Friday, August 1, 2014

2018 Russia WC US Roster Prediction

The impossibility to see into the future makes these detailed predictions so fun, and so wrong.  Here's the 23 man squad for Russia 2018, prediction #1. 

Goalkeeper:
Brad Guzan, Bill Hamid, Cody Cropper
(In the mix: Sean Johnson, Tim Howard)

Its time for Guzan to get his cycle as the #1 keeper.  Hamid will emerge as the #2 in waiting while Cropper's appearance at WC camp means he's the future, albeit distant future.



Defense:
Central Backs: John Brooks, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Will Packwood
Fullbacks: Fabian Johnson, DeAndre Yedlin, Timothy Chandler, Greg Garza
(In the mix: Geoff Cameron, Shane O'Neill, Tim Ream, Andrew Farrell, Alfredo Morales)

Because our current defense is relatively new, having just ushered out the Bocanegra/Cherundolo old guard, they are mostly young enough to hold their places through this cycle.


Midfielders:
Central: Michael Bradley, Mix Diskerud, Danny Williams, Wil Trapp
Outside: Luis Gil, Julian Green, Joe Gyau, Brek Shea
(In the mix: Joe Corona, Perry Kitchen, Alejandro Bedoya, Gedion Zelalem, Josh Gatt, Kelyn Rowe)

Bradley and Mix will be the central mids while young attacking talent make themselves known this cycle.


Forwards:
Jozy Altidore, Aron Johannsson, Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd
(In the mix: Will Bruin, Teal Bunbury, Bobby Wood, Jordan Morris, Clint Dempsey)

Jozy and Aron will be in their primes come 2018, while Boyd and Agudelo reinsert themselves into Klinsmann's rotation.


Starting Lineup:
--------Jozy-Johannsson----
---Green----Mix-------Gil--
-------------Bradley---------
Fabian-Besler-Brooks-Yedlin
------------Guzan----------