On the Volley: Risers and Fallers from USMNT’s Last Games before Qatar World Cup

By Charlie DeMatteo

The United States Men’s National Team finished up their preparation for the 2022 World Cup with a couple of exhibition matches against Japan and Saudi Arabia this week. With hopes high for this crop of talent, a 2-0 loss to Japan and a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia didn’t exactly reaffirm confidence in this group of players. This week, I’m going to be taking a look at whose stock is high and whose is falling.

Risers: 

Tyler Adams

Since making his move to Leeds United in the summer, Tyler Adams has continued to improve. He has not looked out of place in the Premier League, and has been a leader for this USMNT team over the past year. While the team struggled mightily these past two games, Adams continued to show why he is the captain of this group.

Yunus Musah

Musah didn’t play these two games due to an injury; maybe you see what I’m getting at. Without Musah in the middle, the USMNT lacked fluidity and quality on the ball. If the USMNT are going to do anything in Qatar, Musah has to be fit and playing. When Musah, Weston McKennie and Adams are on the field together running the midfield, that’s when the U.S. are at their most dangerous.

Jordan Pefok

Again, perhaps a bit confusing as to why Pefok is in my list of winners given the fact he wasn’t even selected to the squad for these two games. But, based on what coach Gregg Berhalter has said, it appears Pefok’s place in the World Cup spot is solidified due to his good performances in Germany for Union Berlin this season. With Ricardo Pepi and Jesus Ferreira, both struggling in these two games, a starting spot for Pefok seems all the more likely come November.

Fallers:

Aaron Long

For a while, it seemed the two center-backs that would be starting for the United States in Qatar would be Walker Zimmerman and Miles Robinson. However, after Robinson suffered an Achilles injury, the question of who will partner Zimmerman looms large. Berhalter’s main man thus far has been Aaron Long, and let’s just say he hasn’t impressed. Long clearly isn’t comfortable with the ball at his feet and lacks a lot of key defensive attributes. Long’s performances against Japan and Saudi Arabia may have cost him a starting spot for Qatar.

Sergino Dest

Dest is a player I rate very highly, so having to put him as one of the losers here is not something I take pleasure in. The fact of the matter is at his best, Dest can be a world-class defender, and yet most times for the USMNT he seems to fall flat. Dest’s performances in the last two games left a lot to be desired, and if the US wants to get out of the group in Qatar, Dest has to be at his best.

Jesus Ferreira and Ricardo Pepi

I’m choosing to include Ferreira and Pepi together because they are in nearly the same boat. At one point or another, it looked like they each had the starting striker position locked down. And yet, they have both gone on to play poorly for the USMNT and now leave more questions than answers on who will start up top for the USMNT. Pefok may be the man to seize that role, but nonetheless, it has been massively disappointing to see the decline in Pepi and Ferreira.

Overall, the USMNT have a lot of work to do to get ready for Wales on Nov. 21, and not a lot of time together to sort it out. It is now on Berhalter to get the best out of a great group of talent and to see how far this team can go.