Gregg Berhalter’s Great Summer Experiment has rolled on into the semifinals of the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup.
Ball-carrying central midfielders come to mind, as do fullbacks who can come inside and distribute rather than always stay wide.
Likelihood that he’d help: Really high, I think! I like both Sam Vines and think they both have good national team futures — but Bello struggled with the pace of the game and general uncertainty in the attacking third during his lone appearance, while Vines has almost exclusively operated with chalk on the boots.
Also considered: 18-year-old Kevin Paredes might not be better than the 22-year-old Vines or the 19-year-old Bello yet… but then again, he might be! He’s played primarily as a wingback in Hernan Losada’s 3-4-2-1 this year, and the responsibilities he has at that spot strongly align with how Berhalter uses his overlapping fullbacks in his 4-3-3.
He has been so, so good this year.
Sands basically has to play center back now, and while he’s been very good and I’m pleased with that, my biggest frustration coming out of the Gold Cup will be that we’re not going to have any real data on Sands at d-mid.
Atencio has primarily been a deep-lying midfielder this year and he’s been very, very good.
His defensive instincts aren’t great and he’s not exactly dominant in the air, but the raw materials are there for him to develop into a guy who plays DM and CB just like Sands.
There are other types of fullbacks, though: interior distributors.
At the same time, his comfort sliding inside lets Colorado essentially go to three at the back for long stretches, with Vines pushing way up and more or less becoming a wide attacker.
Likelihood that he’d help: As good as Rosenberry is at this type of role, and as much of a struggle as it’s been for the US to be penetrative in attack, I don’t think deep-lying distribution has been the problem.
Likelihood we’ll see him in WCQs: Zero percent.
Likelihood we’ll see him in WCQs: Very, very low.
1 thing that’s been missing from this US team has been dynamism from the free 8s.
You’ll notice from that comp that Pomykal is playing out wide right now instead of centrally.
The 18-year-old Clark is not yet as well-rounded as Pomykal and likely never will be, but he’s devastating in and around the penalty area, which is a clear need for this US group.
Likelihood that they’d help: I’d drop Pomykal into the USMNT’s current midfield tomorrow and expect he’d elevate the entire squad.
Also considered: Cole Bassett has significantly improved as a defensive presence in the heart of Fraser’s midfield, and like Clark, he’s dangerous in and around the 18.
Keaton Parks has no ball-security issues and seems like an ideal fit for what Berhalter asks of those free 8s, both given his passing range and comfort on the half-turn.
Another aspect of Cowell’s game that is reminiscent of Morris is how decisive he is both on and off the ball.
Likelihood we’ll see them in WCQs: Fairly likely for Cowell, who’s a high-upside 17-year-old.
Also considered: I think if Djordje Mihailovic were to fit back into Berhalter’s plans, it would be as a playmaking winger.
Pepi is vastly overperforming his xG right now, but I don’t really care.
His hold-up play isn’t great , and he’s not as good in the air as you’d like to see of a kid his size.
Pepi is one of the myriad Mexican-Americans being heavily recruited by Tata Martino et al, and really is the best center forward prospect for two different countries who happen to be among the fiercest rivals in world soccer.
But if Jozy plays well for TFC over the next month, I won’t be super shocked if we see him on a few qualifying rosters as a potential super-sub.