And Then There Were Eight

The UEFA Champions League quarterfinal stage kicks off next week, and it’s hard to deny that we get to witness the battles of some of the strongest teams in Europe. World powerhouses FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were handed stiff tests against Atlético de Madrid and Manchester City, respectively, while FC Bayern and Real Madrid were slightly more fortunate, and will face SL Benfica and VfL Wolfsburg.

The last three editions of the tournament have produced somewhat surprise finalists; will this year’s quarterfinal stage allow that trend to continue? Let’s take a look.

(Teams listed first are at home for the first leg)

VfL Wolfsburg vs. Real Madrid CF

One of last season’s most pleasant surprises in Germany, Wolfsburg have not exactly replicated their performances this season. However, they’re still a talented, attack-minded side capable of pulling off a shock result and hanging around with the best teams in the world. Dieter Hecking’s men have relied on the leadership of long-serving players like Ricardo Rodríguez and Naldo, and have benefitted from the pure talent of attackers like Julian Draxler and André Schürrle.

Real Madrid is a different animal from the average Bundesliga club, though, and will wholeheartedly challenge Wolfsburg’s backline. With the likes of Ronaldo up front, Modric in the middle, and Ramos in the back, the Galacticos seem to hardly have a weakness. On the field, they tend to make easy work of most opponents, but other top-quality teams can give them headaches. While Madrid will almost always be favored on paper, it would be silly to write off Wolfsburg already. Zinedine Zidane hasn’t exactly been spectacular as the first team manager (a position that was always going to be tough for him), and has notably struggled to get the best out of his team in the big games, especially away from the Bernabeu.

Should the Germans get off to a quick start in the home leg, we could have an upset on the cards. That being said, the smart money would certainly still go on Zidane & co. to progress to the semifinal.

Prediction: Real Madrid defeats Wolfsburg 3-2 on aggregate.

FC Bayern München vs. SL Benfica

After a near-miraculous comeback against a tough Juventus side, the Bavarians will be riding high heading into their matchup with the reigning Portuguese champions. Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman have consistently terrorized defenses all season, even with world-class players such as Arjen Robben and Franck Ribéry frequently injured and unable to back them up. To add to that, the midfield and backline have been rock-solid, and really helped to lift the club into a comfortable 1st-place position in the Bundesliga table.

Luckily for anyone other than Bayern fans, Benfica’s motto will be “Anything you can do, I can do better.” Whether they can actually live up to that motto is a different story, but the fact of the matter is that they have really been just as dominant as Bayern over the past 18/24, albeit against weaker opposition. Like the Germans, the Portuguese club have attackers like Jonas and Nico Gaitán who can absolutely toy with opposing defenses, along with a veteran backline led by Luisão.

They are relatively unproven against the world’s best, though, and this Bayern squad is definitely one of the world’s best. Benfica would hold their own against many strong teams, but the Bavarians don’t seem likely to mess this one up.

Prediction: Bayern Munich defeats Benfica 5-2 on aggregate.

FC Barcelona vs. Atlético de Madrid

This is where it gets good.

Barcelona are hoping to be the first club in the Champions League era to repeat as winners, and most analysts would agree that they are again the favorites this time around. In fact, it’s truly difficult to envision a scenario in which any team in the world could beat them over two legs. In a one-off game in the middle of a La Liga season, maybe, but in a monumental matchup like this, you can bet that Luis Enrique’s men will be absolutely ready to play. The deadly Messi, Suárez, Neymar trio aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.

If any team could slow them down, though, it’s Atleti. Diego Simeone has somewhat been Barça’s kryptonite during his time as manager of the Colchoneros, using his philosophy of stout defensive organization to neutralize MSN to a certain extent. If healthy, Godín and Giménez can lead their team to a clean sheet against almost anyone, but will obviously be tested to the extreme against the world’s best.

Unfortunately, goals have been hard to come by for their attack; French attacker Antoine Griezmann is the only player in double figures for Atleti thus far this season. If Barça can manage even three goals over the two legs, they should be in good shape to advance, especially if they can use the first leg at Camp Nou to create some separation in the aggregate scoreline.

Prediction: FC Barcelona defeats Atlético de Madrid 3-1 on aggregate.

Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City FC

El Cashico. Oil Classico. El Plastico. The Abu Derby.

However you spin it, this matchup will tell us a lot about the front office of both of these clubs. In the past few years, both have become known for their free-spending ‘projects’ as they attempt to move into the world’s elite, but the jury is still out on which has truly developed into the stronger team.

PSG wrapped up the Ligue 1 title with about three months to go, but haven’t yet taken their foot off the gas because of it. They handled a resurgent Chelsea side fairly easily in the Round of 16, and the prolific strike partnership of Ibrahimovic and Cavani will be licking their lips at the thought of a Man City side without their captain, Vincent Kompany; by all accounts, the Belgian will be forced to miss both legs of the quarterfinal with a recurring calf injury.

There have been times when the dynamic partnership of Agüero, Silva, and Touré have been able to bail City out of otherwise hopeless situations, but all three are having sub-par seasons and don’t look to be vastly improving on current form. Kevin De Bruyne was leading the team in assists (and second in goals) before his big injury, but he should be back in time for this tie. His return to the side could potentially be a silver lining for the Citizens, who will need all the help they can get against the world-class Thiago Silva at the back for PSG.

At the end of the day, I see the loss of Vincent Kompany as the deciding factor. On their day, City is capable of holding Ibra & co. relatively quiet for 180 minutes, but without their big Belgian at the back, that seems unlikely.

Prediction: Paris Saint-Germain defeats Manchester City 4-1 on aggregate.

What do you all think? Let me know in the comments below, or find me on Twitter if you’d like to discuss further.
atlético Barcelona Bayern
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MLS Cup 2015: 10 Things You Need to Know

The historic 20th season of Major League Soccer comes to a close this Sunday, and it couldn’t have come down to two more evenly-matched teams than Portland Timbers FC and Columbus Crew SC. These playoffs have been the most dramatic and controversial in recent memory, but both of these teams have earned their right to be here. And they’re not done yet.

With a hotly-contested final in store, and available on national television in more than 140 countries around the world (yes, we’re still talking about MLS), I thought I would delve into a little background info regarding the Timbers, Crew SC, the preparation to the game, and even some tactics.

1)      First and foremost, the game will be in Columbus

It’s amazing how important goal difference is once the end of the season rolls around. The Timbers and Crew SC finished the season with the exact same record – Portland even beat Columbus when they played during the regular season – but the men in yellow and black will host MLS Cup at their own Mapfre Stadium because they boast a superior goal difference.

2)      The Timbers sold out their 900-ticket allotment for the final in six minutes

If you haven’t already heard, the Timbers Army is loud, proud, and dedicated – they filled their 21,000-seat stadium to capacity for every regular season and playoff game. Oh, and they make some of the best tifos in the entire world.

3)      Fanendo Adi is a handful…

The Portland striker has been arguably the most influential player in MLS over the last two months. Built like Didier Drogba but possessing better ball control and technique, it is going to be extremely difficult for Crew SC’s center back pairing of Michael Parkhurst and Gastón Sauro to keep him from scoring over the course of 90 (or 120) minutes.

4)      …but Kei Kamara might be even better
The one-time refugee from Sierra Leone has certainly seized the chance to make a name for himself in his new country. As the league’s co-leading scorer, he boasts a combination of power and pace that is made even scarier by the amazing connection he has with his attacking teammates; no team scored more goals than Columbus (58) during the 34-game regular season.

5)      We may be seeing the future of coaching in America
MLS Cup 2015 features a matchup of two up-and-coming American head coaches: Gregg Berhalter of Crew SC and Caleb Porter of the Timbers. If you look around the league, you likely won’t find two more consistent leaders, and you absolutely won’t find two guys quite as obsessed with the sport as Berhalter and Porter. Both have a multitude of weapons at their disposal, but who can put their players in a better position to succeed?

6)      It will be tough for the Timbers to keep up with the home team

Under Berhalter, Columbus has a reputation of getting tricky from time to time. Aside from Kamara, the versatile central midfielders and wingers all have no problem swapping positions and rotating all over the pitch. The Portland defense will have to communicate very well if they want to contain the very fluid Crew SC attack.

7)      Crew SC must contain the Portland counter-attack

Columbus will have the majority of the possession – they held the second most in MLS this year (53.84%). Columbus will also have the majority of the chances – they created the second most chances from open play during the regular season, and being at home only helped them in that regard. To top it all off, only two teams scored fewer goals than Portland this season. If the Timbers want to win, they are going to have to bide their time and counter-attack with purpose. It’s in Crew SC’s best interest to prevent that from happening.

8)      Columbus is the more storied club…

When MLS first began in 1996, Columbus were one of the original 10 clubs; since that time, they have a total of five trophies in their history, including winning the MLS Cup in 2008. Portland, on the other hand, did not play their first game until 2011.

9)       …but Portland won’t mind that at all

If any team can win the trophy away from their home ground, it’s Portland. They won seven of their 17 road games in the regular season, including one in Columbus (who haven’t lost at home since then). Granted, the crowd this time around will be a completely different animal, but the Timbers will at least go into this matchup knowing that they’re capable of anything.

10)   Either team winning is good for MLS
Many consider MLS a ‘retirement league’ of sorts. Players like Kaká, Lampard, Pirlo, etc. come to live/play in America in exchange for huge paychecks, whether or not they produce on the field of play. However, the negative perception could change on Sunday. Neither Columbus nor Portland boast any real household names on their rosters, nor are either committed to any Steven Gerrard-like enormous contracts. No matter who wins MLS Cup 2015, it will send a message across the league that good coaching and a solid core of moderately-paid players could be the key to success.


My prediction: Columbus 2, Portland 0.
At the end of the day, I think Columbus will come out and execute their game-plan better than Portland. While they have been threatening in the playoffs, only two teams in the entire league scored fewer goals than the Timbers during the regular season, and a big cup final is often the time when a team gets tense and reverts back to their old ways. I think the support of the home crowd, the intelligent defending of Parkhurst and Sauro, and the calming presence of Gregg Berhalter will be more than enough to carry the yellow and black to their second MLS Cup title.


Please comment below with your own predictions and analysis, and may the best team win!
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It's In The Game

It’s In The Game

Let’s be honest. If you’re anything like me, you spend more time being frustrated while playing FIFA than you do being happy while playing FIFA. And yet, we still spend hours upon hours playing it. Why? Because it never gets old.

Going strong since 1993, the FIFA video game franchise is preparing for the release of the new FIFA 16 next week. Although its predecessor, FIFA 15, received relatively low reviews, EA Sports hopes to silence these critics with a plethora of new features this time around. Here are some notable ones:


Ultimate Team:

·         FUT Draft:
o   A brand new mode in which you draft a squad of Ultimate Team players from multiple rounds of randomly generated players, play a four-game tournament, and hopefully win some serious coins.
o   You start this mode by paying the entrance fee of 15,000 coins. If you lose before the championship, you will still get back most of what you initially invested – the only caveat is that you won’t directly receive coins, but you will receive consumables and other items that should match 15,000 coins in value.
o   Choose from one of five random formations to start off; this formation cannot change for the length of the tournament.
o   Through multiple rounds, you pick from a selection of five random players for one position. Eventually, you’ll have your full 23-man squad, hopefully with some good chemistry!
o   Substitutes and reserves can be manually selected (I recommend this), but can also be auto-completed.
·         Price ranges still exist, but they will be much wider than in FIFA 15.
·         There are some new FUT Legends for Xbox users, including George Best, Ryan Giggs, Deco, Gennaro Gattuso, Javier Zanetta, and Alessandro Nesta. Legends will now also have yellow (moderate) chemistry links with every squad players.


Career Mode:

·         Pre-season Tournaments:
o   A chance to get young players some action and work on perfecting your ideal starting XI.
o   You can make more substitutes in these games than in a normal league/cup match.
·         Mid-week Training:
o   There are over 30 drills to choose from.
o   Five players can be trained per week. Apparently this training does not negatively affect stamina or energy, and also will never injure one of your players.
o   You can perform the drills yourself or simulate them.
·         General:
o   There are now two-year loans, and short-term loans last six months.
o   Free agents can be signed outside of the transfer window (finally!).
o   Managers have improved job security, and likely won’t get fired for finishing one or two spaces below their league objectives.
o   The Global Transfer Network has been improved, and scouts are better at valuating players.
o   Improved fixture congestion – You won’t accidentally get scheduled to play two games in 24 hours (happened to me dozens of times in 15).


Presentation & Misc.:

·         For the first time ever, women’s national teams will be included in the game. There will be 12 women’s teams: Germany, USA, France, Sweden, England, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Spain, China, Italy, and Mexico.
o   In case you didn’t know, Alex Morgan will be sharing the front cover of FIFA 16 with Lionel Messi in the United States.
·         Smarter defending, especially by teammates that you are not controlling.
·         No-touch dribbling – The ability to get by a defender by just letting the ball roll through. This type of dribbling will also allow you to accelerate quickly and blow by the opposition if used correctly.
·         900+ new club chants are anticipated to be in this new installment.
·         450 total headscans, including updated ones for the most famous players around the world. (Apparently this.isn'tgood enough for Gregory van der Wiel, though)
·         Players can run over and celebrate with the cameraman or bench after a goal.
·         More specific commentary with updates regarding stat tracking, transfers, and player debuts.
·         Rain intensity can change as a match progresses.
·         Some notable new stadiums: Borussia-Park (Monchengladbach), CenturyLink Field (Seattle Sounders), and the Stade Velodrome (Marseille).
·         Also included this year is Fratton Park (Portsmouth). One of the creators of Ultimate Team passed away this year, and Portsmouth was his favorite club.

Having played the demo myself a few times, FIFA 16 is shaping up to be a legitimate improvement over last year’s installment. The defending is indeed more useful, and the game plays a little slower, both of which should mean that chip through balls aren’t going to be the bane of my existence for the next 12 months. EA Sports will never please everyone, but the ridiculous amount of tweaks they made for this year’s version of their most popular game definitely shows their commitment to listening to (most) fan feedback.

Now go out there and enjoy it. But remember: EA is not responsible for any smashed TVs or ruined friendships resulting from FIFA-related frustration.
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Princes of Persia

For those of you don't know, I am a first-generation American with Iranian parents. So naturally, I keep very much up-to-date with my Iran's national football team (more affectionately known as "Team Melli"). With the next round of World Cup qualifying coming up in Asia, head coach Carlos Queiroz released the latest 23-man squad that will face the intimidating world footballing powers of Guam and India next month.

This news made me think: How are some of the Team Melli players doing in their domestic leagues? Let me give you an update on a few of the more notable ones.

Ashkan Dejagah:



After last year's World Cup, the talented winger signed a big-money contract with Al-Arabi of the Qatar Stars League, becoming one of many Asian footballers to make the transition to the relatively new league. Dejagah played in 24 of his team's 26 games last season, scoring five goals as his club finished in 8th place. He remains one of the national team's best players, and should almost definitely feature in the 2018 World Cup, should Iran qualify.

Saeid Ezatolahi:



Team Melli has a surprising number of young, technically-skilled players for a team mostly known for its veteran leadership and brute strength. This is one of those players. A true central midfielder like Iran hasn't seen since Ali Karimi (his favorite player), Ezatolahi signed a contract with Spanish giants Atletico de Madrid at just 16 years of age. Now approaching his 19th birthday, he has just signed a four-year deal at FK Rostov in Russia, where he will join his compatriot Sardar Azmoun (discussed below) and should get plenty of playing time.

Morteza Pouraliganji:



A country renowned for its wrestlers and weightlifters has to have some strong and intimidating defenders, no? At just 23 years of age, Pouraliganji is ahead of his time. Just recently called up to the national team after the 2014 World Cup, he has already made an impact both in World Cup qualifying and the AFC Asian Cup. Even better yet, he's currently the star defender for Chinese Super League team Tianjin Teda, having started every game since he's been at the club. A young defender getting regular first-team minutes in a rapidly-growing league is just what Team Melli needs.

Sardar Azmoun:



In my opinion, this is the country's most prolific goalscorer. Azmoun is barely 20 years of age, and has already shown glimpses of brilliance that have justified his nickname of "Iranian Messi." Last season he was loaned to Russian Premier League side FK Rostov halfway through the campaign and became an integral part of their survival in the league; he had his best game for the club against CSKA Moscow, a game in which his goal earned his team a crucial point required to stay up. This year, he will be on loan at Rostov once again, where he can hopefully nail down his place as one of the Russian League's key players.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh:



I saved the best for last - Jahanbakhsh is maybe the player with the most potential the country has ever seen. Having just turned 22, he was awarded the Player of the Season in the Dutch Second Division, scoring 12 goals and notching 18 assists as he led his club NEC to promotion. He was further rewarded with a transfer to Dutch powerhouse AZ Alkmaar, where he should continue his development into one of the best players the continent of Asia has seen for many years. I'm incredibly excited about this one.

Recap:

It's looking to be a bit of a golden age for Iranian football at the moment. With an experienced team of talented veterans, two legitimate attacking threats that combine to be only 42 years old, a teenage central midfielder who models himself after a national hero, and a strong central defender to provide some backbone to the team, it would not be surprising to see Team Melli become the undisputed best team in the Asian region.

But the question remains: Can they carry this momentum all the way to Russia in 2018?

Thank you for reading!
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Major League Signings

Trying to build on the soccer mania from the 1994 World Cup, Major League Soccer was founded, with its inaugural season in 1996. It was not a league that was highly-regarded or predicted to last, especially after so many failed attempts at professional soccer leagues in the US. Even older leagues that had the power to attract world-class players like Pelé still went under after just a few years.

Almost 20 years into this project, though, there is no sense of decline or failure. MLS is constantly growing in terms of revenues, attendance, star power, and (I would argue) quality of play. So how did a league with such humble beginnings manage to work its way into the American sporting landscape?

It is not outlandish for me to claim that we owe an immeasurable amount to David Beckham. After 11 years of relative stagnancy, MLS had finally acquired their ticket to glory when Becks announced his move to the LA Galaxy in early 2007. Like Pelé before him, he had the popularity to single-handedly fill up a stadium, and also had the ability to produce on the field. However, the old NASL was also thriving until Pelé retired, and MLS had to make sure that that sharp decline wouldn't be repeated upon Beckham's future departure.

Social media is the sole reason MLS was able to follow up on the Beckham signing with the acquisition of other top Designated Players. While players like Pelé were world-class, that time period did not allow for the rest of the world to see the daily goings-on of a soccer star in America. As soon as David Beckham came to the US, every moment was chronicled online, and that made the difference. Suddenly, big-name players everywhere could the amazing treatment he was receiving, all of the great adventures he was having, and how much fun living/playing in America was to him. MLS was receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from its most famous player, and the rest of the world was taking note.

Each passing year since Beckham's arrival, the league has grown through both new DP signings and the introduction of new expansion teams (it is a really great business idea to add expansion teams, as their attendance statistics are always spectacular). The 2014 season saw record-breaking attendance numbers across the league, and those numbers don't appear to be slowing down this season. But to many fans, the attendance figures don't matter when looking at MLS's global reputation. Many doubters argue that it is not helping the league to sign DPs that are older or past their prime. There is something to be said for this, as many consider MLS to be a retirement league, where famous players go to collect their last few paychecks and enjoy a more relaxed playing environment. However, I think the league is getting better and better at working past this reputation.

Upon this year's signing of Sebastian Giovinco, a 27-year-old attacker who regularly appears for the Italian national team, Toronto FC proved that players are truly interested in joining MLS regardless of their age or current career situations. His acquisition was a huge victory for the league, but we also should be aware of the benefit of having the slightly older DPs, too.

Brazilian legend Kaká, for example, is kind of turning out to be the new Beckham. In addition to his uncanny ability to bring out a crowd, he has been all over social media showing his love for Orlando City (his club) and the league in general. If you knew nothing at all about MLS, you could learn how great of a league it is becoming solely through the Facebook/Twitter accounts of players like Kaká, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard.

Nineteen years after its inception, America's premier soccer league continues to thrive. Coming off a July in which household names Andrea Pirlo, Giovani dos Santos, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Didier Drogba (pictured below) all arrived at their new MLS clubs, the league continues to flex its muscles with a mix of older and younger DPs.

World-class players continue to be attracted to plying their trade in America. While they may be coming at different points in their careers, one thing is certain: The sky is the limit for MLS.


Didier Drogba, Chelsea FC legend, is the league's newest DP.
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Oh Say, Can We Win?

The only thing that has really surprised me this far into the Gold Cup is how dominant the USMNT was against Cuba last night (seriously, barely anything else surprised me; I almost predicted the team's starting lineup perfectly a couple weeks ago, save for Johannsson up front). 

Throughout the group stage, we played to the level of our opposition, no matter how good or bad they were, something I myself have become far too used to as a DC sports fan. It took Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and co. until the knockout round to really spread their wings, which was a sight for sore eyes. But which of these US teams is the one we're going to see for the rest of the tournament?

Let's break it down, line by line.

Defense:

I really have to hand it to Jurgen Klinsmann. He has continued - against everyone's will - to show confidence in Timmy Chandler at Right Back, and the German-American has improved in every game of this tournament. In fact, he may be the best RB in CONCACAF right now. I know, it feels weird to say it, but Chandler has been relatively solid defensively, and his deliveries into the box have been nothing short of pure quality. Our fans should feel confident with Chandler at Right Back going forward in this tournament, and towards the next World Cup cycle.
Centrally, I will stand by my original prediction and say that Alvarado and Brooks are still the best tandem, although Omar Gonzalez filled in well last night while Brooks was suspended. Similarly to the Chandler situation, Klinsmann has shown belief in the two young Center Backs, and they have responded by getting better every game. They are more comfortable on the ball, better at communicating with each other, and smarter positionally than ever before. 
Alongside Fabian Johnson, who is so good that I don't even need to go into depth about him, our back four is definitely good enough to help us win the Gold Cup. 

Midfield:

This is the biggest conundrum for me. To start off, it is clear that Klinsmann's faith in Michael Bradley as an Attacking Midfielder has paid off. After a shaky start to his time at that position (he has hopefully forgotten about Brazil last year), the captain has shown improved vision and quicker decision-making, traits that have helped him carve apart opposing defenses at will over the past few months.
On another note, it has been nice to see Alejandro Bedoya coming back to full health, and he has shown that he is a quality player. However, this only further complicates our midfield, who has not really had an identity yet this month. Players like Beckerman, Bradley, Bedoya, Morales, and Corona are all some type of central midfielder, yet Klinsmann has experimented with a few of them in wide positions. 
These experiments, in my opinion, have largely gone wrong, because these central-minded players naturally drift inward, which hurts the width of the team and throws off the balance of whatever formation we may be playing. The likes of DeAndre Yedlin and Gyasi Zardes have thrived out wide, so I think our best bet would be to leave them out there and rotate the central roles between Beckerman, Bradley, and possibly Bedoya, with Morales and Corona coming off the bench.
Our country is blessed with the most well-rounded group of midfielders in the region; however, they have to be played in the right positions, or they could become inconsistent and get burned by speedy teams (such as Jamaica, who we play in the semifinal on Wednesday). 

Attack:

I cannot describe my jubilation upon realizing that Klinsmann finally understands our attacking situation. Once he decided to drop Altidore in favor of Aron Johannsson, our team has looked so much more fluid. Against Cuba last night, and Panama the previous game (even though we only scored once in that game), the "Iceman" has shown all the traits that make him better than any other Striker on the squad. While Altidore may be better at bullying defenders, Johannsson makes up for his smaller stature with top-class ball control and passing, as well as beautiful technique. 
Assuming that Gyasi Zardes plays in a wider position out left, the Dempsey/Johannsson combination could be the most fruitful that we have seen in a long time. Pair up two forwards who have legitimate technical skill on the ball and opposing defenses barely stand a chance.

Final thoughts:

Jamaica will be a very tough opponent, and they are still riding high on confidence after an above-average performance at Copa America. As a team, Jamaica are probably the fastest that the US will come up against, but they have a relatively weak defense in addition to central midfielders that can most certainly be out-classed by Bradley and his compatriots. 

The most important matchups will involve Timmy Chandler and Fabian Johnson. If our outside backs can prevent the blazingly quick Jamaican wingers from getting in behind and crossing into dangerous areas, there is no reason to believe that the Yanks can't go marching on into the final in Philadelphia.
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Going for the Gold

In the past month, the United States Men's National Team has been nearly unstoppable, with improbable but inspirational wins over Netherlands and Germany as well as a dominating victory over Guatemala. A year on from the Round of 16 finish in Brazil, the team is just days away from the 2015 Gold Cup, and they're expected to win. 

So how will they accomplish that?

I'm just going to be bold here - This is the Starting XI we should use:


Let's begin from the back with this analysis. 
While I think Tim Howard is our best goalkeeper and leader, he is still on his hiatus, so Brad Guzan seems the logical choice in goal. Nick Rimando has been great in MLS for so many years, but he's just too small to really put up a good showing against taller teams like Jamaica.

Now for the defense. 
Ideally, I would have played Johnson-Besler-Brooks-Shea at the back, but Besler and Shea aren't on the roster right now (NOTE: Each team is allowed to add more players right before the knockout stage begins, so expect Besler and possibly Shea to be brought in then). For that reason, I flipped Fabian Johnson over to Left Back, put Timmy Chandler in at Right Back, and added Ventura Alvarado in at Center Back. 
While many do not think Timmy Chandler is a great option at RB, for some reason, Jurgen Klinsmann loves him there. Maybe it's because Chandler had a fantastic Bundesliga season with Frankfurt, or maybe it's because JK sees something that we all don't. Regardless, our LB depth is so bad (sorry, Greg Garza) that we may be forced to played Johnson there, leaving the RB spot open for Chandler. 
As for Alvarado in the middle, it was difficult for me to select him over Omar Gonzalez. Gonzo is taller, stronger, and probably more likely to score a headed goal than Alvarado, but the major difference for me is intelligence and chemistry. In the three or four games where Alvarado has partnered with John Brooks at the back, they have looked good. Of course, both of them are young, and occasionally show that youth with silly mistakes, but they do a great job of communicating and looking out for each other. 

Believe it or not, the midfield was actually the easiest thing for me to decide.
Whether you call it a 4-2-3-1 or a more conventional 4-3-3, the players I selected can do the job. 
At this point, it is crystal clear to me that Kyle Beckerman needs to be our starting Defensive Midfielder because of his composure and footballing IQ. Next to him, I would put Michael Bradley; not only would playing two DMs shore up the midfield, but it would also provide support to Alvarado and Brooks in the back. While Bradley has shown glimpses of playmaking genius against Netherlands, Germany, and Guatemala, his strength still seems to be - like Beckerman - his calmness on the ball, and his ability to help out in a defensive capacity.
In a perfect world, I would have played Alejandro Bedoya at Center Attacking Midfielder with Clint Dempsey up top, but Bedoya is only just returning from injury. While Klinsmann may continue to stick Bradlley at the CAM spot, I put Dempsey there. Aside from maybe Fabian Johnson, Dempsey is still the country's most complete and versatile player, and is a great link between defense and attack.
Out wide, it was also fairly easy for me to go with Gyasi Zardes and Left Wing/Midfield and DeAndre Yedlin at Right Wing/Midfield. Zardes has been visibly improving with each and every national team appearance, showing not only a knack for scoring, but also for dribbling and creating chances for the central attackers. Yedlin, on the other hand, has never really had a bad game for the USMNT. While he is not the most technically gifted, he might literally be the fastest player in the world right now, which guarantees him a starting spot. At least seven or eight times a game, a Chandler/Bradley/Dempsey pass springs him into action down the right side, and he absolutely blows by any Left Back the other team may have. Not only does Yedlin have the speed to get past the defense, but his crossing has been steadily improving over time. In addition to his conventional crosses, which have always been good, his ability to cut the ball back to a trailing Bradley/Diskerud at the top of the box has become almost perfect. 
I believe that this is our country's strongest midfield at the moment, and almost certainly the strongest in the tournament.

Let's finish strong here with our lone striker.
I'll make this short. Between Aron Johannsson, Jozy Altidore, and Chris Wondolowski, it has to be Johannsson, at least for this tournament. Wondo was never really going to be considered anything besides a late substitute, so my decision came down to a two-horse race. For me, Jozy has suffered in much the same way as Falcao; for some reason, in the last year or two, both seem to have lost a step of speed and an ounce of confidence. While Johannsson may not have exploded onto the international scene just yet, he has been on fire for his Dutch club and is a much more technical player than either Jozy or Wondo, which is important in terms of getting teammates involved in the attack. Even if you still don't agree, think of it this way: Altidore would be more effective as a substitute than would Johannsson. While the latter is a solid player all-around, and (in my opinion) more suited to start, imagine bringing on the brute strength of Jozy Altidore to absolutely bully a pair of exhausted Center Backs around 65 minutes into the game. 
If Klinsmann plays his cards right, he can work the Johannsson/Altidore tandem to great success.

There you have it. If you have any criticisms, suggestions, or even praise (wishful thinking), please go ahead and leave your comments below. I would love to delve into more discussion about this. 

Thank you for reading!
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