It will be Beerholder’s first true test with the euro-based players. March 21st - Ecuador in Orlando, FL March 26th - Chile in Houston, TX
Important personnel questions that Berhalter will have to answer: 1. I'd say there are about 10 obvious call-ups based in Europe. Assuming I didn't forget anybody, there are Horvath, Brooks, Miazga, Yedlin, McKennie, Adams, Pulisic, Weah, Wood, and Sargent. So the big question is whether Berhalter calls in any Europe or Mexico based players beyond the obvious. 2. If they want to play for the national team, does Berhalter call in Chandler and Johnson? Of course, club playing time has been intermittent for Johnson, while Chandler has been injured the entire season. 3. Off the top of my head, I would guess that 8-12 players from last week return in March. Who gets the call? I'll guess most of the starters and Lletget. 4. Altidore and Morris were invited to January training camp despite injuries. Does Berhalter bring them straight back into the team? 5. Are there any other MLS players who weren't called up that earn a chance in March? Examples would be veterans like Guzan, Bedoya, and Nagbe. 6. Is Lovitz the answer at left back, or does Berhalter start over?
Let's say he calls 25. The 25 I would like to see: Sargent, Altidore, Wood, Zardes (4 forwards) Pulisic, Weah, Saeff, Amon, Gall (5 wide attacking players) Adams, McKennie, Lletget, plus one other of Trapp, Bradley, Williams (4 central mids) Johnson, Robinson (2 left backs) Yedlin, Lima, Cannon (3 right backs) Brooks, Long, Zimmerman, Miazga (4 center backs) Horvath, Steffen, Guzan (3 goalies)
I’m going to argue for mostly YA this go round... 27 man roster GK Horvath, Klinsmann, Scott RB Yedlin, Moore CB Brooks, Miazga, Carter-Vickers, Alvarado, Palmer-Brown LB Johnson, Robinson DM Adams, Morales MF McKennie, Pulisic, Saief, Corona, Gooch RF Sargent, Holmes, Gall FW Wood, Novakovich, Wright LF Weah, Amon In a sense, let’s see what the YA’s can do. From this camp compared to January Camp; Berhalter can see how to mix the two. Game 1 Weah——Wood——Sargent ——Pulisic——McKennie—— ————-Adams—————— Johnson———————Yedlin ———-Brooks—Miazga——— —————Horvath————— Bench: Amon (Weah) 70 Gall (Sargent) 70 Wright (Wood) 70 Gooch (McKennie) 80 Alvarado (Miazga) 80 Morales (Adams) 80 Game 2: Weah——Sargent——Pulisic ——-McKennie—Adams—— —————Fredo————— Robinson——————-Yedlin ——Brooks———CCV——— —————-Horvath————- Subs: Novakovich (Sargent) 70 Holmes (Fredo) 70... Wes to CDM Amon (Weah) 70 Saief (Robinson) 80 Corona (Adams) 80 Palmer-Brown (CCV) 80
First XI I'd like to see vs Ecuador, which of course has a snowball's chance in hell of happening but I actually think represents our top XI and puts them all in positions to play to their strengths. Weah, Sargent and Pulisic interchanging with Sargent more the holdup anchor for the attack would be dynamic to say the least. Rest of my 23 man camp where I'd make a number of changes vs Chile to get these guys a run. Novakovich Haji Lletget Amon Holmes Nagbe Corona Canouse Lima CCV Zimmerman Steffen No Bradley. No Trapp. We can get on better without them. They both will get shredded vs decent competition so that experiment is about as pointless as repeatedly trying to convince me I should eat soup with a fork. No wasting time on Jozy either. I'm giving Weah and Sargent as much NT exposure as possible going towards WCQing as we'll ride them this cycle. There's a few domestics I could see figuring into the GC squad but after spending a month on them I'm running with more Euros for March.
I really like that line-up. I think we'd have to do that more in the tune of 3G's current system than a classic 3-4-3. But the personnel are right.
Players I desperately want to see back: Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams. Player I possibly want to see as a back-up to challenge Yedlin: Timmy Chandler. Attacking talent to test out: Duane Holmes, Haji Wright, Tim Weah, Novakovich. Euro-based players I don't want to see: Geoff Cameron, Eric Lichaj and Tim Ream (too old/mediocre), and Lynden Gooch (league one - you kidding me?). Young, over-hyped talents that may get a look-see: Sergio Dest, Shaq Moore, Kyle Scott, Luca de la Torre, Chris Richards. Players I've never seen that are huge question-marks: Mukwelle Akale. Dual-nationals to start recruiting: Theoson Siebatcheu, Jeremy Toljan. Honestly, getting Theoson to commit for next ten years could be huge for our program's development, could automatically become our best striker, and certainly challenge Jozy. This should be Gregg's number one priority. I also wonder if we'll see Kekuta Manneh, who played for Gregg at the Crew for a year, and is now in Switzerland.
I really want to see Nova make the roster and start one of the games because I think that he would be a good fit for 3G's system because he is big, quick for his size, and has good on the ball ability.
I wouldn't call in so many Euros because there were some players tested in Jan camp who need to be tested at the higher level Chile and Ecuador can provide. My guess is that they bring a squad below A level and bring guys they want to test for Copa. They should nevertheless have some strong players. I would leave anybody remotely pre-occupied with club in Europe - be it relegation, Euro competition, management problems, etc. the guys I'd definitely bring in are Sargent and Pulisic. I would leave Yedlin's limited game in Newcastle to fight relegation. Adams and McKennie are going to be worrying about their young careers too much. I'd rather see what Roldan and Lletget and Lima can do v. Conmenbol. If Adams or McKennie or Weah want to come, then fine altho I'm tired of having to diagnose what's wrong with McKennie's game. Why not just leave him at club where they are working on that 24/7? I would definitely bring Miazga and Brooks. Beerholder was a cb so maybe he can figure out how to play Brooks without leaking goals.
I was thinking about this more, and I think I'd call in some of the more fringy Euro guys, since some of the more fringy MLS guys got their look in January camp. CCV has only been playing sporadically at Swansea, but he's looked decent (not great) with the Nats, so I'd give him a look to see if he offers more than Long or Zimmerman. I'd bring Amon, since there still doesn't seem to be much depth at winger. Lewis showed well, but he only featured as a sub and might not play much with NYC. Arriola looked good, but we know he has limited upside at the international level. Maybe Holmes would fit in this category as well. I'd think about another forward as well. I'm not that high on Novakovich, but if we're thinking about guys like Zardes, Ramirez, and Ebobisse, then I'd be willing to give Novakovich a shot with a real coach running things too. And Siebatcheu as well, if he could be convinced to switch. That's probably about it.
The two things I want to see the most are: 1) Tyler Adams at DM - I do not want to see him pushed outside to make room for Trapp or Bradley 2) No Zardes - Wood, Weah, Sargent any of them but no more Zardes. There is a reason the last two coaches gave up on him. GB needs to join the group
--------------------weah ----------sargent---------pulisic ------adams------trapp-----Roldan --parker---brooks---miazga----lima --------------ramirez --------zardes-------arriola ------lletget---canouse---Delgado -----long---ccv------zim-----cannon Not sure if we should call in Adams yet. We could call Baird instead to keep some continuity. I have 6 cb's so would drop one for some other position for somebody playing hot somewhere - Carleton?
Might have to take a ride up to Orlando for that one. Ecuador always brings a lot of good fans. Wish it was in Tampa.
I doubt if that camp will be totally Euro heavy, at least for players making an impact in their first division teams. They need to stay and help their clubs at that crucial point in their season. IF these games were being played in Europe, I would say otherwise. Frankly, I am a bit disappointed they weren't set up in Europe for this reason. MLS will just be starting, so I think we see primarily domestic talent plus a few of the obvious international choices, but the full on Euro team will have to wait IMHO. Unfortunately, that means there won't be much time for Gregg to evaluate these players in a camp prior to the summer. That is one reason why waiting a year and a half to appoint the obvious choice manager was such a mistake.
These are the last friendlies before we play competitive games so I think we call up everyone we may need when games are on the line. This is Berhalter's one chance to play with the Euro contingent before the Gold Cup. If our guys are good enough, they will get time with their clubs. If they can't see the field for their clubs, it won't be because they accepted a call up on a FIFA date. We especially need to see where Pulisic, Adams and McKennie fit into this team as well as who looks good next to Brooks in the back. Those guys are all most likely starting players and the first three have a big affect on the shape of our midfield and attack and we need to see how they work sooner rather than later.
I think you gotta bring your a-team ---------------------Steffen------------------------ --------------Brook---------Zimmerman----- -------Yedlin----------------------------Robinson----- -----------------------Adams----------------------------- -------------Wes--------------Mahilovic-------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- ----------Pulisic-------------------Weah------------- -----------------------Jozy------------------------------
Top two RB for us. Last season on club form was our best but I also think Yedlin's underrated around here.
I think he will call up a mix of of the best during January camp and euro guys. Remember he will not have a lot of time to instill his tactics with euro guys like he did last month. It’ll be easier to teach the tactics with some players already knowing the tactics and helping the likes of Pulisic, McKennie, Adams, etc. Also I’m ecstatic to finally have WING PLAY that has been non existent since Donovan and Dempsey days. No wonder this team has been shit since they couldn’t attack before. Very promising stuff My 23 of who I think GGG will pick: -STRIKERS: Sargent Zardes Wood -MID: Bradley Trapp Lletget Amon Pulisic Adams McKennie Arriola Weah -DEFENSE: Lima Yedlin Robinson Lovitz Long Zimmerman Brooks Miazga -GK: Steffen Johnson Horvath If it were me I’d put in Ramirez there instead of Zardes but guess we’ll see