Jurgen Klinsmann will have some big decisions to make for the U.S. national teams crucial World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Costa Rica next month.
[ MORE: 3 things learned v NZL ]
Following the USMNT’s 2-0 win at Cuba last Friday and a 1-1 draw against New Zealand on Tuesday in friendlies, he has been left with plenty of food for thought.
The U.S. face Mexico in Columbus, Ohio on Nov. 11 in the opening game of the Hexagonal and they then head to Costa Rica four days later in two huge tests to begin the final round of qualifying in the CONCACAF region for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
[ MORE: 3 things learned v Cuba ]
Klinsmann knows he must get the balance of his squad spot on for these two games and he admitted after the USA’s draw with New Zealand in Washington, D.C. that youngster Julian Green and Lynden Gooch impressed. Green, who scored in both games, was the standout player over the past week and will surely be called up with Gyasi Zardes out injured.
That said, few others helped their stock in two disjointed displays against lower-ranked opponents and it will be a case of assessing who can best step in for the likes of Zardes and Clint Dempsey who will miss the games through injury.
With that in mind, and no more games before the massive match against El Tri next month, now seems like a good time to assess which 23 players should be called up by the U.S. Of course between now and then we could have injuries and changes in form, but sitting down after the recent two friendlies, Klinsmann must have a pretty good idea in his head of who will make it.
I list my 23-man roster below and as a bonus (just because that’s the kind of bloke I am) I also give you my starting XI for the games.
Agree? Disagree? Let’s discuss in the comments section below...
JPW’s 23-man USMNT roster for upcoming World Cup qualifiers
GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Ethan Horvath (Molde)
DEFENDERS: DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Matt Besler (Sporting KC)
MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Danny Williams (Reading), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana)
STRIKERS: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Bobby Wood (Hamburg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)
JPW’s starting XI vs. Mexico, Costa Rica
----- Howard -----
--- Yedlin --- Cameron --- Brooks --- Johnson ---
---- Bedoya ---- Bradley ---- Jones ----
--- Wood --- Altidore --- Pulisic ---