Berhalter dodges Steffen, Turner and Horvath loan question

The American goalkeeper is the most uncertain in 30 years, and coach Gregg Berhalter dodged saying whether he would be comfortable starting Zack Steffen, Matt Turner or Ethan Horvath at the World Cup if they don’t. not play regularly for their Premier League clubs.

Steffen, 29, has played just one league game for Manchester City this season behind Ederson. Turner, 27, joins Arsenal next month from New England as a replacement for Aaron Ramsdale. Horvath, 26, made just six league appearances at Nottingham Forest before replacing an injured Brice Samba in the dying minutes of Sunday’s promotion play-off final.

“I’m not sure the question should be answered now,” Berhalter said Tuesday, a day before the United States will face Morocco at an exhibition in Cincinnati. “I think it’s time to let it all play out. And that’s the beauty of time in this case. So what we can do is assess the situations.

Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel and Tim Howard provided continuity and confidence as regular starters for most key games in the 1989-2017 period.

Turner has started eight of 14 World Cup qualifiers this cycle and Berhalter said he will be in goal for the 15th-ranked United States against No.24 Morocco.

Steffen skips all four World Cup warm-up games in June, citing family reasons, and has been replaced on the roster by Sean Johnson, 33, of Major League Soccer in New York.

Retired American star Clint Dempsey says goalkeepers should consider loans if they don’t start regularly.

“Whoever is going to earn this spot is the one who is going to play the most consistently,” the joint-leading US career goalscorer said two weeks ago. “And if you’re not playing regularly for your club then you have to keep loaning and getting those minutes because it’s about being sharp when the time comes.

Berhalter did not say whether he would advocate a loan. The Premier League season opens on August 6 and the transfer window ends on September 1.

“It will be a conversation that we have to have in August,” he said.

Alex Lalas, a former USA defender now an analyst at Fox, said Steffen could be too valuable as a substitute at Man City, preventing a temporary move.

“Saying you want to take out a loan isn’t necessarily going to make it happen,” he said.

Lalas argued that all three not playing until the World Cup opener on November 21 “gives you an excuse”.

“I would all rather our keepers play, but I’m not worried that in the three months or anything before they leave in November, they suddenly become bad keepers and can’t save the ball,” he said. declared. international game, the form may be a fallacy.”

In other news:

– Bayern Munich midfielder Malik Tillman was approved by FIFA for a switch from Germany to the United States on Tuesday, three days after his 20th birthday. “He showed a lot of quality in training, a very good understanding of the game, a very good first touch and an awareness around the penalty area.” Forward Haji Wright and defender Joe Scally could also make their debuts, although Berhalter said Scally won’t start on Wednesday. .

– Weston McKennie is fit to play around 20 minutes as he regains his fitness after breaking two bones in his left foot during Juventus’ Champions League game at Villarreal in Spain on February 22. The midfielder’s only action since then was in the season finale on May 21. , when he came on in the 76th minute.

– Berhalter can test Brenden Aaronson in midfield rather than the wide role he was used in during qualifying.

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