There is nothing more boring and tedious than the run up and aftermath of a meaningless US v Mexico game. Also, let me be the first to predict that Bruce Arena won't release Donovan or Gonzalez for this game.
You are also using your 3rd string GK, and there is a drop off between #2 and #3. But you do make a good point.
When does the SUM deal for the biannual Mex-USA games end? The 2 games make money for the federations, for SUM and for the TV networks.
Its also leaving off Fabian Johnson and Alejandro Bedoya who are both likely to start at the World Cup. Chandler would be left off, and if he is back in the fold, he should be a starter. AJ, Mix, Lichaj, Shea, Agudelo and Boyd could definitely have roles at World Cup. No one will ever give him credit, but Guzan is also a real omission. He is one of our top players, but he doesn't get the credit that he deserves because of Howard's durability. If Howard was ever injured for a really long time, everyone would see just how important Guzan is to the team.
lets see an all-euro usmnt vs all mls-usmnt friendly.....that would be entertainment! i think the euros would win...even with bradley and dempsey playing for mls. howard chandler-brooks-cameron-fj jones klesjtan/mix bedoya aj altidore bench: agudelo, shea, guzan, lichaj, onyewu, ...etc personally i think this team would whoop the mls teams ass.
Basic research does not back up your statement. Last year Rimando posted a 0.67 GAA. Howard was 1.22 and Guzan was 1.43 for the national team. Over his USMNT career, Rimando has averaged less than a goal a game allowed (Howard has NEVER had a single year less than a goal a game). He also has a better winning percentage than either Howard or Guzan in USMNT colors. Of course you can counter back with the competition he played against, but the argument could just have easily been made that his defense was not as high quality as Howard's or Guzan's. I'm not a fan boy of Rimando, but the guy should be judged on what he's done. Rimando does not "chat" with players as much as Howard or even Guzan, but for some reason they seem more organized. He also has better distribution. If he ends up playing in Brazil, we will be fine. The guy's a baller...
What ridiculous about it. Howard and Guzan are very good keepers plying their trade at the top level of soccer rimando is solid but he's not close to their level.
He absolutely is close. I see no reason to claim that Rimando (specifically as USMNT GK#3 apparently) is "not close" to what Howard and Guzan are as goalkeepers. Howard and Guzan were both very good keepers in MLS, as Rimando is now.
If anything is "empty" it is you claims as to the (significant/"great") size of the gap between the 1-2 GK spots and the 3rd GK spot on the USMNT (assuming those are for now through July 2014 as Howard, Guzan, Rimando).
That's horrible logic. He has not risen his level of play like Howard and Guzan have since they left the mls. There's a reason he's a career mls'er when keepers have been our number one export. You switch Guzan and rimando and villa gets relegated last year.
Go talk to any scout and they will tell you the exact same thing. Use your eyes. Those stats don't tell you the true story of who's better. By those stats he's better than both Howard and Guzan by a lot. Now that's ridiculous.
Leaving MLS doesn't magically make someone an immensely more talented goalkeeper. I could argue that Rimando has improved every year he has been in MLS. He certainly has been a part of some very successful teams. His lack of height? Or his non-baldness? That's a marvelously unprovable and non-helpful hypothetical for this discussion.
No one is making that argument. The argument is that Rimando is fairly comparable to Howard and Guzan, and there's not some "great" gap in GK quality if the US doesn't have GKing options 1 and 2 available on some match day or for some recent Gold Cup.
Leaving the mls doesn't magically make someone better but it is a good indication when good teams in better leagues are looking to buy a player. Yes his lack of height most likely hurt his chances but are not the only reason. Yes it's an unprovable hypothetical but if you want to go purely by the stats then you should change your argument to how he's is much better than Howard and Guzan. He moly isn't he solid but he's not on their level.
The gold cup doesn't mean anything. If Howard and Guzan are missing against Portugal or Germany I will be very concerned. If just Howard was missing and Guzan was starting I wouldn't be.
This might apply. Both Howard, Guzan left MLS in their early-mid 20s. Rimando is solid now as a 34 year old.
In comparison to the games that Howard and Guzan play no it doesn't. Rimando isn't on their level and its not close.