I know this is going to be REALLY hard for some (most?) of you. But all the discussion in the Venezuela post game thread has gone round and round. So lets try and synthesize this down simply. No discussion. No why or why not. How about you list the 23 guys you would have selected for the Gold Cup. Factor in whatever you want. Current form, U20 WC needs, Club needs, injuries. etc. Just list your 23. Keepers - Steffan, Johnson, Miller (or Klinsmann) Defenders - Miazga, Besler, Long, Zimmerman, Lima, Robinson, Ream, Cannon Midfielders - McKennie, Pulisic, Trapp, Morales, Bradley, Roldan Fowards - Altidore, Wood, Sargent, Arriola, Boyd, Zardes
Assuming Brooks, Yedlin, Wood and Horvath were actually hurt. Keepers - Steffan, Hamid, MIller Defenders - Miazga, Besler, Long, CCV, Lima, Robinson, Lichaj, Cannon Midfielders - McKennie, Pulisic, Bradley, Adams (Morales), Holmes (Green) , Aaronsen Fowards - Altidore, Nova, Sargent, Arriola, Boyd, Memo Rodriguez
Assuming following are unable to play due to injury: Horvath Brooks Yedlin Adams Lletget Holmes Playing a 4-3-3 this would be my 23, would play with 2 #8s and a deeper 6 because we don't have a #10 GK: Steffen Johnson Guzan Defenders: CB Miazga Carter-Vickers Zimmerman Alvarado RB Lima Chandler LB Arriola Robinson (Lima) (Alvarado) Midfielders: CDM - 6 Bradley Morales (Mckennie) CM - 8 Mckennie Williams Corona (Morales) (Bradley) LW Pulisic Amon (Arriola) RW Boyd Sabbi (Pulisic) (Arriola) CF Altidore Sargent Wooten Suggested XI: --------------------Steffen------------------------ Lima-------Miazga----Alvarado-------Arriola --------------------Bradley----------------------- ------------Mckennie---Williams--------------- Boyd---------------Altidore--------------Pulisic 2nd XI: Guys that would be in my 23 without youth tournament considerations: Weah for Sabbi Pomykal for Corona Richards Zimmerman
GK - Steffen, Guzan, Miller CB: Long, Miazga, Besler, M. Robinson FB: Lima, Cannon, Lichaj, A. Robinson CM: McKennie, EPB, Adams, Corona, Morales WF: Pulisic, Novakovich, Boyd, Mueller CF: Sargent, Altidore, Morris Skipper: Marsch
That's actually good news. I hated that rule because you should have to win with the squad you brought from the beginning. But as long as I thought it was in effect, might as well have exploited it, and got a couple worthy youngsters who were busy in the u20 WC into the fray.
Assuming following are unable to play due to injury: Horvath Brooks Yedlin Adams Lletget Holmes Goalkeepers (3) Steffen, Johnson, Hamid Central Defenders (4) Long, Miazga, CCV, Zimmerman Injury (red) replacement: Palmer Brown Central Midfielders (5-6) McKennie, Morales, Williams, Bradley/Bedoya, Canouse Injury replacements: Bradley/Bedoya Outside Back/Wing (5-6) Arriola, Boyd, Johnson, Chandler, Lima Injury replacements: A. Robinson, Cannon, Dest, Gloster Attackers (5) Pulisic, Altidore, Zardes, Sargent, Wood, Nova Injury replacement: Wooten, Soto
Brooks, Yedlin, Adams, Holmes, and Horvath (would be on roster, but injured). Goalkeepers: Steffan, Hamid, S. Johnson Defenders: Miazga, Alvarado, Richards, Carter-Vickers, Chandler, Robinson, F. Johnson, Cannon, Moore Midfielders: McKennie, Pulisic, Morales, Williams, Green, Weah Forwards: Altidore, Novakovich, Sargent, Boyd, Sapong
If everyone were healthy and available: Goalkeepers: Steffen, Horvath, Hamid Defenders: Miazga, Brooks, Richards, Carter-Vickers, Chandler, F. Johnson, Yedlin, Moore Midfielders: Adams, McKennie, Pulisic, Morales, Williams, Green, Weah, Holmes Forwards: Altidore, Sargent, Boyd, Sapong
Taking unfortunate injuries into account, I'm going to skew young anyways. I'm not using 3G's 40-man, which was a roster that I don't think was very good. GK's: Steffen, Gonzalez, Guzan Steffen #1 with no Horvath to challenge him. Gonzalez is 3rd best young GK in the pool. Guzan there for Nick Rimando role. I don't rate Johnson, may as well have the most experienced GK in the pool as the 3rd GK. Defenders: Miazga, CCV, Lima, Zimmerman, Robinson, FabJ, Besler, Long Plenty of excellent CB pairings to choose from. Besler's the most consistent CB we've ever had at the NT level, and provides experience. I like Long in that LB/CB spot. FabJ aslo fits there, and Robinson can play LB if we go standard FB's. Lima is presumably the RB/hybrid role, with FabJ under him. Midfielders: McKennie, Morales, Bradley, Bedoya, Pomykal McKennie is automatic. Pomykal deserves some time after a fantastic U20's. I think he can be one of those 10's. I assume Bedoya starts, but it's a tossup between him, MB, and Morales. Depends on who we're facing I guess. I have Puli listed as a winger, not a 10, but I suppose he could be put here too, either way. Forwards: Boyd, Altidore, Sargent, Weah, Novakovich, Wooten, Pulisic Altidore, Sargent, Nova, Wooten, 4 forwards. Boyd, Pulisic, Weah, 3 wingers. Gotta have Altidore, Sargent's better than Zardes, may as well bring Novakovich and kick the tires there. Wooten was the hottest American striker this year, and I want someone with goals in them if Altidore craps the bed again. Wooten's got experience wide as a midfielder/winger as well, so he's cover for Boyd/Pulisic along with Weah. Boyd and Pulisic are autostarters. I sure like my 23 more than 3G's. LMK what you think!
I believe we should be trying to win the Gold Cup and using our best talent to do so. The USMNT needs credibility. Weah is the only player I would have called, and started, from the U20's. Amon is his replacement. Given that plus the injuries, here's who I would call up and my 11. GK (3) - Steffen, Gonzalez, Frei Defenders (8) - Miazga, Besler, CCV, A. Robinson, Lichaj, Lima, Garza, Alvarado Midfielders (6) - McKennie, Pulisic, Morales, Cameron, Green, Canouse Forwards (5) - Boyd, Altidore, Sargent, Amon, Gall Bonus last player cut at each position - Miles Robinson, Hyndman, Novakovich Here's how my 11 would line up: ---------------Altidore----------------- Gall-----------Pulisic--------Boyd-- -------Cameron----McKennie----- Garza--Besler---Miazga---Lichaj --------------Steffen------------------- To be honest, every 23 and lineup I've seen in this thread would smoke the team that's actually playing.
GK: Steffen, Gonzalez, Horvath RB: Dest, *Olosunde, *Moore CB; Miazga CCV, Palmer-Brown, ZImmerman LB: F. Johnson, A.Robinson MF: 6: Cameron, Morales, 8: McKennie, D. Williams 10: Hyndman, Pomykal F: 7: Weah, Wooten, 9: Sargent, Nova, 11: Pulisic, * Boyd (F. Johnson) Steffen Dest Miazga Zimmerman Johnson Cameron McKennie Hyndman Weah Sargent Pulisic Or Steffen Dest Miazga Zimmerman Robinson Cameron McKennie Pulisic Weah Sargent Johnson Of those not injured, the above is the best we have in the pool right now. * = one of those three players would not make the roster.
This process is somewhat depressing given the pool. I still managed to easily get to 40 with no Lovitz, Trapp, Zardes, Lewis, or even Bradley, etc. etc. I'll start with my 40-Man: GK: Steffen, Hamid, Horvath, Frei, Guzan OB: F.Johnson, Yedlin, Lichaj, A.Robinson, Rosenberry CB: Long, Brooks, Miazga, Zimmerman, M.Robinson, Opara, Ream, Carter-Vickers, Trusty DM: Adams, S.Davis, Morales, Canouse CM: McKennie, Roldan, Lletget, Pomykal, Holmes, Green W: Pulisic, Boyd, Weah, Arriola, M.Rodriguez F: Altidore, Sargent, Sapong, Novakovich, Wood, Wooten Of course many others I considered. Only one though I had in, then crossed out was Geoff Cameron - decided he's too old (and maybe injured). I have to replace Brooks and Yedlin (I won't replace Wood, have heard no confirmation of injury status) due to injury from the jump. We'll go like for like and add in Palmer-Brown and Lima. Subsequent injury rules out Adams, Horvath, Lletget & Holmes. Obviously Adams would have been in the 23 as would Horvath. Holmes or Lletget would have made it but probably not both. Not sure which. Oh well. Final 23: GK: Steffen, Hamid, Frei OB: Johnson, Lichaj, Rosenberry, Lima I would have had Robinson over Lima, but performance against Jamaica scared me off. CB: Long, Miazga, Zimmerman, M.Robinson DM: Morales, S.Davis, Canouse CM: McKennie, Roldan, Pomykal W: Pulisic, Boyd, Weah F: Altidore, Sargent, Sapong I'm honestly not sure what my 11 is against Mexico in a presumptive final. Figure it out along the way. Against Guyana, let's go: ----------Altidore---Sargent------------ ---Boyd------------------------Pulisic--- ---------Morales-McKennie------------ -Lichaj----Long---Miazga--Johnson- ----------------Hamid--------------------
Just and FYI. Went fishing today and on the way home listened to Sirrius XMFC. They had Charlie Davies on. In talking about the roster and the Gold Cup he ahd an interesting thing to say on Jozy Altidore. "Altidore is THE best forward we have right now and its not even close." Then he went on the explain why he feels that way. Jist of it is that nobody else has the physical stature. Tactical awareness. And passing and finishing ability.
It is rare that a striker scores a goal in a game and everyone comes out of it wondering how that player is on the roster. Zardes should be nowhere near this team. It seriously calls into question Gregg's talent assessment skill that he is here. He has 270' against sub-USL opponents this year and has had the ball on his feet or his head, in the 6 yard box, 6+ times and has not scored. His only goal in those three games is a ricochet he didn't even see coming even though it hit him in the eye. He has 500+ minutes this year and has two "goals". The above ricochet and another where he shot wildly from 35 yards and the ball rainbowed off the defender and over the GK. Meanwhile, he has had over a dozen balls near him in the box and has not created one bit of danger. The shot Sargent got off against Jamaica is so far outside Zardes's skill set to be almost comical to think he could have pulled it off too.
Assuming injuries to players in the pool (Adams, Brooks, Yedlin, Horvath, Lletget, Holmes) and excluding guys who played in the U-20 World Cup, here is who I would have selected: Goalkeepers: Steffen, Guzan, S.Johnson Fullbacks: F.Johnson, A.Robinson, Cannon, Ream Center backs: Miazga, Long, Besler, Zimmerman Central Midfielders: Bradley, McKennie, Nagbe, Canouse, Mihailovic Wingers: Pulisic, Boyd, Arriola, Gall Strikers: Altidore, Zardes, Sargent Alternates (one per position): - J.Gonzalez - Lima - Carter-Vickers - Roldan - Amon or Lewis - Wooten If the entire pool were healthy and available (including U-20s), I would make the following changes: - Adams --> Canouse - Brooks --> Zimmerman - Yedlin --> Cannon - Horvath --> S.Johnson - Weah --> Gall - Lletget or Pomykal --> Mihailovic
who i woudlve liked to see: Keepers - Steffan, Hamid, Frei Defenders - Miazga, Chris Richards, Ventura Alvarado, Miles Robinson, FabJ, Lima, Cannon, Chandler Midfielders - McKennie, Pulisic, Nagbe, Nguyen, Canouse, Sabbi, Boyd, Pomykal Fowards - Altidore, Sargent, Weah, Agudelo definitely missing/in consideration: brooks, yedlin, lletget, holmes, morales, williams,horvath,saief wood, gall, hyndman, aron johansson, mixx diskerud, jordan morris, keaton parks, j.lewis, ccv, EPB, opara, zimmerman, arriola, zardes, bradley etc etc
GK Chandler miazga ccv johnson Boyd Mckennie Morales pulisic Wooten Sargent Joel Sonora??? Argentinian league also stronger than MLS
Taking into injury/form issues, Adams, Brooks, Holmes, Long, and Yedlin will be excluded. Productivity matters more than style. Zardes has a good goals-assists per 90 record, so is in the team. Sargent had 90 against Jamaica and didn't show anything. Agree with Davies that Altidore is the best MLS forward. Problem is he has a poor record in competition against decent sides. And he's always getting hurt. Would like to see decent league from Chandler and Johnson, before giving them a shot with the NT. Sonora has been mostly a sub. Pulisic: was at his best with the NT when playing behind to forwards. I'd like to get him closer to goal without exposing the team as much as the 4312 did. GK: Horvath, Steffen, Frei DF: ARobinson, CCV, Miazga, MRobinson, Zimmerman,Lima, Lichaj CM: McKennie, Morales, Roldan, Bedoya Attack: Boyd, Pulsic, Arriola, Zardes, Rodriguez, Nagbe FW: Sapong, Altidore, Wooten
At this point, it’s more important to discuss who’ll be added after the Gold Cup... GK: Steffen, Horvath, Johnson RB: Yedlin, Cannon CB: Brooks, Long CB: Zimmerman, Miazga LB: Lima, Robinson DM: Adams, Morales MF: McKennie, Nagbe RW: Arriola, Weah AM: Boyd, Pomykal LW: Pulisic, Holmes, Morris FW: Altidore, Zardes, Sargent, Soto