This is my preview post for the US National Team's friendly against Colombia at Craven Cottage in London:
The US is looking like an experimental side at best, with some (IMO) shocking non-call-ups in Emerson Hyndman (Fulham player who will be playing with U-20s in a tournament in Spain). I truly feel that he should have been called up to this game because he's a Fulham player, and we need the local support to have a true home field advantage. Jozy Altidore has not been scoring anything as of late, and Fulham legend Clint Dempsey is playing in the MLS playoffs with Seattle.
In terms of Colombia, they will be a tough team to play against. They are coming off an impressive World Cup all things considered, and they will prove to have a litmus test that a developing squad such as ours will need for the coming few years.
The roster I would name:
Goalkeepers: Guzan, Hamid, Cropper
Defenders: Ream, Johnson, Garza, Chandler, Lichaj, Besler, Palmer-Brown
Midfielders: Gil, Sczetela, Ibarra, Bedoya, Zusi, Flores, Forbes
Forwards: Ramirez, Wooten, Picault, Chavez, Molino, Delicate, Morris
Reasons:
- Get as many NASL and USL PRO players in the European shop window to further each player's development. If this means throwing away the Colombia and Ireland games, so be it. These are only friendlies and should be used to examine all players at all levels. Cohesion with the more established players should come later.
- Get Guzan some meaningful playing time with a more youth-based defense should he get the starting nod by 2018.
I know that this lineup will never occur, but this is what I would lean toward with these friendlies.
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