A wall with holes in it? — analyzing the U.S.’ current defenders

There may be too many defensive liabilities for such an attacking squad.

*All stats sourced from Wyscout S.p.A. and FB Reference*

Reggie Cannon: Great at intercepting passes, Reggie Cannon has become a stalwart of Primeira Liga side Boavista’s right defensive side. Cannon has averaged over 5 interceptions per 90 minutes in his domestic league, where most of such actions come in clinical moments within the penalty box. Cannon cannot build well from the back, as he only attempts around 43 passes per 90, in addition to his liability as an aerial defender (25% success rate), so it’ll be interesting to see how he’s implemented in the U.S.’ rapid structure.

Cameron Carter-Vickers: Celtic’s UCL battle with Real Madrid exposed the assumed skill-discrepancies between the Scottish Premiership and the top 5 leagues in Europe, but outside of his poor showing against the Spanish giants, Vickers has been vital to the Scottish side. Vickers ranks above the 85th percentile (in the past year) for passes attempted, pass completion percentage and progressive carries per 90 minutes, emphasizing his ability to increase the tempo. Vickers is incredibly deficient at executing challenges though, as he rarely wins, or even attempts, to tackle his matchups.

Sergiño Dest: Between his split tenures at Barcelona and AC Milan this season, Sergiño Dest has only spent time on the pitch for 254 minutes, which is extremely concerning for the player that was supposed to hold down the right wing-back position for the 2022 World Cup. Dest’s offensive work-rate is nothing to sneeze at, but it surely does not compensate enough for the void he leaves on defense during his extended dribbling attempts and overbearing pressure.

Aaron Long: Purely a drop-back defender, Aaron Long does not provide much in the way of attacking prowess, but his aggressive nature has served him well. Long ranks in the 99th percentile for ball recoveries and 97th percentile for aerial duels won in the past year within the MLS. The New York Red Bull should also consistently be a threat during corner-kicks, as he seems to be deadly with his cranium.

Chris Richards: Crystal Palace hasn’t given the American center-back much opportunity to showcase his abilities, but if Chris Richard’s time at Hoffenheim is an indicator of what is to come, then the future is bright. Richards should seamlessly interweave with the U.S.’ abundant amount of high-pressure activity, as he has averaged about 12 per 90 minutes in the past year, of which almost 5 of them are successful. Richards often waits until he tempts the opposing pressure before passing (10.5 passes under pressure per 90), freeing up opportunities for counter-attacks. The 6’2” center-back also almost always wins his attempted aerial duels, accentuating his efficient displays of effort.

Joe Scally: Joe Scally has become a regular feature of Borussia, but I do not believe he deserves a national cap based on his past year’s performances. His only above-average stat is regarding his ability to press, but other than that, his ability to track attackers is incredibly lackluster. Not only this, but his distribution is incredibly weak, as he ranks in the 75th+ percentile for offside passes, passes out of bounds, passes intercepted and passes blocked within the top 5 European leagues. There is not much upside for Scally, aside from his top-flight experience.

Sam Vines: The Antwerp left-back has carved himself into a specialty role on the Belgian side, as he is mainly utilized as a long-ball distributor that can control possession. Sam Vines is highly efficient with his 86.8% passing completion rate within the last year, but should not be relied upon as a consistent member of starting XIs.

Deandre Yedlin: I see Deandre Yedlin as just a voice of a veteran for an otherwise youthful squad. Yedlin departed the Premier League, potentially too early in his career, and is now just wafting around on Inter Miami in the MLS. He provides pace along the right flank, but not much else.

Walker Zimmerman: Another frightening threat for the U.S.’ aerial attacks, Walker Zimmerman is elite at capitalizing on set-piece action. The Nashville SC center-back wins almost 5 aerial duels per 90 minutes, while ranking in the 99th percentile for touches in the attacking-third of the pitch for MLS players in the past year. Zimmerman is great at maintaining possession in the defensive-third, with the occasional deadly through-ball coming from his half of the field. Zimmerman should unquestionably be vital to the U.S. back-line for this upcoming World Cup, barring any extreme set-backs.