2018 backline: LB: Ream, with 4 years of Prem experience CB: Brooks, with 5 years of Bundesliga experience CB: Cameron, with 6 years of Prem experience RB: Yedlin, with 2 years of Barca experience (why not?)
I could see him being a legit starter for years. Whether in MLS or Europe, though hope he tries for the latter.
I think he's a fine player, but he's nearly at his peak already, at 27 years old (though with relatively little pro experience compared to other players his age). I could see him being surpassed by a better player, not through any faults or shortcomings of his own. Anyways, not the point. Was just getting wayyyyyy ahead of myself.
Do yourself a favor, unless they are all-time greats (and even then, hedge your bets), assume that north of 30-yo, you will likely have to replace them. Besler will be that. Cherundolo's are the exception, not the rule.
So Besler's age and years spent in college are issues, but they aren't for Cameron who is 20 months older? Almost all players retire in their 30s, so yeah, some point north of 30 years old, you have to replace a guy. But do yourself a favor, and look at the ages of the current players in our pool and you'll see that the contention you're making is absurd. There are hordes of players in their early 30s still part of the national team pool. Yes, some are all time greats like Donovan, Dempsey and Beasley. But Goodson, Parkhurst, Beckerman, Davis, Wondo, and EJ are not. In fact all of those non-all time great guys save Goodson at one point or another were probably considered done by lots of people, only to find themselves recalled for national team duty. Besler will be only 31 during the Russia World Cup in 2018. Don't get me wrong, I am not going to assume that he will still be a starter by then. I think the potential pool of CBs for 2018 is very big, and some younger guys could pass him. But assuming that players need to be replaced once they are in their 30s is just silly.
Right now, I make an exception for Donovan and Dempsey. Beyond that? I am looking at all players carefully. Last time we took too many players over 30 was 2006. It is not an end all be all rule, but the World Cup, especially the early rounds is a young man's game.
Blogger says WBA should spend their money more wisely than on TR: (Masked man morphs into Bearded Orange man) https://metro.co.uk/2014/04/13/west...n-bolton-defender-tim-ream-in-summer-4696832/ The defender has played 37 times in the Championship this season, starting at either centre or left-back. Albion have a lot of cover in the centre-back positions with a mix of experience and young promising players. Jonas Olsson and Gareth McAuley have started the majority of games, looking solid throughout. They may be getting older but they show no sign of slowing down. Craig Dawson has provided the side with excellent cover and the former Bolton loanee looks set to be the star of the future. Liam O’Neil has made his breakthrough to the first team this season, looking assured in his two brief appearances. But West Brom do have a problem in the left-back area. Goran Popov hasn’t featured since his two mistakes cost Albion all three points against Aston Villa a few months back and Liam Ridgewell hasn’t impressed all season long. Depth is needed in this position, as numerous chances are created each week down the left hand side, but Ream is not the man to take the role full time. He is calm on the ball and good in the air but not a Premier League left-back. He has struggled at times this season in the Championship against pacey wingers who dribble at speed down the line. He can be caught out of position because he is more natural playing through the middle, meaning he could struggle against wingers who hug the touch line, making the pitch big.
It is one thing to say you would prefer younger players, it is another to assume that guys are going to be surpassed just because someone turns 30. And I listed a ton more players than just Donovan and Dempsey that are contenders for our squad this year. People who continually assumed that Goodson and Beckerman were going to fade from the picture prior to the World Cup have continued to be wrong. Furthermore, age for CBs is less of an issue than for other positions. Both Bocanegra and Demerit were at least 30 and started in 2010. I suppose it's tangentially relevant to Ream because he will be 30 in 2018 and I certainly don't think his age should lead him to being counted out in 2018. Then again this thread isn't about national team talk anyway, so it still is off topic. Sorry, this is my last post in this thread about it.
Eh, didn't Ream hae his worst games in the Championship. I recall him being at least passable when Bolton were in the top division. I think the fact that teams play the ball on the ground more generally helps him out in that respect. Of course, he has stepped it up this season in the Championship.
Ream had some really bad games in the EPL I remember. He was far too weak and was not good in the air. I have not seen him play since then, but I hope he worked on those aspects before he joins an EPL team.
First, this is not the FIFA 2014 thread, what are you doing posting here??? I think he's an all around better player now than he's ever been, from what I've seen, and from what I've read. The mistakes have been cut to the bone this season, and he's just been a very solid contributor to Bolton. For me, if I'm TR, I stay put another year, work hard in the gym to build some girth, and see what happens. I think he's going to be a late bloomer and wind up in a mid-table EPL side within the next few years playing either at CB or CDM. I agree with the blogger that he is not an EPL left back, he just isn't. That said, he's proven to be extremely versatile at this level, and is doing very well for himself. I bet he's also working his way into the 30 man roster for camp this May.
Ya'll take some posts wayyyyyyyyyy too seriously. I put that DeAndre Yedlin is going to be a starter at Barcelona for god's sake. No one running with that one yet?
He was pretty solid upon arrival in the EPL, maybe one bad game. He did certainly have some shockers right after they went down, though. Took him a while to adjust to the Championship brand of play.
What would be your observations as to his landing on a Premiership squad over the summer (much better if he were to miraculously start for the USMNT, right)?
Hey I post in other places, but that often anymore! I was just thinking of say Benteke going against Ream and it's hard to imagine Ream fairing well against him.
I tend to agree with the article, I don't think Tim is a EPL left back. I do believe he has the skill to be a EPL centre half but I doubt he would get that opportunity with West Brom, who are pretty well stocked at the position.
The myth that Ream struggled in his first run in the EPL just won't go away. A few articles from his first stint just for color... http://www.bwfc.co.uk/team/player-profile/tim-ream/5 He made his debut in the 2-0 FA Cup victory over Millwall at the New Den on 18 February 2012 and since then he has been a virtual ever-present in the first team, making a total of 15 Wanderers appearances. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20120405/ream/ So far, so good is an apt way to describe Ream's adjustment to the Premier League. The Saint Louis U. product says he didn't expect to become a fulltime player so soon after his arrival, but Ream hasn't looked out of place as a center back, and he has even pulled spot duty as a defensive midfielder under manager Owen Coyle. http://www.theguardian.com/football/2012/may/13/stoke-city-bolton-wanderers-premier-league "But we bounced back and could have gone further in front. We needed to see out the game from there. I don't know if news that QPR were in front affected us in the second half, it might have done. But we still could have won when Tim Ream had a header saved right at the end. We didn't quite do enough. We made a poor start to the season and have been playing catch-up ever since."
TBF, not too many will fair well against an in form Benteke, but as I said, if TR puts in some time getting stronger, he would have a better chance of fairing well.