2022 World Cup
THIS LINEUP IS FROM...
A Mickey
GK - Howard #1 and Guzan #2 are no-brainers, and they only interchange if Howard ages quickly or gets injured. Horvath should be #3 to learn as he seems to be the future. No more Hamid/Rimando. Def - Yedlin, Brooks, Cameron, Gonzalez, Villafana seem as close to a lock as it can be. As for backups, do you risk youth and inexperience over a veteran? In a WC, absolutely not. Besler and Beasley are the best bets to sub in for an injury or to close out a game. I chose an extra outside defender, Lichaj, to prevent Johnson from ever having to play in defense. He's much more valuable as an outside midfielder. Mid - Bradley, Pulisic, Johnson, and Nagbe are easy choices. Bedoya and Zusi are the best veteran backups for MF and play both ways on the outside. They can close out a game, and Zusi could even play outside back in a crunch. Acosta has shown a lot of potential and looks to be the only MF sub comfortable in the middle. Zardes can be an attack-minded outside mid or forward. Fwd - Altidore and Wood are presumed starters. Dempsey is useful as a sub when a goal is needed and provides veteran leadership. Their backup is an open competition, it was close, but Dwyer goes over Morris. Overall, I chose defensive and midfield backups who are flexible in position, because we have several players who can play midfield and push up; Zardes, Pulisic, Johnson, Dempsey. This helps minimize the need for more forward backups, when Altidore and Wood are more than capable of going the full 90.
GOALKEEPERS
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OUTFIELD PLAYERS
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