The U.S. men’s national team that convened in Cologne, Germany over the last few days looks different than anyone could have predicted.
The original roster already had some names that were omitted due to injury: Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson. Goalkeeper Zack Steffen also had not played in several weeks due to an injury and was left off the squad, though he started in Middlesbrough’s game last weekend.
Head coach Gregg Berhalter alluded to the attritional impact a typical club season can have when announcing that roster last week, and true to form there have been since last-minute alterations to the 26-man squad that’s preparing for friendlies against Japan in Germany on Friday and Saudi Arabia in Spain next week.
Midfielder Yunus Musah withdrew with a groin injury. He was replaced by Internacional’s Johnny Cardoso. Then center backs Cameron Carter-Vickers and Chris Richards pulled out with injuries of their own. Erik Palmer-Brown and Mark McKenzie were summoned in their stead.
In all, that’s seven names that one could reasonably have expected to be here, but who are not. Absences like this, last-minute and otherwise, occurred throughout World Cup qualifying and Berhalter knows they are likely to occur ahead of the World Cup itself.
“A lot can happen between now and Nov. 9, when we’re announcing the final (World Cup) roster,” Berhalter said. “The actual date for FIFA is Nov. 14 and a lot can happen between the ninth and the 14th. So just keep that in mind. That was the conversation I had with the players not selected in this camp, is that a lot can happen in some of the positions where we’re looking to evaluate certain guys that we don’t have enough information on and other players just weren’t selected.”
For now, it doesn’t look like any of the players missing this camp will be out for the World Cup due to their injuries. But that doesn’t mean the churn isn’t disruptive.
The changes at center back are a particular area of concern. The U.S. has been looking for a reliable partner for Walker Zimmerman since Miles Robinson suffered a torn Achilles in May. Richards, who started four matches and mostly looked solid in World Cup qualifying, seemed to have a good chance to step into the role, but he’s now missed the USMNT’s last three camps with injuries. He hasn’t been playing much since he moved to Crystal Palace, either. The combination of those two developments leave his status for Qatar in doubt.
Carter-Vickers has a more settled club situation (he’s a lockdown starter at Celtic), but he doesn’t have the reps with the U.S. He played three games during the June window and mostly looked solid, but wasn’t called up for any qualifiers and has had limited time with Zimmerman. Their replacements, McKenzie and Palmer-Brown, have looked shaky in limited time with the U.S. Aaron Long, the other center back on the roster, hasn’t been at his best on the international stage since he returned from his own Achilles tear earlier this year.
That’s a huge amount of uncertainty at a position that was already one of the U.S.’s weakest.
“Obviously you want things to be set in stone, just to be more and more comfortable, know players’ tendencies,” U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner said. “I’d argue that with the way that this team is, the close knit nature of our group, it doesn’t really matter who you slot in. You know what the expectation is, you know how they’re supposed to play, you know each player’s tendencies. Because even though it has been a rotating cast of characters, overall it’s kind of been the same few guys.”
Robinson’s absence at left back provides a massive opportunity for two players battling for likely one spot on the roster for Qatar: Sam Vines and Joe Scally. Both are trying to prove they can be Robinson’s back-up in Qatar. Both should get a game in this window to make their case.
The absences of both Musah and Weah open up an entirely different set of decisions for Berhalter. More on that below…
Yunus Musah replacement options
If there is one U.S. player that seems primed to break out at the World Cup, it’s the 19-year-old Musah.
The former England youth international grew into a key player for the U.S. after switching to the Americans’ national team program early in 2021, going from a spectator at last summer’s Nations League to a vital starter in World Cup qualifying.
Two months out from Qatar, Musah’s performances for club and country have created some legit buzz about how high his ceiling might be.
“Yunus to me, this kid is absolutely incredible,” U.S. right back DeAndre Yedlin said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “Honestly. He’s incredible. I think on a big stage, he’s going to – not surprise (us), because we all know what he can do – but maybe people who don’t know what he can do, I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people. I think he’ll have a really, really great tournament.”
For that reason, news of Musah’s injury hit especially hard this camp.
Berhalter made some adjustments in the team’s build up this past summer, dropping Musah deeper to get on the ball more often and help holding midfielder Tyler Adams advance possession. The tactical tweak seemed to work well, opening up more space for Christian Pulisic to operate in the pockets and allowing Musah more chances to make an impact on the ball. With Musah out, the U.S. will likely make changes to their approach.
Berhalter has a few different options.
The most like-for-like substitution is probably Luca de la Torre. The 24-year-old San Diego native performed well in World Cup qualifiers, but he has managed just 17 minutes so far this season after moving to Celta de Vigo in Spain’s La Liga. He’d be an easy stylistic replacement for Musah, but his lack of playing time and the ability of the other options in midfield probably make him an unlikely starter in Qatar.
Brenden Aaronson and Gio Reyna can also play central roles, and both offer legitimate game-changing ability at the position. Aaronson has played there for both club and country, and his pressing from a central position has been effective for Leeds this season. Aaronson also scored in a friendly against Morocco playing out of a central role for the U.S. He probably offers a little more attacking ability in an advanced midfield role than Weston McKennie, who would likely start in the spot if de la Torre were to replace Musah.
Reyna is maybe the most intriguing option. Injuries severely limited his 2021-22 season for both Dortmund and the U.S., and when he did play for the national team it was as a right winger. Musah’s absence, however, has opened the door for Berhalter to see Reyna in his preferred central position. Reyna’s creativity would add another threat around the penalty box for the U.S. A lineup with him playing in front of Adams and McKennie and inside of wingers Pulisic and Aaronson sounds relatively tantalizing, though it would require some increased defensive vigilance from the two other midfielders. Berhalter might manage Reyna’s minutes this window, but expect to see that look in at least one of the matches.
The U.S. may have to change how it approaches possession for these friendlies, but Berhalter is likely to gain some important information about his options in those central attacking roles.
Matt Turner remains confident despite Arsenal role
A year ago, Turner was coming off a successful — if surprising — run of three starts in the U.S.’s opening World Cup qualifiers and closing out the regular season with a New England Revolution team that was en route to the all-time MLS points record.
Things look a little bit different for him today. Turner started three games for the U.S. in January and February, then missed three months due to injury. He started five matches for New England and two more for the U.S. before leaving in mid-June for Arsenal, where he’s only made one competitive appearance as backup to Aaron Ramsdale. In all, he’s played just 11 times in 2022, a far cry from the 42 games he appeared in last calendar year.
His steep drop off in playing time has led to some natural questions about his form, but both Turner and Berhalter have brushed them off, insisting that the 28-year-old has actually improved since he moved to Arsenal. Turner said the constant speed and intensity of training, as well as the technical demands and world class competition at training has pushed him every day.
“I think the big thing for me was I had a meeting recently with my goalkeeper coach where we looked at videos from my first few days of training, and then videos from my last few days of training because I think it’s easy for us to get caught up in the moment,” Turner said. “But looking back then to now, the difference in a goalkeeper that I am is huge. I’ve changed massively and (I’m) looking forward to representing the country again and having these opportunities to hopefully show everybody else as well.”
It’d be significant news for the U.S. if that proves to be true. Steffen’s uneven form and absence from this camp put Turner in pole position to start in Qatar, but he’s probably less proven than any American ‘keeper to start at a World Cup since the U.S. returned to the tournament for the first time in the modern era in 1990. If he starts, he’ll assuredly be tested in Qatar. If he can handle those challenges even better than he did when he performed well for the U.S. at the 2021 Gold Cup and during qualifying, the Americans should have a real chance in every match they play at the World Cup.
(Photo: John Dorton / ISI Photos)
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