The U.S. national team has a Confederations Cup playoff looming in October, which will force the coach to take a different tact with the upcoming friendlies.

You couldn't really blame Jurgen Klinsmann if he spent some time every night thinking about what could have been, and just how much easier things could be for him right now if the U.S. national team had won the Gold Cup.

He would be staring at two months of friendlies, then a relatively easy World Cup qualifier in November. He could be greeting a crop of fresh faces for the September friendlies, letting his veterans rest, and he could be putting some more work into digging deeper into the player pool for talent, all while knowing his team's ticket to the 2017 Confederations Cup was already in the bag.

If Klinsmann does let that daydream sneak into his mind, it probably doesn't last too long as he quickly reminds himself of the reality at hand. His U.S. team's Gold Cup failure has set up a Confederations Cup playoff with Mexico in October, and suddenly the September friendlies against Peru and Brazil aren't about looking at new faces, but rather about trying to test out players with national team experience who just might be able to help the U.S. in October.

If you were hoping that September's U.S. training camp would be a chance to see the hottest new names in MLS, like Sebastian Lletget and Ethan Finlay, think again. Klinsmann can't really spend a ton of time on debutantes, not with a lengthy lists of available players who have actually played in significant national team matches before.

Players like Jermaine Jones, who is back from a midseason injury and able to offer the U.S. some sorely needed toughness and leadership. Players like Danny Williams, who took the summer off to rest an ailing knee, but who has played well in England and is one of the more appealing defensive midfield options at the moment. Perhaps a player like Matt Besler, who partnered with Omar Gonzalez to shut out Mexico twice in the 2013 World Cup qualifying campaign, and won't be likely to waiver in October after having already experienced the spectacle of playing in a World Cup.

Everybody loves seeing new faces, and the promise for potential that they bring, but the Mexico match in October is serious business and Klinsmann has to use the Peru and Brazil friendlies to reintroduce some players who have, for one reason or an other, not been with the team much this year, but who have the quality and national team experience to step onto the field at the Rose Bowl and help the U.S. win its most important match since the World Cup.

So what will the U.S. roster look like for the upcoming friendlies? Here is how the squad could look:

GOALKEEPERS

Brad Guzan and Tim Howard will begin their new battle for the starting job, and while Klinsmann may have identified Guzan as the starter for now, it is safe to assume Howard didn't come back to be on the bench and will push his fellow English Premier League goalkeeper.

DEFENDERS

If Klinsmann learned anything from the Gold Cup, he will leave John Brooks and Tim Chandler home. Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez should be back in, as should Michael Orozco, who is starting regularly for Club Tijuana and has had success against Mexico in the past. Asking Klinsmann to leave Brooks AND Ventura Alvarado might be a stretch, so we'll project the Club America defender as one of four center backs in the group. One player who should be in this group is Geoff Cameron, but it appears to be far from a sure thing he will be included.

At fullback, DaMarcus Beasley is making his way back, and may start, while Greg Garza is set return to the mix though he is looking for regular playing time with Atlas either at left back or right back. Remember Edgar Castillo? He hasn't been with the national team for a while, but continues to play regularly, and play well, in Liga MX, and is currently starting for Monterrey. Brad Evans should round out the group, if only for the Brazil match (Evans' Seattle Sounders play the day after the USA-Peru match).

MIDFIELDERS

Jermaine Jones makes his return, and if the reports of Michael Bradley missing the Peru match are true, having the New England midfielder back is even more important. Danny Williams should be brought back into the fold, as should Joe Corona, who is starting regularly for Liga MX side Veracruz. Gyasi Zardes and Alejandro Bedoya will be in the squad, with Kyle Beckerman likely to join as well. Alfredo Morales also is worthy of getting the nod as he comes in off his first few weeks in the Bundesliga, but it's safe to assume Mix Diskerud's recent struggles with NYCFC will cost him his usual place on the team.

With a loan move away from Tottenham looming, DeAndre Yedlin will probably be allowed to stay in England, while Graham Zusi could come back to the squad to help fill the void left by Fabian Johnson's recent injury.

FORWARDS

Aron Johannsson looks like be a lock, while Clint Dempsey's injury status likely rules him out. Bobby Wood has settled in well with 2 Bundesliga side Union Berlin and he should be called back in, while the one truly new face we should see in camp is Andrew Wooten, who is lighting up the German second division with Sandhausen. Reports suggest Toronto FC is lobbying for Jozy Altidore to be left out of the Peru match, which just might give Klinsmann the excuse to have Altidore skip the September friendlies altogether. That being said, Klinsmann might want to have Altidore around when the Americans take on Brazil.