Netherlands vs. USA: 5 Bold Predictions for International Friendly
The United States men's national team will travel to Amsterdam on Friday to face the Netherlands in a key friendly for both nations.
The visiting Yanks are using Friday's match as a litmus test for certain players ahead of the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, while the host Oranje are preparing for a Euro qualifier against Latvia on June 12.
Since this is still a friendly match, we should expect both Jurgen Klinsmann and Guus Hiddink to experiment with a few things over 90 minutes at the Amsterdam Arena.
With that in mind, we decided to make five bold predictions for Friday's clash.
Bobby Wood Sees Significant Time Up Top for the Yanks
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When Klinsmann announced his initial 22-man squad for Friday's friendly, the one name that stood out at the forward position was Bobby Wood.
Wood, who has played in the 2.Bundesliga for the last five years, is not in terrific form like the other forwards on the current roster. But despite his lack of production at the club level, Klinsmann obviously sees something special in the 22-year-old.
Since he already knows what he will get out of Aron Johannsson, Gyasi Zardes and Juan Agudelo, Klinsmann could hand Wood an extended shift up top against a difficult Dutch side.
If Wood is unable to shine for the visitors in Amsterdam, he would most likely end up on the bench for the Germany friendly, and off the roster in the future.
Guus Hiddink Starts His Players with Little International Experience
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One way the Netherlands could get good use of the match is to play some of their stars with little or no international experience.
Players like Bas Dost, Karim Rekik and Davy Propper are all deserving of starts, but they have plenty of talent ahead of them currently on the depth chart.
Since Friday's match is only a tune-up for the June 12 Euro qualifier against Latvia, Hiddink has a chance to give some of these guys valuable minutes versus a decent defensive unit.
Dost may be the most intriguing name on the Dutch roster after his spectacular season at Wolfsburg. If he extends his spell of good form into Friday, he could be as productive as someone like Robin van Persie in the final third.
DeAndre Yedlin and Brek Shea Both Start in Defense
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Placing DeAndre Yedlin and Brek Shea in the same back four will simultaneously hand USMNT fans a feeling of excitement and nervousness.
Both Yedlin and Shea are capable of bombing forward on the wing and expanding the attack, but they are also not the strongest of defenders at the moment.
We are all aware of Yedlin's speed, which could end up being a major asset for the Yanks on Friday, but he needs a high-quality test to measure where he stands in the developmental process after six months at Tottenham Hotspur.
As for Shea, he could take hold of the left back position with a solid performance in Amsterdam, but he could also easily throw away his advantage over the other left-sided defenders during his time on the pitch against the Oranje.
If the pair are able to play a clean defensive game, they would hand Klinsmann a major boost in the back four entering the Gold Cup.
Memphis Depay Exposes Plenty of Holes in the USMNT Defense
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One Dutch player who will be thrust into the spotlight on Friday is Manchester United-bound winger Memphis Depay.
With the pressure mounting on the shoulders of the 21-year-old, it will be interesting to see how he handles an international match after enduring the rigors of the European club season with PSV Eindhoven.
A golden opportunity awaits Depay in the form of the USMNT defense, as the Yanks have been far from consistent at the back during Klinsmann's reign. One match the USMNT can look like one of the top defenses in the world and the next they could be letting in four goals.
No matter what level the USMNT back four plays at against the Dutch, they will still have trouble handling Depay, which means the star winger could be set for a breakout match for the Oranje.
Michael Bradley Moves Away from the No. 10 Position
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Where Michael Bradley starts a USMNT match has become one of the most debated topics in American soccer over the last year.
Recently Klinsmann has used the Toronto FC man in the No. 10 position, which has not drawn a ton of rave reviews from the followers of the Yanks. Despite the unpopularity of the move, Bradley has played well in his new role.
Although Friday would be a great test for Bradley in an offensive role, the Yanks need him more in the defensive midfield with Jermaine Jones out injured. Kyle Beckerman and Alfredo Morales are on the roster, but Bradley is the best option at the position against the dangerous Dutch attack.
Whether or not Klinsmann chooses to start the star midfielder in his preferred spot remains to be seen, but if he wants to leave Amsterdam with a positive result, it would be wise to do just that.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
