For the U.S. men’s national team under Gregg Berhalter, execution has not always matched ideals. Defined principles of play have been put into place, but they haven’t resulted in consistent performances. And while the U.S. coach has narrowed his player pool somewhat, choosing the right players to execute his tactics remains a work in progress.



Nowhere is that more obvious than in the manager’s three central midfield positions — the player profile and functionality of Berhalter’s midfield is set, but the selection of who will occupy those roles is worth some analysis.



Who’s best suited to play as a No. 6 in this system? Is there a No. 10? Should Christian Pulisic be considered a midfielder? Let’s start with Berhalter’s description of his ideal holding midfielder and evaluate the players from the current pool that fit that representation.



The holding midfielder



“There are a couple...