USMNT: Predicting the Starting Line-up against Honduras

The USMNT plays an important World Cup Qualifier against Honduras Friday night. Here is what they starting XI could look like in the must win game.

After losing their first two games in the Hex, the USMNT is facing a must win game against Honduras in San Jose Friday night. Unfortunately, a series of badly timed injuries and suspensions has forced the USA to be without Timmy Chandler, Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson, Deandre Yedlin, and Bobby Wood. Along with that, Brad Guzan is missing the game due to the birth a child, and Jordan Morris is day-to-day with an ankle injury suffered against NYRB over the weekend. With all this in mind, the official roster listed on the US soccer website is as follows:

GOALKEEPERS (3): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

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DEFENDERS (10): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/GER) Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/ENG), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/MEX), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana/MEX), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union) Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/GER)

FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

With all that, here is my projected lineup:

There was a lot of push to stick with a 4-4-2 under Arena, but the lack of forward depth at the moment has ruined that for now. With Morris dinged up, Dempsey probably playing a substitute role, and my general fear of Wondolowski seeing the field, we have to stick with a single forward in Altidore up top.

When it comes to the attack mids, I do not see any reason that Arena would bring in Kljestan and not another winger if he was planning on keeping him on the bench with Pulisic at the 10. That puts Kljestan at the 10, and Pulisic on the right wing where he plays for Dortmund a lot. When it comes to left wing, we are faced with Bedoya, Lletget, and Nagbe as the options. Bedoya has always played on the right, so I don’t know that he is very comfortable on the left. Both Lletget and Nagbe performed well on during January camp, but I think Nagbe brought more of an offensive spark which is something the USA will need. On top of that, I think Lletget fits better in the central midfield.

For the two pivot slots, it can be assumed that Michael Bradley will be starting in one of the spots. Arena really likes him playing a 6 in his system, so it is likely he will be paired with a midfielder that can play like a 6 next to him or like an 8. This gives us McCarty, Acosta, and Lletget. As great as McCarty is, I think Lletget showed better in January, and Acosta is in better form in the MLS right now. The only thing working against Acosta is that he doesn’t have any real minutes working with Bradley in the midfield, and Lletget has some from the Serbia game in January. Since he got hurt and left January camp, Acosta also has never played under Arena either, so I must go with Lletget for this game.

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Things get tricky in the defense. Arena really like Villafaña in January camp, so it only makes sense that he will start. It is also assumed Brooks will be playing LCB. His ideal center back partner is Cameron, but I also believe Cameron is the best available RB on the roster by a pretty large amount. Zimmerman could slot in at CB, but would Arena start him in his first competitive USA match in a must win? I think he goes with Gonzalez just to be safe.

Lastly, it is pretty assumed Howard will start in goal.