Who should make the U.S. men’s national team roster for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar? Our writers give their wish lists.

Andrea Canales: Ugh. Well, that last match was dire, folks. I feel like the players who didn’t make this friendly roster and participate in these two doleful USMNT matches might have been the ones who helped themselves the most. And Gio Reyna got hurt. I love Reyna’s playing style, love what he is capable of, but can we get past the notion that there’s any room on the World Cup roster for injured players who are there for moral support or one miracle play? In other words, Reyna should not be like his dad in 1994 or John O’Brien in 2006. Take players who can actually play without putting themselves and the team at risk in games. I don’t want to see Reyna or anyone else on the roster unless they’re capable of at least a full half of all-out game play. It’s bad enough watching Weston McKennie as a shadow of his former self because he’s still working his way back from injury.

So now that the final friendlies are done, who do we think should make the USMNT’s 2022 World Cup roster?

Jonathan Tannenwald: The most important thing I’ve seen so far is that we didn’t learn anything we didn’t already know. The only person whose stock went up is Matt Turner, and we’ll never know what would have happened if Zack Steffen had been healthy enough to travel. Then again, he played for Middlesbrough after being omitted supposedly because of injury. I don’t want to get suspicious about that, but I can’t help wondering.The number one thing we already knew is the limitations of Jesús Ferreira and Ricardo Pepi. Granting that Pepi barely got any service today, he didn’t do much to prove to me that he should be on the plane over Jordan Pefok. Ferreira once again got the U.S.’ best chance in a game, but shot it straight at Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Rubaie.

I also was surprised that Josh Sargent didn’t play at all against Saudi Arabia. Gregg Berhalter seemed sort of remorseful in what was a pretty short and very terse postgame news conference. But it wasn’t anyone else’s choice to not give Sargent any run. If it was up to me, my three strikers on the plane would be Sargent, Pefok and Ferreira, from starter on down. It seems pretty clear that Berhalter will stick with Ferreira, Pepi and Sargent in that order.

Canales: For the strikers, I’d pick Pepi, Pefok and Ferreira. My reasoning is that there’s room for a couple of redemption stories on the USMNT roster — Pepi and Pefok on the club level — though Sargent’s comeback is also inspiring. I agree completely with you, JT, that Berhalter should have given him a run out, but he didn’t. So it comes down to a personal consideration of valuing what the strikers have done for club and country. I lean more toward form than system, and if Berhalter leaves off Pefok because he prefers guys who are a better system fit, then I say Berhalter doesn’t deserve a second cycle even if the US advances from World Cup group play.

Granted, I’m on record as being against renewing USMNT manager contracts in general, partly in order to keep perspectives on rosters and tactics fresh, not biased.

In the midfield, I’ll posit that by his absence, Yunus Musah revealed the truth that he may be the most important player on the USMNT roster today. Sure, the team played better against Saudi Arabia than against Japan, partly because Christian Pulisic played, but it was an incremental improvement rather than a massive one. Another position where I learn toward form is with goalkeepers, and right now, I’d give the starting spot to Matt Turner based on that. Sure, I still think Zack Steffen can get the job done, but don’t believe he’s the best option at present.

Tannenwald: I’m against second cycles on principle, too. As for Sargent, I think he’s simply a better player than Pepi and Ferreira. If Pepi goes off in the Netherlands over the next month, Ferreira would be my odd one out - he’s good, but the other three guys have better pedigrees. As important as all the other stuff a striker does can be, the most important thing is putting the ball in the net when the 90 minutes only give you one or two chances to do it.

Gustav Elvin: For me, goalkeeper Matt Turner was the biggest winner among the players in camp, as he was excellent against Japan and really kept that 2-0 scoreline respectable. While he is unlikely to play regularly at Arsenal barring an injury to Aaron Ramsdale, Turner may have done enough here to earn the No. 1 shirt. Zack Steffen’s play has been uneven at Middlesbrough to say the least and it feels as if Turner has at least closed the gap in the competition to be the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper. I’ve long said Turner is the better shot-stopper and for the U.S., that should be the deciding factor heading into a World Cup.

» READ MORE: Free Pefok? Debating the World Cup credentials of U.S. strikers

Pefok was also a winner here, despite not being called in for the two tune-up friendlies. Controversial selection Ricardo Pepi failed to take his “last chance” against Saudi Arabia or produce anything that would indicate he should be included on the roster. Meanwhile, Jesus Ferreira failed to convince in front of goal again, including with one gilt-edged chance against Japan, while in-form Josh Sargent was only given 45 minutes by Gregg Berhalter vs. Japan during the window.

Yunus Musah’s absence was also apparent during these two games, as the U.S. struggled in the middle of the park without his energy, tenacity and ability on the ball. Luca de la Torre was particularly poor against Japan, as was full-back Reggie Cannon, who was another who hurt his stock this window as he competes for a roster spot with the likes of DeAndre Yedlin and Joe Scally.

Canales: Well, at least Mexico fans can commiserate with USA ones in terms of feeling frustration with a coach who won’t call an in-form striker even when it seems the team really needs it. Though I still think there’s a far better chance Gregg Berhalter comes around to adding Pefok than Tata Martino budges on refusing Chicharito.

Here’s my final list:

Goalkeepers — Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, Sean Johnson.

Left backs — Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally

Right backs — Sergiño Dest, DeAndre Yedlin, Reggie Cannon

Centerbacks — Walker Zimmerman, Chris Richards, Erik Palmer-Brown, Mark McKenzie

Defensive midfielders — Tyler Adams, Kellyn Acosta

Attacking midfielders — Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Luca de la Torre, Malik Tillman.

Left wingers — Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson.

Right wingers — Gio Reyna (only if healthy), Tim Weah, Haji Wright

Strikers — Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Pefok, Ricardo Pepi,

Tannenwald: You mean U.S. fans in the present can commiserate with U.S. fans of the past about a coach sticking to personal principle about which strikers he brings? Maybe that can be our next roundtable...

Here’s my final list, making it clear that it’s who I would take and not who I think Berhalter will take:

Goalkeepers — Turner, Steffen, Johnson.

Left backs — Robinson, Scally (who can play both flanks), Sam Vines

Right backs — Dest, Yedlin

Centerbacks — Zimmerman, Richards, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Palmer-Brown (McKenzie is the first name out)

Defensive midfielders — Adams, Acosta

Attacking midfielders — Musah, McKennie, de la Torre, Tillman

Left wingers — Pulisic, Aaronson

Right wingers — Reyna (no disclaimers about health here), Weah, Paul Arriola (as a late-game defensive closer)

Strikers — Pefok, Josh Sargent, Ferreira

» READ MORE: Gregg Berhalter says the USMNT’s current strikers are more different than fans think

Elvin: Here are my picks for the final roster list.

Goalkeepers — Zack Steffen, Matt Turner, Ethan Horvath

Center backs — Walker Zimmerman, Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Chris Richards, Tim Ream

Left back — Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally

Right back — Sergino Dest, DeAndre Yedlin, Reggie Cannon

Defensive Midfielders — Tyler Adams, Kellyn Acosta

Attacking Midfielders — Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Luca de la Torre

Wingers — Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson, Paul Arriola

Strikers — Jesus Ferreira, Josh Sargent, Jordan Pefok

» READ MORE: Filling the World Cup -- early predictions of the U.S. men's national team roster