I think that's harsh on Bruce. The Gold Cup in the middle of qualifying was the pivot point. At that time, I was arguing to make it a Euro-heavy squad, so Bruce could sort through that group. Got a lot of counter-argument "you can't take X away from their during pre-season, they'll lose any chance for PT." In retrospect, it was fair argument. It doesn't do the MNT any good, to decide a guy is usable, only to have him ride pine for the 1st half of his club season. I'm not looking for a fight - who did Bruce leave out from Europe? It would have been pretty dodgy to bring in McKennie at that point. Williams could have helped, I guess. But, then he left Cameron on the bench vs. TnT. If there were Euro based players that could have contributed, I'd love to know who they were.
I felt the same way about Carlos Bocanegra when he played for Fulham. Boca was still a quality starter for the NT.
Yeah, a bit of artistic license with the psych 101 reading of Bruce. But if you listen to Arena (or Bradley) talk sometimes, I don't think it is that far from the truth Just the idea that young talented kids are "dodgy" is and was the problem. Pulisic was dodgy, until he wasn't. McKennie made his debut in the Bundesliga in May 2017, he should have been at the GC and on the September roster. JoGo should have been on the October roster, if not September. Adams could have played RB as he was emerging around that time and Zusi got killed in Honduras. Why wasn't Adams at the GC? Miazga was actually at the Gold Cup, played well in his one game, and then we had Omar out there giving away crap goals and scoring own goals. Then in November, Bruce says Miazga would have started at the World Cup. Are you f---king kidding me? Lichaj was there but never called again. Williams, Morales, Green, and lots of MLS players should have looked at. Water under the bridge. But we have to stop with the idea that experience trumps talent. We had an unbelievable amount of experience on the roster in Couva. 600+ caps? Has anyone ever totaled that up?
Morales plays at Fortuna Düsseldorf, which 538 ranks as the 129th club in the world (I note that you acknowledge that FD isn't relegation bound and your first paragraph is rendered entirely erroneous). You've mentioned the following as better for the USMNT: Mendez is a reserve player for Freiburg, the 107th ranked team Ledezma is a youth player for PSV; not particularly close to the first team Lankford just joined St. Pauli, the 426th ranked team and we don't know how much playing time he'll get for a decidedly worse team Holmes plays for Derby, the 228th ranked club. This just isn't apples to apples. If Mendez and Ledezma earn playing time with their senior clubs then they should be part of the pool while Lankford and Holmes need to prove themselves at better clubs. If their careers progress as we hope, what you want to happen, will happen.
We can agree to disagree but there's absolutely no way that either MB or WT are getting playing time midtable in B1. Absolutely no way.
I believe you are the one to ask this because you seem to know the business side of MLS. With the CBA coming upon us soon, is there any provision for arbitration in lieu of a strike? I'm not sure how that works exactly. I suppose both parties would have to agree to an arbitrator.
As someone who really takes into account the club level of a player, do you really want to argue that reserve players at top clubs are significantly worse than average MLS players? Mendez was the best player on the field in the CCF U-20 Championship. Lainez is playing for Real Betis now. Yes, Mendez hasn't cracked Freiberg yet, but we have seen his level. He was by far better than all the MLS quality players on that team. Pomykal and Servania could be starting in MLS this weekend, are they ahead of Mendez when we just saw them play together and who was the best (Pomykal and Servania were good too, not slagging them). I'm not a slave to the "needs senior minutes". That is usually code for, "don't drop MLS journeymen for kids." We have seen over the past year that Sargent and Weah can be two of our best USMNT players as reserve players. It just seems counterproductive to rule out Mendez, but then soon as he sets foot on the field for Freiburg he is instantly at the top of pool? Where is the middle ground? Anyone who kills it for the U20 USMNT has usually been ready for the USMNT. Lankford is just much younger. I'm just being consistent when I don't want guys who will be 32+ in Qatar as part of the pool. Others around here like 30+ MLS guys, others think 30+ MLS guys are garbage but have no problem with 30+ year old European guys. I'm looking for young players to grow with the team.
Williams never made any such statement because it would not be true. Williams got capped 12 times while he was at Hoffenheim in the BuLi and 10 times while he was at Reading. Tim Ream got 9 caps in one year (2015) while in the Championship. Lichaj was just a fringe player who could not beat out Brad Evans when they were in camp together. Lichaj was a poster boy for the anti-Klinsmann mob. Arena came in and he was still just a fringe player. Klinsmann was against Williams taking the money to drop down a level from Hoffenheim to Reading. Klinsmann was also against Morales taking a raise to drop down a level to Ing from Herta. He was against Deuce, Bradley, and Jones dropping a level to come to MLS. It had zero to do with hating the Championship.
They could. But I believe some impasse has to be reached. I rarely understand the MLSPA and I don't think the MLSPA understands soccer. Who are the members anyway? Not like 10 years ago with a bunch of Americans in the league trying to get a few bucks. Almost everyone in MLS now will be out in a few years. Maybe a guy like Zusi then has all the power since a guy like Kaku or Bello doesn't care; who knows. Seems like Garber and the owners have taken the MLSPA to the cleaners everytime. Mostly because the MLSPA thinks of things like they are dealing with MLB or the NFL. Free agency, inside MLS, they fought for when you can sign with any club in the world when your contract expires. Incredibly ignorant. When you sign a CBA you fought hard for and then the owners just give you $4,000,000 more in salaries per team, you are a horrible Union.
Patrick, I think you're aware that I'm not a fan of the 30+ MLS/B2/Championship guys and I have a real problem with posters who equate all European leagues despite the vast differential in quality. Conversely, I'm a big fan of major league players and if you have earned playing time at a top [150] club, preferably over several years, I give that a lot of credence. When players' form drop even a bit, they get replaced at good clubs so age alone isn't a disbarring quality for me. I do recognize that most likely, older players will get dropped first by Big 4 clubs and then by the USMNT.
It must be easy for MLS to divide and conquer. The disadvantage for MLS is that they now admit they are in the global market whereas the NASL was the competition (from the legal standpoint) last time the CBA came up and the policy was to 'keep players here' as a way of rearing the infant league. Have to hope the league gets into grassroots type arguments like getting payments for Academy players sold to other leagues, etc. Anyway tks for the post and we now return to regularly scheduled programming.
Not sure how that could be debatable at this point (B1 starter vs. below average MLSer), but I've lost interest in arguing. But yes, certainly agree that he should at least be given a call up. I argued every new/talented player should get a call up, and best form wins. But that wasn't what BA wanted to do, leading to, ya know...
Oh this is enjoyable. I still remember saying McKennie should be in the team and was shouted down for experience. Same with JoGo, who needed to SETTLE IN at Monterrey. And was it Miazga who got simply 45 minutes? Or did he get a whole 90, scored a goal, looked good, and didnt see the field again. If it wasn't so miserable missing the WC, it'd feel amazing being right so many times. Now, back to current 2019, where MB/WT will be automatically called up in one month, and likely starting...
And this will surely be one of our downfalls. If GB is not tough or savvy enough to let MB/WT go, then we are doomed to replay some of the worst games we have had. Now is the time (and the last two games) to try out other possibilities in the midfield. I am going to be very disappointed if GB does not use the upcoming games as true tryout sessions.
Some of the starters and scorers of the past week B1 Adams(DM,4222)[WS_7.1,6th]_2/3 dribbles_4 ints_3 fouled||1-0 Nuernberg Championship Holmes(CM,433)[WS_6.6,2nd]_85% passing_2/2 dribbles_3 fouled||0-1 Forest Carter-Vickers(CB,4231)[WS_7.7,1st]_95% passing_9/15 aerials_4 int||2-0 Bolton Holmes(AM,4231)[WS_5.9,7th]_||0-4 Aston Villa Miazga(CB,4231)[WS_7.0,9th]_8 clearances||2-1 Ipwich Turkish Super Lig Tyler Boyd(LAM,4231)[8.1,MOTM]_2/2 dribbles_3 tackles_1 Goal||2-1 Erzurum Tyler Boyd(LAM,4231)[8.7,2nd]_3/4 dribbles_4 key passes_1 Goal,2 Assists||4-2 Antalyaspor Belgium Horvath(GK,352)[N/A]||2-2 Anderlecht Horvath(GK,352)[N/A]||1-0 Sint-Truiden Eredivisie Palmer-Brown(LCB,343)[WS_6.9,6th]_9 clearances__4 tackles||1-4 Vitesse SPL Ariyibi(LWF,433)[N/A]_1-4 Celtic Subs Argentina Primera Div Sonora(RWB,3412)[WS_7.3,5th]_2 key passes_4/4 dribbles_1 Assist||1-0 Estudiantes
The problem for MLS and attorneys have weighed in on this, is as MLS moves towards having legit free agency and strips HG territories, which has been a recent topic, they're moving closer and closer towards non-compliance with the definition of single entity. MLS' defense vs Fraser where the courts ruled it wasn't a single entity system but rather a hybrid, occurred for the most part pre-DP's, pre- soccer specific stadiums, pre- academies, pre-teams getting 100% of HG sales, and pre- local tv contracts/revenue. Now teams are far more independent and closer to acting as their own revenue vehicles.
Green and Furth continue their sprint from promotion to relegation, and they might get there. Green did his part by getting ejected.
GF fans seem to be very upset about the call that got Green sent off. Seems he was tackled on the play but got a yellow for simulation, which was his second.
50/50 call IMO. He does get pushed by the CB but he was never going to get to the ball after the meg. Should have been a no-call or a penalty. https://streamable.com/u2w9e
Weston McKennie is Schalke’s assist leader this season with 6 assists across all competitions. pic.twitter.com/gBA7QzM4fo— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) March 9, 2019
Very active half so far for '95 LW Gboly Ariyibi in Scottish Premiership action. Assist, drew a penalty, and two shots on goal. 2' | 1-0It's an early lead for the Steelmen! Main nods the ball on the Ariyibi who fires a low ball across goal for TURNBULL to stick in the net! #MFCLive— Motherwell FC (@MotherwellFC) March 9, 2019 7’ Woods saves from Ariyibi— Hamilton Accies FC (@acciesfc) March 9, 2019 10' | 2-0It's 2! Ariyibi beats his man is is fouled inside the area. Up steps TURNBULL who sends woods the wrong way. COYW!#MFCLive— Motherwell FC (@MotherwellFC) March 9, 2019 30' | 2-0Close! Ariyibi with a stepover which fools Gordon and allows him to drive into the box but from a narrow angle, his shot is saved.#MFCLive— Motherwell FC (@MotherwellFC) March 9, 2019 Ariyibi ripping Accies to shreds down the left— Lanarkshire Live Sport (@LanLiveSport) March 9, 2019