Seven USMNT players who helped their cause in January camp
The United States men’s national team’s annual January camp has slogged to its conclusion. It crescendoed with friendlies against Serbia and Jamaica that were, well, not exactly high points. The 0-0 tie against the third-string Serbs was instantly forgettable. The 1-0 win over the Reggae Boyz a tad better.
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The results don’t much matter. And neither do the team performances in the game, to be quite honest. After all, much of the strongest squad wasn’t around. They were the first games under a new manager, Bruce Arena. The Serbia game, in San Diego, was all the players’ first in well over a month, if not two or three. The second, in Chattanooga, Tenn., was played on a poor artificial surface.
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We can, however, take some impressions away from the players. And there are more convincing arguments to be made about the standout performances than the pedestrian ones, as it takes some players a little longer to get going.
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Here, then, are the seven players who impressed. They weren’t the seven best, mind you, but the seven who most helped their case – being newcomers to the national team scene, brought back from exile, or previously on the periphery.
Jordan Morris, striker
OK. So Morris didn’t exactly come in from the cold. Neither is he new to the team. Nor was he a fringe prospect. But the Seattle Sounders’ reigning MLS Rookie of the Year nevertheless distinguished himself in a pair of outings – off the bench against Serbia and in the starting lineup for Jamaica. He had the two only open-field looks for the U.S. all game in the latter, scoring the second time around for the lone goal of this set of games.
“I think Jordan Morris has made a statement and he’s clearly a likely candidate for our camp in March,” said Arena in his postmatch comments, referring to the resumption of the all-important World Cup qualifiers late next month.
Dax McCarty, holding midfielder
The MLS stalwart, newly acquired by the Chicago Fire from the New York Red Bulls, has made a career out of being as steady as they come. And playing in his usual midfield role, he did an excellent impression of Kyle Beckerman – the veteran he’s most likely replacing as an alternative in that holding midfielder spot on the USA’s roster – covering ground and breaking up plays without ever getting too adventurous on the ball.
Benny Feilhaber, playmaker
If you watched MLS for the past few seasons, you would have understood why the frustration steadily grew with the since-ousted Jurgen Klinsmann, who refused to call Feilhaber to the national team, such was his form. In his long-awaited return to the national team, Feilhaber delivered. Against Serbia, he was influential off the bench. Against Jamaica, he had some delightful touches. And it was his initiative, execution and final pass that enabled Morris’s goal.
Jorge Villafana, left back
Arena has hardly been coy about his concern with filling the long-time problem position along the left side of the defense. In Villafana, he has found a solid option, even if the 27-year-old is out of favor at his club Santos Laguna in Liga MX. He was ever so reliable against Jamaica, combining well with Sebastian Lletget, who was playing in front of him on the left. “I thought Villafana, it was good to see, he’s a good solid player,” Arena said. “He looked very good.”
Sebastian Lletget, attacking midfielder
Somewhat of a surprise call-up, the 24-year-old quickly made his national team place his own. After frittering away the first five years of his career at West Ham United, making just a single senior team appearance, he returned home to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2015, where he was brought along by one Bruce Arena. Now, also given a sub appearance and a start, he seems like he’ll be a regular. As he was one of the few Americans who kept his cool in the final third and made things happen.
Darlington Nagbe, winger
At some point in Klinsmann’s last year in charge, he and Nagbe had a falling out. To the consternation of the fans, who had eagerly awaited the Liberian-born refugee technician’s acquisition of an American passport for years. Nagbe was particularly impressive against Serbia, threatening constantly from the left wing. “You can see that Nagbe is going to be a good player for us,” Arena said.
Walker Zimmerman, central defender
The FC Dallas man, 23, wasn’t on many people’s radar as a potential USMNT center back of the future. But that quickly changed as he impressed during camp. Then, starting against Jamaica, he turned in a performance that was just about unimpeachable, albeit against a pretty toothless attack. Arena certainly came away with a high opinion of him. “I thought Walker Zimmerman played very well,” he said. “As the last couple of weeks went on, he got better and better and he had a very good game tonight. I’m very impressed with him.”
Leander Schaerlaeckens is a soccer columnist for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @LeanderAlphabet.
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