The United States will have to prepare for a Weston McKennie-sized hole in the middle in the final round of World Cup qualification.
Sources confirmed to Jeff Carlisle that the United States' best player for large stretches of qualification was forced to leave the game against Villarreal with two broken bones in his left foot. There is still no official confirmation from Juve.
It is unclear how long the Texas native will be out of action, but it is hard to imagine him being ready for the final three USMNT games against Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica. It takes between eight and 12 weeks for injuries similar to McKennie to heal.
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The news leaves Berhalter with a difficult question: How to replace McKennie in the center of the park?
The answer is obvious. There is no one in the U.S. pool who can duplicate what McKennie is doing. If there was a player on the roster that the U.S. could least afford to lose, it was McKennie.
There are interesting options with that understanding.
The news this week will be about an injury to a player, Giovanni Reyna. The 19-year-old left the match against Monchengladbach in tears after picking up an injury.
On Monday, BVB announced that the injury that was initially feared was not as bad as first thought and that he would return to training in two weeks. If Reyna is fully fit and playing regularly ahead of the World Cup, he will be the obvious choice to slot into the advanced role. While he played on the right wing for the national team, he is comfortable in the middle and can play at a high level.
The future of the USMNT will be hampered by injuries according to Herculez Gomez.
Even if he has a quick recovery, his fitness and the fact that he hasn't been with the national team in months will be a concern. A by-committee solution is almost certain.
Berhalter gave Luca de la Torre his first start in the final game against Honduras. De la Torre has performed well for Heracles in the Netherlands this season, and that form carried over in an eye-opening performance for the U.S., after which Berhalter named him the coaches' man of the match. His ability to progress the ball centrally on the dribble proved valuable and his familiarity with the position in Berhalter's system makes him a good option to step in the starting XI.
Also deserving consideration is Brenden. He has mostly played on the wing for the national team but has played centrally and should be familiar with the patterns of play. While the U.S. system asks for different qualities from its players, the relentless energy of Aaronson will cause problems for opponents.
After his best game for the national team against Honduras, Kellyn is in line to play higher up the field in order to get him on the field for his set-piece deliveries.
Berhalter could look to Sebastian Lletget, who has been a regular on the roster, but he is more likely to be called on the bench than in a starting role.
It is possible that Berhalter could implement a system change and play the 3-4-3 he has been experimenting with at times, but that seems like a drastic gamble to take considering the stakes.
The U.S. is in second place in the region with 21 points, behind only Mexico who has 25 points. The U.S. has an advantage over Panama and Costa Rica, but they still have work to do as only the top three places get automatic berths to the World Cup. The U.S. will play a one-game playoff against New Zealand in June if they finish in fourth place.
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