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The groups have been established for the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup, and now the U.S. national team knows the road it has to travel to lift its first trophy since 2017, and earn some redemption after what has been a forgettable past two years for the USMNT.
Gregg Berhalter still has more than two months to go before the United States takes the field against Guyana, and almost two months to finalize the 23-man squad he will settle on to chase the USMNT's seventh Gold Cup title. Given the detailed system he is implementing, Berhalter is very likely to build a squad consisting mostly of players he has already seen in one or both of the training camps he has held and put through four friendlies in 2019.
Fans hoping for a serious youth movement may wind up being a bit disappointed because the U.S. Gold Cup squad won't be anywhere near as young as the U.S. teams we saw play in 2018, before Berhalter took charge. He will have to decide whether it's prudent to call in young players who are eligible to play at the Under-20 World Cup if he doesn't see them being a key part of the Gold Cup squad.
The U.S. Gold Cup team should strike a good balance between youth and experience, and the return of some long-time national team fixtures, such as Jozy Altidore, who is in top form and looking like the top striker option in the pool. Both Altidore and Michael Bradley should not only make the U.S. team, but both should start.
A U.S. Gold Cup team featuring Altidore and Bradley, but missing the likes of Josh Sargent and Tim Weah, would surely leave some U.S. fans unhappy, but Berhalter has already made it clear his team will continue to have a strong veteran element, and young players won't be rushed.
 Who will make up the U.S. Gold Cup squad? Here are the 23 players who could be called on:
Goalkeepers:Â Zack Steffen
Currently the clearcut starter in goal, Steffen should have a chance to showcase his skills at the Gold Cup before making the move to Manchester City. As much as Berhalter might say it's still an open competition for the starting role, Steffen is the pick to start if he's healthy.
Defenders:Â John Brooks, Aaron Long, DeAndre Yedlin, Matt Miazga, Tim Ream
The top three central defenders are locked in now, with Brooks and Long looking like the first-choice pairing, and though Yedlin's long-term future in Berhalter's system is still in question, his experience and defensive quality will make him a sure-fire pick to make the team, if not automatically start. Ream is the clearcut top left back so he's in if healthy.
Midfielders:Â Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Michael Bradley, Paul Arriola, Wil Trapp, Cristian Roldan
There aren't very many open slots in midfield still up for grabs if we are being honest. The Pulisic-Adams-McKennie trio is currently recovering from injuries, but should all be key starters at the Gold Cup, as should Bradley. Arriola is the top-rated winger in the pool at the moment, at least until some younger options mature, and Roldan's versatility makes him a solid option.
Forwards:Â Jozy Altidore, Gyasi Zardes
Though he hasn't played for the USMNT since 2017, Altidore should be the lead striker if he's healthy for the Gold Cup. As much as some fans may want to move on from Altidore and Bradley, the tandem is still the best the pool has to offer. Altidore has done very well in past Gold Cups and brings invaluable experience to the table. Zardes is the back-up at striker, but he's also capable of playing in a wide role if needed.
Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson, Jesse Gonzalez, Bill Hamid, Brad Guzan
Horvath and Johnson are currently holding down the other two goalkeeper spots on the Gold Cup squad, and it's going to be tough for the other goalkeepers to close the gap. That said, if either come up injured, then the competition for the final goalkeeper spot will be interesting. Hamid and Guzan aren't necessarily seen as good fits for Berhalter's system, which could give Gonzalez the edge.
Defenders: Walker Zimmerman, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Nick Lima, Reggie Cannon, Antonee Robinson, Daniel Lovitz, Greg Garza
Zimmerman played well in the January USMNT camp, and is off to a good start to the MLS season with LAFC. That should be enough to hold off Carter-Vickers for the fourth center back slot. Lima is in a tough spot because as things stand he isn't San Jose's first-choice right back. Will Berhalter bring him to the Gold Cup if he isn't a regular starter, or will that open the door for Cannon?
Robinson is back from injury and starting regularly for Wigan. Though he hasn't been in a Berhalter camp yet, he's young and dynamic and has USMNT games under his belt. He should edge out Lovitz, though Lovitz has the advantage of having been a part of both Berhalter USMNT camps so far this year. Garza could push himself into a Gold Cup spot with a strong run of form, but staying healthy would be the bigger challenge for him.
Midfielders: Sebastian Lletget, Corey Baird, Jonathan Lewis, Marky Delgado, Darlington Nagbe, Kekuta Manneh
A healthy Lletget should be on the Gold Cup team, with his versatility giving him an edge over the rest, but staying healthy has long been an issue for him. Baird didn't show enough in the March friendlies to be considered a strong option, while Lewis has shown himself to be a viable change-of-pace off the bench. Is that enough to earn him a precious roster spot? It feels like a long shot.Â
Nagbe is an interesting option because Berhalter should be enamored with his ability to keep possession, even if he hasn't started the 2019 season in the best of form. Manneh is someone Berhalter knows, having coached him in Columbus, and if he's in good form for FC Cincinnati over the next two months, Berhalter will be tempted to bring him in for a look.
Forwards:  Christian Ramirez, Jordan Morris, Tim Weah, Josh Sargent, Bobby Wood
If it were up to a fan vote, Sargent and Weah would be on the team as locks, but a lack of playing time at Werder Bremen for Sargent, and inconsistent minutes at Celtic for Weah have them looking more like options for the Under-20 World Cup. Could Berhalter choose to bring one of them along to the Gold Cup as a reserve forward? That's possible, but having them both start in the Under-20 World Cup might ultimately be seen as being better for their development.
Which of the two has the better chance of making the team? Probably Weah because of the lack of dangerous wingers available. If Weah can earn steady minutes over the next month, Berhalter will need to seriously consider bringing him to the Gold Cup.
Wood is mired in a forgettable season at Hannover 96, and will be hard-pressed to do enough in the next month to convince Berhalter to bring him in. If Wood can't close the gap, then Ramirez's chances of making the team increase considerably. Of course, that's only if Ramirez can continue to earn regular time with LAFC, where he's locked in a tough competition for starts.
Though Morris didn't exactly impress in the March friendlies, he should make the team if he can continue to play well for the Sounders. He's capable of playing as a forward or winger, and has Gold Cup experience, having scored the tournament winner in 2017.
There are plenty of players on the national team fringes that you wonder about as options for Berhalter, though many feel like real long shots at the moment.
Defensively, Ventura Alvarado is a player who is having a solid season in Mexico, captaining Nexaca as a regular starter. He played in the 2015 Gold Cup, but hasn't been a part of the USMNT setup since Jurgen Klinsmann was fired. Omar Gonzalez is another Liga MX-based longshot, even with his history with Berhalter. Tim Parker was generating plenty of national team interest a year ago, but his passing skill set isn't what Berhalter prefers, making him an extreme long shot.
In midfield, Engish-American winger Duane Holmes is an interesting option. He's starting regularly for Derby County, but hasn't been part of a USMNT camp yet. Romain Gall is seeing regular time for Swedish club Malmo, and is familiar with Berhalter's system, but he seems like a long shot. Julian Green and Lynden Gooch are other USMNT veterans who are seeing regular playing time in European second divisions, but both seem unlikely to close the gap. Jonathan Amon is another young winger who was once considered a Gold Cup possibility, but a recent lack of minutes at FC Nordsjaelland will likely mean Amon plays in the Under-20 World Cup instead.
The competition for places in central midfield is fierce, and right now MLS-based players like Kellyn Acosta and Russell Canouse look like long shots, as does Kenny Saief. German-based midfielder Alfredo Morales is another player who has struggled to merit a look.
At forward, Jeremy Ebobisse is a player who might push himself into the mix with a strong month, but his Timbers are currently the worst team in MLS so the odds are against him. Orlando City's Dom Dwyer is another striker worth mentioning, If he can hit a good run of form, Berhalter will have to consider him.
Goalkeepers: Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge), Sean Johnson (New York City FC)
Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Matt Miazga (Reading FC), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle), Tim Ream (Fulham), Antonee Robinson (Wigan), Walker Zimmerman (Los Angeles FC), Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes)
Midfielders: Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Weston McKennie (Schalke 04), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew), Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy)
Forwards:Â Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew), Christian Ramirez (Los Angeles FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)
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