There is a degree of ambiguity at right back for the United States national team’s lineup for the World Cup, despite the fact that the most difficult issues to answer concern the prediction of a striker and a center-back for the team. Sergio Dest is a talented defender who has a bright future, but he has only played fewer than 400 minutes since arriving at AC Milan from Barcelona this season and hasn’t impressed in Serie A. Despite appearing in nine matches for the Club, only three defenders have played fewer minutes for Milan than Dest, and the other defenders who have appeared in nine matches similarly to him have more than 600 minutes logged. This demonstrates that Stefano Pioli does not have confidence in the American defender. Since transferring teams, he has committed a foul on the pitch almost once every 53 minutes on average, and there have been occasions when he has been more of a detriment than a benefit on the field.
The problem is not confined to Italy alone. Landon Donovan, a great in the sport of soccer in the United States, joined Charlie Davies, Heath Pearce, and Jimmy Conrad on their podcast, In Soccer We Trust, to talk about the forthcoming World Cup. Donovan discussed some of his choices for the starting lineup, and one of the more interesting selections is that he would put DeAndre Yedlin at right back in the team’s starting eleven.
Donovan, speaking on behalf of Autotrader, started to say something but then trailed off while making a worried face. He continued, “I worry about defensively sometimes, and if Dan James is out there…”
James is coming off a strong performance for Fulham in which he scored a goal as a substitute against Manchester United, and his speed may be a concern for defensive teams. Because he can switch positions with Brennan Johnson and provide support for Wales’s talismanic player Gareth Bale, Donavan has good reason to be concerned about him. Some of the finishing troubles that James has been having in the Premier League haven’t seemed to be there when he slips on the national team shirt and plays for Rob Page. James had two goals and two assists for Wales during World Cup Qualifying.
Yedlin would provide the United States with a dependable presence in the back line, but unlike Dest, he has fewer options when it comes to moving the ball forward. Because of this, one of the choices that are available to Gregg Berhalter other than replacing Dest with Yedlin on the bench is to disguise Dest’s defensive deficiency by making adjustments to the other positions in his lineup. Dest could have the license to get forward without worrying too much about his defensive responsibilities if the backline is consistent and includes Tim Ream. This is because when Dest is getting forward is when he performs at his best, but the midfield, led by Weston McKennie, will play a large role in determining whether or not this happens.
doubts regarding whether or not he can play for 90 minutes despite the fact that a muscle issue forced him to sit out the past four matches that Juventus played before the World Cup break. In the entirety of the contests, McKennie has scored three goals and assisted on one more. His high level of intensity is contagious across the national squad.
“The guy who really makes this team go is Weston. When they’re at their best, Christian [Pulisic] of course, Brenden [Aaronson] and the way he’s playing, but when Weston is at his peak, he’s unstoppable and he’s unplayable,” Donovan said in reference to who on the US national team needs to step up in order for the team to advance from Group B. Because he is so vital to our team and I believe that if he is at his best, the team will be incredibly good, I will admit that in the past I have been critical of him for some of his decisions off the field.
In September of 2021, McKennie was found to have violated the COVID procedure, which resulted in him being suspended from national team duty for World Cup Qualifying. This came after the player had already served a suspension for Juventus for breaking their own set of procedures. But after a year has passed, McKennie has developed into a better player.
“I think it was a learning lesson, I think as I went back in [to the team] that it was important for me to put my head down and work,” McKennie said while on national team duty in February. “And Juventus definitely helped me out with that a lot,” McKennie said. “I think it was important for me to put my head down and work.” “And as you know, I struggled for a while and lost my confidence, and as I said, it was a learning lesson. I let my team down and let my country down, my team down, my family down, and myself. So when I got called back, it was to try and rebuild the relationships and the trust with everyone and to just perform. Show that I’m there for the team and there to try and win.”
Because Dest and the defense may benefit from McKennie’s performances, he will now have the opportunity to showcase his talents on the most prominent stage in the world. It is undoubtedly possible for the United States national team’s Serie A players to perform at their highest level, which will be necessary for the team to achieve their full potential.
The United States national team uniforms for the 2022 World Cup are now available.
Get the newest USMNT World Cup kits to support Team USA as they compete in the most prestigious event in the world. You can purchase home and away clothes, in addition to hoodies, track trousers, and other items. You can celebrate this momentous occasion by shopping
