It's almost World Cup time ladies and gentlemen, and I for one cannot wait! Is it weird that the World Cup is getting played in November and December? Sure, but who is really going to care when the whistle sounds and the tournament starts?
It's just crazy to think about that it's been eight years since we last saw the United States Men's National Team take the field at a World Cup. In the so-called 'Group of Death,' which contained Germany, Ghana, and Portugal, the US, with a squad containing Omar Gonzalez, Aron Johannsson, Mix Diskerud, Julian Green, and Timothy Chandler, managed to claw their way into second place, before losing in the round of 16 to Belgium in extra time. All in all, 2014 was a successful year for the USMNT.
Though the US failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, losing to Trinidad and Tobago on the last day of qualifying, this current crop of players has the chance to be the most exciting crop the United States has ever produced. Boasting the youngest national team at the World Cup, this tournament should serve as a nice building block for the future of the USMNT, which could potentially lead to more success when the World Cup is on home soil in 2026.
This tournament is nice because there aren't insane expectations on the US going into the World Cup. As fans, we just want to see this young group of players give everything they got, while stirring up some shit along the way.
So, with the World Cup starting exactly one month from today, though the US' first match isn't until the 21st, I wanted to make sure we got our officially official squad prediction out there! So, with any further delay, I, Logan Blackman host of the insanely popular Logan Blackman Show, am proud to present to you our USMNT squad for the 2022 World Cup! Enjoy!
Podcast Links
Pictured: Sergino Dest; Antonee Robinson, Christian Pulisic, Walker Zimmerman, Tyler Adams
In The Mix
Down below we have listed all the players we feel Gregg Berhalter and his staff are considering for the 2022 World Cup. If one of your favorite players is not listed I'm sorry, blame Gregg not me.
That being said, please make sure to read through the reasonings given below, that way you'll have a fuller grasp of why I chose who I chose. Please enjoy!
Goalkeepers - 5
Ethan Horvath, Luton Town (Nottingham Forrest)
Sean Johnson, NYCFC
Gabriel Slonina, Chicago Fire (Chelsea)
Zack Steffen, Middlesborough (Manchester City)
Matt Turner, Arsenal
As opposed to previous World Cups, the goalie situation around the United States isn't as 'secure' as it has been in the past. Looking the the World Cups the USMNT participated in during the 21st century, the States had Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tony Meola, and, most recently in 2014, Tim Howard, who pulled off one of the greatest games goalkeeper in World Cup history, breaking the record for most saves in a World Cup match with 15, though the US would eventually be knocked out by Belgium 2-1 in extra time of that same game. The US has always had a long string of successful goalkeepers with rarely any questions marks surrounding the position, pretty much until right now.
I would like to say that this is not an indictment or anything on the current crop of goalkeepers, rightly or wrongly, they're just not as well know as the keepers of the past. That being said, though they might not be as widely recognized as Tim Howard or Kasey Keller, we can almost lock two goalkeepers into the squad for the World Cup, those being Zack Steffen and Matt Turner.
Going back to 2018, during a period of reflection for the USMNT, Zack Steffen really took hold of the number one shirt for the Statesmen, playing 18 games over the course of two years between 2018 and 2019, starting in net for the States against Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup Final, a game in which they lost 1-0. If you were trying to predict a squad for this World Cup, 99% of people out there would've expected Steffen to be into between the posts for the USMTN, especially since he had served as captain on a few occasions during that time from as well.
Turner, on the other hand, wouldn't register a single appearance for the USMNT until 2021, making his debut against Trinidad and Tobago, in a game where the USMNT won 7-0, with Turner saving a penalty in the process. So, with all that being said, why has this competition become so close? With Steffen, essentially, nailing down the starting spot? Well, let's flash forward to 2021, as that's where things got interesting.
After Turner made his debut against Trinidad in January, the Zack Steffen and the USMNT went on to play Mexico in the CONCACAF Nation's League Final, with Steffen even captaining the side in the semi-final against Honduras just a few days earlier. In the game, Steffen suffered an injury, which forced him to leave the game early. With him out, Ethan Horvath then stepped in, saving an Andres Guardado penalty, which helped the United States hold on to a 3-2 victory. Though Horvath wasn't really a direct challenger to Steffen, this did open people to the idea of Steffen possibly not being the correct choice between the pipes for the United States.
Fast forward a month or so later, even more questions were raised, as Matt Turner started every game of the 2021 Gold Cup, which saw him concede one goal throughout the entire tournament, which came from an Emmanuel Riviere penalty. The question surrounding Turner going into that tournament wasn't his inexperience, it was more on his ball distribution. Throughout the tournament, Turner showed his overall improvement as a passer, and put even more pressure on the seemingly once unbeatable Zack Steffen.
Remember when I said earlier that Steffen had 18 caps over the course of two years? Well, Steffen now has 29, but the gap between Turner and him now only sits at nine, with Turner registering 20 caps since his debut in 2021. With more eyes being on Turner these past two year's, mostly due to Steffen's injury woes, Turner seems like the choice to be the US' number one going to Qatar, and given what I've seen from the pair over these past couple years, I believe that is the correct choice.
As for the third choice keeper, Sean Johnson has had some great success playing between the net for NYCFC, captaining NYCFC to their first MLS Cup title, winning it in 2021, while also being named the games MVP. Though Johnson has had some very nice success, I think Gregg Berhalter will be taking Luton Town's Ethan Horvath as the third choice goalkeeper. Horvath has been playing very well over in England for aforementioned Luton Town, and has had some decent performances in between the sticks for the US, even outside of the penalty save game against Mexico. GGG seems to like Horvath a lot, and has consistently deployed him as his number two when him and Johnson are there, along with Steffen and Turner.
So, going to Qatar, I think the USMNT will bring Ethan Horvath, Zack Steffen, and Matt Turner, with the latter serving as the main number one for the tournament.
Prediction - Ethan Horvath, Luton Town (Nottingham Forrest); Zack Steffen, Middlesborough (Manchester City); Matt Turner, Arsenal
Right Backs - 5
Reggie Cannon, Boavista
Sergino Dest, AC Milan (FC Barcelona)
Shaq Moore, Nashville SC
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
DeAndre Yedlin, Inter Milan
Right back will be a pretty highly contested position going into Qatar. Not necessarily for the starting spot, but for the back-up spot(s), as Sergino Dest, though shaky at club level, has nailed down the starting right back spot pretty much right after he announced his intentions to represent the United States at international level over the Netherlands. Apart from Dest, the others that I think will contest for spots are Reggie Cannon, Joe Scally, and DeAndre Yedlin. Yes, I am aware I put Shaq Moore in there as well. Do I think he'll make the squad? No, but I think he at least deserves a mention when looking forward to November.
We'll start with DeAndre Yedlin, who is easily the most experienced right back out of the five we have listed about, registering a fairly astounding 75 caps. The craziest part about those 75 caps is that he reached that total without even registering an appearance in 2020, which made it seem like his international career might be over. As it turns out, it was not, as Yedlin made 13 appearances for the USMNT throughout 2020 and 2021. What makes Yedlin so fascinating is how lightning quick he is, as apart from Antonee Robinson, Yedlin may be the fastest player on the team, even with him being 29-years old. Before you say it, I am aware 29 isn't that old, hell, I'm 24, but players with that insane burst of speed seem to lose a step as they get closer to 30. Is Yedlin as fast as he was when he made his United States debut in 2014? Of course not, but that shouldn't take away from his speed now.
Going forward, Yedlin's speed allows him to blow past defenders with relative ease, and though he can track back at a fast rate, his one on one defending has been called into question on numerous occasions, especially during his time in the Premier League with Tottenham, Sunderland, and Newcastle. That being said, again, Yedlin provides a nice spark going forward, with a decent ability to send crosses in on the move. I think Yedlin will, more than likely, be Dest's deputy in Qatar, and could even start some games throughout the tournament.
As for Reggie Cannon and Joe Scally, they each bring something different to the table, starting with Reggie Cannon. When looking at the other right back options, all of them are very talented going forward, but, from time to time, don't look comfortable defending. That can't really be said for Reggie Cannon, as he is the best defender out of the current right back pool. Going forward he's solid, going back he's solid, and he has been a nice, safe option for Berhalter on a few occasions.
For Joe Scally, he has been really impressive throughout his time at Borussia Monchengladbach, having been an ever present starter for the team that currently sits just outside of Champions League spots in the Bundesliga, while at 19-years old. Really talented going forward, Scally was one of the few bright spots in the United States' recent run of friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia. Like we said before though, all of these right backs are solid going forward, what else does Scally bring to the table? Well, dude can easily deploy at left back, playing on the left side eight of his 37 appearances at club level. As we'll discuss later, the US' options at left back apart from Robinson aren't that great, so having a right back who can be deployed at left back could be big for the US in this tournament. God forbid an injury happens to Robinson, you would think it'd be wise to have someone ready given something like that happens.
As we said before, I think Dest is a forgone conclusion as the USMNT's starting right back. I think Yedlin will serve as his main back-up and I think Reggie Cannon will be brought along as well given his defensive capabilities. As for Scally, I think it'd be wise for Berhalter to bring the young wing back. If Robinson gets hurt, you're going to need a back-up. Yes, Dest can also play left back, as he has done for both club and country in the past, but having Scally would serve as a nice back-up option if an injury does occur.
So, four right backs? Cool.
Prediction - Reggie Cannon, Boavista; Sergino Dest, AC Milan (FC Barcelona); Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach; DeAndre Yedlin, Inter Milan
Center Backs - 8
John Brooks, Benfica
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic
Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls
Mark McKenzie, Genk
Erik Palmer-Brown, Troyes
Team Ream, Fulham
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Center back has been a pretty big talking point as of late for people trying to predict this squad, and it's not really because of anything that good either. The entire debate, if you want to call it that, surrounding the center back position is mostly about Aaron Long and his current standing with Gregg Berhalter, because as things stand right now, he seems to be the US' number two center back behind Nashville's Walker Zimmerman, who has been ever present in USMNT starting xi's, registering 20 of his 33 caps in just the past two years.
Now, do I, Logan Blackman, host of the wildly popular Logan Blackman Show, believe Aaron Long should start next to Walker Zimmerman when the USMNT take on Iran in a months time? No, not really, but I understand, to a certain extent, why Long is one of 'Gregg's guys' going into the World Cup.
Like we did with the goalkeepers earlier, let me take you back to January 27th, 2019, where we saw Gregg Berhalter register his first game as manager for the USMNT. In that game, the United States came out 3-0 victors. One thing that stood out to me, more than almost anything, at that time was who he named captain. With Michael Bradley starting the game, many out there may have assumed Berhalter would name the positional-less wonder as the captain, as he had served as captain for the USMNT since 2015 after Clint Dempsey ripped up a referee's book in a US Open Cup match.
Strangely though, Bradley was not named captain. Instead, the honor went to Aaron Long, who was only making his third appearance for the national team, making his debut the year before. Though that may not be a big thing to some, I think that showed Berhalter's trust in Long, even given how inexperienced he was at the time. When a manager, especially at the international level, finds a player they trust early on, that player will seemingly be ever present in teams going forward, i.e. Harry Maguire for England. Hell, if it weren't for a bad string of injuries, Long may have 50 caps right now for the United States, which is kind of scary to think about.
So, whatever feelings you have towards Aaron Long and his inconsistent, at best, play for club and country recently, I am fairly certain that he will be on the plane to Qatar, because he is a player Berhalter trusts.
With Zimmerman and Long on the plane to Qatar, I think we will have to find two more players, at least, to fill out the center back position. One name that a lot of people will be talking about is John Brooks, who, when on his day and healthy, is arguably the best natural center back the USMNT have at their disposal. The problem is there seems to be some sort of disconnect between Brooks and Berhalter, as the Benfica man has not been called up to a squad in over a year. Between injuries and the aforementioned disconnect with GGG, Brooks has been kept out of the national team by players he is almost certainly better than.
Now, this obviously leads us to speculate on why Brooks isn't being called up. Some believe it's his attitude, as some suspect he doesn't want to come off the bench, as he feels, at this point of his career, he deserves a starting spot on the national team. This could be the case as I could see Berhalter trying to make a point, letting everybody know that no ones spot is safe, regardless of how gifted you might be. Another reason could be due to injuries. As we said before, Brooks has had a couple of injury riddled seasons, that have seen him miss plenty of time, both at club and international level. The final reason I'd like to state is that maybe he just doesn't fit in Berhalter's system. In an interview, when asked about Brooks' lack of appearances, Berhalter stated that he wanted him to improve as a passer, as they wanted to be more expansive out from the back. I'm paraphrasing of course, but after watching Aaron Long recently, I have a hard time believe Brooks has a worse passing range than the New York Red Bull man. I think the reason Brooks hasn't been included may just be a mixture of all three. Maybe Berhalter doesn't feel he can trust him, whether that's with his attitude, injury history, or not fitting into his style of play. Whatever the reason is, I would sadly be pretty shocked if Brooks was on the plane to Qatar.
As for the other center backs, Chris Richards is more than likely going to be the the third center back for the USMNT going to Qatar. Richards has been a relative fan favorite ever since he made his debut back in 2020, and though he's only made eight appearances in total, I wouldn't be shocked if he was in the running to start next to Zimmerman in the US' opening game.
The fourth and final spot I think is between two people, Mark McKenzie and Cameron Carter-Vickers, and given how he's played for Celtic recently, I think Berhalter will edge towards CCV for one of his final center back spots. That being said, I do think McKenzie has a shot, as he was in the US' most recent squad, with Richards and Carter-Vickers missing out due to injury. I think though what gives CCV the edge over McKenzie is his passing range as, unlike others mentioned above, Carter-Vickers does possess a nice range of passing and has been showing it off from time to time while with Celtic. Not to mention Vickers has impressed enough at Celtic to be named captain for a few games with Callum McGregor out injured.
I think Erik Palmer-Brown and Tim Ream deserve shouts, especially with the latter being another player Berhalter seemingly trusts and who's playing himself into form, but I feel the final four center backs will be Cameron Carter-Vickers, Aaron Long, Chris Richards, and Walker Zimmerman, with Long and Zimmerman staring.
Prediction - Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic; Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls; Chris Richards, Crystal Palace; Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Left Backs - 3
George Bello, Arminia Bielefeld
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Sam Vines, Antwerp
This is probably the least amount of typing I will need to do on this entire list, as Antonee Robinson is far and away the best left back the United States has at their disposal. His blistering speed makes him a really threat down the left side when they're attacking, but also can help out with him tracking back, as not a lot of players can separate from the man known as 'Jedi.'
I think Sam Vines could have a somewhat decent shot at making the roster, especially since he was apart for the squad that traveled to Germany and Spain to play Japan and Saudi Arabia, because that makes sense, right? But again, I think Robinson is clearly the number one option, and I'd be kind of surprised if Berhalter didn't just bring an extra right back to deploy at left back just incase Robinson picks up some sort of injury.
All in all, I think Robinson will be the only true left back on the plane to Qatar.
Prediction - Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Defensive Midfielders - 4
Kellyn Acosta, LAFC
Tyler Adams, Leeds United
Johnny Cardoso, Internacional
James Sands, Rangers
Like a couple of the position groups above, there is one clear lock out of the defensive midfielders that I don't feel like I have to do that much explaining for, and that is Leeds United's Tyler Adams. Not only is Tyler Adams guaranteed to go to the World Cup in Qatar, barring injury, but he's in the running with Christian Pulisic to be the national team captain, and, depending on who you ask, may be the single most important player for the USMNT. Again, I don't feel like I need to explain his inclusion with too much detail.
As for the final one or two spots, I'm edging towards LAFC's Kellyn Acosta and Rangers' James Sands. Much like the right back position, yes, I am aware I listed another player, this one in the form of Johnny Cardoso, who plays his club football in Brazil for International. Like I said with Shaq Moore before, though I don't think he'll ultimately make the squad, I do think he deserves some sort of mention in this blog post, especially since he was in GGG's latest USMNT squad.
Now, the battle between Acosta and Sands is a pretty interesting one as both bring a couple of things to the table that could help them in there case to get on the plane to Qatar. Starting with Acosta, because 'A' comes before 'S' in the alphabet, Acosta provides the USMNT with beautiful set piece technique. When he first broke into the United States' squad back in 2016, that was something that stood out right away. A former number eight who transitioned into a six, Acosta possess excellent passing range and athleticism that can see him play almost anywhere in the center of the park, even playing right back for a little bit in the 2021 Gold Cup, though the less said about that the better. Acosta has played in some pretty important games for the US, even providing the game winning assist from a free kick against Mexico in the aforementioned 2021 Gold Cup. After being ousted from the squad for a few years, Acosta has turned himself into someone the manager trusts, which is why I think he'll be on the plane to Qatar.
As for James Sands, he also possess a fairly nice passing range, the only difference is that he can be deployed at center back. Way more comfortable in a back three or five than a back four, Sands has played that 'David Luiz role' for the USMNT in the past, which is a role where he is essentially a deep deep deep defensive midfielder, operating in between two center backs and is given the freedom to push up, from time to time, as Luiz did for Chelsea under Antonio Conte. That being said, after Walker Zimmerman got hurt against Canada in the final group stage game, Sands looked far less comfortable, with the now injured Miles Robinson having to track back more to cover for Sands. That being said, since moving to Rangers, Sands has looked more comfortable at center back, playing in a back four more often in six total appearances for Rangers this season.
Though I think James Sands would provide some nice versatility for the USMNT being able to play as a number six and as a center back, I don't know if Sands will be able to break through and get a seat on the plane to Qatar. To me, Adams and Acosta's spots have never really been in question, it was just a matter of if we were going to take Sands or not. Would I? Yes, again, I like the versatility, especially since GGG has deployed a back five a decent amount of times as the US' manager.
So, with that all being said, I think the Tyler Adams and Kellyn Acosta will be the six's going to Qatar for the USMNT.
Prediction - Kellyn Acosta, LAFC; Tyler Adams, Leeds United
Central Midfielders - 8
Gianluca Busio, Venezia
Luca de la Torre, Celta Vigo
Sebastian Lletget, FC Dallas
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Djordje Mihailovic, CF Montreal
Yunus Musah, Valencia
Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders
Malik Tillman, Rangers
One of the most loaded position groups for the United States Men's National Team, they are really sport for choice when it comes to center midfield options. Now, like we have done with previous positions, I don't want to waste too much of your time explaining why Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah are locks to represent the United States in Qatar. For McKennie, like Adams before and Pulisic later, is one of the most important players for the US squad and will be one of the first names on the team sheet when the US takes on Iran on November 21st. As for Musah, like Dest to a certain extent, he has been ever present since declaring his allegiances to the United States over countries like England, Ghana, and Italy. Including Adams, this is one of the most talented midfield groups the United States has ever produced. With an average age of 22, these three will seeming be the face the USMNT midfield for years to come, if all goes according to plan that is.
With those two young stars out of the way, we can now focus on their back-ups. Though previously we have listed players that we don't actually think will make the World Cup, but just list them anyways because they deserve some sort of a mention, I think all of the players mentioned above have a decent shot at making the squad, some just more than others.
One that I know a lot of people are interested about is CF Montreal's Djordje Mihailovic, as the 23-year old has put forth a fantastic season for CF Montreal, who are currently in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, taking on the reigning champs, NYCFC on October 23rd in Montreal. Mihailovic has been one of the best players in the MLS this season, registering 10 goals and seven assists throughout the regular season and the Playoffs. Not to mention last season, though he registered only four goals, he managed to get 16 assists, which was top in the league. Over the past two seasons, Mihailovic has been one of the best playmakers/creators in the entire MLS, but for whatever reason, Berhalter doesn't rate him as highly. In a recent interview, Mihailovic revealed him and GGG had talked about his place in the squad, where Mihailovic stated that, 'I didn't hear what I wanted to hear, to be honest.' For someone who has been as creative as Mihailovic, knowing you don't have a seat to Qatar can be tough to hear, but I'm sure he'll be around the squad again at some point. Maybe a move to Europe would open GGG's eyes, but who knows.
Next, I kind of want to talk about some more of 'Gregg's guys,' with those players being Sebastian Lletget and Cristian Roldan. Starting with Lletget, dude has been in and around the USMNT squad ever since Berhalter first walked in as the United States' manager. A popular player in some realms, I honestly can't really say what Lletget does particularly well, in regards to his skill set. What I can say is though that might be the case, dude works his ass off for the team and is willing to play any position the manager throws him in. Starting off as a winger, Lletget moved inside to central midfield, playing both as a number eight and as a number 10. Hell, he even saw some time at striker in a couple friendlies a year or so ago.
That's what keeps him around the team, his ability to just go out there and give it all for the team, and Berhalter loves that, and rewarded Lletget with the co-captaincy during the 2021 Gold Cup, splitting the honor with another GGG favorite in Paul Arriola. After making 16 appearances in 2021 alone, Lletget hasn't been getting the same amount of attention, but don't rule him out for a seat to Qatar.
Same goes for Cristian Roldan. Like Lletget, Roldan is one of those players who will play absolutely anywhere just to help the team win. Though naturally a number eight, Roldan has seen time both as an attacking midfielder and as a wide midfielder. Though he's like Lletget in the fact that he'll throw his body around to win, Roldan is more of a 'super sub' type of player when it comes to the national team. Though a relative star at club level, internationally, Roldan is seemingly one of those players you'd bring on to see out a game because you know he's not going to do anything to screw up the result for you, which is a very nice player to have. Don't rule out Roldan completely either from the World Cup squad, there is value is having a guy you trust when you're trying to see out a game.
All those players being said, I ultimately feel one of the guys who'll back-up McKennie and Musah is Celta Vigo's Luca de la Torre. A product of the Fulham academy, de la Torre made the move to the Spanish side over the summer, moving from Heracles Almelo in the Dutch league, where he found some personal success. That being said, he has struggled for game time since moving to Celta Vigo, but he's made some pretty big appearances for the USMNT as of late, which is why I think he'll be on the plane to Qatar. In those appearances, de la Torre was no passenger, he was very much involved in a lot of the things the US did, and is more than capable to step up, barring an injury to one of the starters.
The other midfield position I think has to go to Malik Tillman. After leaving the Bayern Munich academy to go play in Scotland for Rangers on loan, linking up with the aforementioned James Sands, Tillman has been one of the best young talents in Europe. Whether he's playing through the middle or out wide, Tillman always seems to make his presence known with some great individual efforts going forward. Sure, he's been inconsistent from time to time, but you can clearly see the player that is in Tillman and I think you could narrow that down to he's not a natural winger. Again, he has those nice bursts going forward, but he's at his best when he's operating through the middle, causing a lot of problems for defenders in Scotland.
Though I think there are some very decent shouts from this group of players, I think the four that Berhalter will take to Qatar will be Luca de la Torre, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, and Malik Tillman. That's a very fun group of midfielders right there.
Prediction - Luca de la Torre, Celta Vigo; Weston McKennie, Juventus; Yunus Musah, Valencia; Malik Tillman, Rangers
Right Wingers - 3
Paul Arriola, FC Dallas
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
Timothy Weah, Lille
I think I'm just going to keep this one short because I believe Gregg Berhalter will take all three of these right wingers that I present before you. They have all been favorites of Berhalter's and I honestly think we could see all three of them register starts in Qatar.
Like Sebastian Lletget and others before, Paul Arriola is another one of 'Gregg's guys.' He's not someone that's going to blow you away all the time, but he does have the ability to score some world goals, from time to time. He's played well for FC Dallas this season and has made a ton of appearances for the USMNT to date, I think he's someone Berhalter trusts and will bring him to Qatar.
As for Reyna and Weah, both are more likely to start than Arriola, and both bring different things to the table. For me, Weah is a lot more direct than Reyna. A former striker who has transitioned out to the right over the past couple years, Weah offers more speed and is more of a goal scoring threat than Reyna is, which is why I'm more inclined to think he will be the US' starting right winger in Qatar.
Reyna, on the other hand, is an attacking midfielder by trade, who can operate on either wing, given the demands of the manager. A few years ago, many were under the influence that Reyna was a nailed on starter if the US made this World Cup, but a string of injuries and a run of good form from Timothy Weah has seen Reyna's starting spot questioned, with him looking more likely to come off then bench then to start at this point, at least for the time being.
I think all three of these players are talented and all offer different things to the squad. Whether it be Arriola and his natural ability as a winger, Weah's directness and nose for the goal, or Reyna's creativity, the US has options down the right wing for Qatar, and I'm sure Gregg is loving it.
Prediction - Paul Arriola, FC Dallas; Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund; Timothy Weah, Lille
Strikers - 6
Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas
Jordan Pefok, Union Berlin
Ricardo Pepi, FC Groningen (FC Augsburg)
Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Brandon Vazquez, FC Cincinnati
Haji Wright, Antalyaspor
This is probably the most highly contested position on the entire USMNT roster, as no one really knows who the best striker the US has at their current disposal. Now, that being said, I think that FC Dallas' Jesus Ferreira will lead the line for the United States, at least in the first game, as he has seemingly been Berhalter's first choice striker in the bigger games as of late.
Though there is a decent amount of people who aren't the biggest fans of the idea of Ferreira being the US' number one striker, he has had a very impressive season for FC Dallas up to this point, netting 18 goals and registering six assists while scoring a penalty to help FC Dallas advance to the Western Conference Semi-Final, where they're matching up against their new Texas rival, Austin FC. This is also season where he absolutely ran away with the MLS Young Player of the Year award. The problem for some people out there is that they don't really believe that Jesus Ferreira is a natural number nine, or a natural striker, especially at 5'9" which scares some people. Though he's on the shorter side, Berhalter has placed a lot of trust in Ferreira, and he seems to be the odds on favorite to lead the line for the US in their first game against Iran.
As for the spots behind Ferreira, there is a highly contested battle between Union Berlin's Jordan Pefok, FC Groningen's (FC Augsburg) Ricardo Pepi, and Norwich City's Josh Sargent. To the national audience, Jordan Pefok not only should be leading this race, but should be starting for the US in the World Cup. For the team that is currently sitting atop the Bundesliga, Jordan Pefok has registered three goals and three assists, and is currently listed as Union Berlin's second best player for players who have played more than five games, sitting just behind Sheraldo Becker. Standing at 6'3", Pefok is the biggest striker the US have at their disposal. He holds the ball well, is athletic, and can score some insane goals, do I think he should be on the plane to Qatar? Yes, but I don't know if GGG sees it that way.
The two players that were seemingly in Pefok's way during the US' last run of games were Ricardo Pepi and Josh Sargent. Starting with the latter, Josh Sargent has arguably been the US' most inform player. Since the start of the season, Sargent has registered eight goals for Norwich City in the Championship, which is currently good for joint top with Ben Brereton Diaz at Blackburn. Scoring goals is a fantastic feeling, obviously, but for Josh Sargent, who had the unfortunate label of 'striker who can't score,' this is absolutely everything, especially since last season was awful for the young striker, who registered two goals in 26 league games for Norwich in the Premier League. The thing that always helped Sargent get into the team in the past was his work rate. Sure he wasn't the most prolific, but he would track back and open up space for the players around him, which managers found useful. Now that he's remembered to score goals, he's right back in the thick of everything.
Though there's some other nice options here, Ricardo Pepi is clearly the next person in line for a striker spot for the USMNT in Qatar. Now, a lot of people would love to see Brandon Vazquez get a shout, but I think Pepi is the last 'real' shout for the final striker spot with Pefok and Sargent. Going back to last year, Ricardo Pepi was seemingly on top to the world. After the much anticipated announcement surrounding whether or not he'd represent the US or Mexico at the international level, Pepi came out firing, scoring during his first game for the USMNT, which proved to be the winner in a 4-1 win over Honduras. Pepi then proceed to score two more goals in October, collecting a brace Jamaica in a 2-0 win. Dude was even starting in crucial World Cup Qualifier games for the US, at just 18-years old, crazy.
He then got a big money move to German side Augsburg, making him the most expensive American export of all time, being sold for $20 million, plus add ons. Sadly for Pepi, and Augsburg, his first season there didn't go as planned, and Pepi was loaned out to Dutch side FC Groningen this past year. But even then things didn't start off so hot, as he went a full year without registering a single goal, for both club and country. Since getting called up in September though, Pepi has found new life, scoring five goals in six games for FC Groningen since then, applying even more pressure to Gregg Berhalter on choosing his strikers.
Though he could definitely pick more, I'm inclined to believe that GGG will take three strikers on the plane to Qatar. Like we said before, Ferreira is the closest thing to a lock the US has at the striker position, he'll be going, regardless of how you feel. As for the final two spots, I feel like Jordan Pefok has to go. He's been on fire ever since last season and is currently leading the line for the team atop the Bundesliga. The final spot between Pepi and Sargent I feel will go to Sargent. I know Berhalter loves himself some Ricardo Pepi, but you just can't ignore what Josh Sargent is doing for Norwich this season. I also feel his ability to play out wide as a winger will be important as well, as he's spent a decent amount of time out on the wing at Norwich when he's not playing as a striker.
Though it'll be an extremely tough decision, I think the three strikers GGG will end up choosing will be Jesus Ferreira, Jordan Pefok, and Josh Sargent.
Prediction - Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas; Jordan Pefok, Union Berlin; Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Left Wingers - 3
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
The final position group, and to me, this one is fairly easy to figure out. To the surprise of no one, Brenden Aaronson and Christian Pulisic will make the roster, with Pulisic being one of the favorites to wear the captains armband. The only real question here is if you want to bring Jordan Morris or not.
Look, I really like Jordan Morris. I feel like his speed and his ability to cut in from the left and strike the ball is arguably better than Aaronson and Pulisic because Morris was once a striker, it's just natural for him. Though he's battled some pretty terrible injuries, Morris is consistently good when healthy, registering 10+ goals in three of the past four seasons in all competitions at club level for Seattle. I think Morris could feel hard done by by not making the squad, but I just feel there's greater positions of need on this roster than bringing a third left winger, which may arguably be the United States' strongest position, given the talent of Aaronson and Pulisic.
Though I'd love to bring him, I just don't feel GGG will do that. I think Aaronson and Pulisic are good enough to cover for each other and give the US a devastating one-two combination coming off the left, not to mention Aaronson's ability to come in off the right. I think this is a very solid squad that could possibly see the US cause some issues for the rest in Group B.
Prediction - Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United; Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Final Squad
Goalkeepers - 3
Ethan Horvath, Luton Town (Nottingham Forrest)
Zack Steffen, Middlesborough (Manchester City)
Matt Turner, Arsenal
Right Backs - 4
Reggie Cannon, Boavista
Sergino Dest, AC Milan (FC Barcelona)
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
DeAndre Yedlin, Inter Milan
Center Backs - 4
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic
Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Left Backs - 1
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Defensive Midfielders - 2
Kellyn Acosta, LAFC
Tyler Adams, Leeds United
Central Midfielders - 4
Luca de la Torre, Celta Vigo
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Yunus Musah, Valencia
Malik Tillman, Rangers
Right Wingers - 3
Paul Arriola, FC Dallas
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
Timothy Weah, Lille
Strikers - 3
Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas
Jordan Pefok, Union Berlin
Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Left Wingers - 2
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Just Missed Out (sorry)
GK - Sean Johnson, NYCFC
CB - Mark McKenzie, Genk
CB - Erik Palmer-Brown, Troyes
CB - Team Ream, Fulham
LB - Sam Vines, Antwerp
DM - James Sands, Rangers
ST - Ricardo Pepi, FC Groningen (FC Augsburg)
ST - Brandon Vazquez, FC Cincinnati
LW - Jordan Morris, Seattle Sounders
Squad Numbers
Matt Turner, Arsenal
Sergino Dest, AC Milan (FC Barcelona)
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Tyler Adams, Leeds United
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Yunus Musah, Valencia
Paul Arriola, FC Dallas
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
Reggie Cannon, Boavista
Zack Steffen, Middlesborough (Manchester City)
Luca de la Torre, Celta Vigo
Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic
Malik Tillman, Rangers
Ethan Horvath, Luton Town (Nottingham Forrest)
Jordan Pefok, Union Berlin
Timothy Weah, Lille
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
DeAndre Yedlin, Inter Milan
Kellyn Acosta, LAFC
Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Captaincy
Tyler Adams, Leeds United
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
If you've been following the USMNT since Gregg Berhalter took over as United States manager you'd notice one thing, that he has not named a full time captain for the USMNT. Throughout his tenure, we have seen numerous players wear the armband for the United States, but going into a major tournament I think he may nail it down to just one or two individuals. To me, the clear, and obvious choices for the captaincy are Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic, who are not only the two best players on the team, but solid leaders as well.
Where Adams is a more silent leader, Pulisic is a lead by example type of player, rising up to the biggest occasions for the USMNT, i.e. the penalty he scored against Mexico in the Nation's League Final. Being a forward though, Pulisic has more license to 'be the hero' more than Adams does, as he is the deepest lying player in the United States' midfield.
Either way, the United States has two very good players to lead them out of the tunnel in Qatar. If I had to place a bet for the first game against Iran on who would be captain, I'd imagine it'd be Pulisic, but wouldn't be upset at all if it was in fact Tyler Adams.
Some others that I think could possibly wear the armband are Zack Steffen, Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, and Weston McKennie, but again, Adams and Pulisic are the more obvious choices then the four I just mentioned.
Starting XI
GK - Matt Turner, Arsenal
RB - Sergino Dest, AC Milan (FC Barcelona)
CB - Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
CB - Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls
LB - Antonee Robinson, Fulham
DM - Tyler Adams, Leeds United
CM - Yunus Musah, Valencia
CM - Weston McKennie, Juventus
RW - Timothy Weah, Lille
ST - Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas
LW - Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Depth Chart
Goalkeepers
Matt Turner, Arsenal
Zack Steffen, Middlesborough (Manchester City)
Ethan Horvath, Luton Town (Nottingham Forrest)
Right Backs
Sergino Dest, AC Milan (FC Barcelona)
DeAndre Yedlin, Inter Milan
Reggie Cannon, Boavista
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Center Backs
Walker Zimmerman, Nashville SC
Aaron Long, New York Red Bulls
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
Cameron Carter-Vickers, Celtic
Left Backs
Antonee Robinson, Fulham
Joe Scally, Borussia Mönchengladbach
Defensive Midfielders
Tyler Adams, Leeds United
Kellyn Acosta, LAFC
Central Midfielders
Weston McKennie, Juventus
Yunus Musah, Valencia
Luca de la Torre, Celta Vigo
Malik Tillman, Rangers
Right Wingers
Timothy Weah, Lille
Giovanni Reyna, Borussia Dortmund
Paul Arriola, FC Dallas
Strikers
Jesus Ferreira, FC Dallas
Jordan Pefok, Union Berlin
Josh Sargent, Norwich City
Left Wingers
Christian Pulisic, Chelsea
Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
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