A Jozy Altidore hamstring injury will again keep the U.S. from fielding its best lineup. But the setback could give Aron Johannsson a chance to shine, writes Ives Galarcep.

Jurgen Klinsmann might start thinking there is a jinx in play when it comes to his ability to field a full-strength U.S. national team.

It has been almost a full year since Klinsmann has been able to trot out his very best starting lineup, a stretch that goes back to the start of the 2014 World Cup, when he put out a healthy squad featuring all of his best weapons.

From the moment Jozy Altidore reached for his torn hamstring on that humid night in Natal, Brazil, Klinsmann has been chasing the ghost of the U.S. team’s best XI. A lineup including Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Fabian Johnson, Alejandro Bedoya, Jermaine Jones and Matt Besler together hasn’t taken the field since that opening night in Brazil. Altidore’s latest hamstring injury ensures that we will surpass the one-year anniversary of that win against Ghana still having not seen the strongest American lineup possible.

The timing of Altidore’s injury this time around isn’t nearly as damaging as it was a year ago, when the World Cup hamstring tear left Klinsmann without his lead striker, and with a hobbled Aron Johannsson unable to offer a healthy alternative. In some ways, you could argue that the timing could ultimately pay some dividends if it gives others an opportunity to impress before the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July.

Enter Johannsson, who stepped onto that field in Natal a year ago and offered very little as Altidore’s replacement. At this time, it wasn’t publicly known that he was carrying an ankle injury that would eventually require surgery.

Fast-forward to this month, which saw Johannsson cap a largely disappointing season for AZ Alkmaar with a very strong final month. He regained the scoring touch that made him among the leading scorers in the Eredivisie a year earlier, notching four goals and two assists during AZ’s season-ending four-match winning streak. That streak helped AZ secure an automatic berth into the Europa League, and also signaled Johannsson’s return to form at just the right time for the U.S. national team.

“It’s been a really tough season for me, but the last four games or five games have been really good and I’m finding my old form again,” Johannsson told USSoccer.com. “I’m back into scoring goals and playing good soccer. I feel like I’ve come back and proven myself again and hopefully this will just continue with me when I go into the national team games.”

Johannsson’s run comes just as the U.S. is set to face a pair of extremely difficult opponents in the Netherlands and Germany, and also at a time when he looks to be the clear-cut choice to step into Altidore’s place.

Johannsson isn’t the same kind of player Altidore is, but after two seasons as the target striker in AZ’s 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 variations, he is more than capable of playing as the lone forward if Klinsmann chooses to deploy Dempsey behind a lead striker. Johannsson can also partner with Dempsey in a 4-4-2.

What other options are there? We saw Dempsey try to hold down the lead striker role in Brazil, and the domino effect it had on both Dempsey and Bradley made it clear that it’s not something Klinsmann should try again if he can avoid it.

The best bet for Klinsmann is to deploy Johannsson as the lead forward in a 4-2-3-1, with Dempsey sitting behind him and Bradley serving as a box-to-box threat. Klinsmann could go for the 4-4-2 diamond, which would allow Bradley more freedom to attack, but it may be ambitious to trot out a diamond midfield against the Dutch and German juggernauts.

As tall a task as that may be, perhaps Klinsmann could use it as an exercise to see how viable the 4-4-2 diamond might be for the Gold Cup. Altidore should be back in time for the Gold Cup, but his absence could lead to some experimentation that winds up benefiting him.

What other forward options does Klinsmann have heading into those two tough friendlies, and potentially the Gold Cup? The number of truly ready-for-prime-time options isn’t a long one, and many of the prospects have question marks. Here are some other names to consider:

JUAN AGUDELO

Scored a beautiful goal against Mexico in April, and is finding his form with the New England Revolution, but is he ready to be a starting option? Is he well-equipped to be a target striker?

CHARLIE DAVIES

It has been almost six years since Davies was in the national team picture, before a tragic car accident altered the course of his career for good. Davies has battled admirably to re-establish himself as an option for the U.S., and at this point it wouldn’t be a stretch to consider him a possibility.

GYASI ZARDES

Has had mixed results in his recent national team appearances, and is enduring a relatively disappointing season in MLS. Not really suited to be a target striker, but has shown he can partner with a skilled forward in a 4-4-2.

JORDAN MORRIS

He’s young, raw and not really the kind of forward who would really help Klinsmann fill the void left by Altidore.

CHRIS WONDOLOWSKI

Though he has disappointed with the opportunities he has been given, Wondolowski still is a player Klinsmann keeps an eye on. Wondolowski continues to produce in MLS, and is a good locker room guy. Does that mean he’s the answer against teams like the Netherlands and Germany, or at the Gold Cup? Seems unlikely.

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