I agree that DMB set the bar extremely high for American wingers. I see Gatt in the same mold as DMB, extremely fast, and can make some dynamic and smart runs coming down the wing. However, Gyau is a different type of player. He isn't the DMB sort of winger, yes he possesses that same blazing speed, but he also has a ton of tricks in his bag. He looks to beat defenders off the dribble more than DMB or Gatt.
What? Are you implying given the current American development landscape, our players hit their peak at 24 and will not improve afterwards? That's completely false.
No, but they usually improve after making a jump teamwise in terms of talent. Lichaj has been with Villa for a long time now. It's not like this is a new level he has to adjust to anymore.
I'm not so sure, Dempsey is a difference maker but he was never a pass first type of player. so his linking ability to me is average at best.
Because the little that he has played CB even after not playing for club is good enough to keep giving him a look at that position, anyone else would probably not get a chance.
This is the dumbest thing I've read on BigSoccer today. Congrats. To think that a guy has "peaked" at 24, especially for a defender, is beyond wrong.
Technically, this is a jump in level for Lichaj. He's been sent out on loan a lot the past several seasons. He's gotten spot minutes with the first team in the past, but this is the first season where he is in competition for consistent first team minutes.
True. Why give shots to guys who actually play the position, or bring them in just for look sees. This makes so much more sense. If there is one area where defending JK is a fools errand, it's how he has handled CB. He already found one guy who was nothing more than an MLS player at the time. No way another guy in MLS could help. Oh wait, we just waited a year for Gonzo to get back because he is guaranteed to perform. His handling of this spot has been poor. His recognition of our issues there has been weak overall. Tryouts could have started long ago. Now we go into the Hex with big worries there, and try outs... ...or does an old Boca, really slow Gooch, weak Goodsen make everyone feel good?
Absolutely opposite. Beasley is a mediocre dribbler, but a great passer and one of the best at reading the game. Gyau is a very good dribbler who used to have no clue what's going on on the field.
I'm so afraid JK will put Williams at RM. I don't think Gatt, Gyau, or Mix have a realistic shot at starting. With no backup fullbacks to speak of, it looks like Chandler and Johnson are out FBs, unless JK wants to play Cameron at RB, and Edu-Boca in the middle. Could play Chandler on the left and Johnson in the midfield. Anyway, this is what it would look like: --------------Howard-------------- Cameron--Edu---Boca---Chandler -------------Williams--------------- Kljestan--Bradley--Jones--Johnson --------------Gomez---------------- Still, just too many guys out of position. But I do think 8/11 of those guys are locks to start (Howard, Cameron, Chandler, Johnson, Williams, Bradley, Jones, and Gomez). Boca is close to lock. Edu and Sacha are questionable. Per usual, we don't have a natural left winger, besides Gyau, on the roster. I think this screams 4-3-3/4-5-1. What I'd love to see: ---------------Howard-------------- Chandler--Cameron---Boca---FJ --------------Williams------------- ---------Jones-----Bradley-------- Gomez------Altidore-----Agudelo It would be way aggressive on the road. I'd love to see Chandler or FJ moved up into midfield, but there aren't any real backup FBs to allow it, aside from Cameron at RB. Agudelo hasn't been starting much lately, but JK has started him before.
1. Not sure why Eric Lichaj is so out of favor. He isn't that consistent, but his upside is that of a starter at RB. I honestly believe that it could/should eventually be RB Lichaj, LB Chandler, LW Johnson. Before I get tarred and feathered for projecting three different guys to play out of their club positions, let me explain. Eric Lichaj is not a left back. He has a half-functioning left foot, but other than that I don't understand why everyone wants to play him there. He's already positionally average, why hinder his attacking ability? Tim Chandler has a decent right foot, but in my opinion he's not even Eric Lichaj's equal technically on the right side. Chandler has elite catch-up speed. That pretty much explains him as a player. He's done well at LB for us. Fabian Johnson is already our third best attacking player. Play him closer to goal.
Wrong question. Edu has poor ball control/passing ability when the game speeds up. He is prone to errors in the midfield if the game gets stretched. Now he has to learn a whole new position where split second decision making is imperative. Experience and positioning is king. It begs for trouble. Now he doesn't even play, and I doubt he will play much at all because he simply isn't EPL material, even for a team like Stoke. Now we are going to experiment? With the Hex in sight and few games to learn. This makes sense? Is the experiment worthwhile? Think so, but only if u throw him in the deep end and play him for a long run of games and friendlies to learn. Now it's asking for trouble. JK had Besler in. Why not now? Hedges? Why not? If Gyau and Juan are here then why not? It is a fundamental lack of foresight and understanding of his CB pool from day one. This was not unpredicted. He needed to be aggressive from day one because of the already apparent issues. He saw through Ream quickly enough, but Fiscal? Jesus H. I would rather take a player who knows the spot, no matter how young, and give them looks over a guy like Edu who isn't playing, doesn't have very good ball skills and doesn't know how to play the spot. Against Mexico he was often in the wrong places on crosses or without a mark. Cameron's head, poor crossing and bad finishing bailed him out. He didn't look all that great. If u think he has some sort of ball skills and passing that make him a real asset back there I have yet to see them in his entire career. Some players catch crap no matter how much they perform, while others get passes and praise for very little. Mo Edu is the latter. If we had several games and a years run up go nuts. Now? Screams disaster in Central America. As I have always said, especially during the Ream delusion...I want my defenders to be able to defend first. That is most important. That's why Boca can always get a decent job and play. Yes, I think an MLS defender, even a young one, is actually worth at minimum a look. Edu, not convinced as is, and just not enough time. If it works out it will have been a big gamble, roll of the dice that paid off. Didn't have to come down to this. Well, it might have if all the others flopped, but some options were not explored, and still aren't. I do everything possible so I don't have to gamble. It's boring, but I win a lot more than the dice throwers. JK has had some tough luck with injuries and availability also. No argument there. IMO, this spot needed to be priority 1,2 and 3 when he was hired. He needed to be more aggressive. Instead we have gone the Fiscal, Torres,' Edu as a 6, Danny W out right route. Way to many games and way to long to figure out it wasn't gonna work. I appreciate giving guys a real run to see if it works but these were just overkill. CB required hard fast aggressive consistent action. Not a measured approach IMO. An inexperienced Cameron, not even playing that spot, an aging Boca, overmatched Goodsen, and roll of the dice Edu is what we are getting. Yes, I would have looked at any CB available in MLS with any potential to defend. Yes, I would have called Seb Hines, and I'm not a run to any foreigner guy. Long post and I apologize. Wanted to be clear. That's how big of a problem I think this is.
Interesting, fun young lineup...but I doubt we're going to throw all the kids to the wolves. I put the over/under on the number of your front 4 (Gyau, Boyd, Diskerud, Gatt) starting at 1. I think it's all but certain that Jones and Gomez will start, and I certainly hope Altidore will as well. Also, pet peeve of mine based on lots of lineups (not just you), but why is it so hard to keep CBs straight? Boca would obviously be the LCB in that pairing, not the RCB.
If we hit the world cup with a squad like this it will be like how Germany entered the 2010 World Cup and ran a few teams off the pitch!! This is the type of squad I want to see in my view It has identity written all over it!
I really haven't noticed that, but you're right, Cameron and Bocanegra should be flipped, I'll fix it next time!
I think the key in this roster is a bit more symbolic. I remember back in Juergen’s first game that for about 2/3′s of that game, we looked pretty poor. Then we added Brek Shea, Robbie Rogers, and Juan Agudelo to the mix. This seemed to change the game around. Shea and Rogers brought directness and somebody making runs off the intelligent ball-play of Donovan and Agudelo. That’s what we need/needed. We needed players darting into the channels and stretching play for guys like Dempsey, Donovan, and Bradley. Somewhere along the way, that got kind of lost. We ended up with an offensively inept (if hard-working) Danny Williams, and a Brek Shea who looked worn both physically and mentally, and has apparently been dealing with an injury for at least a while. We didn't have the wing players necessary to really be dangerous in the final third. That, or Juergen wasn't calling them up. In the recent game against Guatemala, we saw Eddie Johnson and Herculez Gomez bring directness, immediacy, and movement that troubled the opposition defense and created a little bit of space for Dempsey and Zusi. I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I do think it’s a sign Juergen is learning, or at least finally has the pieces available to him to play the way he’s been wanting. So, I'm pretty excited about this roster.
Gatt interview http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/12/for-josh-gatt-a-title-in-norway-and-maybe-a-cap-in-russia/
I'm just happy we have real wingers for a change. It was getting tiring seeing some players who are better centrally stuck on the wings by default.
In the end I think what we have is alright. If Onyewu can find any fitness it will give us more than enough options. Some guys are simply not international quality regardless of how long you give them.
Hmm... Gooch will be 32 for the World Cup. Goodson too. I think one more CB is needed to pair with Cameron. Boca and Dolo are unlikely to make it to the WC, all things said.
[quote="SweetLife, post: 26769212, member: Some guys are simply not international quality regardless of how long you give them.[ Of course, which makes some choices even more maddening. I think Gooch is done. Boca will continue to stumble. Goodsen is what he is. Cam is very inexperienced and not playing the spot. Sorry, not good enough in my book. Dual DM's will continue to band aid the problem, but that is a problem. Speed up top will also take some pressure off, but anyway u slice it....it's weak.