The haunting memories of a failed Gold Cup tournament, coupled with Jurgen Klinsmann's stubbornness when it comes to some personnel decisions that appear to be no-brainers has plenty of U.S. national team fans nervous about Saturday's CONCACAF Cup showdown with Mexico.

The big thing to consider when trying to determine what sort of lineup will take the field at the Rose Bowl for the U.S. is the fact Klinsmann will have as close to a full-strength team as he has had since the World Cup. All of his first-choice options are available, something he hasn't been able to say in more than a year. That luxury should keep him from feeling the need to tinker too much with options that could be considered risky.

That doesn't mean Klinsmann's lineup can be easily ascertained. He does have some good options to choose from, and some tough decisions to make. Chief among those decisions is who to play in midfield and who to play in central defense. His center back pairing seems straightforward enough — Geoff Cameron and Matt Besler are the consensus best options — but there is always the possibility that Klinsmann still believes Ventura Alvarao is ready for prime time.

His midfield options are also plentiful, though it could boil down simply to the presence of one player-Kyle Beckerman. Klinsmann has to remember what happened at the World Cup when he left Beckerman on the bench--the U.S. lost to Belgium and was dominated in midfield. That said, Klinsmann could decide Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones should be enough to hold down the middle of the field.

In terms of how the Americans will approach Mexico, Klinsmann hasn't been afraid to use a defend-and-counter approach against Mexico before, particularly on the road at Estadio Azteca, and may opt for that if he feels Mexico will be on the attack early on. Keeping things tight early, and keeping what will likely be a pro-Mexico crowd out of the game will be key.

For that reason, a more defensive-minded midfield makes sense, but then again, Klinsmann may see an opportunity to attack El Tri early if he feels defensive-minded interim Mexico coach Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti will start his team out in a defensive posture.

So how will the U.S. lineup against Mexico on Saturday? Here are some options to consider:

THE BECKERMAN OPTION

The safe play for Klinsmann is to start Kyle Beckrman and sit him in front of a central defense that could consist of two players who haven't really played together in those roles. Beckerman's presence not only supports the defense, but it allows the midfield to devote more energy to attacking.

The the above graphic lines up as a flat 4-4-2, this personnel would more likely deploy in a diamond midfield, with Jones shaded left and either Alejandro Bedoya or Gyasi Zardes shaded on the right, where they will have the task of trying to keep marauding Mexican left back Miguel Layun honest defensively.

Using Beckerman will force Klinsmann to sacrifice some quality on the flanks since Jones isn't really a winger, but it would help lock down the middle of the field, and force Mexico to attack from the flanks.

BUILDING AROUND JONES-BRADLEY

Considering how good Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones are, it is telling that you don't hear many people calling for them to be partnered in central midfield. The big issue in the past has been Jones' seeming unwillingness to stay home and be a defensive anchor while Bradley provides more to the attack. This has led to the U.S. midfield being vulnerable on the counter as Jones has been caught too far forward.

To use the above lineup, Klinsmann needs Jones to commit to being more reliable defensively. Is the 33-year-old midfielder ready to just play a defensive-minded supporting role, or will the pull of jumping into the attack be too great for him to deny?

If Klinsmann could convince Jones to stay home in a No. 6 role, the U.S. midfield could start Zardes and Bedoya on the wings, which would help the Americans deal with Mexico's flank threats.

THE SPEED GAMBIT

Though this is clearly the least likely of the options, there's something enticing abut deploying two sets of fast flank options to try and neutralize Mexico on the wings. DeAndre Yedlin isn't really a true winger, but by putting him on the same side as Fabian Johnson, Klinsmann can have those two interchange and press Layun, and potentially Andres Guardado, in waves. Without Layon getting forward on the left for Mexico, El Tri would see its attacking options limited.

A Zardes-Beasley partnership on the left could also work well given Zardes increased work rate and Beasley's savvy, experience and speed. The pair haven't played together though, which makes it a less likely option, but Zardes has shown himself to be a quick study though.

This lineup could be risky because of the tactical naivete of Zardes and Yedlin, who don't always put themselves in good positions. Yedlin is especially vulnerable to making poorly-timed runs, and reading plays late, which could prove costly with some of Mexico's best attackers bearing down on him.

This lineup is probably more likely what we'll see in the second half, specially if the U.S. is chasing the game and wants to put pressure on the Mexican defense. As a starting lineup though? It's probably a long shot.