Defense
Left-Back
It is the job of a national team coach to maximize the talent they have on hand. Ridgely sticking to a system or viewing players in set positions won’t let a team fulfil their potential. With that sentiment in mind, there is only one player who I want suiting up in a must-win match at left-back, Sergino Dest.
Dest is a natural right-back, but the left side of the USMNT backline has been a revolving door for years. I believe that Dest should be moved over to the left, where he has played already, to maximize the line-up choices.
At only 19, Dest might be viewed as too inexperienced to take on a starting job. To that, I’d say the youngster has been a regular on an Ajax team that their own goalkeeper believes is better than a year ago. Other options for the position are Tim Ream and Daniel Lovitz.
Center-Backs
This next selection is where the issue of health comes into question because John Brooks is so frequently unavailable. However, this is hypothetical, so I’ll choose Brooks alongside Aaron Long. These two combined in the most recent home Canada match to form a solid and occasionally dynamic duo.
In a central defensive pairing, finding complementary attributes is important and that is what these two bring to the table. Brooks is a mountain at 6’4″ and is capable of dealing with the most physical forwards on offer. Long, on the other hand, has the speed to track the quicker strikers that might cause problems.
Both players have experienced big games, with Brooks featuring in the Bundesliga for Wolfsburg and scoring in a World Cup. Long has a less sparkling resume, but he has played in big matches for the New York Red Bulls and was a Best XI selection in the 2019 Gold Cup.
Right-Back
Like goalkeeper, this position has two contenders, one of which has a higher ceiling: Reggie Cannon and DeAndre Yedlin.
Let’s start with Yedlin, who has been frustrating USMNT fans for years with his potential. The Newcastle United player has the physical attributes to be a real star at right-back. Speed and quickness are Yedlin’s primary attributes but often his defensive awareness has caused problems. On the other hand, Cannon is still only 21 and up until recently hasn’t featured for the USMNT and is in many ways an unknown on a big stage.
This might be my most controversial selection, but Yedlin’s defensive lapses are a disqualifier for me. Cannon is the still-developing talent who I believe is much more sound and can more easily play a mistake-free match.