The 2014 World Cup campaign provided much optimism at times, after the USA won the Hexagonal in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying and retaking the Gold Cup one year earlier.
But the long USA win streak (often compiled against the minnows of CONCACAF whom the USA rarely sees outside of Gold Cup play) and the lack of depth of CONCACAF in terms of technical quality allowed the USA to ignore several flaws that built up during the 2014 World Cup cycle.
1) The preferred center-back pairing for manager Jurgen Klinsmann--Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler--have little in the way of actual ball skills. Although Gonzalez has height, and Besler has speed, the fact neither could control the ball or work the ball out of trouble spelled doom for the USA in many situations. Rather than worry about a USA counter (and give the USA space to build up), opponents could try a run knowing that all Gonzalez and Besler like to do is clear out balls for throw-ins, which essentially allowed the USA's opponents--Portugal in the later stages, Germany, and Belgium to continue to build their attacks, and frustrate and eventually tire out the USA attack from all the running without the ball they had to do. Center-backs that are more adept with the ball (and who can recover and do their defensive duties) offer the threat of springing a counter-attack and sustaining possession.
2) Klinsmann failed to use the attacking midfielders in this pool until it was too late. This attacking midfield pool includes Landon Donovan, Joe Corona, Benny Feilhaber, as well as Julian Green and Mix Diskerud who were on the team. Michael Bradley looked awkward all World Cup not because he had regressed, but because his skillset and his ethos is not well-suited to play as an attacking midfielder. At a most advanced spot, 'Il Generale' is best as a mediano whos responsibilities are more involved with covering the back line (in a line of four) and disrupting buildup, than doing the creative work on the attack. He can attack, just not as a good holding midfielder might attack--nothing more than that.
3) Despite getting out of one of several Groups of Death, Jurgen Klinsmann was not an improvement over Bob Bradley in most areas, with the exception of player recruitment. Klinsmann should still have a role on the USA staff in a recruiting role--as his recruitment of many good dual-nationals including Julian Green, Timothy Chandler, John Brooks, Terence Boyd, Aron Johannsson, Mix Diskerud, and Fabian Johnson provided the USA with vital depth when they would have otherwise needed to xearch their pool harder, or blood in more USA-raised young players than just DeAndre Yedlin (although Julian Green's father, who is helping to manage his career, is still based in the USA and might have swayed the young Green regardless). Ultimately getting dual-nationals, wherever they are from, is a part of any team's international strategy. The way the USA would no longer have to fight dual-national battles will be to become so good and so deep as a group that they could constantly blood in new players from their own domestic league(s) without having to chase dual-nationals in faraway lands. That is something that does not happen in one cycle, and the team the USA lost to in the Round of 16 knows that this might be its best shot (in this World Cup and the next few World Cups) to make a deep run--and something that it might not have for a long time, despite better tactical awareness, better identification of players playing recreationally, and links to top Eredivisie and French sides for coaching help (of elite prospects).
4) On success, Jurgen Klinsmann did not have the fortunate opportunity to play in a Confederations Cup. Outside of that, his success is on par with that of Bob Bradley, and less than that of what Bruce Arena was able to do with the USA. The difference between Klinsmann's successes and Bradley's successes was that Klinsmann had and still has a much deeper pool of players to choose from, thanks to the improving quality of play (from domestic players) is USA domestic leagues. The earlier professionalization of many of its best young players, including DeAndre Yedlin (who was with the USA team this time around), Perry Kitchen, Erik Palmer-Brown, Darlington Nagbe, and others coming from a combination of professional academy or modernized USSF DA (or outside-USSF DA) programs and college play, in combination with better identification of players overall, is helping to better the talent pool. This is why Klinsmann's "achievements" are more of a failure and a setback than what Bob Bradley did.
But this is also the longest amount of time Jurgen Klinsmann has had at any coaching gig. His first gig as Germany boss saw him in more of a technical director role while Jogi Loew was the "manager in practice." Klinsmann was also run out of Bayern Munich in less than a year after his efforts to put his stamp on the club fell apart.
The USA gig is still a tough gig for a man who had little club coaching experience before taking the tough international jobs. But this cycle has shown that Klinsmann is still learning how to be a manager and tactician. There are chances that Klinsmann might improve his own managerial chops ahead of the "business end" of the 2018 World Cup cycle, but USSF has to decide whether he can best take advantage of a rapidly-improving talent pool as manager, or if a more astute tactician like Tab Ramos can take over.
5) Costa Rica's success with playing good attacking, possession football against, and succeeding in moving onto the quarterfinal is not only a damning of the problems of US Soccer, which continue to linger today, but that Mexico is also lagging dramatically behind. Costa Rica is a nation of only 4.5 million people, while the total population of USA and Mexico combined exceed 400 million. (Potential Mexico issues will be addressed at a later time.) The USA (and Mexico to a certain extent) benefits greatly from immigrant populations--but whether it is Klinsmann's fault, or the combination of USSF powers, the influencers in US Soccer forums, or the soccer culture just starting to mature, or something else--the USA clearly regressed in the 2014 World Cup. A goalkeeper having to make 16 saves signals that the defense and the team in front of it was overmatched--and the manager himself was also overmatched.
6) The best head coach for the USA to finally improve over Bruce Arena's or Bob Bradley's results, while producing high-quality footballers, will likely, according to many observers, will need to be American and likely either be Latino or African, or have strong familiarities and connections to a strong base of Latino players, African players, or players from other immigrant communities (including Bosnian-Americans in greater St. Louis). That guy should be Tab Ramos, who is already Klinsmann's chief tactician and a man whose recent U-20 teams have started to take on a more (kids of) immigrant influence. He also regularly uses playmaking attacking midfielders and integrates players (no matter their ethnicity or previous history with the team) who were technically competent.
7) In the long run, the USA can look to the team who beat them, Belgium for clues as to fix its "development system." The Red Devils had not qualified for the World Cup in three cycles before the 2014 edition. Belgium is a fairly divided country politically and culturally, like the United States, except the most popular national party wants to split Belgium into three countries. It also happened to host the 2000 UEFA European championship and receive plenty of revenue. Rather than simply pocket the money and keep things as is, the Belgian FA recognized that improving the soccer being played and the players it was producing was much more important than profits for the promoters. So, the Belgian FA poured the UEFA 2000 money back into not only reducing the barriers of entry to players without the means to normally enter, but for better scouting of its kids, and partnerships with Eredivisie teams in terms of coaching provided and tactical awareness, which would ensure the players Belgium would produce could be fundamentally sound (as well as good). In a country where cycling has often taken the summer headlines, many of the players Belgium was producing started to steal the headlines long before they became pros even at their first sides (which were often in Belgium). So many cogs in this Belgium "golden generation," including Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku, Thibault Courtois, and Dries Mertens already had the pressure of living up to incredibly high expectations--because it is not necessarily a given that Belgium could ever produce another set of players as good. So, the match against the USA was more than beat an overmatched opponent, it was to try to take advantage of Belgium's first real chance (in many years) at winning a World Cup. (Disclaimer: That run ended one round later, courtesy of a Gonzalo Higuain volley, and the Red Devils did not seem as together when they had to take on a more together Argentina side.)
8) The USA hosts more big soccer events than Belgium has, and also has a huge population. So there should be plenty of money available to be poured into funds to have USSDA, MLS, USL, and NASL academy scouts travel to every pocket of the USA and multiply the efforts to target working class or poor, (of all kinds), Latino and immigrant communities, and communities where players' families cannot afford the costs of travel soccer. And they should make those travels with good coaches. A collaboration with the highly corporate Alianza de Futbol (and utilize their methods of finding players), could boost immediate dividends at the youth level. Stronger efforts aimed at disincentivizing "pay-to-play" or providing easy tools for teams to professionalize, as to make revenue could help attract good players whose families cannot afford team dues or the travelling. Or like the Alianza de Futbol Hispano, the teams and scouts could travel to the players. But part of it is also around simply listening to people who are more familiar with the potential USA players, rather than rely on the MLS hype machine.
9) The quality of player in the USA is improving even if most of the time Jurgen Klinsmann selected poorer quality players at many positions. One selection this writer had looked to see immediately with the USA as of 2013 was DeAndre Yedlin, a 20-year-old flashy right back with the elite level speed and creativity pushing forward--and great capability to recover when he advanced too far forward). His quality has caught the eye of some top European clubs and could make it difficult for the Seattle Sounders to hold onto him. Other youth national team veterans including Dillon Powers, Chris Klute, Dillon Serna, Perry Kitchen, and others, have already justified themselves to be a part of the 2018 cycle, and should have seen some role in the 2014 cycle. Jurgen Klinsmann and many people in the USA media often criticized that some of these players "needed experience." No other country in the world would bring on a 30-year-old relatively uncapped goalpoacher, a pair of 25-year-old central defenders who do not have the technical capabilities to be able to pass out of the back and prevent a siege on their goalkeeper's goal. That is something that is reserved for new recruits or young players. By this logic, Michael Orozco and Shane O'Neill, who have both been capped previously by the USA at both the senior level and youth levels, should have had a greater role.
Many pundits can talk about players like Graham Zusi or Brad Davis being great crossers and putting up assists. But the "assist" statistic is a misleading statistic that covers up their lack of creativity and their poor range of passing, as well as their unpredictability. It also enstranged Brazil-born playmaker Benny Feilhaber, whose vision on the ball and range of passing helped the USA achieve its greatest feat in the modern era--runners-up in the 2009 Confederations Cup final.
10) The USA senior team fortunately has a break from FIFA international competition until the 2016 Copa America, with its World Cup qualifying campaign likely starting up that same year. This is a USA team that, if paired with a proper tactician and Klinsmann moved to a technical director role, could be tipped to at least match their 2002 results, but requiring less luck to do so.
Goalkeeper: Brad Guzan, Bill Hamid, Cody Cropper, Richard Sanchez, William Yarbrough
If Tim Howard sticks to his word of being able to play in the 2018 World Cup and his body does not let him go, this position is still fairly settled. Brad Guzan has proven to be just as brave (if not braver than) Howard in collecting crosses and making difficult saves in his time with Aston Villa. If Howard retires from the national team before 2018, Guzan would be clearly at the top of the depth chart--with major uncertainty in the capabilities of the younger keepers. Bill Hamid has the athleticism to push Brad Guzan, but California-born Richard Sanchez and Leon keeper William Yarbrough are two players that could push Hamid, who is more adept at clearing balls out than building from the back. However, neither keeper is capped and Sanchez has only gotten first team minutes for Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL, the second division of the American pyramid, and the now Tigres keeper has been capped at the under-20 level with Mexico. (But playing at the U-20 level is not a final decision point.) The Mexico-born William Yarbrough just won a Bicampeonato with Club Leon. However, he has two American parents (from Texas) and is being heavily recruited by the USA. Yarbrough himself has been coy about his international future, choosing to turn away both Mexico and the USA.
Left Back/Left Wingback: Greg Garza, Chris Klute, Fabian Johnson
Despite the heroic efforts of DaMarcus Beasley in an unfamiliar position, he was not necessarily the fastest or most skilled option at left back available to the United States even in 2014. Fabian Johnson should be a favorite to retain the role going into 2018, but Greg Garza and Chris Klute are the pair of former USA youth internationas who should be at the top of the depth chart at this position, and allow Johnson to move into a wide midfield role. Both are fast (although few left backs in the world could match the pure speed of Chris Klute) and good with both feet on the ball. Both also look to play from the back when they win the ball, rather than clear it out when they are challenged. Both also are instinctive and good enough on the ball to push forward and provide more width to the USA attack than they showed in 2014.
Do not count out Atlas left back Edgar Castillo, who is quicker than Beasley, or USA U-20 international Kellyn Acosta who's been FC Dallas's left back of choice in 2014 despite his youth. USA national team veteran Eric Lichaj who currently plies his trade with Nottingham Forest cannot be ruled out before the 2018 World Cup as well.
One darkhorse to keep an eye on would be Greg Garza's Tijuana teammate John Requejo, Jr, who recently arrived at the club. The 18-year-old was signed by Tijuana over a college comittment at UCLA. He might factor more into the USA's 2016 Olympics plan, but if given the opportunity, Requejo could immediately push Garza for time at both club and country.
Center Backs: Erik Palmer-Brown, Michael Orozco, John Brooks, Shane O'Neill, Tommy Redding, Andrew Farrell, Amobi Okugo, Maurice Edu
John Brooks's combination of height, savvy, speed, aerial ability, and technical ability with both feet was on full display in his limited time playing in the 2014 World Cup. The 17-year-old Erik Palmer-Brown, with an elite combination of world class speed, ability to recover the ball without fouling, ball control, positioning, and passing might pan out to be the most technical centre-half the USA has ever produced. With teammate Matt Besler on World Cup duty, Peter Vermes has been duly rewarded for putting his trust in the 17-year-old, who might be on the move to three-time Scudetto winners Juventus. The two give the USA an elite pair of central defenders that can not only seriously support the attack, but foil the fastest and most technical of attackers for years to come. Andrew Farrell and Shane O'Neill have also already impressed with their defensive instincts and ball control. Farrell, whose footballing background included time in Peru--and being highly sought after there by several clubs before returning to the United States for high school--has enough technical ability on the ball to be deployed as a right back or an outside center back in a 3-5-2 or 5-3-2.
But Michael Orozco Fiscal can be brought in should the USA need an experienced central defender. Many were calling for his inclusion as starting defender besides Geoff Cameron or John Brooks at the 2014 World Cup (or behind them if either were injured or suspended). He might have had the goal against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in 2012, but his positional defense, control on the ball, and communication with Besler (and Maurice Edu) allowed the USA to withstand a barrage on Brad Guzan's goal that day.
Maurice Edu, Geoff Cameron, and Chris Schuler can all slot into the center back position, and can be rotated in. Although Schuler has yet to be capped by the USA, his speed, positioning, strength, and technical ability with both feet make him worthy enough to be in the USA rotation through at least the first part of the 2018 cycle.
Tommy Redding is Erik Palmer-Brown's USA U-17 teammate, and has also been impressive in his time with the U-17s. Like Palmer-Brown, Redding is fast, good with both feet on a level rarely seen by USA central defenders, and can recover the ball without fouling. However, he is playing his first professional season in USL Pro. He is expected, however, to move up with the team to MLS in 2015 if the Lions can hold onto him.
Uncapped America center back Ventura Alvarado could make a play for one of the four center back spots. After appearing 21 times for Club Necaxa on loan, he returns to Club America and likely to play a significant role in the Aguilas' Apertura 2014 campaign. In limited outings so far, the 22-year-old Alvarado has shown he has the ability to take on Liga MX and Ascenso MX attackers, whom hit with plenty of speed and creativity, and that he might be a pleasant surprise this upcoming Liga MX season if center back Pablo Aguilar goes down with an injury.
Uncapped USA youth center back prospect Miguel Palafox made his professional debut with Leon in the last Clausura and made short appearance. He has good control on the ball and plenty of speed to recover. He could get more playing time this season with La Fiera. If he plays consistently, he could push, at a minimum, for USA's upcoming Olympics qualifying campaign.
Right Backs/Right Wingbacks: DeAndre Yedlin, Kofi Sarkodie
DeAndre Yedlin long had the bravery, technical ability, and speed to be a real danger attacking from the right back spot. He displayed that in spades in the World Cup. His speed, recovery, and positioning helped assist the USA in 2014 when it was under siege by Belgium's attackers down the left. And his technical ability going forward created problems for the Belgium defense (as well as Portugal and Ghana).
The second right back spot could be between new Eintracht Frankfurt man Timothy Chandler and current Houston Dynamo standout right back Kofi Sarkodie. Chandler may be good enough going forward, but Sarkodie could provide better coverage, better passing out of the back and more pace should Yedlin get injured or face a suspension along the way.
Defensive Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Geoff Cameron, Marc Pelosi
Michael Bradley looked like a fish out of water when he was deployed as an attacking midfielder in the 2014 World Cup. The current Toronto FC midfielder (likely to move on to another side if Toronto do not compete for MLS trophies and the CONCACAF Champions League). But when he is deployed as a pure defensive midfielder, he looks comfortable, and like one of the best players in the world at that position. His work ethic, willgness to cover a lot of ground to stop buildups (without fouling) and keep attacks going earned him praise in his time in Germany and Italy. Had Bradley not been injured right before the USA's qualifier against Honduras, Bradley would have had a much stronger influence in AS Roma's return to the UEFA Champions League.
Geoff Cameron and Maurice Edu are both quick enough and technically savvy enough to function in defensive roles along side Bradley. Both can support the attack as needed, and both can make critical defensive recoveries without unnecessary fouling.
Although Jermaine Jones deserves to be considered in this mix, it is likely that the Besitkas man may retire from international competition by 2018 (he would be 36 then).
Perry Kitchen, a 22-year-old holding midfielder with DC United whom has made 104 appearances for his side since 2011, is technically good enough to cover for all three should either get injured. The first few matches of the 2018 cycle should prove to be perfect opportunities to blood the DC United midfielder into the team and to make sure guys like Kyle Beckerman and Brad Evans whom are technically limited (or too slow for the international game) are not even in the conversation for 2018.
There are several good, young Europe-based holding midfielders that may also be considered in the mix. Caleb Stanko, who made his professional debut with SC Freiburg in 2014 is only 20. He is mobile and is adept at reading the game and pressing the ball to force turnovers. He also has a good range of passing that compares favorably to Michael Bradley.
Marc Pelosi is a likely star of the young defensive midfielders likely to be blooded into the senior team by 2018. Like Stanko, Pelosi is a graduate of assistant coach Tab Ramos's USA U-20 team. He was signed by Liverpool along with Bulgaria youth international Villyan Bijev from De Anza Force in 2012/2013. He was originally tipped to make his Liverpool in 2013-14, but missed the entire season recovering from a broken leg. He has good shooting ability, as well as a good range of passing and the work rate to close down passes in the midfield.
Young Columbus Crew defensive midfielder Wil Trapp is also good enough to push for a USA spot with his combination of speed, work rate, and good technical ability, and deserves to be rotated into the side at some point in the cycle. But at this point, he has not proven himself any more than the other holding midfielders why he should be considered a player on the 2018 squad, although he should factor strongly for the USA's Olympic team.
Attacking Midfielders: Benji Joya, Clint Dempsey, Joe Corona, Junior Flores, Dillon Powers, Fabian Johnson, Julian Green, Dennis Flores
The USA features plenty of attacking midfielders whom were all more creative, have better range of passing, and technically more capable than Graham Zusi and Brad Davis.
Fabian Johnson, Joe Corona, and Clint Dempsey are the obvious choices from wide attacking midfielder due to their overall level of skill and speed. Corona has also shown the skill and creativity to threaten defenses from central positions under the look of Cesar Farias. Corona, who has a Salvadorian mother, could be joined by another Salvadorian-American in Junior Flores whom is already getting significant playing time with Borussia Dortmund's reserve team at the tender age of 18. In his time so far, Flores has proven to be an influential playmaker in the central attacking midfield. An attacking midfield combination of Junior Flores and Joe Corona might give Clint Dempsey (who would be 36 by 2018) more freedom to take on defenders 1v1.
Benji Joya has demonstrated to USA soccer fans not only his elite ability to completely remove one of the best midfielders in the world from the match (in Paul Pogba at the 2013 U-20 World Cup), but his creativity and nose for the net closer to goal. He might play a Pogba or Vidal role for the USA and allow Jurgen Klinsmann, Tab Ramos, or whomever might be the next manager of the USA national team, to play with two midfielders that can switch between attacking and defensive roles at any time on an international level.
Julian Green demonstrated in his limited action in the 2014 World Cup why the USA was so keen to cap-tie him as quickly as possible. His ability to take defenders 1v1 on the flank combined with his shooting, passing, and pace make him an elite player the USA cannot afford to leave off the pitch come 2018. The Bayern Munich winger has impressed in 2013-14 with the U-23 team, and could push for a spot on the first team, although there are many more established players ahead of him at his left wing position.
Leon winger/playmaker Dennis Flores might also make a strong case to push for the national team in a wide midfield role. He can take on defenders 1v1, and possesses plenty of speed and hunger to break down defenses (although he has yet to demonstrate the latter on a first team level). Flores, like Palafox, would likely be the first player(s) to play for the USA national team coming out of the Alianza de Futbol development program--a program which helps clubs identify young Hispanic players from underserved communities.
Dillon Powers can double in Benji Joya's position as a box-to-box/central attacking midfielder, and provide cover should the Chicago Fire man get injured or suspended at any point in the 2018 cycle. The Colorado Rapids man is just 20 and already turning heads in just his second professional season.
One darkhorse to keep an eye on ahead of 2018 is Fernando Arce, Jr. The San Diego born midfielder has started to gain playing time under Cesar Farias. He might be more frequently used in a box-to-box or holding role, but he has good speed, technical ability with both feet, and a good range of passing. More importantly, he is already displaying some of the leadership traits that made his father (Fernando Arce) a mainstay at Tijuana since it started Liga MX play.
Strikers: Juan Agudelo, Jozy Altidore, Mario Rodriguez
The USA forward corps is deep, and that is with Clint Dempsey taking on an attacking midfield role. The most technically gifted, creative forward of the bunch is Juan Agudelo who was cruelly left off the 30-man preliminary squad despite an impressive 2013 campaign with New England and Chivas USA, and an impressive debut half season at FC Utrecht.
Jozy Altidore will not be removed from his USA perch anytime soon because of his hold-up and interchange play. While Agudelo can play as a target forward at times, Altidore's strength fits best in this role (with new RB Leipzig striker Terence Boyd as his preliminary backup).
The third (or fourth) forward role will feature a lot more and better competition, such that a player like Chris Wondolowski may not necessarily be considered for the national team. Borussia Monchengladbach striker Mario Rodriguez is a gifted goal-poacher adept with the ball at both feet, and quick in mis movement.
He will likely face competition from fellow USA U-20 standout Paul Arriola who has become one of Cesar Farias's most crafty forwards at Tijuana, FC Utrecht man Rubio Rubin, as well as Europe-based Gedion Zelalem, Joe Gyau, and Shawn Parker whom have committed to the USA and could push for first team playing time on some of the best teams in Europe. Parker was also briefly one of the Bundesliga's top scorers in 2013-14 at Mainz. If Gyau, Zelalem, and Flores play together on the USA.
Former LA Galaxy teammates Gyasi Zardes (who is still with LA Galaxy) and Jose Villarreal (now with Cruz Azul full time) could also add to the complicated picture at forward/winger/attacking midfielder. Both players can take on defenders 1v1, and both players can pass and shoot. But the question with both is whether the USA would at least plug both into the national team picture (at least in friendlies), although both are dark-horses to make the 2018 squad. Both players could also figure strongly into the USA's 2016 Olympic plans.
The border region also has two young strikers who could more realistically factor into the USA's Olympic team before moving onto the national team--LA Galaxy's Haji Wright (who has yet to make his professional debut) who impressed many with his 1v1 ability, pace, and finishing at the 2014 Dallas Cup, and U-17 teammate Joe Gallardo who plies his trade at Monterrey CF. (Alonso Hernandez, who also plies his trade for Los Rayados, could also be rotated into the forward/attacking midfield picture.) Gallardo has also impressed with his finishing capability on both feet and ability to make space for himself and others.
These players are just some of the best players at each position that should theoretically be in the mix for 2018. But the pool at the youth level, especially at the U-20 and U-17 levels in 2014 (and likely World Cup contributors in 2018, should the USA make it that far) is deep and full of skilled players. Could a gifted young outsider like new Atletico Madrid man Dembakwi Yomba or Boca Juniors' man Joel Sonora or Fluminense's Alfred Koroma suddenly shine at their new clubs before 2018?
Could the Jurgen Klinsmann recruitment train be able to bring along the Funes Mori twins, who have shined for Argentina's River Plate (with one now playing in Benfica), or Fluminense's Kenedy whom has dual Brazilian-American nationality? And could the USA better identify and incorporate Latino, Caribbean, and African players already playing within its own borders (even though they may be outside the USSDA)?
If the USA can find enough good players at each position and provide serious competition at all spots (without featuring and overvaluing scrubs) in 2018, golden times might be ahead for the Stars and Stripes. But these can only happen if the USA in terms of its soccer communication, knowledge, etc., can learn from the mistakes of the 2014 World Cup cycle.