When Jurgen Klinsmann addressed the media following the Copa America draw last month, he sounded like a coach eager to face the challenge that awaits this summer. The only problem is that tournament is still three months away.
Klinsmann will have to confine his excitement to his month's World Cup qualifiers against Guatemala, which should offer up their own unique challenges.
The coach has to know what's at stake. The U.S. national team will be favored to win both games against a Guatemalan side that is arguably weaker than the Guatemala teams the Americans faced in 2008 and 2012 qualifiers. Obviously there are six points at stake, but even more valuable is the chance to secure a place in the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying with two matches to spare.
That opportunity should keep Klinsmann from experimenting too much when he puts together his squad in less than two weeks. There also is the matter of the U.S. Under-23 team playing on the same days as the World Cup qualifiers, with a spot in the Olympics on the line.
Klinsmann should play it pretty straight with his squad this month, and comments he made after the national team's winter camp seem to suggest his March roster will be heavy on players based in foreign leagues. The reasoning is that they will be ahead of MLS players in terms of fitness, which makes sense considering MLS teams just started playing.
What will Klinsmann need to figure out in the next two weeks as he puts his squad together and starts thinking about a potential starting lineup? Here are five key questions Klinsmann will need to answer:
WHO REPLACES JERMAINE JONES?
When Jermaine Jones signed with the Colorado Rapids after being traded by New England, the deal started the clock on his six-match MLS suspension and rules him out of the March qualifiers. That leaves a starting midfield spot up for grabs. Klinsmann has a variety of options to replace Jones, and it's unlikely he'll go with what most fans would hope to see.
Klinsmann could play it safe and call in Kyle Beckerman to anchor the midfield and do the dirty work to allow Michael Bradley to command the center of the field. That choice almost feels too safe against a Guatemala side that shouldn't pose much of an attacking threat.
If Klinsmann wants to go with a younger option, he could turn to Danny Williams, who is enjoying an excellent season with Reading. Working against Williams is his disappointing showing in October against Costa Rica. If Klinsmann can overlook that performance, and consider Williams' recent form, he should be the pick to start.
Klinsmann could turn to fan favorite Darlington Nagbe, who would give the starting lineup more of an attacking edge. The reason this seems unlikely is that, by all accounts, Nagbe struggled a bit in the January camp and may not be at his full sharpness. If Klinsmann feels that way, then starting Nagbe in the March qualifiers may not be the best option right now, which isn't to say it won't be this summer.
Another option is Alejandro Bedoya, who has played quite a bit in central midfield for French club Nantes in recent weeks. No, Klinsmann wouldn't likely deploy him in a defensive midfield role — we all know how that experiment turned out against Brazil in September — but a more advanced role could suit him.
Lee Nguyen is another possibility. He really impressed in the January camp, and winter friendlies, and though he was deployed mostly on the left wing in those games, he's a natural central midfielder.
WHO STARTS IN GOAL?
Jurgen Klinsmann stated last fall that he intended to rotate Tim Howard and Brad Guzan for the foreseeable future. Of course that was before lost his starting job ahead of a summer move to MLS. Guzan also lost his job at Aston Villa, but has recently worked his way back into the lineup.
Does Klinsmann give Howard the nod despite his lack of games in recent months? Does he continue to rotate them? Does he hand Guzan the nod in both qualifiers?
It may sound like an easy decision given Howard's inactivity, but he does hold the experience edge. A continued rotation appears to be a safe bet.
A good question within the goalkeeper conversation is who gets the nod as the third goalkeeper in camp. Bill Hamid is injured and Sean Johnson is benched. David Bingham showed well in the January camp, and started the MLS season with an excellent performance. You also have Club Leon's William Yarbrough, who has done well in recent weeks.
WHERE WILL FABIAN JOHNSON PLAY?
Klinsmann made it clear just a few weeks ago that he hadn't settled on a national team positional role for he versatile Fabian Johnson just yet, but he has to decide on something for the March qualifiers. Given the fact that Tim Ream has fallen out of favor at Fulham, Greg Garza still hasn't come all the way back at Club Tijuana and DaMarcus Beasley just started his MLS season, left back appears to be a need area Johnson can cover. Of course, that means not having him in midfield, but Klinsmann has more wing options than fullback options.
One option Klinsmann should consider at left back is Jorge Villafana. The Santos Laguna fullback has made a smooth transition from the Portland Timbers to Liga MX, and grabbed a starting role in somewhat surprising fashion. It seems like a no-brainer to call him in, especially considering it could mean being able to cap-tie him, but Villafana was quoted recently as saying he hadn't heard from Klinsmann. If that doesn't change soon, Klinsmann will have some questions to answer.
IS JOHN BROOKS READY TO START AGAIN?
One of the more underappreciated stories involving U.S. players in Europe is Brooks' excellent season at Hertha Berlin. The young defender endured a disappointing Gold Cup last summer, and a tough start to the Bundesliga season, to re-establish himself as one of the better young defenders in Germany. He has played a key role in a dream season for Hertha Berlin, which sits in third place in the Bundesliga.
When you consider all that, Brooks seems like an easy pick to start a left center back, but Klinsmann also has the steady veteran Matt Besler to play there. Is Klinsmann ready to give Brooks the nod down in Guatemala? There is no denying that Brooks has struggled to carry over his excellent club form to the national team on a consistent basis, but there's also no denying the fact Klinsmann sees Brooks as the future in central defense.
IS BOBBY WOOD THE ANSWER AT FORWARD?
There isn't a hotter American goal scorer anywhere than Bobby Wood, who is among the league leaders in goals in 2. Bundesliga for Union Berlin. He has clearly continued to carry over the confidence gained from his national team heroics in 2015, and it is going to be tough for Klinsmann to deny him an opportunity to start.
Klinsmann left Wood out of the lineup in November's World Cup qualifying draw against Trinidad and Tobago, which wound up looking like a mistake. Will Klinsmann remember that and give Wood a chance to partner with Jozy Altidore? It makes plenty of sense.
What other options does Klinsmann have? Gyasi Zardes has failed to impress when played at forward, and Jordan Morris should be with the U.S. Under-23s during this window. Klinsmann could call on Clint Dempsey, but the sense is Dempsey won't be called in again until the Copa America.
Klinsmann has shown in the past a willingness to give Wood chances to prove himself. Now, with Wood in excellent form, it makes sense to give him the opportunity in the upcoming qualifiers.
