This is the best collection of American soccer talent ever assembled. That’s the popular narrative (I have 100% written stuff like this before). Young players are moving to Europe at an ever increasing rate and valuation. Our starters are playing at big clubs in the best leagues in the world. Surely, there’s no argument that this is incorrect, right…?
Well, let’s take a look. Here is the starting lineup from game #1 against Ghana in the 2014 World Cup vs what I presume to be the starting lineup in game #1 against Wales (probably).
*NOTE: All ages are what they will be or were when the World Cup starts/started*
Not quite as cut and dried as you thought, is it? My plan is to break the lineups down by section and maybe come to a conclusion on who the better overall team is/was.
Goalkeeper
Matt Turner (28) / Zack Steffen (27) vs. Tim Howard (35)
Not a lot of discussion here. Turner and Steffen may turn out to be fine keepers by the end of their careers, but Tim Howard was 35 in 2014 and playing at the top of his game. Everton finished 5th in the Premier League that season and Howard started 37 matches. Turner and Steffen will be (very likely) backups for their teams when the 2022 World Cups begin.
Clear Edge: 2014
The Secretary of Defense!
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 22, 2018
Tim Howard's FIFA World Cup record 16 saves vs Belgium is No. 8️⃣4️⃣in our #100Moments countdown. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HCfI6LeUtd
Fullbacks
Sergino Dest (22) / Jedi Robinson (25) vs. Fabian Johnson (27) / DeMarcus Beasley (32)
This is an interesting one. Fabian Johnson was 27 in 2014 and coming off a good season with 9th placed Hoffenheim. Beasley was 32 and coming off being a regular starter for a near-bottom-of-the-table Puebla in Liga MX. Beasley was a surprisingly strong fix for the ever problematic left back spot and Johnson was the best US option at about 5 different positions. He played so well at right back during the 2014 World Cup that there were even rumors of Barcelona interest after the tournament.
With all that being said, Dest actually plays at Barcelona and looks set to be the starter at right back for a while assuming things go well. He’s the most talented full back I’ve ever seen with the US and could easily turn into the best player on the team if things break right for him. Jedi Robinson might already be the best left back in USMNT history (not a high bar, sadly). He plays in the Championship for Fulham, but he has been constantly available and consistently good for the national team. Beasley is his only other real competition for the title.
Edge: 2022
Center Backs
Miles Robinson (25) / Walker Zimmerman (29) vs. Geoff Cameron (29) / Matt Besler (27)
Geoff Cameron was 29 in 2014 and had started 37 (36 at right back) for 9th place Stoke. He’d played some right back for the US as well, but Klinsmann decided to make him a center back (mostly) for the World Cup. Cameron was a really good athlete and a big dude – this was back when Stoke was a “let loose the dogs of war” style defensive/route #1 team – and Cameron wasn’t out of place in that group. I also feel like Besler was criminally underrated. He was a smooth left-footer on the ball and a good defender. There were rumors of a European move after the World Cup, but nothing ever transpired. He’s one of those guys that I think if they’d been English instead of American, would have had a long, productive career in Europe.
It feels like there’s a higher ceiling for a Richards/Brooks pairing, but that ain’t likely so we are going with the chalk picks for now. Robinson is an athletic, defensive marvel. Zimmerman is basically the same thing, but with more meathead (and a tad more passing aptitude) thrown in. The team doesn’t give up many goals, but that’s kinda been the case no matter who is starting back there. At least, they’ll both be full fledged adults in their prime when November gets here.
Advantage: Push
Midfield
Tyler Adams (23) / Weston McKennie (24) / Yunus Musah (19) vs. Kyle Beckerman (32) / Michael Bradley (27) / Jermaine Jones (32)
This is an easy win for the MMA midfield, right? Think back for a second though – do you remember how good Michael Bradley was in this era? It’s a tragedy that he’s become a scapegoat for the 2018 mess. He had just moved from Roma to Toronto (much to the chagrin of Klinsmann and many US fans), but was still playing at a really high level. Jermaine Jones was sort of a meaner version of Weston McKennie and had played Champions League soccer with Shalke that season. Meanwhile, Beckerman was a solid defensive midfielder that knew his job and somehow made the Bradley/Jones pairing work in midfield.
Adams is my favorite current player, but I’m a little worried about him. He’s not getting much time at Leipzig these days and his performance on the ball last window was rusty. I think he’ll be fine, but not as confident as I was a couple months ago. McKennie is our best player and the straw that stirs the drink for the US. Musah is already good at what he does and if he adds a little more to his game in the next 6 months, could be legitimately frightening.
Slight Edge: 2022
Attack
Christian Pulisic (24) / Gio Reyna (20) or Timothy Weah (22) / Jesus Ferreira (21) vs Clint Dempsey (31) / Alejandro Bedoya (27) / Jozy Altidore (24)
Can you believe that Klinsmann hamstrung himself/the team by not taking Landon Donovan? The attacking trio of Altidore, Dempsey, and Donovan was so dangerous. I’m getting upset again just typing this. What an idiotic decision. *stares at computer screen for a bit*
Anyway…Dempsey had just moved back to MLS and was toying with defenses playing alongside Obafemi Martins. Altidore was trying really hard for a dreadful to watch Sunderland team, and Bedoya had just finished a 5g/1a season playing mostly attacking midfield for Ligue 1 side Nantes. Not a bad group. Altidore getting hurt and Donovan being left out really put a cap on what this attack could have been. Donovan running at Belgium on a counter or two would have been nice…
The current group looks really good on the wing and iffy at striker. I love watching Ferreira and if the last couple FCD matches are a sign of things to come, then giddy up, but I’m remaining cautious for now. Pulisic’s form comes and goes, while Reyna is snake bitten by injuries. Weah doesn’t have Reyna’s ceiling, but plays well for the NT and looks to fit Berhalter’s style of play to a T.
Slight Edge: 2022
Coaching
I’m not a Berhalter-stan, but I’m not #BerhalterOut either. I think there’s been some good and some bad and we’ll have to wait and see how the actual World Cup shakes out. But I am pretty sure that Berhalter has some tactical chops and thinks deeply about the game. Klinsmann on the other hand…I’ll let Phillip Lahm do the talking for me:
Clear Edge: 2022
Summary
In the end, I think I agree that this team is more talented than the 2014 version, but not by a lot and it may end up finishing worse than the 2014 version. That team was composed of full grown men in, or at the tail end, of their primes. The current team has some boom/bust potential. If they hit a good patch of form in November things could get very exciting. However, we’ve seen a couple stinkers from this group, especially away from home, and that feels equally possible. We’re going to the World Cup though and that’s the best sporting event on the planet. I can’t wait.
If you enjoyed this and would like to be informed of future articles type your email address in the box and you’ll be notified of each new post. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter @blharreld 🤓
