Aaron Long USMNT Gold Cup 06222019Getty Images

How will the USMNT line up against Costa Rica?

The annual January camp is a time of extreme experimentation for a U.S. men's national team that's been experimenting for the better part of two years. It's a time for new faces for a team that's ushered in quite a few throughout the first half of this World Cup cycle. 

But, as we kick off a year that sees the start of World Cup qualifying, this January camp feels different. It feels younger and fresher than years past. This is a USMNT that is still in transition and, because of that, this camp is a little unique.

Normally, the aim is to find a late-bloomer or two that can join the national team pool. This time around, there are Olympics and World Cup qualifying to worry about, and a player pool that is largely eligible for both. Because of that, Gregg Berhalter says that this is a 'show me what ya got' moment, an opportunity for everyone to send their own message.

Article continues below

Berhalter has already revealed several starters for Saturday's match against Cuba, but there's still plenty of ways he can mix and match his USMNT squad. As we do before each USMNT match, Goal has three potential lineups that Gregg Berhalter could deploy:

Most Likely XI

Most Likely USMNT XI

Here's what we know: Sean Johnson will start in goal, Sam Vines will start in defense and Jesus Ferreira will be part of the attacking group.

Johnson starting isn't too much of surprise, as he's been Berhalter's primary choice for backing up Zack Steffen. As good as Bill Hamid is, this is his first camp in a while as he tries to earn Berhalter's trust. Matt Turner, meanwhile, still needs one or two more good years in MLS to truly challenge. Johnson has his flaws, but he's also capable of making saves few others in the pool can make.

Vines' start comes on the heels of a breakthrough with the Colorado Rapids, and he has a chance to impress at a left-back position that is still somewhat up for grabs. Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest are certainly in the mix, as is Daniel Lovitz, but Vines could propel himself towards a starting role with the Olympic qualifying squad with a good outing here. After that, who knows, but Vines certainly has an opportunity here.

The same could be said of Ferreira, who figures to start up top. After getting approval to represent the U.S. on Friday, the young FC Dallas forward will get his first chance to feature in the red, white and blue on Saturday. The 19-year-old took a major step with FC Dallas, providing eight goals and six assists last season, but faces tough competition for attacking minutes with the U.S. under-23 team going forward.

With those three spots locked up, and with two of them featuring debutants, expect Berhalter to mix in some veterans. Walker Zimmerman and Aaron Long could use another chance to develop some chemistry while Sebastian Lletget and Jackson Yueill are still contending for a consistent midfield role. Reggie Cannon, despite being a younger option, could very well be a starter for the USMNT by the time qualifying gets up and running, so getting him minutes is vital.

Perhaps the most interesting name is Ulysses Llanez. The LA Galaxy product is nearing a breakthrough at Wolfsburg and has shined for the U.S. U20s, making him another player to watch with an eye on the U23 squad.

Young guns

YOung guns USMNT XI

Berhalter isn't likely to turn to this young of a lineup, but there is a chance we see a group like this together at some point in Saturday's match.

Mark McKenzie is a player that is poised to take the step from youngster to star for the Philadelphia Union. Justen Glad, who has been in and out of the USMNT picture, is still just 22 years old. The two young defenders will battle with the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Chris Richards and this camp could give them a leg up on their European-based counterparts.

In the midfield, Christan Cappis is one of the more intriguing names in camp because he brings a combination of youth and European experience. The Hobro midfielder was one of the final cuts for the U.S. ahead of the U20 World Cup, but his time in Europe has made him an option ahead of Olympic qualifiers. Brenden Aaronson is also someone that could join the midfield, having not gotten a look when called up by the senior team this fall.

With this group, you put together a slew of players that could very well be in Tokyo this summer if the U.S. plays their cards right and this experience against a tough Costa Rica team could be the initial step in laying a foundation for that run.

Senior team

Senior Team USMNT XI

While preparing for the Olympics is well and good, this isn't the Olympic team. This is the U.S. men's national team, the senior group. Getting to the Olympics would be great for the long-term health of the player pool, but there are still short-term questions to ask.

As criticized as he is, Gyasi Zardes is perhaps the most answered of those questions. With the Columbus Crew forward, you know exactly what you're going to get. Zardes gives you energy, positioning and, ultimately goals. At this point, he may be the USMNT's starting striker with Jozy Altidore's injury woes and Josh Sargent's inconsistent role with Wolfsburg leaving them a bit behind. Like it or not, Zardes might be the guy for a little bit and, at least so far, he's done well enough to justify it.

If Zardes were to start, that would leave Ferreira as more of a second forward or even a No. 10, which would be fine. Berhalter says he's sticking with the 4-3-3 and, while playing Ferreira as more of a midfielder could hurt defensively, it's a wrinkle that's worth a look. At some point going forward, you could see Christian Pulisic down the middle, so seeing how a team would look with one No. 10 and two midfielders behind him could be interesting.

Yueill is more than ready for that role as he looks to stake his claim, although he's battling the likes of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Wil Trapp and Michael Bradley for a central midfield spot.

Berhalter promised a mix between Olympic-eligible and veterans, and this XI would give us just that.

Advertisement