FanPost

ESPN's WC Roster Projection - what's going on at CB?


Kyle Bonagura of ESPN just released his projected roster selection for the WC roster.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4755864/projecting-the-usmnt-world-cup-squad-who-wed-take-to-qatar

To those of you who watch a lot more soccer than me, I've got a few questions. This list seems incredibly odd.

a) What's going on with the centerbacks? I can't understand why Ream and Brooks wouldn't be on this team. I totally understand Zimmerman as a starter despite the inferior league, but this ranking just doesn't make any sense to me. Ream is a captain on a premier league squad. Brooks has always been the USMNT's best CB and is still in his prime - and he's somehow not even in consideration? Can someone please explain this? (Bonagura has Brooks in "tier 4" i.e., they won't even receive serious consideration for the spot).

b) This is much less of a concern but I'm confused by the Winger rankings. Are Hoppe and Konrad de La Fuente really below Arriola & Morris? That also seems odd.

Again though, I haven't kept up a great deal with the happenings of worldwide soccer so maybe this all makes perfect sense, but I'm trying to ramp up my understanding prior to the WC.

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