We all know the drill with international friendlies. They are an opportunity for a team to try a lineup, give players a chance, and tune up for the competitive games.
That's certainly true of the US national team's friendly on Friday against Cuba in Havana (4 pm ET, ESPN2/UniMás). While there's also an upcoming friendly against New Zealand also on the docket for this month's international window, the big game looming over Friday's friendly is the World Cup qualifier against Mexico in Columbus next month. Just a month for players to get right and for Jurgen Klinsmann to figure out the players he wants to use in the hexagonal.
As a result, my ideal USMNT for the Cuba game leans heavily to working on building cohesion ahead of the start of the hexagonal round vs. Mexico:
Goalkeeper: David Bingham
It seems there's a slim-to-none chance of any of the goalkeepers called up this month will be starting against Mexico in November, with Tim Howard and Brad Guzan both left off the roster.
And so it's really a crapshoot between Bingham, William Yarbrough and Ethan Horvath. Horvath arrived to camp late, so I think the decision will probably be between the other two GKs in camp. If Bingham starts, it's another good opportunity for him to not only establish himself as the No. 3 in the program, but to force Klinsmann to consider him the starter-in-waiting one day. But again, all things considered, this position will likely play the smallest role in preparing for World Cup qualifying.
Defense: DeAndre Yedlin, John Brooks, Steve Birnbaum, Fabian Johnson
In the back, Klinsmann has options, especially multiple starting options at center back, but this would give him a chance to look at this quartet in action together. Yedlin probably ought to be the go-to guy at right back these days, and Brooks and Birnbaum could get time together in the middle vs. Cuba. Johnson, meanwhile, should get more reps at left back, so he can build more chemistry with another German-based left-sided player. Speaking of which...
Midfield: Paul Arriola, Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan, Christian Pulisic
Aside from injury or giving him a rest, Pulisic would have all the trappings of a USMNT lock at the moment, and more time playing with Johnson could help make that side of the field a fearsome prospect for opponents for years to come, fingers crossed.
The diamond has worked for the US of late, and there's no reason why Klinsmann should deviate from that plan against Cuba. Bradley sitting deep and Kljestan on top of the midfield diamond is obvious, and while Arriola is most likely not the top option in the right midfield slot, his size and past flashes of promise make me think he's still got plenty to show for the US, and getting the start in a strong American lineup could help unlock his ability. I think he's worth the quasi-flier.
Forward: Bobby Wood, Jozy Altidore
Sure, it's fair to wonder whether Wood and Altidore are too alike, but frankly, they are unquestionably the most in-form US strikers at the moment, and playing a midfield diamond means two strikers is inevitable.
Plus, for all the sentiment over those who prefer a "big and little" partnership up top (which isn't entirely misguided, of course), the strapping Wood and Altidore both have fairly rounded skillsets and they can accommodate each other if given enough time to work together and figure it out. After all, isn't that the point of playing friendlies?
