The Tijuana friendly was in the original announcement. It's too bad that two integral players won't be there, which further reduces this to an evaluation of fringe players.
Certainly can't be the full Tijuana side, that would be a really poor showcase for everyone involved.
Gomez - 21 games as a Jr. at Georgetown. 0.44 GAA, .882 save percentage, 12 shutouts. http://www.guhoyas.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/tomas_gomez_763161.html McGuire - 13 games as a Fr. at Tulsa. 1.16 GAA, .754 save percentage, 3 clean sheets. http://www.tulsahurricane.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/jake_mcguire_844974.html Miller - 16 games as a Jr. at Northwestern. 0.94 GAA, .787 save percentage, 8 shutouts. http://www.nusports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/tyler_miller_761550.html Wolverton - 21 games as a Jr. at Penn State. 0.81 GAA. .809 save percentage, 8 clean sheets. http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/andrew_wolverton_751672.html Another player worthy of a look whom some of us have discussed here is Syracuse's Alex Bono. He has been very solid for the Orange in his two seasons of college soccer including being a freshman All America in 2012. Bono - 18 games as a Soph. at Syracuse. 1.03 GAA, .743 save percentage, 8 shutouts. http://cuse.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=10902&path=msoccer Now, compare those numbers with what McIntosh did at Santa Clara. As you read them, keep in mind that he only played in one game as a freshman and got lit up in that game. Also keep in mind that Gomez (Big East), Wolverton and Miller (Big Ten), Bono (ACC) and McGuire (CUSA) all played in a better conference than McIntosh did (WCC). The WCC is, and has been for several years, a one-bid league, meaning only one school from that conference is getting a bid to the NCAA Tournament. So he's facing lesser competition and, for the most part, putting up worse numbers. McIntosh - 20 games as a Soph. at Santa Clara. 1.19 GAA, .784 save pecentage, 6 shutouts http://www.santaclarabroncos.com/sports/m-soccer/2013-14/bios/mcintosh_kendall_231i Now, as for a comparison against someone from his own conference, meet Paul Blanchette of LMU, a 94. In 2012 he made the WCC all freshman team while McIntosh was playing in one game and last year as a Sophomore he was the WCC GK of the Year ahead of, among others, McIntosh. Blanchette - 18 games as a Soph at Loyola Marymount. 0.81 GAA, .786 save percentage, 7 shutouts. http://www.lmulions.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/paul_blanchette_804541.html Now, numbers don't always tell the whole story in sports, especially soccer and even more especially with a GK. There might be things we aren't seeing that McIntosh is doing that the others don't offer. But on the surface, it certainly looks like GKs who are out-performing him in college are getting overlooked while he keeps getting called in, despite being out-performed by others in his age group. It sends a bad message when a guy who keeps getting out-performed keeps getting looks while the people who are out-performing him get ignored.... It also leads us to conclude the player in question has some sort of leverage, like oral sex or compromising pictures!
consider the source... Ramos' is not only a mediocre coach, he is a poor talent evaluator who plays favorites. The fact that he now has this much power within US soccer is a scary proposition.
Best lineup I see from this roster imo.. Pineda---Okoli(Salgado)------Serna ---------------Gil--------------- --------Guido-----Trapp------ Oce---Dean---O'neill--Sorto ------------Kempin------------ Not bad at all tbh. Obviously Gil/Trapp are injured but still counted them hypothetically. I've seen a report some where Salgado was called into this camp too but nothing official yet. With euros added to the mix minus current u20s. Serna-----Okoli-----Holmes --------------Gil-------------------- ---------Stanko--Trapp------- Oce--Brooks--O'Neill--Yedlin --------------Cropper------------ Rest of roster: Salgado,M. Rodriguez, Garcia, Flores, Pelosi, Joya, Sorto, Palafox/Dean, Pineda, Kempin, Guido, Martin/S. Rodriguez. I wonder how this team will look once current U20s are added into the mix..For sure Arriola, Green, Acosta will be on there anybody guess who else
Tab Ramos has been extremely busy with the U20s over the last couple of months. I don't believe he personally has done any scouting or player evaluation for the U21 group. The USSF announcement does not name him as the coach of this pre-Olympic team. He's just going to run this camp. What I'm saying is that Tab may have had nothing to do with the callup list for this particular camp. Somebody at the USSF just got out the rolodex and called up the usual suspects. So while I'm quite critical of this squad selection as "lazy", I'm thrilled that we're at least getting the ball rolling with this pre-Olympic group. Hopefully they'll name a full-time coach who'll really have the time to evaluate NCAA players, reserve players across the US, Mexico, and Europe....................and then widen the net.
As our youth technical director, Ramos is definitely accountable for this set of players. What's more, in an interview on ussoccer.com, he talks about being involved with the callups.
Bono stood out DRAMATICALLY the first time that I saw him play for what was then Empire United. He was the primary reason that Empire were able to beat a superior DC United team, always quick off his line, cutting off plays before they became dangerous, reading where plays were going before DC's offensive players knew where they were going, organizing his defense with confidence and certainty. He was an athletic player who was able to use his brain to avoid having to be athletic. He has done nothing but continue to progress and impress since then. Did he sleep with the wrong person's daughter?
DieKlinsMannschaft @klinsmannschaft 1h "Loser...peace"? RT @LAGalaxy: Reunited and it feels so good. http://laglxy.com/1fqVvE3 pic.twitter.com/kVy2EysM3t [Loser........peace? Surely you see he's spelling LA.]
Jose Villarreal assures "no regrets" despite "frustrating" time with Cruz Azul http://www.lagalaxy.com/blog/beat/2...no-regrets-despite-frustrating-time-cruz-azul
TopDrawerSoccer.com @TopDrawerSoccer 40m U21 Starting XI: Kempin; Ocegueda, Dean, O'Neill, Sorto; Hairston, Martin, Joya, Cuevas, Villarreal, Pineda Arriola is starting for Tijuana
TopDrawerSoccer.com @TopDrawerSoccer 5m HT: U.S. U21 MNT 0-0 Club Tijuana. Physical first half with three yellow cards. Paul Arriola was the best dangerous player, which is good?
TopDrawerSoccer.com @TopDrawerSoccer 12m U.S. goal. Benji Joya with the well placed shot from 22 yards out the snuck past the keeper. Stevie Rodriguez with the assist. 1-0 59' TopDrawerSoccer.com @TopDrawerSoccer 23m 2nd half lineup for U21: McIntosh; Delgado, Hairston, Dean, Serna; Joya, Rodriguez, Guido; Okoli, McBean, MORRIS (too excited?)
TopDrawerSoccer.com @TopDrawerSoccer 2m Goal Tijuana. I believe it was Amando Moreno with the strike. He finished off a cross - sloppy marking. 1-1 83'
Sloppy marking?! I wonder whether it was the fault of the CM playing RB (Delgado), the CM playing CB (Hairston), or the AM playing LB (Serna).
TopDrawerSoccer.com @TopDrawerSoccer 2m FT: U.S. U21 MNT 2-1 Club Tijuana. Benji Joya with both goals. pic.twitter.com/Dg3TNKoVnt
All in all a worthwhile exercise to get the players together.................but you're right. Seems kinda silly to have so many players out of position. There are plenty of CB and fullback options that the coaching staff could have called up to evaluate. How about...................Jalen Robinson, Walker Zimmerman, and Mikey Ambrose? (Just to pull three names out of my ass.) If we can come up with these names, than surely the USSF coaching staff could have as well. BTW, no Danny Garcia in either half? I wonder if he's injured. Also, it should be noted: Kim Tate @KimTateSports 11h Sounds like San Diego born Fernando Arce Jr. Is playing for Xolos. Good opp for him to be seen in front of Tab Ramos
I agree with you about Zimmerman's absence, but I think we should remember that it's very common to shift players into more defensive roles at higher levels, in particular if you want to play a possession-oriented game. RSL is probably the best example in MLS. Most of its defenders are converted midfielders, and most of its midfielders are converted #10's.