Scouting The USA

USA sit in a very difficult Group G with Germany, Portugal and Ghana. Unless they get a result against both Ghana and Portugal, they will likely be sent home quite early in this 2014 World Cup. Their first-round match-up with Ghana will likely be the tell-tale sign – lose and go home…win and live to fight another day.

Ghana has never lost to the United States in the World Cup before, and will look to continue that trend with their first-round match-up. I expect this game to be very tight and low scoring.  If the US can get a result against Ghana, they will have yet another tough test ahead of them with their round two opponents: Portugal. Not known for their defensive fortitude, there may very well be goals in this game. Portugal will likely be coming off a first round battering against Germany, so they will be playing for their World Cup lives. The United States will then play Germany in their last game of the group stage. Germany will have likely already qualified for the next round, so the US may benefit from a second-tier line-up from Germany in this game. While it is highly unlikely that the United States can pull out a draw, let alone a win, against Germany here, stranger things have happened.

The Squad

Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)

Midfielders (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jones (Besiktas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

Forwards (4): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

The Likely XI

Howard

Cameron – Gonzalez – Besler – Beasley

Beckerman

Bedoya – Zusi

Bradley

Dempsey – Altidore

Defence

The group speaks for itself, and it is likely wise to steer clear of United States’ defensive assets. The only player I would consider investing in on the cheap is their GK: Tim Howard. He is pure class, and he has been tested in top flight football with Everton for years now. This will be the last World Cup of his career and he will surely give it his all. He is the heart and soul of this United States team. Although their back-four does not inspire much confidence, especially in such a challenging group, Howard may well have his fair share of saves as the US looks poised to concede plenty of shots on goal from outside of the box.

Midfield

Depending on which game you may be playing, there might be value to be found in the United States’ midfield. If the US set up in a 4-1-2-1-2 as they have been wont to do during qualifying, the budget Beckerman might be a goldmine in the McD Fantasy game with their emphasis on recovered balls. Michael Bradley also looks poised to play a box-to-box role for the United States and could be a solid budget option in your midfields in the McD game as he may get his fair share of recovered balls as well be a threat on the United States’ attack.

Attack

Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore are pretty much the only goalscoring threats for the United States. Altidore’s difficulties at Sunderland have been well publicised, and his transition from the Eredivise to the Permier League has been far from smooth. Although he has shown flashes of promise under Sunderland boss Gus Poyet’s management, he has far from earned our confidence to invest in him. Dempsey has also undergone a similarly disastrous campaign this season. Signed to the Seattle Sounders of the MLS, Dempsey underwent a brief loan spell back with the Premier League team that made him, Fulham. In the midst of a relegation scrap, Dempsey made no impact whatsoever back at Craven Cottage. Sent back to Seattle, he began banging in the goals. No one will mistake the MLS for the English top flight, however, and it would be extremely punty to put Dempsey on your Fantasy World Cup team sheets.