All based on memory as I havent ever been able to find video of the match that was almost 15 years ago. He played fine in the game, but gave up a rebound on a free kick late in the game. That goal was the difference of ManU moving to the next round. I recall the shot as high and to his left. He dove and knocked the ball down into play and Porto scored. What many see as a small mistake affected him and his career greatly. Who was the Liverpool Gk last year and where is he now? And that guy had a great season! If you hold Hamid to that standard, he fails in a large percentage of his games.... which he plays without that spotlight.
Can Hamid showcase enough this season to justify his Danish club bringing him back in to compete for the no.1 spot? the likes of Bono and Gonzalez; are they in the mix somehow? Or is the no3 spot pretty much Guzan or Hamid?
I haven't really followed Johnson, just saying the third GK spot is definitely not just Guzan vs. Hamid. Hamid wasn't even among the four called into Berhalter's MLS-only camp, so he might be as low as #7 or so for Berhalter (behind the four called in, plus Horvath and Guzan). Based on Berhalter's comments, Johnson might be the frontrunner for non-Guzan #3 behind Horvath/Steffen. I'd have included Hamid over Bono. I agree Hamid finished the season strong.
Johnson is not a great goalkeeper but he does make a lot of unorthodox saves. The last two seasons he's been red hot for the first few months but his form has dipped towards the end. He's not a particularly good distributor of the ball either. I'm not sure what Berhalter, or for that matter Sarachan, have seen in him.
I figure he called in Miller and Bono to train and push Steffen/Johnson. Maybe the likes of Hamid might have been wasted (or caused a stink) if his role was only training?
Like Carleton? Hamid isn’t really in the discussion, and rightfully so. He’s in that Bingham/Yarbrough category of talented but not quite up-to-grade American goalkeepers.
I don't think anything is set after Steffen. And what happens if Steffen moves to Europe and languishes on the bench somewhere losing match fitness? People are talking about Steffen as if he's proven something in games that matter. There are a whole bunch of guys in contention for the #2/#3 slots. There are a lot of games in 2019, and there's no real reason to have the pecking order set now. We'll have a year of giving guys opportunities. After January camp 2020, we'll want it more set in stone. After that we'll give as much work to the starting trio of GK and CBs together as possible. At least that's what a coach should do. Klinsmann did the opposite. I don't think we should count out guys like Hamid and Jesse Gonzalez because they're not at this camp. Or Tim Melia. Or a host of others. There's a big group of guys there. And frankly, a lot of them will be fine at a CONCACAF level.
I think it also remains to be seen how 3G will use his keepers? Will he want to play out of the back and see if any of our contenders is viable as a sweeper/keeper? In that case, I definitely have been more impressed by Steffen, don't really know about Horvath's footwork, and that is a significant Hamid weakness. If we are playing more of a pure shotstopper, I figure that Hamid could be in the running for the #3 spot or better if he remains healthy. Of course those tactics could also depend on who has the hot hand and who we are playing against. I figure Friedel's ability to play out of the back was superior to Keller's and that was one reason he got the nod in 2002 (along with form).
This is 2019. Keepers must be able to play out of the back. I suppose if you were the most incredible shot stopper of all time but could't play a lick with your feet then you'd still have a NT career. Its kind of like the debate I have all the time with guys when talking about who our favorite college should recruit for QB. There are loads of guys out there who can make all the throws. There is just no reason to recruit some kid who can't run. That doesn't mean they need to be a dual threat QB. But they should be mobile and if they aren't then I look elsewhere to start. If a keeper isn't goog with his feet I am looking elsewhere, at least to start.
In order to determine who our best goalkeeper is, we need to know which one is among the worst at something... that may sound crazy but all the top US goalkeepers fit that pattern: Brad Friedel: one of the worst coaches in MLS Kasey Keller: one of the worst television analysts Tim Howard: one of the worst goalkeepers in MLS So, is Steffen a really bad singer? Is Guzan terrible at poker?
That is what you would do it. Many coaches would go about very differently. We have two young goalkeepers who look to have the potential to be #1s, Guzan, and a bunch of guys who dont look any better than guys like Hartman, Reis, Cannon, Busch, etc that were never going to be key members of the usmnt. I'd give the majority of the minutes over the next two years to Steffen and Horvath, assuming they are up to the task. I'd give the majority of the first half of the year to Steffen and the second half to Horvath as Steffen adapts to his new situation. Guzan is a solidly in the top 3 and has plenty of experience, so could exclude and let these lesser guys in camps to prove they deserve a shot down the road.
Isnt that the issue with why Hamid/Johnson never went anywhere with the Nats? JK relied too much on Rimando rather than on younger potentials. And then he and Arena relied only on Howard/Guzan rather than branching out. I def concur with Steffen and Horvath getting the lion's share. I just feel Guzan should be phased out by 2020. Perhaps even Hamid. The younger dudes Bono, Gonzalez should get winter call-ups to keep them in the mix. If nothing else; to provide competition for the main. 2
I dont think that was why Hamid and Johnson didnt get more games. My recollection Johnson isnt strong but pretty sure my memory is correct on Hamid, due to one poster who yammered on and on about how unfairly Hamid was being treated. With Howard on hiatus, Guzan deserved to get the number one spot. Rimando got minutes that appeared to be a thank you for playing a thankless role in 2014. Johnson's career had completely stalled and was on very poor form. Hamid was coming off his best season and got a game against Ireland, which wasnt impressive. He then had to back out of the January camp due to injury and then proceeded to be injured during many international breaks and camps. Even at his best, i dont think he is international quality but his injuries and time off impacted his play. So Guzan and Rimando and then Howard got games, but there was nobody showing the potential that they were going to be better.
Howard's retiring by the end of the season. Tim Howard will go down as one of the all-time greats in U.S. Soccer history. pic.twitter.com/6MAcaJtJiy— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 22, 2019
Im going to miss that generation of keepers, we were spoiled. It was an era where you had at least some feeling if we made an error or bottled it or the other team got a surprise good look that Keller, Friedel, or Howard would be there for a good save. Right now, I can only say that about Steffen.........on some days. Ill still get much more nervous about him in the net than the others. Hell, Id still be more secure with Hahnemann, Cannon, Reis, or Hartman. We really, really were stacked back then.
Those others you mentioned; could they have gone abroad? Like Reis or Hartman or Cannon? Or were the lack of serious caps keeping them under the radar of clubs from the top 5-10 leagues?
There are arguments for all of them to be on top, but it is Keller, Freidel, Howard for me. All three have different styles and strengths/weaknesses. Steffen has the potential to be top of the list... I think he has the biggest strengths of Keller and Howard. Horvath probably does too.... be a better version of Friedel.
Reis and Hartman I always wondered about. Both were unquestionably good enough. Cannon I think had a brief stint at Lyon before coming home. Unquestionably, these guys could have done wonders in Denmark, Belgium, Turkey, Germany, etc. I couldnt begin to explain how they went unnoticed. They were all much better quality than historically given credit for. Id even throw Jon Busch in that pile. 30 year old in his prime Jon Busch would probably be a lock down starter in this crop. I dont know what happened.