So the first real tests for Arena are coming up. With a truly must get 3 points vs. a solid side in T&T and a truly challenging road test in Mexico. If Arena is better than Klinsmann and that firing did nothing more than placating ignorant masses, we get 4 points. As we should beat T&T and Mexico is possible to draw.
I want to start with what I consider the USMNT best XI.
GK - Doesn't matter. Howard and Guzan are interchangeable parts. Howard is the better big play keeper, Guzan is the more solid keeper but sometimes makes headscratchers. If you want someone to make highlight saves but sometimes be out of position, that's Howard, if you want someone to be in position but sometimes make boneheaded plays, that Guzan. PErsonally I pick Guzan but it's gonna be Howard.
LB - Villafana. While I think Garza could pass him, and I really think this is a position where we are severely lacking in terms of talent and would ideally play FabJo or Chandler here and deal with the absence of a MF or wrong footed LB.
CB - Cameron
CB - Brooks - Thought Brooks may not be fit, if that's the case it's Gonzalez, though I'm tempted to go with Hedges to see what he has, Gonzalez and Brooks are relatively similar styles of play so it's a clean swap.
RB - Yedlin - One of the easiest roster decisions. Yedlin is your RB. Pulisic and Cameron have questions about where they would be the best for your team, Yedlin is slotted in.
LM - Pulisic
CM - BRadley
CM - Nagbe
RM - FabJo - Midfield overall is basically taking the 4 best players you have.
ST - Wood
ST - Jozy
Now I'm sure someone will rail on me for not picking Dempsey, and that's fine. But first Jozy has to play, he kills T&T. He's the US's all time leading scorer vs. them. Not to mention that in MLS Jozy has been muhc better for TFC than Dempsey has been for Seattle. THen it comes to Wood vs. Dempsey. FOr me while Dempsey is a legend, there's no doubt in my mind that Bobby Wood is the better player right now. I would sub Dempsey on for one of them. The threat of Dempsey off the bench is immeasurable. The only other way I see Dempsey playing is in place of Nagbe, but then he'd occupy the role that Pulisic has right now, and I don't want that as Pulisic is in the discussion for the USMNT's best player for club and country (with Brooks, Wood, and FabJo)
There is a scenario where I can see the US playing Dempsey and it not hurting the team. it's basically going with a 4-2-4 backline of Fabjo, Brooks, Cameron, Yedlin, MF of Bradley and Dax RW of Wood, LW Pulisic, and Jozy and Dempsey starting, but it would leave some huge gaps in the defense and really force Yedlin and Johnson to be at their peak levels.
Vs. Mexico though I do things differently.
GK - Howard - Here I think is when Howard is better for Guzan, hard road games. Maybe I'm wrong, but it's what I think.
Defense the same unless Brooks or Cameron pickup a yellow and are suspended or are hurt. Then my ideal CB or der goes Gonzalez for Brooks (Gonzalez and Brooks do not pair welll so he can't sub for Cameron, Besler for Cameron (Beteran experience si a thing when you deal with a team like Mexico) and Hedges and Gonzalez and pray if they both can't go.
CDM - Acosta
CM - Bradley
CM - Nagbe/Bedoya (really depends on if you want goals or defense, I'm not sure, I'd probably pick Deboya though and then bring Nagbe on for Bradley or Acosta and move Bradley back.
LW - Pulisic
ST - Dempsey
RW - Wood
Where this leaves you is Dempsey up top frustrating Mexico's CBs, maybe drawing some cards, winning some FKs, etc. Jozy isn't very good at that game and he tends to lash out. Mexico is gonna take it to the US strikers and this is where a vet like Dempsey could shine and get calls that Jozy or Wood would not. When Dempsey tires out you bring on Jozy to face a tired mexican back line and Jozy runs all over them. Downside is it forces Wood off the striking position but with the way the midfield is aligned he'd stay pretty far forward overall.
The difference between T&T and Mexico is that T&T will not pose half the build up threat. WIth Mexico you'll need 2 CDMs on that field to clog up lanes.
