Disaster of a season is too much hyperbole. He has had one really bad game. Yes, Kicker has him with a rating of 4.21, which is below average but not a disaster. Indeed, it was really only his most recent game in week #7 that qualifies as a disaster, when his team lost 0-3 to Frieburg and Chandler got his first yellow card and a horrid Kicker rating of 6.0. Prior to that bad 7th game, Chander's average rating was an unimpressive but adequate 3.92 and his worst match was only a 4.5. He's been a regular starter. Fabian Johnson's average is 3.71 (includes two 5.0 stinkers) and Danny Williams average is 3.75 (includes one 5.0 stinker) through 7 weeks. Cherundolo's average is a very solid 3.43, coming off his best match in week #7 with a 2.5 rating. Before his excellent week #7 match, Cherundolo's average was 3.58. For historical comparison purposes, Mike Bradley's first season as a Bundesliga starter for Gladbach was 2008-09, when he appeared in 28 matches, scored 5 goals and got an average Kicker rating of 4.19 for the season. Cherundolo got an average Kicker rating of 3.86 in the 2009-10 season leading up to his fine World Cup.
It is, but it may be a 'disaster' in his eyes. It may be what it takes for him/Germany Fed to realize that his is not German National Team material. Not to say he is a quality US player.
Last season Hannover allowed 45 goals, Nurnberg allowed 49. Chandler's average kicker rating last season was 3.75, Dolo's was 3.73. Anyway I'm not trying to say that Chandler is a better defender than Dolo or deserves the call because he is a better goal scorer. All I am saying is that Chandler has a club resume comparable to the most accomplished RB in our pool over the last year and a half, and he is deserving of a call based on the merits of his club performance alone. That's it.
If I were a Moderator, I would move all the Chandler posts to the Chandler thread (for my own sanity, if no one else's), but I'm not. Chandler imo has too much potential to give up on, but we can't count on his help until he commits to us. With that said, I would vote to encourage his commitment (and to maintain his contact with the program) rather than simply cutting him adrift. And to be clear, Chandler is not keeping Lichaj (or insert name of any other BS favorite) out of the team. That's all on Klinsmann. Repeat after me, everyone: That's ALL on Klinsmann!
So, Klinsmann's thinking and actions aren't at all influenced by the existence of Chandler, and the situation which Chandler has been able to create and draw out for himself?
As a fan of the USMNT, not all that concerned about any offenses a player may have committed in the past, I am excited to call Chandler in for any match that will cap-tie him. Calling him in for friendlies is pointless until he's cap-tied.
I didn't miss any points, home skillet: You failed to make them. I'm all for the notion that Chandler might be a better option than Dolo, esp by '14, and I think calling him up for Russia 11/14 makes sense (whether he accepts, of course, is another issue of concern). But the way to make the argument for Chandler's merit is not to simply cite their goal-scoring differential, but to make a complete argument based on all features of their play.
It may all be settled for both Mix and Gatt by the 14th of November. Molde has their two biggest games of the season coming up - Stromgodset (trails Molde by 3 points) on the 21st (away) and Ronsenborg (trails Molde by 2 points) on the 28th at home. They have five games left including these two games. Wins in these two almost guarantee a league title. Rosenborg has to go to Stromgodset on the 4th of November as well. We should have a very clear picture by the 5th of November. Ole has said that he is going to hold back players from Europa league (25th of October) to concentrate on the division.
Is that what I said? Restating, I said that if Klinsmann hasn't called in your favorite player, blame Klinsmann, not Chandler.
On paper. But for where we are in the cycle, with just these 3 games over the next 4 months to find new squad players for the Hex and Gold Cup (which is essentially just an extention of the Nov/Jan games).. This is not the time to start the same lineup we just had v.s Guatemala. Counter productive and just leaving us exposed to rotation/roster issues when the big games come around. Can you imagine to outrage if Klinsmann uses the same linuep without every experimenting on the backline or in midfield. This has to be a prospect team.
But we don't really know that it's pointless, do we, and calling it pointless doesn't make it so (unless we redefine that word). If calling Chandler up now led directly to his cap-tying himself to us next year, then calling him now would not be pointless. I understand that no one wants to be 'teased' (and 'burned') by Chandler, but what's to be gained from a freeze-out? If Klinsmann called Chandler and said, "Call me when you're ready to be cap-tied," and initiated no further contact, that call might never come. One camp here would say, "Good riddance," but I'm not in that camp. To me there's a middle ground between begging and excluding, and if I were Klinsmann I would search for that middle ground.
If that were the case, I would agree, but he has eight appearances in friendlies for the USA. If calling him up for friendlies led to him cap-tying himself to the USA, it seems to me that it would have happened already. But he appeared in neither the 2011 Gold Cup nor the 2012 WCQs. Calling him up again for a friendly would be like a lovestruck boy helping the object of his affection with her homework yet again and thus just digging himself deeper into the "friend zone". I bear no grudges towards any player reluctant to cap-tie himself to the USA. Ready to commit to the team? Then come in and play! But there comes a point where calling a player up for friendlies becomes counterproductive. That point has long since passed for Chandler. If I were coaching the USA, I would call up Chandler for every single cap-tying match (assuming current form and needs) until he came in, and absolutely no further friendly matches (under absolutely any circumstances) until after he was cap-tied. I just clicked the Unwatch Thread button in both the USA Men Chandler thread and the USA Men: News and Analysis Chandler thread. This is literally my last post about Timothy Chandler until he is cap-tied to the USA.
I definitely see what you're saying, but I also think it really depends on the level of league a goalkeeper plays in. As we know, there is so much more to goalkeeping other than making saves. A 'keeper has to be very good at communicating and organizing his defense throughout a game. I think tempo and speed of game can have an impact on a 'keeper. The faster the game speed, the quicker the 'keeper has to think on his feet, organize, and communicate precisely. That's where I think the goalkeepers who play in leagues with a tempo on par with the international level have a little advantage over others not quite adapted to the speed.
Nice post. Good to know as well. With the MLS conference finals being decided on November 7-8th, we should have a fairly clear picutre whose coming to Russia about a week out from the game...which pretty much conicides with Jurgens usual roster timetable.
i'd be interested in 2 line euros for russia more than mls it's 3.5 hour flight from frankfurt germany to moscow, yhen to kranswhatever and the transaltantic flight long trip
i'd be interested in 2 line euros for russia more than mls it's 3.5 hour flight from frankfurt germany to moscow, yhen to kranswhatever and the transaltantic flight long trip
Keepers are traditionally considered to hit their prime in 30's, not like field players who are winding down careers then.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, but just saw a tweet from soccer insider saying Pontius was called up for the last 2 WCQ. Too bad he could not attend because of a knee problem. It'll be interesting to see if he gets called up against Russia (if his club lets him). Looking at a glance, suddenly our width problem isnt so bad. Dono, Shea, Zusi, and EJ can all play there. Can't wait to see Gatt and Pontius added to the mix.
Since the friendly is in Europe, chances are JK will call players playing in Europe, players he wants to have a look at. It's what makes the most sense. It'd be a chance for Lichaj, Brooks, Davies, Gatt, Ream, etc.
Minutes played. I know he's not scoring, and that he mainly comes as a late sub. But he's in a team that is low scoring per se. I'd like to see what he can do with some actual midfield service. And, to be honest, some silly nostalgia.
Johanssen definitely. If he wants to play for the USA, that is. Wooten has few minutes. One game started, 2 late subs. Boyd, I think he's already in the pool, has enough caps already to be considered "in the bubble," and we have a good idea what he can do.