.
we’ve got faith to believe.
we can do anything.”
going where our hearts will take us
“This is the U.S. Men’s National Team squad everyone wanted to see.”
It’s been a long road,
to get from there to here.
it’s been a long time,
but my time is finally here.
And i can feel a change in the wind right now.
nothing’s in my way.
and they’re not gonna hold me down no more.
no they’re not gonna hold me down.
’cause i’ve got faith of the heart.
i’m going where my heart will take me.
i’ve got faith to believe.
i can do anything.
i’ve got strength of the soul.
and no one’s going to bend or break me.
i can reach any star.
i’ve got faith,
i’ve got faith,
faith of the heart.
It’s been a long night,
trying to find my way.
been thru the darkness,
now i finally have my day.
And i will see my dream come alive at last.
i will touch the sky.
and they’re not gonna hold me down no more.
no they’re not gonna change my mind.
’cause i’ve got faith of the heart.
i’m going where my heart will take me.
i’ve got faith to believe.
i can do anything.
i’ve got strength of the soul.
and no one’s going to bend or break me.
i can reach any star.
i’ve got faith,
faith of the heart.
I know the wind’s so cold,
i’ve seen the darkest days.
but now the winds i feel,
are only winds of change.
i’ve been thru the fire,
and i’ve been thru the rain,
but i’ll be fine.
’cause i’ve got faith of the heart.
i’m going where my heart will take me.
i’ve got faith to believe.
i can do anything.
i’ve got strength of the soul.
and no one’s going to bend or break me.
i can reach any star.
’cause i’ve got faith,
’cause i’ve got faith,
faith of the heart…
Faith of the heart.
i’m going where my heart will take me.
i’ve got faith to believe.
and no one’s going to bend or break me.
i can reach any star.
’cause i’ve got faith,
’cause i’ve got faith,
faith of the heart…
It’s been a long road…
Rod Stewart – Faith Of The Heart Lyrics
in the song lyrics, replace i with we.
i agree with those who say they’re likin’ dave sarachan so far.
thanks dave
as in “we’ve got faith to believe we can do anything.”
I have absolutely no gripes or complaints regarding this team. After seeing Bradley, Altidore, Dempsey and Howard’s steady decline it’ll be nice to see something….anything new. This team is lopsided with YANKS ABROAD players, and its going to show in the way they play and Attack against a team like Bolivia, who team / record is suspect ?️
—
ROUND 1
Bolivia 0 vs Uruguay 2
ROUND 1
Ecuador 2 vs Bolivia 0
ROUND 1
Bolivia 4 vs Venezuela 2
ROUND 1
Paraguay 2 vs Bolivia 1
ROUND 1
Bolivia 2 vs Colombia 3
ROUND 1
Argentina 2 vs Bolivia 0
ROUND 1
BoliviaBOLIVIAPeruPERU
MATCH FORFEITED Bolivia forfeit two World Cup qualifiers for fielding ineligible players
I wouldn’t go jumping the gun on who was and wasn’t called in just yet with this game being on a non-FIFA date, and at least a handful of changes coming for the European matches.
Sucks to see Adams go down last night as he was likely to join the team for the trip to Europe. Steffen still may.
These friendlies are actually on the FIFA Calendar to allow preparation for the WC. However, since the US didn’t qualify there is no reason to Antagonize clubs by demand the release of players. That being said if USSF truly wanted to they could force clubs to release any players that they wanted to (example: Steffen, Lletget, Delgado, etc…).
Not on the calendar (http://www.fifa.com/calendar/index.html) probably because almost all other leagues are off right now.
The Bolivia game is not on a FIFA date, thus the nature of the players selected. The European games will be FIFA dates, thus changes to come!
I thought the keeping choices were disappointingly out of touch, the sort of experiments his old boss would have made 2 years ago not knowing any better. I’m glad it wasn’t SO reflexive it was Guzan, but Horvath hasn’t played well for club in a while (and may soon be on to a new team), and Bono has bad stats this year. Even Hamid just kind of feels like they, say, xeroxed 2017 Gold Cup for keepers.
At minimum, the hot new keeper of the moment is Steffen, and he already played earlier this year for the team. What gives?
I don’t like Villafana and Lichaj both, because that kind of sounds like LB will be crap backed up by crap, and both have had plenty of chances. I want the US getting out of the same loops and this is like staying last cycle (or two in Lichaj’s instance), and not moving forward. They generally went refreshingly fresh with this call, why?
I mean, Lichaj had maybe one game he played well years ago, and we all had hopes and felt Klinsi was messing him around. But then every time since he looks a jittery mess.
I would have left Corona off because he’s as old as Bradley and not a pimple on him. He occasionally does something but has not lived up to the promise. Nor do I see him as so established a vet he can “teach” about “how the NT works.” I get the idea Lichaj is there for a similar purpose, and it’s like, if you want a mentor, call in an actual star, not the guys who couldn’t even quite cut it. I don’t know how they can convey what is training hard enough, or how to handle a road international, etc.
I’d also view Rubin as Old News who lacks the odd spark that someone like Green has shown. Rubin had some chances and was anonymous. If you’re going to recycle someone let it be someone who did something in a world cup and is more like inconsistent as opposed to totally frustrating. But Rubin unlike Corona is relatively young so it’s kind of harmless.
Joe Corona is 27, Bradley is 30.
Some people will never be happy no matter who is on or off the roster and you comments prove this. You may be the only person to have an issue with what Sarachan did in putting together this roster, a fine one by the way! Sarachan rewarded some players that were older, but not old, for having good seasons like Villafana and Corona. Established veterans like Lichaj to provide leadership and who can play both sides of the defense because other players were unavailable either through injury, club games coming up(Shaq Moore) or will be on the european roster(Yedlin)! Rubin has been a spark in the last few callups he’s received, that awesome assist that should have led to a goal versus Paraguay comes to mind and he is always looking to attack, all things this team can use! Julian Green had a decent year, but the plus is he played a full season at a good level and made an impact down the stretch to keep Grueth in the Bundesliga 2. He is still fairly young and we shouldn’t give up on him yet just because he has been a bit inconsistent over the last 2 years!
I would have brought in Wood, who probably has something to prove, Johannsen, ditto. I’m glad it wasn’t Sapong and Dwyer after Gold Cup, but this is maybe too far over the other direction to unproven, and plus it might be useful to see what the two injured Germany players are like.
That being said, I’m ok with this set, if they are going to experiment, really do it, try people we haven’t seen, not people who had a shot and missed it. I just think those two older guys are still young enough to be in the mix or even start, and both are coming off injury issues where I think we should kick their tires. Both in their prime were good for the team.
Antonee Robinson was also called in as LB, and i expect him to play the majority of the Bolivia match, so again what’s your beef?? Your way of thinking is not how you build a team, or how you transition from aged veteran to more younger players. This Bolivia match will see a lot of newcomers, the match will probably be disjointed because of the inexperience and inconsistent play of many of the players, but nonetheless will give them more experience at the senior level. Sarachan has done a fine job putting together the last few rosters, this is no different, but it just feels like you want to complain just to do so
You’re expecting the kid to play more than the two qualifying campaign veterans? I don’t like them, but it works the opposite.
My point is to call up kids and newcomers like Robinson, and clear the half cooked obstacles in their way. We are actually agreeing on what SHOULD happen, but the problem is, calling in the veterans, it’s more likely he SUBS or SITS, even if the “book” on Villafana and Lichaj is already well known.
As for the fullbacks I’d wait until the Euro matches are announced, Moore still has a match this weekend. Bono plays Friday which would make him available where as Steffan plays Sunday against Melia so limited MLS options.
Re fullbacks, that sounds semi-possible except given the choice Sarachan has called Villafana and Lichaj more than once, and if he did reinforce on June dates, I’d think the people more likely to be displaced would be newer and more experimental, in favor of experienced, which points to other positions. Perhaps Yedlin or FJ at RB. Perhaps Brooks in the middle.
Given the schedule sequence, I’d have gone experimental at LB and if you feel compelled to have experience for France — the danger I saw with this schedule, that it sends you back to the well out of fear — then that’s when you call in these two.
To me the reality is neither is good enough so it’s kind of wasting time to act like they are worthy incumbents.
I’d like to see more Marky Delgado.
I think Nagbe is guaranteed to get a chance to compete for a spot when a new coach comes in and starts working towards his roster.
Trapp, meh, and Roldan has kind of sucked for us.
But IMO this process, while a useful exercise for a team that needs to get better and younger, and to try new people, is kind of farting around since the new coach will likely want to set up his formation and tactics and run the ruler over the exact same people, give or take, playing his way. So the reality is that unless Sarachan gets the job, or you play horrifically, you’ll probably get a fresh start under Coach X coming up.
Sarachan said that the MLS players were unavailable for the Bolivia match. So that pretty much leaves other US youth players in Europe.
Marlon Fossey (RB) played in 7 U23 for Fulham matches out of a season of 22 (wasn’t in the squad for the other 17 (not sure if it was related to his nagging injury from before U20 WC.)
Sergnio Dest, played for Ajax U19, but he is only 17 and also a RB.
Then I guess you’d have to go to John Nelson a 19 year old LB for Duke. (shoutout to Dennis)
Then you I guess you would go with some USL players that might be released, but the best of those just were in Honduras for 2 friendlies with the U20s. I’m sure there are a couple other youth players that I’ve forgotten, but you have to think also, you want the US attackers to go against professionals in training, the young attackers have seen plenty of kids their own age they need more time with seasoned professionals.