Matt Besler
How should Jurgen Klinsmann approach today's USMNT World Cup qualifier?
Matt Besler

How should Jurgen Klinsmann approach today's USMNT World Cup qualifier?

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:41 p.m. ET

The U.S. men’s national team will finish the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying on Tuesday and, well, there’s no reason to think they won’t be advancing. Trinidad & Tobago are a very beatable opponent, and even if they U.S. lose the game, they will still advance to the final hexagonal round, unless something crazy happens.

But with that sort of cushion comes a bit of a tactical dilemma: Should coach Jurgen Klinsmann go with a full-strength lineup and build momentum, or should he take the opportunity to experiment and give new players experience in a match that actually matters?

Given the way Klinsmann approached a very soft St. Vincent & the Grenadines team on Friday, there’s reason to believe Klinsmann will play it straight and try to build momentum. If there was an opponent that could be taken for granted, it was probably the Vincy Heat, but the U.S. still went full bore and dominated, 6-0. Tuesday’s match against Trinidad & Tobago figures to be similar.

Klinsmann, for his part, left little doubt on Monday, telling reporters: "We are looking at the strongest lineup in order to beat Trinidad & Tobago. This is it. This is World Cup qualifying. This is not the time to experiment."

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But if there’s a good opportunity for Klinsmann to experiment, even just a little bit, Tuesday is probably it. There isn’t much time for tinkering before the real test of World Cup qualifying -- the grueling gauntlet of the hexagonal -- begins. The USMNT has only two friendlies in October and then it’s back to World Cup qualifying, which could potentially include facing a tough Mexico side. And the U.S. doesn’t need to play their best against Trinidad & Tobago -- they are essentially already through to the Hex -- and there’s reason to believe that not winning against Trinidad & Tobago would be beneficial.

On top of it, Klinsmann will be forced to make several changes from his lineup that walloped St. Vincent & the Grenadines. If Klinsmann really wanted to play it safe, he would start the same line-up again and build confidence with his core group of starters. Although Klinsmann has been known -- perhaps infamously so -- for his constant squad rotation, he did an about-face at Copa America, starting the same group for three straight matches until suspensions forced him to switch things up, and he found success. But that strategy won’t be possible Tuesday.

Given all of that, the conditions for some out-of-the-box decisions from Klinsmann are there.

Veteran centerback Matt Besler left camp because his wife gave birth two weeks earlier than expected on Friday and right back DeAndre Yedlin will also be departing. With the USMNT’s best centerback, John Brooks, already out for injury, Klinsmann will have to try something new with the back line. Centerback Michael Orozco will be joining the team, but centerback Omar Gonzalez is overdue to be rewarded for his excellent form in Liga MX and Klinsmann may give him a chance to break back into the lineup. Centerback and USMNT newcomer Steve Birnbaum has shown well in friendlies but hasn’t been given much of an opportunity in games that matter and this could be a good time to test him in a starting role when the game counts.

Kellyn Acosta, a central midfielder for FC Dallas, has been shoehorned in at left back for the U.S., but the roster heading into Tuesday includes four centerbacks and zero players who are so-called natural fullbacks. The only players available that Klinsmann usually plays as fullbacks are Acosta and Fabian Johnson, who plays in the midfield for Borussia Monchengladbach. Both Geoff Cameron and Oroczo are more experienced fullback options than Acosta, but Cameron is too good as the go-to centerback with Brooks and Oroczo hasn’t been able to stand out, despite being given plenty of opportunities.

It may be time for Klinsmann to see who else can step up as a fullback option and, well, Klinsmann is no stranger to testing players in new roles. Caleb Stanko, 23, has never featured for the USMNT and, like 21-year-old Acosta, he is normally a defensive midfielder, but he does have experience along the back line, which could earn him a shot.

Klinsmann’s attacking corps will largely remain intact from the previous match and he doesn’t need to switch up much -- but he very well could. Chistian Pulisic, who is just shy of turning 18, had a spectacular game off the bench against St. Vincent & the Grenadines and his chemistry with midfielder Sacha Kljestan was something special. They did have the benefit of coming on with fresh legs in a game that was largely already decided, but their showing just increased the calls from those who have long wanted to see both given bigger USMNT roles.

With Michael Bradley, the USMNT’s most reliable midfielder, making his return, it could allow Klinsmann to feel free to give the Pulisic and Kljestan more responsibility. But the manager has hinted he’s not ready to start the teenager and has shown a bit of reluctance where Kljestan is concerned, too. Still, if Klinsmann has just been misdirecting, a lot of analysts and fans wouldn’t mind if it means seeing Pulisic, especially, in a surprise start.

Whatever Klinsmann decides to do, he’s really in a no-lose scenario. After all, there are two tasks at hand that he should easily be able to accomplish on Tuesday: First, advance to the next round of World Cup qualifying and, second, help the team prepare for what lies ahead. Either approach -- playing it safe or tinkering -- should be fine, especially since he will be forced to give some newer players minutes either way. It’s a balance Klinsmann should be able to strike and the USMNT will be better for it.

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