Editor's Note: this is the third part of Matt Doyle's U.S. Men's National Team depth chart.
Matt Doyle note: It's less than a month from the first set of friendlies of the 2022 cycle – friendlies that are almost certain to be coached by interim manager Dave Sarachan, as there's as yet no official or announced progress on the hiring of a permanent head coach. This is as good a time as any to see how things have changed since last November, and try to figure out what the depth chart looks like for these upcoming friendlies, for the rest of 2018, and into the early stages of 2019. Bear in mind that this is not a prediction of who's going to be on the 2022 World Cup team (we'll make it this time, I swear!), nor even who's going to be on the 2019 Gold Cup team or even who's going to be in Sarachan's roster next month. Rather, this is just me surveying the field and trying to figure out who's legitimately in the pool over the next six-ish months.
- Part I: Goalkeepers and Defenders
- Part II: Midfielders
- Part III: Forwards (below)
Forward
- Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC)
- Bobby Wood (Hannover 96)
- Tim Weah (PSG)
- Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen)
- Dom Dwyer (Orlando City)
- Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC)
Altidore and Wood are still Nos. 1 and 2, though there's obviously hope all around that Weah and Sargent can start earning minutes for their clubs and start pushing up the depth chart for their country. Both guys looked up for it in the friendlies this past spring, with each getting three caps and a goal. It was a pair of promising starts to what will hopefully be long and productive careers.
Jozy Altidore still could be pivotal in this upcoming cycle | USA Today Sports Images
Dwyer's been productive for a bad Orlando City team, and was good last year at the Gold Cup. Plus he's very Concacaf'y, which I like.
Gyasi's inclusion will rile some folks up, but you've got to give the man respect for the season he's having in Columbus: The only guys ahead of him in the Golden Boot race are Josef Martinez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bradley Wright-Phillips. Turns out you can weaponize that first touch of his by making sure it's pointed toward net.
More to keep an eye on:
- Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution)
- Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)
- Christian Ramirez (LAFC)
- Andrija Novakovich (Fortuna Sittard)
Agudelo's been playing fairly well on the wing for the Revs, but there are credible reports that he has European interest – specifically in Spain and Turkey – which would be most likely as a center forward, and he's never made a secret of his desire to cross the pond. He should be nowhere near the player pool right now, but if he makes the move I will be watching with interest.
Morris's return to health is obviously worth monitoring, as is Ramirez's fight for a starting job in downtown LA.
I'll straight-up say that I don't rate Novakovich, whose feet are too slow and whose runs are too passive IMO. And it's not like he's been overwhelming at any level – he was only about 65% as productive in the Dutch second tier as Altidore was in the Dutch top flight.
But he's made his way to the Eredivisie this year, and went 90 in his first appearance. I won't be at all disappointed if he proved me wrong and became a monster of a target forward.
Up next:Part I - Goalkeepers & Defenders
