It's hard to have one system throughout, when you don't have good enough players throughout to play whatever system that is, whether it's a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3. Trying to cram less technical and tactical players into a 4-3-3 is asking for trouble.
This is the lineup/system I expect to see: -------------------------------------------- --Cuevas-------Villareal-----Salgado---- -------------------------------------------- --------------Gil----------Joya----------- -------------------Trapp------------------ ----------------------------------Yedlin-- --Ocegueda------------------------------ -------------Stanko---CB---------------- -----------------Cropper----------------- It looked to me like Tab favored a CF who could play like a false 9 and switch out to the wing. Jose and Salgado can both do this. McBean has no role if we are sticking with this system come hell or high-water. He obviously can play with his back to goal and drop somewhat to pick up the ball but he's not as mobile or technical as Villarreal or Salgado. I did not think Kiesswetter or Allen looked good in this system and I would prefer to have McBean on the squad as a tactical change up. With how he has manhandled guys in MLS and CONCACAF I doubt there are many U20 CBs (not named Brooks) who he couldn't throw around. Projecting forward, target men tend to mature later then quick or smaller attackers. To me McBean looks as technical as McBride was at his peak which would tend to bode well for his future. On my personal depth chart McBean is third or fourth and outside Brooks he's as close to a first team cap as anyone in this age group. Villarreal does not have breakaway speed, he's going to have to play like a smaller Dempsey. Salgado has been injury prone so we don't know if or by how much he's fallen behind, he was my #1 prospect in this group. Cuevas has not broken into his first team and it sounded like his club was surprised with his breakout performance, was it an outlier or a taste of more to come? Daniel Garcia is a Brian Mullan/pest type guy. Rodriguez has all the tools but plays dumb. If Pineda is in the same class as these guys he should be able to get significant first team minutes this year.
If you're suggesting that there aren't U17 players who can play Ramos' style, I don't agree. Williams and most our DA scouts are simply much more oriented to kids who play like Corey Baird, Ahinga Selemani, and Alan Winn.
Right now McBean is a starter for the reigning MLS champs and a top 3 MLS team. No other U-20 can claim anything close to that other than JABrooks. Right now you could make a pretty decent argument he is the best pure US U-20 forward.
To be fair, none of that really means much to me. All I care about is who the best player is. You are more than welcome to argue that, but his technical ability is not good enough for my liking.
And in terms of who will be the best player in the future its worth remembering that McBean is 16 days away from being eligible for the next WYC. He's a december 94. Younger than the Morris kid we all seem to love after one scrimmage, more than a year younger than Villarreal. He has 6 goals in 9 games for the Galaxy against real professional soccer playing men. Not teenagers. And I think he's more technical than people think. You've seen him play with men, you havent seen most of the rest play against men.
Tab plays the 4231 with the idea that if Villareal starts wide then he and the CF can change spots at will as we saw during the qualifying campaign. Rodriguez and Salgado are good fits for a system where the CF would need to spend equal time out on the wings and up front. I think that's what might be holding Mcbean back (if in fact he is being held back by anything). Mcbean as most of us can see is an old fashion 9. An old fashion 9 looks to be a hard fit in the system at the moment. Remember Mcbean at club level plays in a standard 442 which is what a player like him is made for.
I'm not advocating Jack starts, but he can easily see roles late in games. He can help hold the ball when trying to kill off a game, and he provides size when maybe trying to get a late goal and have to resort to some long balls.
Salgado has a huge ceiling. I wouldn't have a problem with him starting over Mcbean. I'm not so sure about Rodriguez, though. I just think we should try to take are best combination of forwards to the U20 WC regardless of a coaches style. I would hope that Ramos would not be this influenced by a scrimmage game.
How is Salgado being deployed by Ramos? The problem was his injury and 2nd, Vancouver wanted to convert him to a winger, which is absolutely stupid.
Salgado has break away speed with his long strides. He's a power dribbler. Its understandable they would try him out there. I don't think it's hi best position, though.
I find it a little disconcerting that Pineda has never made any inroads into a somewhat weak Chicago team, but maybe that will change now that he's healthy this season. In any case, you are certainly correct that Ramos seemed to really like Pineda. He was a U-20 camp regular up until he got hurt and I suspect he would have been on the qualifying team otherwise. If Pineda is healthy and hasn't lost too much ground to his competitors, we are probably underrating his chances of playing a role in Turkey.
This is semi-related. Chicago have been absolutely awful. They narrowly beat Columbus last weekend in just a terrible game, both teams couldn't even get a shot goal in the 1st half. Not sure where Pineda is in their plans but one would think he'd get a chance given their poor play. Yes it's true McBean doesn't fit Ramos' desired style but the very least should be on the team.
Maybe. I believe he still rates Rodriguez and Kiesewetter higher than McBean and some that you rank there as well. The Toulon roster will be telling in this regard. If those two are left off of that roster, then I'll be on board. As we know, with the 4-3-3 system we're playing, many of those forwards you list are wingers............which is what you're looking for there. In qualifying Ramos used both Allen and Kiesewetter on the wings when they came in as subs. What I'll say for McBean is that he offers something different than many of these other forwards in our pool. So it's just whether that "something different" is actually what Ramos wants. I see some value in it. Of course, perhaps Ramos is hoping that a healthy Salgado can offer more. He can play on the wing and as a "target forward."
Just throwing this out there, but what about Herbert Robinson Garcia of Santos? Yes, I know he is a '96, but he has appeared on the bench for the Santos Laguna first team twice now. Pretty impressive for a '96. If we were discussing Sonora playing up a cycle because he looked impressive in a few U-17 games, I think appearing on the bench for one of the best teams in Mexico should qualify you as well to at least be discussed.
Ives Galarcep @SoccerByIves 1m Awful news. RT @ScottJFrench: Time Warner Cable reports Jack McBean's clavicle is fractured. Bad news and it also ends a spirited discussion about him and the U20 team.
Collarbone injury I think. Pretty bad injury if a clavicle is indeed a collarbone injury. Should be a few months. Not season ending or anything like that, but McBean should be out until at least July.