A 59-player preliminary roster might seem overboard and unnecessary by Concacaf to require, but as excessive as it may be, the large lists have provided some useful insight into the state of the U.S. Men’s National Team player pool.
The MLS-heavy list was expected, but it was still encouraging to see many of the most promising young talents in the league identified as being on Gregg Berhalter’s radar, even if the pipe dream some people have of a final roster consisting only of youngsters isn’t ever going to happen.
Berhalter is sure to select a few top youngsters for his final 23, with Caden Clark, Cade Cowell and Gianluca Busio near the top of the list, but the inclusion of seven European-based players has revealed that Berhalter isn’t going to treat the Gold Cup strictly as a chance to mine the MLS talent pool.
That being said, it will be interesting to see which youngsters make the squad, and which win prominent roles. As much as the Gold Cup team is likely to feature plenty of players with national team experience, you have to think at least one or two of the most promising youngsters will fight their way onto the field.
The trophy on the line in July does carry significance, but the main priority for Berhalter remains World Cup qualifying, so those who thought the Gold Cup might be a chance to just throw together a squad of inexperienced players to see who will sink or swim should also prepare for a potential half-dozen slightly older foreign-based candidates trying to force their way into the picture for qualifying.
With all that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the key takeaways from the USMNT Gold Cup roster;
Julian Green’s chance to shine
Julian Green happens to be the only player on the entire preliminary roster currently projected to be on a team in a top-five European league. It still isn’t a guarantee that Berhalter includes him — newly-promoted side Bundesliga Greuther Furth is sure to object — but the Gold Cup could be the perfect showcase for Green to show he can help the USMNT in central midfield when qualifying begins in World Cup qualifying begins in September.
Green earned his first call-up under Berhalter ahead of the May friendly against Switzerland, and while he didn’t get on the field for that match, he did have a week of camp to make an impression on Berhalter, and his inclusion in the Gold Cup squad suggests Berhalter liked what he saw.
Green is fighting for a place among Berhalter’s first-choice central midfielders, where Weston McKennie, Sebastian Lletget and Yunus Musah are among the competition. Green’s ability as a two-way midfielder make him well-suited for Berhalter’s system, and the Gold Cup would allow him to demonstrate just how much he has grown as a player after his recent years starting for Furth.
Cannon’s inclusion keeps right back crowded
The summer transfer window is likely to also play a part in shaping the USMNT Gold Cup squad. Reggie Cannon’s inclusion surely came as a surprise, but the former FC Dallas defender is positioning himself for a transfer away from Portuguese side Boavista, and a Gold Cup call-up would allow him to put off rejoining the Portuguese side for potentially a full month, giving him more time to secure a transfer.
In terms of the actual right back position, Cannon had been projected to be the USMNT starter at Nations League, but he started neither match. He showed well in the friendly win against Costa Rica after the Nations League, and a strong showing at the Gold Cup could help him re-establish himself as a preferred option at the position.
It could also help him fend off potential challenges from the rest of the USMNT talent pool at right back. Julian Araujo is a top candidate, and his potential inclusion in the Gold Cup squad would cap-tie him, but if Cannon makes the team it will be tough for the LA Galaxy fullback to beat him out, though it would make for a good battle.
The right back player pool also boasts another European-based option in Shaq Moore, who has yet to be called into a camp by Berhalter, but did earn looks in 2018, in the year before Berhalter took over.
Two other good MLS options at right back are Kyle Duncan and Aaron Herrera, with Herrera having won the starting job in Olympic qualifying. Duncan and Herrera could wind up missing out on this Gold Cup though if Cannon and/or Moore are included.
Have we seen the last of Michael Bradley?
One of the most glaring omissions on the preliminary roster was Michael Bradley, whose absence from the list was immediately taken by some as a sign that his days with the USMNT are over.
Don’t be so sure. Clearly, Berhalter stands a good chance of taking longer looks at both Kellyn Acosta and Jackson Yueill, and there’s no reason to call in the 33-year-old Bradley for the Gold Cup when it would make much more sense to call him for World Cup qualifying in the event other defensive midfield options are unavailable.
To be clear, Bradley has not retired from the USMNT, and Berhalter has not completely closed the door on the Toronto FC captain. Bradley’s participation in the upcoming World Cup qualifying campaign could come down to whether Tyler Adams is available or not. Adams has had his battles with injuries, and if Berhalter feels Bradley would be a better option to play down in Honduras or El Salvador than an Acosta or Yueill, then Bradley could very well be called back in.
Of course, Acosta and Yueill could keep Bradley on the sidelines if they show Berhalter enough at the Gold Cup, or if someone else emerges as a viable option at the Gold Cup, like an Andres Perea or Tanner Tessmann, or eventually an Owen Otasowie if he can start earning playing time in England.
There will be a segment of the USMNT fanbase that will freak out about the mere suggestion Bradley could still have a role to play, but while there is definitely something to be said for focusing on a new generation of defensive midfielders, the reality is there are scenarios that could take place this fall that would lead Berhalter to call on Bradley to help fill a role in qualifying.
What should be pretty obvious at this point is that Bradley isn’t likely to have a prominent and consistent national team role going forward, but if injuries or other absences necessitate Berhalter calling him back in, it is a safe bet Bradley would accept a return if he is needed at some point during qualifying.
Who will win the striker race?
No position is tougher to project after looking at the preliminary roster than striker, where there is a mixed bag of options, and Berhalter could really go in any number of directions.
Daryl Dike feels like the safest bet to be included on the final roster, Yes, there is the potential for a looming summer transfer, but it is much more likely that Dike would make a move after the Gold Cup, and a strong showing at the Gold Cup could only serve to add some more dollars to a potential fee.
Who would be Berhalter’s second striker? It was long thought that Gyasi Zardes would get the nod, but Jozy Altidore is actually a good candidate for the spot. He has fallen out of favor at Toronto FC and Berhalter could see a Gold Cup call-up as a chance to help get him sharp ahead of qualifiers in September. Berhalter still sees Altidore as one of his top striker options when he is healthy and in form, but he won’t be of much use come September if he is stuck on the bench for the next two months in Toronto.
Matthew Hoppe and Nicholas Gioacchini are interesting inclusions as both are European-based players, Berhalter had a brief look at Hoppe in May, while Gioacchini was one of the players to impress in last November’s friendlies.
With teams having the ability to make roster changes after the group stage, striker is definitely a position where we could see rotation. In theory, Berhalter could use Hoppe and Gioacchini in the group stage before allowing them to rejoin their clubs, and bringing in a Dike and Altidore for the knockout rounds. MLS will be playing matches during the Gold Cup, so Dike and Altidore could remain with their clubs for the group stage before leading the attack in the final rounds.
And what of Gyasi Zardes? He might just call in the category of players Berhalter knows well and doesn’t need to see in the Gold Cup to know if he can be useful in World Cup qualifying.
How many kids will make the cut?
If you took a vote among USMNT fans, the Gold Cup team would likely be made up almost exclusively of teenagers and European-based players, and there are actually enough of those two categories in the 59-player list to build a team around, but it quite frankly isn’t realistic to think Berhalter will go super young with his team, especially not when Mexico has included several top veterans on its preliminary roster, which suggests El Tri just might have a stronger than expected squad on hand.
That being said, there are some very enticing teenagers who are showing very well in MLS so far this season, who could be tough to pass on taking a closer look at. Caden Clark has a real nose for goal, and has the versatility to play both as an attacking midfielder and wide. Cade Cowell has shown himself to be a real force, though he would more than likely need to contribute as a winger given the glut of striker options.
Then you have Gianluca Busio, who has really blossomed in his central midfield role with Sporting Kansas City. The teenager was a snub from the U.S. Olympic qualifying team, but has continued to impress during the current MLS season. Busio has emerged as a highly-coveted transfer target, and in theory he could be poised for a move that might preclude him from taking part in the Gold Cup, but if he is available, Berhalter could give him a look in a central midfield pool that includes Sebastian Lletget, Julian Green and Cristian Roldan, among others.
There are other young prospects to consider, such as James Sands, Frankie Amaya and Leon Flach, but Berhalter is more than likely to bring just a few players 21 or younger.
Sizing up the foreign-based options
A total of eight foreign-based options are included on the preliminary roster, and you have to think Berhalter has included a good number of them with the intention of having them on the final squad.
Here is a rundown of all eight of them, and their chances of making the final 23:
Julian Green – Very good chance, though you wonder if Greuther Furth will push to have him only take part in part of the tournament.
Reggie Cannon – If you are trying to force a move away from a club, spending a month with your national team isn’t a bad option. Cannon should feature on the Gold Cup team unless Boavista succeeds in completing a transfer for him quickly.
Matthew Hoppe – A run in the group stage before returning to Schalke makes the most sense for Hoppe.
Cameron Carter-Vickers – Tottenham wants to sell Carter-Vickers, and a strong Gold Cup showing might boost transfer interest. Carter-Vickers merits at least a group stage look, but he could very well being a key figure for the entire tournament.
Erik Palmer-Brown – Manchester City won’t mind having Palmer-Brown showcase himself in the Gold Cup, but like Carter-Vickers, he could be a group stage option before leaving to focus on his next loan or a move away from Manchester City.
Shaq Moore – With so many right backs in the pool, it’s tough to see him getting a look, but if he gets one, the group stage would make the most sense.
Johnny Cardoso – A quiet showing at Olympic qualifying didn’t boost his national team stock, and he might be the biggest long-shot of the foreign-based players to find a place on the Gold Cup roster.
Nicholas Gioacchini – An impressive stint in the November friendlies should have helped his cause in the striker pecking order, but the emergence of Jordan Pefok and Daryl Dike has led to Gioacchini sliding on the list. Gioacchini might need an injury or two to happen in order to secure his place on the Gold Cup squad.