I put the 11 most likely to produce for the USMNT right now in the formation that best suited this group.
In terms of talent and fit, the following are locks in their positions:
1. Howard (goal)
2. Johnson (left wingback)
3. Chandler (right wingback)
4. Cameron (centerback)
5. Bradley (center midfield)
A few months ago, I would have tended to put Bradley in a more defensive mid role, but right now he is extremely balanced and I'd say everything needs to go through him. He is needed as a leader both defensively and offensively. I'm comfortable with him in a 3-man midfield because of his balanced skill set and his physical fitness level. But if he goes out, a 4-man midfield will be preferable. It would certainly be worth trying Danny Williams as a drop in replacement. He does well in the center of the field, but I don't think he can maintain position and orchestrate the attack consistently enough to allow the team to stick with a 3-man midfield.
I don't think the other choices listed above even need justification today. But I will point out that speed is essential for success on defense in international play and all my choices prioritize speed. For this reason I choose Edu as the second center back over other options. If the WC was played today, DeMerit would be the second choice to take Edu's place because of his toughness and work rate, which would make him a great stopper (perhaps behind Cameron in a diamond formation, allowing Cameron to distribute balls going forward). In fact, this would be my preferred formation, but there is no one else quite like DeMerit when it comes to brutal physical toughness on defense. I give Edu the edge over Demerit, because I believe he is slightly faster right now and because he and Cameron at least practice together at Stoke and may have better communication and chemistry as a result. When Edu and Cameron are paired, I'm less comfortable with Edu as a stopper and would draw it up on paper with Cameron as the right center back and Edu as the left center back, but I would expect them to work together to address the challenges of the specific opponent. Bocanegra is an essential bench option since he can fill in at any position on the back-line without having to shift any other players in the event of an injury. Gonzalez and Onyewu are too slow to be starters right now, and I give the edge to Goodson and Parkhurst as alternate centerbacks. Lichaj is a very capable drop in replacement at left wingback, as is Cherundolo at right wingback.
Because of the speed and ability of this back 4, from a defensive perspective, I am extremely comfortable using a 3-man midfield with Bradley in the center. But again, if Bradley goes out, it might require two central midfielders (one more defensive and one more offensive) to replace him. Also, if Edu or Cameron were to be replaced by a slower center back, it would be necessary to overcome this loss of speed by adding an additional defensive midfielder, perhaps Jones, Williams, or Cameron behind Bradley.
Friedel is the second best goalie at the moment. Rimando and Guzan are very similar 3rd options, and have the edge because of experience over other options available today.
Other players that are essential on the field but more flexible as to position are:
1. Donovan (attacking mid)
2. Dempsey (attacking mid)
3. Johnson (forward)
Donovan is still the best US player in my opinion, he provides speed and accurate, creative service from the wing like no other player available to the US. He is also capable of pinching into the center and making things happen inside the box as required by the flow of the play. I prefer him on the right, but he can perform similarly from the left. Because he still works so hard, and uses his world-class speed, on defense, I prefer him as a true right midfielder rather than as a withdrawn forward, but he can play withdrawn forward on either side whenever needed.
Dempsey lacks the work rate and endurance to fulfill the defensive responsibilities of a true midfielder for 90 minutes. He wants to be in the attack and has proven he can produce there. But he is better as a withdrawn forward than as a target striker, because he does not have the speed to stretch the field, to beat defenders one-on-one (except to set up a pass or shot) and his dribbling skills are only effective when the pass is an option. He can play almost as well on the left as on the right, and I have no problem letting him roam and work together with the other attacking players to feel out the defenses of specific opponents and do what is necessary to break them down in the attacking third. Another reason to keep Dempsey as a withdrawn forward is that he does have a very significant defensive presence during short spells when he sees that he is needed to win the ball back in the midfield and attacking third. Depending on the opponent he may need to drop back into the role of a forth midfielder, and having him in the withdrawn forward position makes the 3-man midfield a more viable formation for a wider range of opponents.
Johnson is the one player who I believe is most likely to put the ball in the net for the USMNT right now. He has speed that no other player has. He has the confidence to take on and pass players one-on-one in the box, which allows him to be a target forward even if he might be best slightly off center to either the left or right. Because he does stretch defenses, opening up options for those behind him, I have a slight preference to start him as a true striker as opposed to withdrawn forward or winger. But regardless of where he is on paper, he needs to be on the field. He can score with his feet and with his head. He believes he can score, and he goes to goal in a very direct manner that breaks down defenses over the course of a game and creates opportunities for others even when he does not score himself. He is a target for crosses as well as balls going more directly north-south. He may not be as good at holding the ball up as C.J. Sapong, but dribbling past a defender accomplishes the same thing or is preferable in most cases, and he drops balls off to team-mates as well as anyone. If it is necessary to move to a 4-4-2, he is well suited to be one of the two forwards and could easily fill in at left or right midfield depending on the skill sets of his teammates on any given day. If he must be replaced on the field, it would probably be wise to switch to a 4-4-2, adding a defensive midfielder and moving Dempsey up with a second attacking midfielder or striker to be the two forwards.
Adu is still the best drop in replacement for Donovan, which means he is also the one player who best mirrors his skill set on the opposite side of the field. Being a lefty, I'm very comfortable starting Adu at left midfield in a 3-man midfield formation, with Bradley in the center and Donovan on the right. But Adu could also switch over and play on the right, or move forward and play as a withdrawn forward. For short periods he could even drop into the center and replace Bradley. Although Adu has not been consistently a star at the club level, he plays best when combining with talent around him and has not had the best opportunities to do that at the club level recently. He creates more goals than he actually scores. He plays with heart defensively and with confidence going forward, and this is undeniably true for the national team even when he has less productive periods for his club. He has quickness in short bursts of acceleration, if not outright speed, and his service shows the same creativity and accuracy from the wing as Donovan's. And like Donovan, he can pinch in when necessary to combine with teammates in the center of the field, as dictated by the flow of the play. Stamina has always been his biggest weakness. Everything falls apart when his fitness drops. But he has made tremendous progress in this dimension of his game because he is getting regular playing time for his club. He is absolutely needed right now, even if it might be hard to say he "deserves" to start. The best drop in replacements for Adu right now would be Shea, Davis, or Zusi. Zusi and Adu might be equally suited to replace Donovan on the right. That is a judgement call. But there is no question Adu is the better option on the left.
Altidore is the last player to get a place in the starting 11. He simply doesn't fit into this team as neatly as any of the other players. He is also less essential. He does not have the speed to stretch defenses the way Johnson does. He does not have the hold-up ability or the ability to create goals and combine with teammates the way Dempsey does. He doesn't do much consistently at the international level, but in short periods he can do everything well, and he seems to always be at his best when he is fed a cross or through ball in an off-center position in or near the box. For this reason I place him next to Dempsey as a second withdrawn forward in a Christmas-tree formation. He and Dempsey can and probably should swap right-left throughout the game, as best fits the opponent and the flow of the play. In the end I give Altidore the start because he has been producing so well for his club team currently and has a history of doing so for the USMNT. It is a choice made more on principle and as a gamble than out of firm belief that he will produce. The key will be the amount of heart he plays with, and this could be assessed during practices before the game.
There are many good replacements for Altidore. For example, Gordon is a good drop-in replacement in a withdrawn forward role. But if Altidore comes out, I think I would move to a 4-3-1-2, with Dempsey as the single withdrawn forward (free to roam) and Johnson and Boyd up top. Boyd has shown confidence in the box, both with his hold up play, combining with teammates and going toward goal. He provides a very generous target for the players who are providing service. When I think of players I would like to see combining with Johnson up top in a 4-3-1-2, I think of Boyd first, but several others could do equally well on any given day. Wondoloski would do well in this role, though in few others. Gomez, Cooper, Bruin, Pontius, Sapong, Gordon, and really any other finisher who combines well with Johnson in practice would make the attack more dangerous and would be preferable to adding a fourth midfielder so long as the four fullbacks have speed and Bradley is anchoring a 3-man midfield that includes a left and right back that can both defend and provide accurate, creative service in the box.
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Nardreiko
almost 12 years
I put the 11 most likely to produce for the USMNT right now in the formation that best suited this group. In terms of talent and fit, the following are locks in their positions: 1. Howard (goal) 2. Johnson (left wingback) 3. Chandler (right wingback) 4. Cameron (centerback) 5. Bradley (center midfield) A few months ago, I would have tended to put Bradley in a more defensive mid role, but right now he is extremely balanced and I'd say everything needs to go through him. He is needed as a leader both defensively and offensively. I'm comfortable with him in a 3-man midfield because of his balanced skill set and his physical fitness level. But if he goes out, a 4-man midfield will be preferable. It would certainly be worth trying Danny Williams as a drop in replacement. He does well in the center of the field, but I don't think he can maintain position and orchestrate the attack consistently enough to allow the team to stick with a 3-man midfield. I don't think the other choices listed above even need justification today. But I will point out that speed is essential for success on defense in international play and all my choices prioritize speed. For this reason I choose Edu as the second center back over other options. If the WC was played today, DeMerit would be the second choice to take Edu's place because of his toughness and work rate, which would make him a great stopper (perhaps behind Cameron in a diamond formation, allowing Cameron to distribute balls going forward). In fact, this would be my preferred formation, but there is no one else quite like DeMerit when it comes to brutal physical toughness on defense. I give Edu the edge over Demerit, because I believe he is slightly faster right now and because he and Cameron at least practice together at Stoke and may have better communication and chemistry as a result. When Edu and Cameron are paired, I'm less comfortable with Edu as a stopper and would draw it up on paper with Cameron as the right center back and Edu as the left center back, but I would expect them to work together to address the challenges of the specific opponent. Bocanegra is an essential bench option since he can fill in at any position on the back-line without having to shift any other players in the event of an injury. Gonzalez and Onyewu are too slow to be starters right now, and I give the edge to Goodson and Parkhurst as alternate centerbacks. Lichaj is a very capable drop in replacement at left wingback, as is Cherundolo at right wingback. Because of the speed and ability of this back 4, from a defensive perspective, I am extremely comfortable using a 3-man midfield with Bradley in the center. But again, if Bradley goes out, it might require two central midfielders (one more defensive and one more offensive) to replace him. Also, if Edu or Cameron were to be replaced by a slower center back, it would be necessary to overcome this loss of speed by adding an additional defensive midfielder, perhaps Jones, Williams, or Cameron behind Bradley. Friedel is the second best goalie at the moment. Rimando and Guzan are very similar 3rd options, and have the edge because of experience over other options available today. Other players that are essential on the field but more flexible as to position are: 1. Donovan (attacking mid) 2. Dempsey (attacking mid) 3. Johnson (forward) Donovan is still the best US player in my opinion, he provides speed and accurate, creative service from the wing like no other player available to the US. He is also capable of pinching into the center and making things happen inside the box as required by the flow of the play. I prefer him on the right, but he can perform similarly from the left. Because he still works so hard, and uses his world-class speed, on defense, I prefer him as a true right midfielder rather than as a withdrawn forward, but he can play withdrawn forward on either side whenever needed. Dempsey lacks the work rate and endurance to fulfill the defensive responsibilities of a true midfielder for 90 minutes. He wants to be in the attack and has proven he can produce there. But he is better as a withdrawn forward than as a target striker, because he does not have the speed to stretch the field, to beat defenders one-on-one (except to set up a pass or shot) and his dribbling skills are only effective when the pass is an option. He can play almost as well on the left as on the right, and I have no problem letting him roam and work together with the other attacking players to feel out the defenses of specific opponents and do what is necessary to break them down in the attacking third. Another reason to keep Dempsey as a withdrawn forward is that he does have a very significant defensive presence during short spells when he sees that he is needed to win the ball back in the midfield and attacking third. Depending on the opponent he may need to drop back into the role of a forth midfielder, and having him in the withdrawn forward position makes the 3-man midfield a more viable formation for a wider range of opponents. Johnson is the one player who I believe is most likely to put the ball in the net for the USMNT right now. He has speed that no other player has. He has the confidence to take on and pass players one-on-one in the box, which allows him to be a target forward even if he might be best slightly off center to either the left or right. Because he does stretch defenses, opening up options for those behind him, I have a slight preference to start him as a true striker as opposed to withdrawn forward or winger. But regardless of where he is on paper, he needs to be on the field. He can score with his feet and with his head. He believes he can score, and he goes to goal in a very direct manner that breaks down defenses over the course of a game and creates opportunities for others even when he does not score himself. He is a target for crosses as well as balls going more directly north-south. He may not be as good at holding the ball up as C.J. Sapong, but dribbling past a defender accomplishes the same thing or is preferable in most cases, and he drops balls off to team-mates as well as anyone. If it is necessary to move to a 4-4-2, he is well suited to be one of the two forwards and could easily fill in at left or right midfield depending on the skill sets of his teammates on any given day. If he must be replaced on the field, it would probably be wise to switch to a 4-4-2, adding a defensive midfielder and moving Dempsey up with a second attacking midfielder or striker to be the two forwards. Adu is still the best drop in replacement for Donovan, which means he is also the one player who best mirrors his skill set on the opposite side of the field. Being a lefty, I'm very comfortable starting Adu at left midfield in a 3-man midfield formation, with Bradley in the center and Donovan on the right. But Adu could also switch over and play on the right, or move forward and play as a withdrawn forward. For short periods he could even drop into the center and replace Bradley. Although Adu has not been consistently a star at the club level, he plays best when combining with talent around him and has not had the best opportunities to do that at the club level recently. He creates more goals than he actually scores. He plays with heart defensively and with confidence going forward, and this is undeniably true for the national team even when he has less productive periods for his club. He has quickness in short bursts of acceleration, if not outright speed, and his service shows the same creativity and accuracy from the wing as Donovan's. And like Donovan, he can pinch in when necessary to combine with teammates in the center of the field, as dictated by the flow of the play. Stamina has always been his biggest weakness. Everything falls apart when his fitness drops. But he has made tremendous progress in this dimension of his game because he is getting regular playing time for his club. He is absolutely needed right now, even if it might be hard to say he "deserves" to start. The best drop in replacements for Adu right now would be Shea, Davis, or Zusi. Zusi and Adu might be equally suited to replace Donovan on the right. That is a judgement call. But there is no question Adu is the better option on the left. Altidore is the last player to get a place in the starting 11. He simply doesn't fit into this team as neatly as any of the other players. He is also less essential. He does not have the speed to stretch defenses the way Johnson does. He does not have the hold-up ability or the ability to create goals and combine with teammates the way Dempsey does. He doesn't do much consistently at the international level, but in short periods he can do everything well, and he seems to always be at his best when he is fed a cross or through ball in an off-center position in or near the box. For this reason I place him next to Dempsey as a second withdrawn forward in a Christmas-tree formation. He and Dempsey can and probably should swap right-left throughout the game, as best fits the opponent and the flow of the play. In the end I give Altidore the start because he has been producing so well for his club team currently and has a history of doing so for the USMNT. It is a choice made more on principle and as a gamble than out of firm belief that he will produce. The key will be the amount of heart he plays with, and this could be assessed during practices before the game. There are many good replacements for Altidore. For example, Gordon is a good drop-in replacement in a withdrawn forward role. But if Altidore comes out, I think I would move to a 4-3-1-2, with Dempsey as the single withdrawn forward (free to roam) and Johnson and Boyd up top. Boyd has shown confidence in the box, both with his hold up play, combining with teammates and going toward goal. He provides a very generous target for the players who are providing service. When I think of players I would like to see combining with Johnson up top in a 4-3-1-2, I think of Boyd first, but several others could do equally well on any given day. Wondoloski would do well in this role, though in few others. Gomez, Cooper, Bruin, Pontius, Sapong, Gordon, and really any other finisher who combines well with Johnson in practice would make the attack more dangerous and would be preferable to adding a fourth midfielder so long as the four fullbacks have speed and Bradley is anchoring a 3-man midfield that includes a left and right back that can both defend and provide accurate, creative service in the box.