FloFC continues its series looking at Gregg Berhalter's first team camp with the U.S. men's national team, which prospects he has chosen, and how their chances are shaping up.

Russell Canouse | D.C. United

After a breakout year as D.C. United’s starting midfielder, Canouse should be in direct competition with Wil Trapp in the No. 6 depth chart. Beating out the likes of Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams when the time comes for competitive matches will be difficult, but the Gold Cup is months away — this camp, as well as a couple of others in the lead-up, is for players to jostle for position.

Some, like Lovitz, are trying to simply stick around and plant the idea in Berhalter’s mind that they deserve a permanent spot at least in the pool. Canouse could rise higher. He has more defensive acumen than Trapp, who famously struggles with physicality and range at the international level, and Canouse’s distribution is underrated. 

64.7 - D.C. United won 64.7% of the 17 games in which Russell Canouse started. They won just 17.6% of the 17 games he did not start. Influence. pic.twitter.com/2k8sWLTvgA

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) December 20, 2018

Underlying numbers point to Canouse’s effectiveness on the ball. Per American Soccer Analysis, his passing percentage of 88 percent is four points higher than his expected figure, indicating he is making passes other players don’t make. His passing score of 39.6 is solid, though the stat can be misleading. 

Continuing last season’s performance on an energetic, possession-oriented DCU team would do wonders for Canouse, who is still just 23. He will further complicate a crowded central midfield depth chart, and could help push Michael Bradley back out of the picture. Berhalter should manage Canouse and Trapp as players fitting different styles and use that to his advantage.

Harrison Hamm is a sportswriter who covers American soccer and MLS for FloFC. He also covers sports for FanSided and The Comeback, and has freelanced for the Washington Post.