I agree with your sentiment but would you agree that if he was looking for a veteran presence he should've went with Jay DeMerit?
Meh, I think you're right, I may have thought since Agudelo played in Chivas on the left, I assumed he would be placed here too, but they can both alternate either way.
Swap EJ and Agudelo. The GAM will play the LWish position like he did in the WCQ. You may have it otherwise, although the LB position is up for grabs (AJDLG and maybe Morales have a shot). Edit: Real Corona, Deut, and even you beat me too it
Best 11 against Canada, for a decent showing, with Houston boy Tally in goal --beita---gonzo----besler---morrow ------------zusi-----beck-------- -----gatt-------mix------ej----- ---------------wondo----------- Actually, Jk said on Fox that the purpose of the camp was to pick 8 to go to Honduras, presumably 1 gk and 7 field players so I'd say gatt, ej,zusi, gonzo, besler, mix, agudelo. Who do you think will make it?
To me, Brad Davis is an easy call up, for two reasons. First, he's great in MLS and bringing guys like him sends the right message. If you are not just good, but a dominant player in the league, you'll get at least a look in January camp. Second, even if he doesn't have a role in the NT when the games count, he brings quality to the camp. Let's remind ourselves what the point of the January camp is: to identify the NT fringe players who may be ready to contribute and to give them an opportunity to demonstrate their readiness. Therefore, the ideal way to construct a roster is to select your favored NT fringe players/prospects and then surround them with as much quality as possible. It's only January camp, but the more you raise the level of play and mental game speed, the more you can learn about the readiness NT fringe players/prospects. That's why you see players like Brad Davis and Jeff Parke in camp instead of others with brighter futures, but who are currently lesser players. The longer term prospects like Okugo and DeLeon (to name a couple) who are promising, but won't be ready tomorrow can wait. They aren't the focus.
McCarty, Kitchen, even Cronin. We've been down this road before. Dude has murdered us on the big stage a few times already. Im praying to the gods that JJ is a late addition. And yes, a healthy Beitashour is the best body in camp for right back. That will be re-enforced in camp just like it was the All Star game. Looks like the rest of BS save for a few posters get it too. Someone said AJDG was quicker than Beitashour? frealzies? is that cereal?? Beita when healthy is one of the quickest speed demons in the league. a big reason the quakes had the best record this year was their speed merchants that other teams couldnt keep up with, it paid dividends in the Chelsea match too. First time in a All Star match our fullbacks werent run off the pitch.....ever.
Anyone want to guess who are the 6/7 guys he's trying to get ready for the Honduras game? I'll go with.. 1) Gatt 2) Gonzalez 3) Diskerud 4) Zusi (Obviously) 5) Eddie Johnson 6) Beckerman (Don't care for him personally, but decent D-Mid in emergency situations, good character guy as well) 7) Maybe Besler...? Or Agudelo?
Yes, John is recovering from an ankle procedure on December 6th with a 4-6 week recovery. http://www.3rddegree.net/2012/12/06/george-john-undergoes-minor-ankle-procedure/
Do you really think JK rates Feilhaber higher than Mix? of course not. Plus your lineup will change once we get other players a week later.
Never seen O'Brein play so I can't truly feel that he's a snub. The only player I feel should have been called and wasn't is Myers. I'm very excited to see Bruin in camp.
You would think so. I'm curious to see Morales go head to head with Beckerman, I have no idea which one would be the better player. My hunch is that Mix will show that he is good enough to start, if that is the case maybe Morales would be a better partner for him.
Agreed. Cooper has already shown an ability to score at the international level, and the only player in MLS who scored more goals than him this season was Wondo.
Considering that most posters in this thread agree with me relative to DeLaGarza, and a LA Galaxy fan agreed with me before your post, lets not pull the "Your a homer" crap. Lee is good but old. He died for Vancouver midseason and just was not good. Franklin has stone feet. If the man had a decent touch he could be better, but he doesnt and it wasnt terribly close. As for DeLaGarza vs. Beitashour, Im just sort of dumbfounded by this opinion. Beitashour is quicker, faster, a much much much better crosser, covers more ground, and is more active on his line. The only area I might give an advantage to DeLaGarza is his 1v1 defending, but thats a weakness in both their games. The difference is Beitashour has a lot more strengths to offset that.
Posted in another thread, but the only thing missing from Lade's game is quicker decision making and experience. And of course experience will help with that quicker decision making. He's fast (which you can't teach), covers tons of ground, works incredibly hard and has a great attitude, and is very good technically. Some people complain about his lack of size, but he's only an inch shorter than Dolo/Donovan. Both of whom have had great careers because of their tactical/technical skill, and never ending motor. Not saying he'll reach their level of course, but he might be a nice long term project. He's also a converted CB. So he hasn't even learned the outside back and/or outside mid role yet. Very high ceiling for this kid. It'll be good for him to get a look at this level of play so he can see just how much more work he has to put in.
Glad they are here: GOALKEEPERS (2): Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United) Reason: Hall is a solid pick among MLS veterans and Hamid is probably the best "young" goal keeper starting in MLS. DEFENDERS (4): Steven Beitashour (San Jose Earthquakes), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Justin Morrow (San Jose Earthquakes) Reason: These are probably the 4 best american players at their position in MLS. I wouldnt be freaked out at all if you told me this would be the back 4 vs. Honduras. MIDFIELDERS (4): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) Reason: Beckerman and Zusi are standard MLS type locks. Davis has long been overlooked. Matthew Doyle has convinced me Benny should be given a chance, I also like his move to KC to striaghten him out a bit. FORWARDS (3): Will Bruin (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes) Will Bruin absolutely earned this. Hes not pretty, but hes effective. Im not a huge fan of EJ, but he should be here in this camp. If you score 27 goals in MLS, you deserve a look at, regardless of circumstances. Indifferent to their presence: GOALKEEPERS (0): DEFENDERS (1): Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin) MIDFIELDERS (3): Alejandro Bedoya (out of contract), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Joshua Gatt (Molde) FORWARDS (0): Reason: I realized all these guys fall into the same basic category. I think these guys are all overhyped, I dont think they are bad, but I dont think they are half of what bigsoccer posters think they are. Morales, Diskerud and Gatt I would all say are guys with some talent but who I dont think are ready to contribute. Bedoya I think is, for the camp cupcake level, ok. I dont see him ever doing much with the full national team, but hell fit in fine to the camp. Wish they were somebody else: GOALKEEPERS (1): Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire) Reason: 1 day he looks great, the next day awful. I like my goalkeepers somewhat reliable. DEFENDERS (4): Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), A.J. DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy), Connor Lade (New York Red Bulls), Jeff Parke (Philadelphia Union) Reason: Tony Beltran and A.J. DeLaGarza are the same player in my eyes. Too close to a cieling that is too low to ever factor in the MNT setup. Lade has some characteristics that are nice, but when I see him I see Corey Ashe, and I dont want to see either with the USMNT. Nice MLS players, but not going to be much more. Parke is a solid pro, but shouldnt be in this picture. MIDFIELDERS (1): Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders) Reason: Evans is an underrated MLS player, but hes also never going to be a USMNT quality player either. Just does everything.. ok. FORWARDS (2): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Edson Buddle (Colorado Rapids) Reason:Im not too keen on rewarding these guys after poor season for different reasons. Edson because Im really unsure how his career path is going to go. He may rebound, he may fade fast. Agudelo because I think he needs to get his s**** together on the club level before he things about the national team. I want that message ground into every player from youth on up.[/quote]
I have to think Beckerman is much better than Morales. Morales regularly fails to make the bench for a 2. Bundesliga side, and his only appearance this season is a substitute appearance in a cup match back in August. The fact that Hertha Berlin released him, considering its not an international fixture, to me says he's really not in their plans. Frankly, Morales was the biggest surprise on this roster to me, especially considering there's a player at the same position two years younger who's a regular starter in a comparable league- Perry Kitchen.
[/quote] I agree with most of what you've said here. However, I think that Bedoya is not only a player who has the abilities to be a solid player on the full national team, but he's shown it on several occasions. I've liked what he's brought to the game every time he's had the US jersey on.
I would be happy to play Canada without a goalkeeper, if the rules would allow that, and give a third CB a good workout defending the goal-line.
[/quote] The only reason i think Agudelo needs to go to Europe is to realize that people get rewarded for success not just having talent. He has gotten to a point where he is living off of the glimpses of greatness he has shown due to hi natural talent. He needs to get healthy and work hard to get 10-15 goals a season in MLS. IMO, there are some young MLS players who had good MLS seasons who are more deserving
These are the logical guys, and the top 5 are strong candidates. But I'd be surprised if JK really ends up with 6 or 7 of this pool on the game-day roster for Honduras. That seems too many to me. Also, one of these camp keepers will travel with the squad to back up Howard and Guzan, at least during pre qualifier training.