USMNT: 7 New Year’s resolutions

As the USMNT continues its rebuilding process in 2019, what are some of the most important things that should be on its wish list? Here are seven New Year’s resolutions.

The 2022 World Cup is 1,420 days away.

Considering the prolonged search for Gregg Berhalter, that actually sounds like a lot of days! The U.S. Men’s National Team has three years and some change to get its ducks in a row for the tournament where they hope to reclaim their swag on a global stage. The USMNT is wanting to make serious noise in Qatar.

In order to make noise in 2022, the USMNT and USSF must get those aforementioned ducks in a row, sooner rather than later. As we head into 2019, what are the biggest things that USMNT fans want to see happen in the new year?

7. Sunderland gets promoted to the Championship

I have chosen perhaps the oddest wish to start with, but I think this could prove to be one of the most important.

For eight years, the USMNT has been seeking a replacement for Jermaine Jones who was once seen as one of the dirtiest players in the Bundesliga and the USMNT’s counter to the chippiness of CONCACAF. Being a physical midfielder who does the dirty work of winning balls and disrupting the opposition’s play is not the most glamorous role in USMNT history. Rather, it seems that the USMNT stars who end up with defensive responsibility in the midfield fly under the radar considering their vital role in some of the most successful USMNT teams of all time.

Players like Jermaine Jones and Cobi Jones are not at the top of any ‘USMNT legends’ lists, but they helped anchor some of the gutsiest and most successful USMNT sides ever. Furthermore, the difficulty of the position has seen Michael Bradley, who was forced into a more defensive position by default, become one of the most criticized USMNT players of all time. Despite playing a key role in the national team’s failure last cycle, Bradley is not a bad player. He was just called to be a player that he wasn’t.

So what does this have to do with a team in the English third tier? Enter Lynden Gooch.

The speedster from California combines the physical attributes of Deandre Yedlin with the box to box mentality of Ngolo Kante. Admittedly, comparing a youngster in League One to players in the Premier League airs on the side of ridiculousness, but Gooch has shown some serious promise. His bullish ability to win possession in the midfield has translated to five goals and seven assists in 21 games.

Most U.S. fans would be quick to bring up the name of Weston McKennie when discussing the future of the defensive midfield position. I understand McKennie has better experience and should be the first name on the team sheet. However, a lot can change in over three years, and having depth at key positions is huge when it comes to succeeding at a world cup (Take 2010 for example).

If Sunderland gets promoted, Gooch, who has committed to Sunderland long term, will be one step closer to playing in the Premier League once again. Ha’way the lads.