Men's National Team. We know there are some huge World Cup.
Qualifiers coming up.
I want to ask you one, simple question, which players are
the most important for the u.s. In these January and early,
February
World Cup, qualifiers. A bit of an unusual window and usual
Time of the Season, but obviously have qualifiers
coming up against El Salvador, Honduras, and Canada, a huge
one. I remember our partners
at Telemundo. They can
they have all the games streamed? You can watch live.
So, we'll keep you updated with all of those.
Those stream links and how to watch information ahead of
those big games.
But Andy, I want to come to you first, which players are
the most important for Greg Bo heart aside for this final,
push towards World Cup qualification
for Qatar in 2022.
So this is going to sound like an easy way out to take this
answer because the most recognizable and and maybe best
or most talented player on the team, but we really need to see
Christian pool stick. Come into Camp,
have a strong showing
not put the team.
His back but have a couple of moments where we say. Oh, yeah,
that's the guy that we have looked at for future World Cups
and said get him to that Chelsea level, get him to
a level where he's playing every single week the way that he has
been
for the last month or so. I know he's been in a few
different positions and everything and that complicates
it just a little bit but we know where he's going to play
when his second that he walks into US Men's National Team
camp, we know where he's going to be. We know he's going to be
one of the first names on the team sheet. And so I would
really
like to see It'll be the first time in qualifying, that he's
had a A run of games for his Club leading up to it. That
he's had a full set of training leading up to it. I'll
be there for Camp.
Everything is kind of setting up a little bit
for effectively the second half of World Cup qualifying to be,
you know, moment for Christian pool, stick to to, to kind of
re-establish himself and say, Hey,
you know, I know I had some injuries. I know I was
unavailable. I know some other guys stepped up. This is still
my team, and I think that's a really important thing. For all
the talk about Tyler Adams, is the most Irreplaceable. Weston
McKinney
is the player that
And it's everybody together as the character of the locker
room, but I still think and you can see it on the field. The
other players look to pull a sick, they defer to him in
tough situations. He is in their mind and that's the most
important.
It's the only thing that matters really in the players
mind. He is the leader of that group. He is the chosen
individual to lead them and they all look to him. They
respect him. They look up to him. They admire him, they
follow his lead. And
so I want to see him come into camp and be Be that guy for
a couple of weeks and if he can do that then I think that will
be what we'll be talking about US Men's National Team. That is
either already in the World Cup
in about a month time
or a point or two away.
And at that point it gets really fun. Then we can start
actually dreaming about what the 23-man roster is going to
look like. Who's going to be there? What they're going to
do. We can look at other teams in the World Cup and start to
are piecing together. The draw the
fun can start. If Christian poulos. It can have a really
strong January for the US
and that's a All about the player pool and getting
excited, Nick Mandola over a pro soccer, talk on NBC
sports.com as an article, you updates pretty much every month
about the US Men's National Team player pool, where their
ranking who's sitting where so
I urge you to go and read that because it is absolutely
essential especially as we head towards these World Cup
qualifiers that are key. Nick for you is politic the main man
or I feel like you're going to say Western McKenney, but maybe
I'm wrong there but
there is a couple of players right there stand out and
really need to lead the u.s. In these big qualifiers.
So this is tricky for me. I almost feel pulled to see
something crazy, you know, but I would say that the story of
the United States Men's National Team right now is
going to be run the show and don't lose.
It would be stunning to me if they lost at home to El Salvador
and going to Canada where it's frozen.
Anything could happen. I'm going to be playing in
the doughnut box, right there gonna be playing in Hamilton,
Ontario. Very close to me though. The bills have
a playoff game that's going to be a single degree on Saturday
night. So you can imagine what they're going to be going into
in.
Rio and then Honduras is coming to Minnesota. So
I guess what it says. I don't necessarily expect free-flowing
football. I think the conditions are going to ask
a lot of the USA. So when I say run the show and don't lose who
comes to mind and that's Tyler Adams,
control the ball step in and make the big tackle.
This is the guy that I'm looking to Weston McKenney.
I will, admit is starting to become my favorite player. The
Clint Dempsey of the Midfield, the attitude,
the strength of will I love that. I love him and I think
there's no question really that if we all were to boil down and
look at each other. We'd say that Andy got
the name we want.
I will throw something else out there though because
it would have been cheating to say two players or can
I include the whole back line when I think about Canada
and their threat? And I think about any hope, El Salvador
Honduras has of getting past the United States whether it's
miles. Robinson Walker. Zimmerman if John Brooks is
somehow in the fold.
Has to put out those fires.
Probably is the most important player in that unit.
Let me throw surgeon. Yo that's name in there as well. If we're
talking about the first line of defense against say I don't
know. Alfonso Davies.
It's a little bit Superior even. Yeah.
Yeah. That was scary. That is scary and my next question is
called links, very nicely. Is it still the same area of
weakness for the US Men's National Team. Is it a Centre
back and sent the forward where we
still felt. I've been talking about this for years that we
need someone to step up in the Those positions and different
players are come in and out. John Brooks looks good. Now,
he's on the way out mi Robinson's come in
and looks very good.
And then up top.
I'll see Darryl DK and Ricardo. Pepe got some big moves
early in the January window. But
what we looking at here for the area of weakness, who wants to
jump in with this, but I still think it's pretty similar,
right? Nick. Yeah. Because I have a short one. So, I feel
good jumping in because I think Andy can take the wheel here.
I actually think
centre-forward is not going to be a concern until the World Cup.
I think they have enough guys to succeed in concacaf, there.
They have enough centre-backs to succeed in concacaf as well.
But I don't know what the answer is.
Especially John Brooks to me was the one guy would have
penciled in for guitar.
Not that he's constantly amazing.
But because he's got the experience he scored in a world
cup. So yeah, Andy for me centre-forward is they're fine
to get through to the World Cup, but centre-back is maybe
where I'm most concerned to get to the World Cup.
Yeah. No, I oh, I completely agree with that. I think we've
seen that throughout qualifying getting goals contributed from
the wings from Central Midfield, that's obviously, and
set pieces as well. I think going to be something that if
they can effectively use those
and prepare themselves for the World Cup. I think that's
a little bit of a worry for me is kind of thinking of qualifying,
and the World Cup is two different things. It really is
the same thing. It's building through this process
and having the team,
having a lot of questions at the start of World Cup, qualifying
using those for In games to answer, as many of those
questions, as you can to have the best form team, the best
consistency, the continuity that you can have at the World
Cup. I do worry about
the defensive situation because
for all the promise of surgeon, yo, dest the matchups in this
window coming up for a little bit scary. In Tunis, Robinson
has been fantastic, and I wrote a little bit about him last
week and talking about US Men's National Team players that
might need
a move in January, or in the summer. He doesn't need it.
I think it would be fine if he moved to a Premier League.
A club though because he has proven over a period of time.
He's that quality of a left-back. It's as simple as
that. If Fulham get promoted this season, he's back in
the Premier League fine. That's absolutely, no problem.
But I think that the
weirdly enough, the one position where we've not had anybody for
15-20 years is the one position along the back line. Now at
left-back that I feel really confident, miles Robinson and
Walker Zimmerman's. A really good pairing at Centre back
for concacaf to mix Point once.
Get to the World Cup.
It's a little bit of a different story. So
while I'm not worried about either of them right now, I do
think once we get to the World Cup and let someone emerges and
really takes one of those positions or those groups by
the Scruff of the neck,
you know, it will be talking about will be talking about
these same things in about 10 months time.
Okay? Talking about 10 months time is the woke up. Let's have
a bit of fun here too. When this segment. Let's predict
what our US Men's National Team starting lineup. The strongest
one is right now and we'll be moving forward because
That's a lot of fun to do always, as I'm sure all going
to agree on this but let's go with a 4-2-3-1
formation. I think we all agree. That's probably
the USA's best formation right? In terms of the players they have
right now and what Bill hard to likes to play. So in Gold, we
all agree. Zach. Stephen was the starter right now.
Hangs up, I do. And yeah, it's it's fine. Either way.
It's close him. And that's also true.
Yeah, right there. So he's in goal right back. So Gina Durst,
Anthony Robinson. Left-back all.
All agree on that
and Enter back right now, Zimmerman and Miles Robinson.
I think of on those spots through their
performances in recent World Cup qualifiers. So
that's pretty easy. We got the back for and goalkeeper sorted
to holding Central midfielders McKenney. And Adams again,
pretty easy, pretty straightforward
where it becomes more difficult for me is looking at
the attacking areas. We know that there's some very talented
players there. But what are the best combinations because we
know pull a stick is going to start on the left. I would
think.
But Giovanni Rainer is now closing in on his return for
Borussia Dortmund. Obviously. Now, he's finally back in
the mix after being out for most of the season. So that's a huge
boost. So guys, who bought those other attacking
positions. You've got Tim wire Pepe
how we're going to line this up there, who wants to jump in?
I am one star performance away from Eunice Musa,
from from saying,
this might be the best are
not the best or most accomplished. But the most
talented and well-rounded midfielder that the US. Women's
National team has ever had because he does so many things.
So well,
a true number eight. I don't love him getting forward quite
as much and so maybe 4-2-3-1 wouldn't be the way that you
would get him in the Midfield, with atoms and McKinney.
They're very interchangeable. All three of those, those
players, and they seem to really like each other and they
have a good understanding of
playing with each other. So he's in there. Absolutely, for
me. And if Tim waya is healthy by that point, then absolutely.
He's in because he's had a fantastic season. For Lille.
And the moments that he's had for the u.s.
In, Handful of games. He kind of carry them over the line and
a couple of results.
He did. So okay, Tim way on the right flank plastic on the left
and then maybe Musa as the number 10, like maybe it will
in
Midfield 3, so maybe we'll go for 33
and then yeah, Ricardo Pepe up top. What do we think? I mean,
is either go to guy right now or
what are we going to do in that position? Because I feel like
it's harsh on gra know. He's obviously incredibly talented,
but he's been out injured for a long time. So,
I don't know. I it's between him and Musa, right? But
depending on how attacking you want to be and what kind of
formation of you want to go for 33
or go. 4-2-3-1. So Nick, what do you recommend?
Well, that's that's what exactly where I'm at. I think
if you're going for a 4-2-3-1 in your rigid about your
structure, I want Raina there, I do.
But if it's a 4-3-3 and your or you're not rigid about your
structure and your 4-2-3-1 then, yeah, I do want Musa.
I think Raina has to be out there and the main reason is because
Andy mentioned
And I wouldn't say ever with Moosa because of Geo's dad,
like, you talk about guys that I love and to me that is kind
of the I hate when you compare the dad and the son. So I'm not
meaning to do that. But whenever I think about how
excited I am about Geo Reina, and I remember the mentality
and the hard, hard edged family, he
comes from, his mother was fantastic as well.
I think that the sky really is the limit there. There were
times when we were talking about. Is there a chance rain
up meets pull a six
Level,
I think he's a really, really special player mind wise and
he's not the scorer. So he's not going to jump off the page
like polasek. But the one name I want you guys to keep an eye
on because right now I would say it's Ricardo Pepe,
but remember that Jordan P fock before he went to young boys
was at rennes. I mean, this is a this is a good player and
I could see him making a move
in August and having a couple weeks on a very big stage to
show us just what he can do and he has scored and for goal
game, a few weeks ago has
We're in the Champions League against good teams.
So I think he's kind of the wild card here.
I think that this underlines basically the problem area up
top for the u.s. That no one is really grabbing that Central
Striker position the number 9, and maybe Tim wire, or polar
Circles of false-9 and some kind of fluid movement would
actually work better to get both units, Musa
and G Arena into the starting lineup together. So
who knows Greg Cohutta knows what he's doing so far us are
on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup, they need
a strong
January and early February.
Three performances and these World Cup qualifiers
to really seal the deal and get close
to Qatar and the World Cup in 2022. I remember on pro soccer
talk on. NBC sports.com. The three gents. You can see here.
We'll keep you updated with all the latest qualifiers from
the USA. And of course Telemann though, they will have all of
the game streaming live, and we are really looking forward to
watching the US and action this month. And finally,
finally getting one step closer
to qualifying for a World Cup.