As much as Gregg Berhalter didn't like the suggestion that the side he had in the U.S. national team's recent January camp was a B team, or JV team, it wasn't exactly a stretch to call the January squad something other than his top-choice team.
The multitude of bright spots among the January participants made the camp a clear success, and several players have boosted their standing in the pecking order. But when Berhalter convenes his next group, for March friendlies against Ecuador and Chile, we will see a wave of European-based players stepping into starting roles.
What will the first-choice USMNT starting lineup look like in March when all hands are on deck? Here is a closer look at the possibilities.
GOALKEEPER
John Dorton
Zack Steffen went into the January camp as the clear-cut starter in goal, and he only served to strengthen his grip on that spot after posting two shutouts and putting together some excellent performances.
Who else might Berhalter call in for March? Ethan Horvath is one obvious selection, but from there Berhalter will need to decide whether to select an MLS-based option to be a third goalkeeper or instead call on one of the young European-based options to fill the spot, such FC Cologne's Brady Scott or Hertha's Jonathan Klinsmann.
DEFENDERS
John Brooks and DeAndre Yedlin are two clear-cut starting options in Berhalter's defense, but things get much trickier when trying to fill out the rest of the back line.
Matt Miazga has hit the ground running on loan at Reading FC, earning a pair of starts and helping his new side earn a pair of draws. If he can continue to play regularly, and play well, it will put him in good position to start alongside Brooks. The big challenger to Miazga is Aaron Long, who captained both of the January USMNT victories and looked like a very good fit in Berhalter's system.
Left back remains a tricky proposition for the USMNT and Antonee Robinson's recent return from injury could help alleviate that issue if he can get back on the field for Wigan in the next six weeks. Daniel Lovitz started both January games at left back and didn't do enough to be considered a viable first-choice option. Greg Garza is someone to consider as well once he returns to health and gets games with FC Cincinnati.
Would Berhalter consider moving someone from right back to play left back? Nick Lima's outstanding showing in the January camp should earn him another call-up in March and if he's in good form, Berhalter could consider using him as a left back. Having Lima and Yedlin on the field together might be the best option at the moment.
Could Berhalter call on a younger option such as Ajax defender Sergino Dest? The 18-year-old is thriving with the Ajax reserve team and impressed in last November's Concacaf Under-20 Championships. Dest is a very intriguing option, but one could argue he's a more natural right back than left back, and shifting Lima to left back would be an easier move than calling in Dest for his first USMNT camp.
MIDFIELDERS
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Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams are safe bets to be part of any midfield Berhalter puts together in March, but the real question is who will be the third midfielder in the 4-3-3?
Michael Bradley made his case for being a veteran deep-lying midfield option to play behind a McKennie-Adams pairing, but if Berhalter decides he wants to give Adams a look in that deep-lying role, then it would allow for the deployment of Christian Pulisic in one of the dueling number 10 spots, giving us the Pulisic-McKennie-Adams midfield triangle that has seemed destined to eventually take over.
Of course, Berhalter must still decide where he sees Pulisic fitting best in his system. If Berhalter considered wide forward to be a better place for Pulisic, then it increases the chances he gives a look to a Bradley-McKennie-Adams triangle.
Another name to remember is Darlington Nagbe. He may not have taken part in the January friendlies, but Nagbe's ability to pass, make penetrating runs and keep possession could make him an ideal fit in Berhalter's system.
FORWARDS
Maddie Myer
Josh Sargent has made a good early impression at Werder Bremen, which has led to regular playing time and a stronger case to be Berhalter's first-choice striker in March. Jozy Altidore would be a strong candidate for the spot if he weren't still recovering from offseason ankle surgery that could leave him sidelined for another month.
The wide forward roles in Berhalter's 4-3-3 seem well-suited for a Pulisic-Tim Weah tandem. Weah is thriving in his loan at Scottish champions Celtic, and while he can play any of the front three positions, he has shown in past USMNT appearances that he can work well on the wing. Pulisic operating on an opposite wing is a good option but again will depend on where Berhalter sees the future Chelsea man being most effective. if Pulisic is deployed centrally, then Berhalter could call on Bobby Wood to work as a wide forward. Wood is more effective as a lead striker, but he has experience playing wide, and his defensive work rate makes him well-suited to handle the demands of the position.
If Berhalter craves more natural wing options at the wide forward positions, then someone like Jonathan Amon could merit consideration, along with January camp standout Paul Arriola.
LINEUPS
The above lineup is what we would see if Berhalter decides to deploy Pulisic in one of the dueling number 10 roles we saw in the recent friendlies, a setup that would require Adams to slot into a defensive midfield spot. If Berhalter decides that he wants more experience in the deep-lying midfield role, then Bradley would be the choice, and then the question would be whether he sits Adams — which would be tough to justify given his current form — or if he shifts Pulisic into a wide forward spot?
Here is what the starting lineup would look like with Bradley anchoring the midfield and Pulisic working as a wide forward:
