Competition is always stiff for the top players who are called upon to compete in World Cup Qualifiers for the U.S. Men's National Team, but 22-year-old United midfielder Paul Arriola has repeatedly shown the ability to contribute to the Americans' wide play. With his youthful energy, pace and willingness to compete, both pressing hard on the attack and hustling back to clog up the midfield on defense, Arriola will be a solid option for head coach Bruce Arena during Friday's match against Costa Rica and Tuesday's match in Honduras.
When considering lineup options, Arriola will likely be primarily competing with Fabian Johnson and Darlington Nagbe for a spot on either wing, defending on where 18-year-old starlet Christian Pulisic is deployed. Each midfielder is top-tier talent, but they all bring slightly different skill sets and strengths to the pitch for the Yanks.
While Pulisic and Nagbe are comfortable lining up either on the wing or in the middle, Johnson, and Arriola most regularly play out wide. As already seen in his first four matches with D.C. United, Arriola loves to switch wings, challenging opponent's defenses with new looks on the attack. If Arriola pairs out wide with Johnson, Nagbe or Pulisic, expect them to regularly switch on the flanks, which allows United's newest Designated Player the flexibility to stretch defenses, link up with teammates higher up the field and change the dynamic of the attack regularly.
While Arriola has proven he can score, notching goals in his two first appearances with the national team, his defensive abilities have been equally as impressive. The 22-year-old has no problem dropping back to support the defense, using his feistiness and pace to pester opponents' midfielders.
Pulisic has had a hand in nine of the 11 goals the USMNT have scored while he's on the pitch, while Johnson is returning from injury. Depending on the midfield diamond Arena chooses to utilize, and if Johnson is deemed not fully fit, Arriola could feature out wide with Nagbe and Pulisic each holding down a central or wide midfield role.
Each winger picked up significant minutes during the USMNT's June matches, making competition for a starting spot in this week's games even stiffer. Whether Arriola earns a starting nod or comes off of the bench with fresh legs, look for the United standout to impact the match's pace and play both sides of the ball.
