USMNT: Who Should Jurgen Klinsmann Start Against Chile?

The United States men's national team and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann will open up their 2015 campaign on Wednesday with a friendly against Chile (6 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1).

Being that the game doesn't fall on an official FIFA international match date, the USMNT won't have its full complement of players. However, with the influx of U.S. internationals into Major League Soccer over the past two years, the lineup should be much stronger than those normally available during the annual "Camp Cupcake" friendlies.

Here's how the team should line up.

Goalkeeper

John Gress/Getty Images

Although Nick Rimando is the U.S.'s de facto No. 2 in the net right now—behind Aston Villa's Brad Guzan—Sean Johnson should get the nod Wednesday night.

At 35 years old, Rimando likely has only a year or two left in his international career. Johnson, who is 25, is the future.

Over the past few years, Johnson and D.C. United's Bill Hamid have battled over the No. 3 spot on the U.S. roster, but because of Tim Howard, Guzan and Rimando, neither Johnson nor Hamid has gotten much of an opportunity to play.

Hamid, who is missing this camp due to a shoulder injury, has started once, when the U.S. was drubbed 4-1 by Ireland to close out 2014.

Johnson has started twice in the past two years, picking up a shutout against Canada in the January 2013 friendly and having an outstanding game against Costa Rica during the 2013 Gold Cup. He was also terrific in the 2014 MLS season despite playing for a woeful Chicago Fire side.

Klinsmann needs to use this opportunity to get Johnson a game.

Center backs

One of the more exciting aspects of the match against Chile is the prospect that the U.S. will be lining up in a 3-5-2, a detail Jermaine Jones leaked to the press last week.

The three-back system offers the U.S. a much more versatile setup and takes better advantage of its player pool—which is stacked with quality center backs and wide backs who love to get forward.

At left center back, Klinsmann should start Matt Besler. Besler was outstanding in the 2014 World Cup—save the 30 minutes of extra time against Belgium, when exhaustion finally caught up with him—and should return to his spot in the starting lineup.

In the middle, Jermaine Jones should anchor the back line. While Klinsmann's experiment with Jones as a defender has still not fully proved its worth, it has shown promise and needs to be given time to develop. Jones' leadership, toughness and experience will all be needed.

Finally, at right center back, Matt Hedges should be given a run-out. Although he was a late call-up, Hedges earned a shot with the U.S. with his outstanding play in MLS in 2014 and could use the camp to push his way into the regular player pool in the same way Geoff Cameron and Besler did in past January camps.

Wing-backs

Mike Lawrie/Getty Images

With DeAndre Yedlin getting a late call-up, starting him on the right wing is a no-brainer. It's odd that he was brought in after moving to Tottenham earlier this month, but it is what it is. He's in camp—he needs to start.

Who starts on the left side is the biggest head-scratcher. With Fabian Johnson and Greg Garza not in camp, it will likely be either Dillon Serna or Brek Shea, but neither seems to be a great choice. Serna is talented, but he is also young and inexperienced. For Shea's part, it's doubtful whether he can be trusted to track back consistently, and his ability to possess in tight space is a well-known weakness.

Klinsmann should go with Serna and give the youngster a chance to prove himself.

Holding Midfielders

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Arranging the midfield with dual No. 6s is the best way for Klinsmann to go in the midfield. It will offer his three center backs cover and take advantage of his players' most natural positions. Although Klinsmann has repeatedly said he sees Michael Bradley as an attacking midfielder, all evidence is to the contrary—particularly Bradley's World Cup performances as a No. 10.

Bradley and Mix Diskerud—more of a natural No. 8 himself—can control the U.S. midfield. They are arguably the U.S.'s two most technical players and need to be paired side by side. They are both talented enough to get forward and connect the attack when needed and smart enough to cover for each other when one of them goes forward.

A Bradley-Diskerud midfield is simply Klinsmann's best option.

Attacking Midfielder

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

The U.S. desperately needs a true No. 10. Lee Nguyen excelled for the New England Revolution this past season in that exact position. Klinsmann would be a fool not to give Nguyen an extended run-out as the U.S.'s attacking midfielder against Chile.

While a strong MLS campaign does not equal international caliber—see Chris Wondolowski—Nguyen's 2014 was jaw-dropping at times, and he looked especially bright for the U.S. in a brief cameo against Colombia in November.

Forwards

Up top, it's a simple choice for Klinsmann—put Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey on the field and let them do their thing. They are simply the U.S.'s two best, and most proven, forwards.

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