My best XI right now would include Fabian. So were we to play a meaningful game tomorrow, and considering injuries, which is wise because in the real world injuries happen at the worst time, also form, my starting XI would be: -----------------------------Horvath------------------------------- --------------Miazga-------Long------Brooks------------------ Yedlin-----------Adams-----------Morales------------Fabian -------------Lletget----------------------Arriola------------------ ------------------------------Weah-------------------------------- Of course having someone like Villafaña at hand to sub for Fabian, who's likely to go out injured early (and Robinson is currently injured too).
I also expect him to sub more in the March friendlies. In the Jan camp, he had much more time to evaluate players in practices and probably had a better idea of where each player stood in the depth chart (and also was more familiar with them due to his role as a coach of Columbus). As a result, the evaluation in the games was probably a bit "finer" and focus more on details than it will be in March. With the Europeans, it is a much shorter camp and he doesn't know the players as well so he will probably still have some "rough" cutting of the Europeans.
They both played in MLS where Lima has been the stronger 1v1 defender. Yedlin has improved, but the fundamental weakness in his 1v1 defending is a relative lack of lateral mobility. Admittedly, whether or not Lima's skill set transfers to a higher level play remains to be seen. Who should start depends on players' relative merits and on coaches' tactical preferences. For or example, Kellyn Acosta's starting Hex qualifiers at Mexico City and at Honduras--both draws--didn't prevent his getting cut from 3G's January Camp. Perhap's, but Wood produces. Jozy doesn't produce. I didn't perceive your post as an attack. And I'm grateful for the reply.
The problem I have with Lima and Yedlin is that I find them BOTH to be weak defenders. And to be honest, I have less problem with their 1 v 1 defending than I do with their defending of space. Both have great speed and can recover 1 v 1. But both get completely lost in ball-watching, too often, when off the ball defensively. One question I do have for you @IndividualEleven … by what metric can it be said that Jozy doesn't produce but Bobby Wood DOES? I'm not even defending Jozy here, but just pointing out Bobby's production doesn't appear to be superior in any meaningful way.
Altidore's career competitive starts(WCQing[Top 4 Hex], Gold Cup, Confederations Cup, Concacaf Cup, World Cup): 2010 Cycle(Top 4 Hex = Mexico, US, Hon, CR) Opponent: US goal scorers Costa Rica: Donovan Honduras: Donovan, Bocanegra Italy: Donovan Brasil: Egypt: Bradley, Davies, Dempsey Spain: Altidore, Dempsey Costa Rica: Bradley, Bornstein England: Dempsey Slovenia: Donovan, Bradley Algeria: Donovan Ghana: Donovan 2014 Cycle: (Top 4 Hex = Mexico, US, Hon, CR) Honduras: Dempsey Costa Rica: Dempsey Mexico: Honduras: Altidore Ghana: Dempsey, Brooks 2018 Cycle: (Top 4 Hex = Mexico, CR, Hon, Pan) Honduras: Dempsey(2) Mexico: Cameron, Wood Mexico: Wood Costa Rica: Honduras: Dempsey(3), Lletget, Bradley, Pulisic Panama: Dempsey Mexico: Bradley Costa Rica: Altidore Costa Rica: Panama: Altidore(2), Wood, Pulisic
Bobby Wood Competitive Appearances(WCQing[Top 4 Hex], Gold Cup, Confederations Cup, Concacaf Cup, World Cup): 2018 Cycle: (Top 4 Hex = Mexico, CR, Hon, Pan) Starts: Colombia Costa Rica: Wood, Zusi, Jones, Dempsey Paraguay: Dempsey Ecuador: Zusi, Demp Colombia: Mexico: Wood Costa Rica Mexico: Bradley Costa Rica Panama: Wood, Altidore, Subs:* Mexico(23 minutes played): Wood, Cameron Honduras(17 minutes played): Wood * Altidore has some subs appearances but didn't score in any under the criteria.
I know but I have also seen MLS teams beat world class clubs in their off-season as well. 2018 MLS cup Atlanta would be right around Augsberg in my opinion. I think the top MLS teams would be Bundesliga relegation this year. Even a dysfunctional LA Galaxy team that missed the playoffs had players like Ibrahimovic, Lletget, former La Liga players in the Dos Santos Brothers, Alessandrini.
The way MLS teams build their rosters is just so different than the way European teams at the bottom of the top leagues do. MLS teams would probably all get relegated from the Top 4 leagues as they don't have the payroll or depth. Even your LAG example is an EPL bench player, a guy who couldn't break into the EPL, two guys who once were EPL quality but would now be bench players or worse, and a French League journeyman who could probably be in the rotation on bottom of the table EPL teams. Those are the 5 best players! Comparing team to league or league to league is hard and not important. The big change we are seeing is that the best players in MLS can step onto EPL and Bundesliga teams and make an immediate impact. If a player looks clearly better than those around him, he is probably a very good player. But I don't think that says anything about players that seem average in MLS. How a player looks is in large part effected by how good his teammates are. Almiron was on a very good team with good quality and he was the best player on that team and it was easy to see. Adams was on a good team but without the high end talent that Atlanta had but also seemed like the game was too slow for him. On the Red Bulls, Long is starting to look like the MLS game is too slow for him. I don't know if I've ever watched Lima or Baird or even Arriola and thought they were thinking much faster than the other players around them.
Right now, if everyone is healthy... Weah------------(CF)------------Pulisic ---------Holmes--------McKennie------ ------------------Adams-------------------- Robinson--Brooks---Miazga--Yedlin ------------------Steffan--------------------- CF currently, to me, would be Wood, Altidore, Sargent but that is probably the most fluid position. Holmes might be the best final third passer in our pool right now. If you need something more direct and physical, then Lletget could be used. Johnson is too old for me; but if you had him in instead of Robinson short term, hard to argue. Horvath over Steffan isn't outlandish at all either.
We need this guy: https://www.si.com/vault/2010/05/24/105940845/a-gringos-game Sarge looks like he could take a stab at it so I hope we play him a lot at second striker Dempsey style, while he is young, against Ecuador-Chile type competition and in the Gold Cup v. Mexico.
Based on what? If Ebobisse can do it, then Weah can do it. Play Arriola then if defense is more important than the abilty to break a game open with one play.
Arriola works his tail off defensively but I’d hardly call him a “good” defender. He loses many of his 50/50s and doesn’t possess the short-area acceleration or lateral quickness to recover well. If he’s a B-teamer in three years then something has gone wrong, and if he’s in Qatar there was some kind of continental plague. He isn’t tidy and doesn’t possess elite pace. He’s always been cupcake-caliber at best.
Weah is one of the players that I believe has the highest upside. He could be amazing...but I still think he has a way to go and his game will develop. We will have to see (IMO) exactly where he fits in. I like Arriola too but he is more "you get what you see". He is much more the finished product and will never be special in the way Weah MIGHT be. It's kind of early to be penciling Weah into any starting lineup as a lock starter. In a few months that could change...or it could take a bit longer.
I'm not sure that is true and have seen him doing some decent work pressuring and tracking back for Celtic. Didnt Berhalters team defend in a 442 in January? If both are true then have the other wing and both 8/10s drop off and Weah be one of the front 2 on defense.
I don't like how MLS clubs defend. It's become a sort of Eredivisie Light with all these DPs coming in attack. I wouldn't be surprised if this time around no MLS teams makes the semis. While the league is more watchable than ever, I feel tactically there's been a regression. And we're going to need MLSers, specially in defense, during the qualifiers, I guarantee you that. It's worrisome.
I watched the women's game last night vs. Japan. While it was exciting, they forced play out of the back that led to 2 or 3 of the 4 goals in the game. Seemed utterly stupid to me and it reminded me of the debates we have here about the merits of possession.
I dont think there has been any regression. The league has always been tactically weak. I hope we arent relying on MLS defenders in 3 years and dont see why we would need to.