The Concacaf Best XI: Raul, Davies and...who else?

Let's argue!

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Now, finally, it’s the Concacaf Best XI. This exercise shows that our region is rich in talent in some positions. Unfortunately, defending also exists, so, that’s going to be something we’d want to shore up before a hypothetical Concacaf vs. CONMEBOL All-Star Game.

Let’s go position by position:

Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas, Costa Rica

Concacaf doesn’t lack for goalkeeping talent, and Navas has been the top shot-stopper in the region for a while now. When Navas still shows up for Costa Rica, he’s generally excellent - just as he was when he became one of the breakout stars of the 2014 World Cup. Often, he’s missing as he attends to something with his club or rests a knock during the international break. But expect him to be there for the big matches coming up when they actually happen.

Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa is just behind Navas but his lack of success with top European clubs holds him back here. Memo had a phenomenal start to 2020 with America, but that’s different from being the starter on a UEFA Champions League contender.

Center backs: John Brooks, USA; Michael Hector, Jamaica

A left-footed Bundesliga starting center back who also can pop up with a goal?

Yeah, there’s no doubt Brooks should be on the team. Few defenders in Concacaf are playing regularly

Hector is more of a stretch because, while talented, the former Chelsea signing never was able to break through with the Blues and has been inconsistent. Hector said this week he didn’t regret signing with Chelsea, even though it clearly has held his career back. He recently trained with Fulham for months though he wasn’t eligible to play with the Cottagers because of a transfer deadline mishap.

Once he was able to start playing with the Championship squad this year, he’s excelled. Still only 27, though he’s been a familiar face in the region for a while, taking part in the Reggae Boyz’ 2015 run to the Gold Cup final, I think we’ll see a lot more of Hector in the upcoming years.

That he’s being selected here in part shows the weakness at this position. I like Nestor Araujo, the Mexican defender playing with Celta de Vigo, but we’ve seen him struggle on the international level lately. And, while it’s great he can play on the left side, the fact that he’s not actually left-footed hurts him in this exercise.

Left back: Alphonso Davies, Canada

Fine, I was wrong. Davies is a left back. For years now, I’ve been writing that Canada would be better served if John Herdman would put his best attacker in, you know, the attack.

After seeing Davies in the UEFA Champions League in that 3-0 Bayern Munich win over Chelsea, though? Yeah, there’s a spot for him there at left back.

Not that I never though Davies could play left back. I think it’s clear the teenage phenom can do a lot of things well. I just felt like you wanted a top attacker playing farther forward than Herdman often had him (to be fair to Herdman, his other fullback options are not encouraging).

It may soon be a moot point. First of all, Jonathan David is emerging as a terror for defenders up front with a tremendous season at Gent paving the way for a move to a top club. And second, the 19-year-old Davies is putting a vice-grip on the starting left back spot at Bayern Munich.

David Alaba played left back for Bayern and a different spot for his country for years, but maybe Canada really will perform at its best with Davies defending. No matter what, you obviously want him using his speed and ball skills to get into the attacking third as much as possible and create danger. Judging from his recent club performances, it won’t be an issue.

Right back: Jesus “Tecatito” Corona, Mexico

OK, this one feels a bit crazy. Tecatito doesn’t even start at right back for Mexico and only sometimes plays there for his club, Porto. Yet, I’m not really sure there’s a better option.

My friend and the Don of Mexican soccer coverage Tom Marshall did his Concacaf XI a few weeks ago and put Tecatito in this spot. I tried to do something different, but I couldn’t justify tossing in an American like DeAndre Yedlin or Sergino Dest or going off the grid for a player from a less prominent national team.

We know Corona’s skills on the ball…

But he’s honing his defensive abilities as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Tata Martino trying Corona out as a defender once the ball is rolling again, and you definitely want to get him on the field. You guys can tell me why other options are better in the discussion this afternoon. For now, I’m sticking with Corona.

Central Midfield: Hector Herrera, Mexico; Andres Guardado, Mexico

Andres Guardado is 33, and he’s starting to show signs of his age. Yet, when his team needs him, he’s there. Whether it’s playing for Betis against the top teams in La Liga, teams like Real Madrid who he helped Betis beat 2-1 in the last game before the suspension, or taking control of a Mexico game in the Gold Cup that he wasn’t even supposed to be playing in (El Tri’s group match against Canada), Guardado delivers.

So too does “HH”. The move to Atletico Madrid may initially have stunted his growth but we were starting to see Herrera turn the corner, get into the mix more for Diego Simeone’s squad and become the contributor he hoped to be. Herrera isn’t young either, but his two-way abilities are matched by few others in the region.

The U.S. needs to overtake both of these spots soon, but I couldn’t justify getting either #BundesligaBoy in the squad.

Tyler Adams just hasn’t been healthy and playing enough recently. Weston McKennie is a challenger to that statement about the “two-way abilities” of Herrera being matched by few others. I want to see him play more assertive on the international and to understand what he needs to be doing at all times so he really can become that ‘quarterback’ calling the plays. He’s getting there, but the Mexican veterans top the American newbies at the moment.

Attacking midfield: Carlos Vela, Mexico

That’s, you know, if Vela wants to play.

He’s not playing with Mexico right now but his form with LAFC certainly puts him in a position to be included among the best in the region. Vela is scoring and setting up an insane amount of scoring opportunities. With other attacking spots modified, he’d have to put in more midfield work than perhaps he’s used to, but you also could see him excelling working just behind our center forward and also making sure the wingers get the ball at their feet (or in space, depending on who we slot in).

Just like Tata Martino, if Vela calls up and wants to play for our team, we’ll absolutely hear him out.

Wingers: Hirving Lozano, Mexico; Christian Pulisic, USA

Let’s all calm down.

With an eye on both Mexico and the U.S., I’ve seen fans of both countries freak out about both Lozano and Pulic as they experience the ebbs and flows of life at some of the biggest clubs in Europe.

I get it. They need to play, to improve. Both are still young and, you hope, haven’t hit their ceilings. And, sure, it seems unlikely Gattuso is the man who will help Chucky find the next level or that Lampard will suddenly unleash something in Pulisic.

I’m not worried about either player, however. They’re the top wingers in the region. They’re both the best players from their countries (with apologies to our Mexican central forward) even with recent club difficulties. When they pull on the national team shirt, it’s going to be OK.

I also don’t care what side they’re lining up on. Hell, have Vela swap places with Pulisic now and then. Push Lozano up by the forward. They’re good enough to do a bit of everything. Trust them. They’ll reward you with goals.

Forward: Raul Jimenez, Mexico

One of the easiest decisions in the squad, Jimenez has 13 Premier League goals this season plus another nine in the Europa League.

Jimenez went from a Benfica supersub to a genuine Premier League star over the course of a year and a half. While the talent seemed to be there since his days at America, the versatility and understanding he has both of Nuno Espirito Santo’s system at Wolves and what Tata Martino wants him to do with El Tri is a recent revelation.

Now that he’s proved he can put it all together, there’s no doubt he’s the top forward in the region.

The squad

Something like this:

Talk back

In around three hours, I’ll toss out the link for the discussion thread. If you miss it, though, send me a tweet or reply to the email. We can have it out - in good fun of course!

Have a great weekend. Next week’s newsletter will feature at least one reported story and other thoughts from the Concacaf region.