The first U.S. Men’s National Team match of 2020 will feature a team that won’t look much like a first-choice group for Gregg Berhalter, but it could provide a good glimpse into the future of the program.
A squad heavy on players eligible for the U.S. Under-23 team —the same one that will compete in Olympic qualifying in March — will take the field against Costa Rica on Saturday. Berhalter could trot out a very young squad with as many as 10 different U-23 players, but the safer bet is expecting him to deploy a mix of youth and experience.
Going with veterans at the heart of the defense, and in goal, is a safe bet, with some new faces getting an opportunity in the attack after impressing in camp.
Jackson Yueill and Reggie Cannon are in the unique position of being in contention for starting roles with the full USMNT while also being eligible for the Olympic qualifying team, so they are among the safest bets to start.
Who else should Berhalter start against Costa Rica? Here is a potential lineup we could see:
Some thoughts on the projected lineup:
(UPDATE- Berhalter confirmed on Friday that Sean Johnson, Jesus Ferreira and Sam Vines will start against Costa Rica.)
Jesus Ferreira submitted his paperwork to FIFA on Monday to become eligible to play for the United States, and he has been cleared to play on Saturday. Ferreira has had a good camp and Saturday will be a good opportunity for him to show he’s capable of handling a bigger role in Olympic qualifying.
Uly Llanez is the second-youngest player in camp (only Bryang Kayo is younger) but given the fact he is a local product with a chance to play in front of his home fans (and given his status as one of the few pure wingers in camp) a start would make sense. Of course, Berhalter could go with Jonathan Lewis instead, bringing Llanez on in the second half.
Christian Cappis has been one of the best performers in camp, and should get a start. Given his club’s schedule, there is no guarantee he will be able to take part in Olympic qualifying, but he has shown enough in camp to earn a start.
Cappis has been featuring as a defensive midfielder in camp, and could wind up replacing Yueill in the second half. Berhalter has noted Cappis’ versatility, and quality in the attack, so a more advanced role wouldn’t be surprising.
Sam Vines has been confirmed as the starter on Saturday at left back, which will give him a good opportunity to make his case to be the starter in Olympic qualifying.
Here is a look at the lineup we could see in the second half, which would a group with all 10 field players being U-23 eligible:
What do you think of our projected lineup? Who would you like to see start against Costa Rica?
Share your thoughts below.
No love for Matt Turner i guess Ives? He is a great goalie and I hope he gets a chance to prove it.
On Juan Agudelo …. He’s let go by the Revs, Picked up by Montreal and then traded to Inter Miami … all since the end of last season. I have watched him for years and his game went down hill with the Revs but the Revs were suffering with coaching and front office problems as well as the players signed the last few years. Miami may be a good move for him and he could back in the NAT picture again. Juan will be reunited with Lee Nguyen (the best AM that never got a real chance) and he could rebound. Lee will certainly feed him the ball and the rest is up to Juan. Juan is a good player when with a strong supporting team
Aaaahhhh Pyle the Biggest Bradley fanboy”, who has to go back 14 years to find any reasonable accomplishment for a player that has been the face of US soccer. I’ll still play….
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Bizzy deserves an award for “Most Legendary Michael Bradley Revisionism”….I humbly accept this award, and promise you that in his absence the USMNT will do better. A Player with these stats would have been cut from the National team IN 2011 (for lack of play time, because he isn’t good enough to secure a place in a starting 11……except on the USMNT) lol
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2006–2008 Heerenveen 63 (16)
2008–2011 Borussia Mönchengladbach 76 (10)
2011 → Aston Villa (loan) 3 (0)?
2011–2012 Chievo 35 (1)?
2012–2014 Roma 41 (2)?
2014– Toronto FC 163 (11)?
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Yet you still have players like Alfredo Morales, Fabian Johnson, Timothy Chanler, Geoff Cameron etc STILL playing at a high level in VERY COMPETITIVE leagues…..yet were they ever regulars in the National team fold? You call it bias, I call it favoritism. Bradley should have never been a national team REGULAR with those stats.
SORRY WRONG SECTION
For the first time in a while I’m actually looking forwards to this January game. There are a number of new faces who most of us haven’t seen who should get an opportunity to feature. And while we are still only talking about potential depth options once “A” team players are available….I’m still happy that we won’t see Bradley, Jozy, Lovitz, Baird, & Roldan.
Most interested to see:
Cappis – A player who could play as either a 6 or an 8 and back-up Adams/Yueill as well as McKenzie.
Llanez – A wide player who will hopefully provide competition for Weah & Reyna for playing opposite Pulisic. Could also help push Morris further forward to allow Zardes to be dropped.
Ferreira – One of our greatest needs when you consider Jozy’s injury history and the struggles we’ve had with Sargent & Zardes.
Vines & Gasper – while likely down the pecking order (Dest, A. Robinson, Gloster), if they prove to be up to the challenge there is always the possibility that Dest could be shifted to RB or to a wide midfield role.
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We still need to identify a viable option for a more attacking midfield role, but there is still hope Ledezma will get a chance in March. Hyndman is a potential option I’d have liked to have seen in this camp. Aaronson is also in the mix. Not sure who’ll emerge first, but the bar (Roldan) isn’t all that high.
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Rest of the roster is mostly place holders IMO….Cannon, Arriola, Lletget, Long, & Zimmerman are all know entities. Glad, McKenzie, Lewis, & Araujo are likely to remain in the wings as 4th stringers…who are always hanging around the fringes but never really part of those considered for Sr. “A-Team” members.
Is Hyndman underrated or overrated? He had one good half season with Rangers and had 3 goals and 3 assists in 19 matches across all competitions with Atl last year. For perspective Roldan had 6g 4a from a less attacking position in 33 matches.
someone recently pointed me to this stat out there called xGChain that tries to calculate the impact of players’ involvement in positive possession leading to scoring opportunities.
apparently Hyndman rated really high on it last season. like 4th behind three LAFC mids.
there’s a few articles and tweets out there about it. interesting stuff if you want to look it up.
East but didn’t the US have a better XGc in one or maybe both of their matches with Mexico this year but you’d never say they had the better of the matches. We’ll see with the roster changes he should have a chance this season.
unless i’m misunderstanding it, xGChain is an individual stat.
if so, a team’s xGChain would have to be some average of all the individual xGChains.
i’d be curious to see how Hyndman’s individual xGChain stats for last season stacks up against the MNT stats from those two matches.
not sure where to even find something like that.
and i agree this upcoming season will tell us a lot about Emo.
xG can be a team stat which is what I thought you were talking about (my analytics game clearly not very good) that had the US above Mexico in one of those matches. xGchain seems to be the amount of xG your team has that you were apart of. I looked on American Soccer Analysis and Hyndman seemed to be rated by them well down the list 8 or 9th best for Atlanta and far behind guys like Roldan, Yeuill, Nagbe, Bedoya and even Bradley. So I don’t know if different stats guys determine xGchain differently or if what you saw was for a certain time period what I found appeared to be for the season.
Wouldn’t mind revisiting this roster in a year and see how many actually play for the national team. The real national team, not this C team that gathers every January. Having said that, I’ll be at the game thanks to tickets that cost less than a beer. Can’t wait to cheer my boys on!
When Zardes is picked over Agudelo, you clearly have no clue as a manager…
#berhalterOUT
#USSFstoptheshitshow
When somone thinks Juan Agudelo should be anywhere near a Nats team it shows that person has no clue about anything.
Not a defense of anything or anyone in particular….just calling out true cluelessness when it shows itself so proudly.
Hahahaha Agudelo? Comedy…..
Agudelo is a ‘could have been’ that unfortunately never lived up to his ceiling.
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I don’t think his 3 goals last year puts him in contention for national team duties.
Aguedelo = lost generation that never lived up to the hype. Maybe he/they believed the hype too much. Time to give the next generation a shot…which also means anyone with a first touch is better than Zardes.
DCU
Its funny that coaches have no clue what to do with skill. USMNT cannot groom skill and in US soccer when a player has it they do not know what to do with him (Freddy Adu, Benny Feilhaber, Kenny Saief, Darlington Nagbe….etc.). Its funny how QUICKLY people tend to forget what Agudelo has done in MLS or what he is capable of. I’m not staying he should be a sure starter for the NATS as he lacks consistency but not a lot of players in our player pool can score the BANGERS he does lol:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ZWgKKOk0Y
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Boy got skill, FYI
There are plenty of players and/or coaches decisions that have been questionable over the years. But your prime examples are 50/50 at best:
Please don’t use Freddy Adu as an example of an inability for USMNT/US Soccer being able to groom skill. He was given chance after chance after chance. He’s played multiple coaches and clubs but was never able to find a home. At some point people have to except that Adu was the problem.
Saief has consistently been injured, almost as if he’s made of glass. He came to MLS to gain playing time and failed at an expansion club. Was shipped back to Belgium and hasn’t made the field more than twice.
Nagbe is a decent example to use….since he was constantly overlooked for Bradley & Trapp the last couple years. But he’s since written himself out of the equation by not accepting call-ups.
Feilhaber is an OK example, but after 2010 he got a bit of a swelled head, believing he could phone it in. Enough so that JK chose Diskerude for the 2014 WC instead of him.
Lost
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None of these players were give a “Michael Bradley” chance or “Jozy Altidore” chance. These two players in particular have no skill or special abilities yet they are regulars on the National Team even when their game was atrocious. And Bradley wasn’t even a “gifted younger” (ask Dax McCarthy). He had his dad as a good support system, the same damn way Berhalter son has been selected on Columbus Crew. THAT’S IT. Yes he developed into a decent player, yes he has an amazing work ethic….but he has no talent and if he didn’t have his dad to help open the doors of opportunity he would be nowhere…..just another Wil Trapp.
Again which reaffirm my first comment….None of these players were give a “Michael Bradley” chance or “Jozy Altidore” chance, hence US Soccer does not know how to groom talent
Lost, guess who is the most talented player Dax McCarthy has ever played with?
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http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/01/03/dax-mccarty-freddy-adu-most-talented-player-ive-ever-seen
Lost, guess who is the most talented player Jozy Altidore has ever played with (wait for it – in “rapid fire”)?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1TYU6ANXXg&w=560&h=315%5D
Bizzy deserves an award for “Most Legendary Michael Bradley Revisionism” (which is really saying something these days!). While we are all sitting here clinking glasses about such things as a 19 year old Sergino Dest continually getting 90 mins for Ajax, or a 19 year old Richie Ledezma playing 45 minutes with PSV’s first team in an exhibition, the standard for achievement in the Eriedivisie for American youngsters is in the Eriedivisie is considerably higher.
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Seems a “no talent” 20 year old named Michael Bradley scored 16 league goals (from midfield) for Heerenveen in 2007-2008. It eclipsed an American record for top flight European goals set by Brian McBride, and would stand to this day if not for a certain Jozy Altidore, who scored a remarkable 23 Eriedivisie goals (31 total) despite having “no talent”.
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The idea that the USMNT is responsible for the development of skilled players is a comedy joke. Senior players spend 85%+ of their time focused on their club careers. That is where their careers happen. Those who succeed can expect the reward of opportunities at the senior USMNT level. Those who don’t end up tin the Adu/Agudelo pile, next to Kenny Saief and Brek Shea. It’s not on the USSF.
He has 23 fewer goals than Zardes and has never scored more than 8 in a season. Agudelo has never started more than 2/3 of games in an MLS season. With the exception of Benny (one big season) your list has never produced big numbers for their clubs and all except Nagbe spent time in Europe and didn’t develop their either.
Aaaahhhh Pyle the Biggest Bradley fanboy”, who has to go back 14 years to find any reasonable accomplishment for a player that has been the face of US soccer. I’ll still play….
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Bizzy deserves an award for “Most Legendary Michael Bradley Revisionism”….I humbly accept this award, and promise you that in his absence the USMNT will do better. A Player with these stats would have been cut from the National team IN 2011 (for lack of play time, because he isn’t good enough to secure a place in a starting 11……except on the USMNT) lol
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2006–2008 Heerenveen 63 (16)
2008–2011 Borussia Mönchengladbach 76 (10)
2011 → Aston Villa (loan) 3 (0)?
2011–2012 Chievo 35 (1)?
2012–2014 Roma 41 (2)?
2014– Toronto FC 163 (11)?
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Yet you still have players like Alfredo Morales, Fabian Johnson, Timothy Chanler, Geoff Cameron etc STILL playing at a high level in VERY COMPETITIVE leagues…..yet were they ever regulars in the National team fold? You call it bias, I call it favoritism. Bradley should have never been a national team REGULAR with those stats.
Johnnyrazor
“He has 23 fewer goals than Zardes and has never scored more than 8 in a season.”
……..well He (Altidore) has fewer goals than Wondolowski SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN MLS and has never been able to be crowned the highest scoring American player or complete all his games since his arrival in MLS. Ever……
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“your list has never produced big numbers for their club”…….and Jozy Altidore has because of AZ??? hahaha what happen when he went right back to redeem himself in the EPL???? He was never able to score more THAN 2 GOALS on 5 of the teams he was on (now Agudelo never being able to score 8 doesn’t seem so bad huh lol) yet he was still given a chance on the National team, even named the best USMNT striker we have hahaha
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2006–2008 New York Red Bulls 37 (15)
2008–2011 Villarreal 9 (1) ?
2009 → Xerez (loan) 0 (0) ?
2009–2010 → Hull City (loan) 28 (1) ?
2011 → Bursaspor (loan) 12 (1) ?
2011–2013 AZ 67 (39) yeah!
2013–2015 Sunderland 42 (1) ?
2015– Toronto FC 110 (56) ?
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http://www.thescore.com/mls/news/1391833
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With Agudelo’s talent he should have been given more opportunities. Players with a lot less to offer are given more opportunity on the national team.
Actually I can’t recall ever making any Bradley “fanboy” comments, and I’d readily agree that he was likely kept in the side long after his performances merited inclusion. But you’re changing the subject. The idea that he had “no talent” and never deserved a shot in the team is a joke that ignores or outright deletes history. Also, the notion that he would’ve been “cut from the NT in 2011” is embarrassing. 2011-2012 at Chievo was arguably the best year of his career — he was a highly rated CDM and automatic starter in Serie A (exactly how do you think he earned the transfer to a club like Roma anyway?). Judging him by “goals scored” during this period shows how little you were actually paying attention.
Gomer
“Seems a “no talent” 20 year old named Michael Bradley scored 16 league goals (from midfield) for Heerenveen in 2007-2008. It eclipsed an American record for top flight European goals set by Brian McBride”…..hmmm, when it favors your argument you talk about goals but when it doesn’t then “its not all about goals”. I’m confused
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Bradley’s accomplishments that made him the second coming of Christ
2006–2008 Heerenveen 63 (16)
2008–2011 Borussia Mönchengladbach 76 (10)
2011 → Aston Villa (loan) 3 (0)
2011–2012 Chievo 35 (1)
2012–2014 Roma 41 (2)
(Serie A plays 38 games a season….So while you are singing about Bradley’s outstanding accomplishments, do the math)
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how about Player A’s accomplishments
2011–2014 1. FC Nürnberg 95 (4)
2014– Eintracht Frankfurt 93 (3)
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Hmmmm……Player B
2012–2019 Stoke City 168 (2)
2018–2019 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 19 (1)
2019– Queens Park Rangers 21 (1)
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How about Player C
2011–2014 1899 Hoffenheim 87 (5)
2014– Borussia Mönchengladbach 112 (12)
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maybe Player D
2010–2013 Hertha BSC 20 (1)
2013–2018 FC Ingolstadt 142 (9)
2018– Fortuna Düsseldorf 30 (2)
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Do you wish to tally up their appearances in top flight for the last 9 years and compare them to Bradley’s? And these players are still hustling in more competitive leagues than MLS, so where is this talent you speak of??
Funny not scoring in EPL and LaLiga over 5 years ago is the same as not scoring in MLS last year. Altidore has scored more than Agudelo’s career high 8, 7 times. You panned Altidore for only scoring 19 goals the last two seasons (because of injury averages a goal every other game in that span) Agudelo scores 6 while playing 1000 more minutes.
Bradley has scored 3 international goals against Mexico, that puts him in pretty rare company. The last was a wonder goal from midfield.
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He also can serve long balls very well and he is the only player on the USMNT who is consistently in an open position for teammates who are under pressure.
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The last trait is something the USMNT needs more of; Spain for example has at least 5 or 6 players who do that, hence their ability to maintain possession. Adams shows some promise in this area (though more positive traits in other areas) as does Sargent and McKennie, but it is still not enough. Too many USMNT players hide very well, at least Bradley and the aforementioned players can find spots to help their teammates. (Cameron is also good at this, but he has not been as consistent in that trait as Bradley).
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Of course, that means Bradley gets lots of chances to fail so if you are watching for that, you will find it. He is the USMNT player who receives more passes from teammates than any other US player in nearly every game he plays in. It is not as if his teammates do not trust him, or that my observation regarding his ability to be in an open position is wrong.
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There are things Bradley does not do well, he is not particularly good at dribbling out of tight spaces, he too often tries to hold the ball too long, he makes too many safe back passes when he is in a position that taking a chance on going forward would be better, he is not the best tackler (but he does steer attackers into teammates who are better at that), he has inherited (or learned) his father’s ability to answer questions without actually telling what he is thinking beyond infrequent outbursts against those who attack him.
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I hope the USMNT does better after Bradley is no longer with it, because as a whole the USMNT is simply not good enough right now.
Bizzy: both Altidore and Agudelo came back to MZlS in 2015. Altidore 64 goals Agudelo 29 goals not sure what you’re trying to say. Agudelo’s 3g in 14 matches in Holland is respectable but no where near Altidore’s 38 in 67 matches (not including 12 more in cup and Europa).
Simple Johnnyrazor,
because if it was really about goals then Altidore would never see the field ahead of:
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Chris Wondolowski at 37 years old – about to retire
25 goals in 2 years…..66 goals in 5 years (27 goals in 2012!!! 27!!!)
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Gyasi Zardes
33 goals when playing as a striker for Crew in 2 years
Scored 20 goals his first season as true striker (was a winger with LA)
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Altidore 19 goals in 2 years, 64 goals in 5 years
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So if it was about goals why is Altidore our leader striker??? Also, if you compare Altidore and Agudelo based purely on goals, how about Altidore / Wondo?? Or Altidore / Gyasi??
Altidore’s goal total is lower than Wondo because of injury and you know it. Agudelo’s is low because his managers don’t play him and the 2 goal difference between Jozy and Wondo is not the same as a 35 goal difference between Altidore and Agudelo. Just as the original poster tried to claim that Berhalter was incompetent because he was choosing Zardes over Agudelo. No manager would choose Agudelo over either Zardes or Altidore in 2020. He’s just too inconsistent. He had 3 different managers at New England and none of them rated him as an everyday starter.
FYI Zardes played 76 matches as a CF for LAG scoring 29g and 51 winger/wide midfield with 9g. In his best season for LAG in 2014 he played 28 times as a CF and 5 as a wide player 16g to 3g. Started the MLS Cup that year next to Roy Keane in a 442.
I like Cappis. I think he may be another young one to get an invite to the senior team later this year.