CONCACAF Cup Depth Chart: USA, Mexico weigh options in goal
United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann and Mexico interim manager Ricardo Ferretti both enter the buildup to the CONCACAF Cup with intrigue swirling around their goalkeeping situations.
Tim Howard created most of the talking points when he returned to the U.S. fold in time for the friendlies against Peru and Brazil earlier this month. Howard’s return created a potential disruption on the goalkeeping depth, but Klinsmann moved quickly to firm up the pecking order and strip away the uncertainty. Brad Guzan started for the Americans during the Gold Cup and showed well enough to keep his place through this playoff.
Ferretti grappled with a different sort of question as he took charge: Who deserves to start? His choices are all flawed for one reason or another. It is not a binary decision like the one Klinsmann made. It is a rather more complex issue to sort through as the one-off match approach on Oct. 10 (live, 8:00p.m. ET, FS1, FOX Sports GO).
Both managers must grapple with similar selection concerns throughout the squad as the deadline to submit their rosters to CONCACAF on Thursday. Over the next few days, FOX Soccer will examine the options at their disposal in each department and sift through the conundrums at hand. The process starts with a look at the potential choices in goal as the date at the Rose Bowl beckons.
UNITED STATES
Personnel: Klinsmann clarified his pecking order earlier this month: Brad Guzan is the first choice, while Tim Howard is the second choice. Guzan started both friendlies against Peru and Brazil and showed well enough to maintain the pecking order. Nick Rimando is the preferred third choice, while Bill Hamid is the other available option if Rimando isn’t available for some reason.
USA DEPTH CHART - GOALKEEPER
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| 1. | Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) |
| 2. | Tim Howard (Everton) |
| 3. | Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) |
Strengths: Guzan and Howard probably rank second and third -- in some order -- behind Keylor Navas on the list of CONCACAF goalkeepers. Both goalkeepers boast considerable Premier League experience, while Howard retains the knowledge culled from starting at two World Cups. Both of them possess the ability to steal a game with a string of fine saves. Howard nearly carried the Americans to the World Cup quarterfinals on the back of one such performance, while Guzan secured Golden Glove honors for his performances at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In a big game, their ability to produce the important save is an important one. Rimando is a particularly capable third goalkeeper.
MEXICO
Personnel: There is uncertainty within the ranks as Mexico boss Ricardo Ferretti weighs his options. Guillermo Ochoa is the best goalkeeper in the pool by some distance, but he lacks match practice given his reserve role at Malaga. Alfredo Talavera and Moisés Muñoz split time during the September friendlies as Ferretti contemplated his choices with Ochoa out of the squad. Jonathan Orozco made his way into the 35-man preliminary list, but he is not expected to make the 23-man squad unless Ochoa is excluded again.
MEXICO DEPTH CHART - GOALKEEPER
| 1. | Moises Muñoz (Club América) |
| 2. | Alfredo Talavera (Toluca) |
| 3. | Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga) / Jonathan Orozco (Monterrey) |
Strengths: All three options are capable in their primary duties with Talavera ranked as probably the most consistent goalkeeper in Liga MX over the past few years. Ochoa relies more on agility to make more spectacular saves, while Muñoz and Talavera operate within themselves to make the stops expected of them. Distribution is a particular strength for Muñoz and Ochoa.
Weaknesses: Muñoz lacks experience in big international matches, though the Club América number one certainly copes with pressure each week. Talavera responded poorly to the opportunity afforded to him against Trinidad & Tobago and ceded the inside track to the number one shirt in the process. All three goalkeepers occasionally struggle when asked to cope with crosses and set pieces into the penalty area.
ADVANTAGE: UNITED STATES
Guzan and Howard both possess the tools to decide the playoff on their own and paper over some of the cracks elsewhere. The clarity of the American goalkeeping depth chart also provides a considerable edge as El Tri sorts through the available options in the buildup to Oct. 10. Ferretti must gamble in some fashion with his goalkeeper -- it is now left to him to sort out the proper path as the big day approaches.
