Let's try a thought experiment. Just for fun. The USMNT is missing a number of players for the upcoming Gold Cup, due to injury, load management or Club World Cup commitments.
The list of those missing - and brace yourself - is lengthly, including Zack Steffen, Antonee Robinson, Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Tim Weah and Ricardo Pepi.
With a bit of tweaking, you've got a pretty damn good starting XI.
Unfortunately, those lot are all out. That's not to say that Mauricio Pochettino doesn't have a talented side for the summer tournament - it is perhaps the opposite. This pool is deeper than ever, and while the current squad is relatively inexperienced, competing to impress the manager and earn a spot on the 2206 World Cup roster will certainly motivate a youthful roster.
But what might happen in a devilishly hypothetical fixture between the current crop and those on the sidelines? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each starting side? And, in this pickup game that doesn't really exist, who comes out on top?
It's closer than you might think. GOAL US writers offered their opinions - as well as a bit of amateur managerial nous - in a theoretical edition of... The Rondo.
