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How will USMNT line up v. Ecuador?

By Nicholas MendolaMar 20, 2019, 8:42 AM EDT

So now that the match preview is out of the way, who will Gregg Berhalter choose for his Starting XI against Ecuador on Thursday in Florida?

There are some easy choices. We know Christian Pulisic is going to start at attacking center midfield, and it would be stunning if John Brooks isn’t the starting center back.

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Given that Berhalter has labeled Tyler Adams a right back and DeAndre Yedlin a winger while also calling in a less-than-ideal batch of forwards, we can pretty sure he’s going to opt for old pal Gyasi Zardes up top.

But will Zardes be alone, or paired with another striker? Is Tim Ream going to be a left back who sits as a center back when the U.S. has the ball and Adams pushes into the midfield? Will Yedlin start at wing?

Here are a couple of options Berhalter could use on Thursday:

4-2-3-1

Horvath

Adams — Brooks — Miazga — Lovitz

Bradley — McKennie

Yedlin — Pulisic — Arriola

Zardes

4-4-2

Johnson

Adams — Brooks — Miazga — Ream

Bradley

McKennie — Lletget

Pulisic

Zardes — Morris

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Zidane quizzed on Pogba: “We know what we want to do”

AP Photo/Rui Vieira

By Nicholas MendolaJul 20, 2019, 3:49 PM EDT

UEFA gives partial stadium bans to Bulgaria, Romania for fan racism

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Associated PressJul 20, 2019, 2:35 PM EDT

Transfer rumor roundup: Everton join Zaha chase; Matuidi to Man Utd?

Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images

By Andy EdwardsJul 20, 2019, 1:44 PM EDT

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A roundup of Saturday’s biggest transfer rumors from around the world, including those involving a few Premier League clubs…

[ MORE: PL refs told to defer to VAR more, go to the monitor “sparingly” ]

Wilfried Zaha is one of the most wanted men in England, with Arsenal reportedly hot on his trail all summer. An deal between the Gunners and Crystal Palace is yet to transpire, though, which has perhaps left the door open for Everton to sneak through and sign the 26-year-old Ivory Coast international.

Arsenal would obviously pay more in wages, but are yet to meet Palace’s valuation of their talisman. If Everton is the club that calls with the requisite figures on offer, it wouldn’t be the worst landing place for Zaha. With Arsenal yet to make a meaningful signing this summer, and the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Laurent Koscielny already gone or on their way out, the 2019-20 season could see the Gunners take a step back, opening the door for — you guessed it — Everton to break into the top-five… or -four.

Speaking of Ramsey, his arrival at Juventus has perhaps made Blaise Matuidi surplus to requirements, which means he could be available for cut-rate price.

Manchester United seem to be perennially in need of influential central midfielders, especially this summer after the departure of Ander Herrera and the failure of a signing that was Fred last summer. Man United have reportedly been in contact with Juve about the 32-year-old, as have Paris Saint-Germain and Everton.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is another midfielder who’s been linked with United, but he’ll likely just as much as, if not more than, the $59-million fee paid for Fred. Milinkovic-Savic seemed a surefire target for the world’s top clubs after a star’s showing at last summer’s World Cup in Russia, but the 24-year-old remained at Lazio and is still yet to move 12 months later.

Patrick Cutrone was one of Europe’s breakout stars of the 2018-19 season, now the 21-year-old AC Milan forward is reportedly high atop Wolverhampton Wanderers’ shopping list this summer. He won’t come cheap — Milan are expected to demand nearly $30 million — but he could offer some serious insurance in the event of an injury to Raul Jimenez.

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PL refs told to defer to VAR more, go to the monitor “sparingly”

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By Andy EdwardsJul 20, 2019, 12:35 PM EDT

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Premier League interim chief executive Richard Masters says that referees have ben instructed “to use the referee review area a bit more sparingly” and rely on the numerous video-assistant referees (VAR) at their disposal to make simple calls upon review when video review is instituted in the PL next month.

[ MORE: Lukaku latest: Man United reject $67-million bid from Inter Milan ]

Following the 2019 Women’s World Cup, where far too many trip to the monitor were made by the center referees, the PL is keen on ensuring that “the Premier League or English football [is not] interrupted, or the pace of the game [is not] changed.” It sounds very much like a “less is more” approach — quotes from the BBC:

“I think fans want to see those clear and obvious mistakes changed and put right. But they don’t want to see the Premier League or English football interrupted, or the pace of the game changed.

“I think the only difference you might see is the referees using the referee review area a bit more sparingly and relying more on the VAR for the more subjective decisions.

“But we are putting something new into the Premier League and if it needs to be refined or improved or tweaked we will look at it when the moment arises.”

In theory, this should work quite well for the PL. Many of the decisions that referees go to the monitor to review themselves could easily be made by the “fifth official.” If it’s obvious to the VAR and he/she can make the call with 100 percent certainty, the center ref should always take their decision in the name of keeping the game flowing. If the VAR isn’t so sure, or it’s a more subjective call that should be made by the person making 99 percent of the game’s calls, go to the monitor. But do so quickly.

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