If not Jones, I'd want to see Cameron. Don't care that he is arguably our best rightback, he is also a very good defensive mid. We can easily play Lichaj or Evans there and I'd feel just as safe to be honest. Cameron is not a natural rightback despite his good performances in the EPL.
Since GC we have beaten Bosnia (4-3), Mexico(2-0), Jamaica(2-0), Panama(3-2), and Korea(2-0). Tied Scotland(0-0), and lost to CR( 1-3), Austria(0-1) and Ukraine(0-2). Is that how you see our play in those 9 matches?
Bosnia, yes, Korea (didn't see the opening minutes, thanks ESPN), Scotland, yes, CR, absolutely, Austria, Ukraine, yes yes. Against Mexico we were lucky (or Mexico was poor) to not be down a goal within the first 15. Quite honestly I can't speak about Jamaica and Panama as I don't recollect the first 15 off the top of my head. I just remember being so aggravated watching the beginning 15-20 minutes of matches prior to and during the '10 WC and hoping that would change significantly under JK, and subjectively I don't think it has. The other teams seems to come right out on fire, whereas our boys seem to take a while and a goal to light a fire under themselves.
188 mins is not really all that match anyway we want to slice it which is alluded to in the OP with Jurgen Klinsmann's statement...if he's worried about Jones' PT then we should probably be as well. For comparison purposes, Jones has only 188 minutes for club since Dec. 21...Geoff Cameron has 1,530. I'm not trying to come down overly critical of Jones Re: the "snark"...I'm just wanting to gain a better picture of CM at Schalke since I follow them less..that's all. However I'm not sure Whoscored is the best indicator as that's based mostly on stats..whereas Kicker has critics assigned to watch each team/game specifically and are probably the most well respected media outlet in Germany. According to them he was (in my opinion, and based on his rankings) very inconsistent and had a 'decent' last half season...add in his lingering injuries, age, loss of speed and Schalke's aspirations to achieve Champions League and it all kind of makes sense why both parties chose to move on. With regards to his competition, it looks like Goretzka, despite only being 19, has performed better according to Kicker as his average rating up until the Hertha match is a 3.76 while Jones' is 3.85. As for Neu his average is a 3.42...thus, Jones appears to have the lowest Kicker rating out of Neu and Groetzka.
Before you move the goal posts again, so we agree that any player that has returned from injury and started 3 of 5 matches, played in 4 with 58+61+37+90 =246 minutes we will label as struggling for playing time. No one who knows Germain soccer takes Kicker ratings very seriously. They rated Hoger a 4.0, the worst off all the Schalke CMs.
Furthermore, I never stated his lack of PT was due to performance...it could be due to that but also combined with fitness as well. The difference is, is Kicker has pundits that watch the games, while Whoscored is all statistically driven - which is useful in some respect, however it is not really a true indicator of performance. I also use Kicker as I follow Bayern and Hertha and they're pretty spot on with their assessments. Their pretty much the most respected German media outlet while BILD is tabloid more or less.
He didn't get a strong Kicker rating. Ok? What does that have to do with the National Team? Pundits are a true indicator of performance? Sheeeeiiiddd. They get it more wrong than the machine.
Because club form, as some would argue to a greater/lesser degree then others, correlates to National Team form. Furthermore, the topic of the thread was JK being concerned with his club time, thus, there is a focus on his PT/form w/ club, not necessarily the national team. Pundits aren't always right 100% of the time, Kicker, however is very well respected unlike BILD which is a bit more wishy/washy. Whoscored is stats driven and does not watch the matches.
a .11 Kicker rating differential is meaningless, fwiw. There is good reason to be concerned about Jones the way CK has been concerned about Demps. For both those players they will either - reach into the storage locker of soccer wiles and muscle memory and put in 1 (or 3 or 5!) last great performance and help the US defy the odds and advance. Or they will try to reach deep but the body and/or mind will fail them and they will end up coming up short for us. Which, needless to say, is the more likely result, sadly. So, can JJ rise to the occasion in Brasil? We'll probably see, won't we.
If I could photoshop, I'd take the image or video of Reyna getting fouled and giving the ball to Ghana and replace his face with Jones'. This is what I expect to see. But more of a flop than a foul, probably.
I hear Vegas is already giving odds on how fast Jermaine Jones is carded in the 2014 World Cup. I'll take a piece of that action.
I understand why people think Jones is a risk, but he is a player who enjoys a stage to perform. Knowing it's his only World Cup us a huge advantage for us. Jones has the ability to neutralize the central midfielders from Germany and Portugal. I don't care if we can't get the best attack out of Bradley. I mean, the Mexico match, yesterday was probably the best/most assertive I've seen Bradley play. Jones has played at that level far more times than Bradley. The situation is clearly changing, but the World Cup can really bring energy to both players.
No it can't I don't care how many times you say that to convince yourself. What you saw last night from Landon Donovan is exactly how Jermaine Jones will look in Brazil, old. Edu is doing the same things that we want from Jones and he's YOUNGER.
We can agree about the situation changing - as are the roles of players in question. However, a degree of this is pure speculation on both of our parts. If we are to, at least, consider past veins of form then Jones has a lot of upside. Whether he will be too old or crippled, I have no idea. Losing his pace could be a game changer considering one of his defining features previously was all of the ground he covered. We'll see, but I think I'm right.
Here's a predicttion for you, Jermaine Jones knowing that he cannot keep up out on the field starts making reckless tackles against Ghana because he's frustrated and is then yellow carded, twice. Like I said, Edu and Beckerman are doing the same things that we want from Jones at this point. Are either of them as good as Jones was at his peak? No they're not, Jones passing is still the best that we've ever seen on this team but the guy, like Donovan, simply cannot get up and down the field quick enough.
I have caught most of his matches including his last 3 full 90 minute outings. The PBP of his last match: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/jj-konyaspor-vs-besiktas.2003151/ and http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...-sets-goal-besiktas-edge-champions-league-pla I would summarize his current form as: positives: He is almost back to full 90min match fitness. He is starting to make those post 70min surging 2-way interval runs that he was famous for at Schalke. His transition defense commitment is very good. He is making those long runs from CM to attack surging wide attackers. He is also regaining his defensive aggressiveness with Yellows in 3 straight matches. This is a good thing because Turkish Football can at times be very chippy. He is making simple 1 touch combination passes and not forcing dangerous plays. He is very involved in the attack both centrally and drifting wide. His aerial game, once an area of weakness, has been quite good, winning most of his aerial duels. He has clear leadership and respect in his CM role on the pitch. negatives: His long ball is not as accurate as in his Schalke days. He still loses the ball at least once per match by sitting on it too long in CM waiting to make the big pass. JK should no longer be concerned but JK has always held Jones to a much higher standard.
1) we dont really know this because the two you mention havent played vs the elite teams recently. 2) I think its more Donovan being out of shape due to Brunce Arena not keeping an eye on this; than Donovan being old.
I think the first post which started this thread several weeks ago is very telling. He's starting in Brazil, fitness willing. That's my take, and I'm happy about it. When it's crunch time, 1-1 vs Germany and we need a win to advance, I'd take JJ over Edu any day of the week. You would be fooling yourself to think Edu could provide or bring the tools necessary to help get us that win.
Edu made a couple outstanding passes Saturday against Real Salt Lake, the kind of passes that Jones was making back in his heyday. I'm still on the Edu train, big-time.
Edu wasn't good enough to make the Bench on a defensive team like Stoke City. He's had his chances and I cannot remember not one game where he outstanding against a quality opponent, maybe he has but it doesn't stand out in my head.