That's a damn good question. Just shows how mickey mouse concacaf is, that there wasn't VAR for the GC final.
Couldn't be more wrong. The history of our USMNT are filled with great players that play their trade in Europe. McBride, Howard, Dempsey, Bradley,Beaz, Convey, Yedlin, Jozy, Cameron, Pulisic, Adams, McKennie, etc. etc. Besides Donovan, again, who are these great UMSNT players that spent their entire careers in the MLS?
That goal to me looked like both Bradley and McKennie failed to track a runner right down the center. You can quibble over which of them should have picked him up but for me the bottom line is that at least one of them needed to take the responsibility to do it and neither did. It is a piss poor soccer player that just thinks someone else should do the running, do the work. A good player sees a need and makes the effrot. You could quibble that Bradley should have been the one protecting that space since he is supposed to be the 6 out there, or you could say that McKennie lost him in the first place and should have tracked back. But what matters in a team is often individual players stepping up to make sure what needs to get done gets done and neither Bradley or McKennie attempted to do much of anything and let a player run wide open to the top of the box, poor all around.
I don't think Morales should be an auto selection. But 1500 mins for a mid-table (if only for a single season) Buli side indicates he is a superior alternative to Trapp and a suitable sub when Bradley's legs go. He's not going to wow anyone with his passing, but his anticipation and defensive contribution would provide better protection of the back 4 than almost any in the pool
It’s not charitable - it’s a fact. He play 1700 minutes (50% of available minutes) for a midtable team.
Let's keep in mind that LD.... 1) he spent a significant amount of time with Leverkusen before joining MLS. 2) he was called into the national team before getting any magical "first team minutes" 3) Spent a few more months with Leverkusen in 2005 and even got some CL minutes (though he probably wanted to forget those) 4) Had a failed trial with Bayern in 2009 5) Had two succesful loans with Everton He had quite a bit of time away from MLS that looked to greatly improve his experience.
It's sexist again men it wasn't a service provided to them. But it also would have been sexist if it was poorly executed at times due to human error, especially if it ended up harming the US team. So the existence of VAR is sexist no matter what. We're going to be unhappy regardless, but at least we'll always have that catharsis knowing that the world is wronging us when we don't get everything we want.
Donovan is clearly the exception to prove the rule. Who do we have that is currently wanted by European teams but prefers to stay in MLS? That was Donovan for much of his career. He wasn't a player with no chance to play elsewhere that no bigger teams wanted. For a second I thought of Mathis, but he spent time in Germany. I just took a look at the all time USA scoring charts and after Donovan at #1, you have to go all the way down to Wondo and Ching tied for 20th to find other goal scorers who did not play abroad. Added chuckle that they are tied with Peter Vermes and "own goal" with 11.
The concept that there are these American jewels in the rough in MLS is simply wrong. Water finds its level and if you’re a lifelong MLS player (or B2/Championship), you’re not particularly good wrt the international game.
Donovan and Dempsey are just different class from the rest. Dempsey is pure determination and skills while Donovan just have best soccer IQ out there. He's got great stamina , conserve his energy and still contributes for 90mins (see this Jozy!). Donovan can play top 5 in his peak if he stayed around Europe. Check out comment from Andres Iniesta back then Spanish teams have known what Donovan is capable of, especially since his role in a stunning U.S. upset of Spain, the reigning European champion, in the Confederations Cup semifinals. His play in that game earned him a rave review from Spain and Barcelona superstar Andres Iniesta. "Donovan surprises you with just how much skill he has," Iniesta said. "He thinks about the game in a very advanced way – that is the way we try to play in Spain and in the national team. It would be good to have him in La Liga. I believe he could be successful." https://www.yahoo.com/news/hollywood-breakup-lifts-donovan-world-075100007--sow.html
To be clear I meant attacking players who developed in MLS. Of your list, you could argue that Dempsey improved significantly while in Europe.
Tournament final. Down a goal. Against your arch-rival. And your final substitution is a left back for an uninjured left back.Honestly, where else in the world do you see that? #USMNT— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) July 8, 2019 Almost anywhere else in the world, a coach gets crucified for that decision. Here, it's just a minor footnote that will soon be forgotten. #USMNT— Franco Panizo (@FrancoPanizo) July 8, 2019
I'm not sure why people assume that CONCACAF VAR would be any less of a shitshow than regular CONCACAF officiating.
Besler had EPL and BL offers after the World Cup but chose to play in the U.S. The same was the case with Eddie Pope back in the day when he had a chance to go to Milan. I think Mastro had the same attitude. He was also useful as was Beckerman. Morris could have went to Werder but declined, for which he gets a lot of flack for now. They are exceptions not rules, but it's natural that some will choose to stay at home, especially now that MLS teams are sometimes paying premiums to maintain some vet domestic/internationals. Whether they can maintain motivation afterward remains to be seen. Higher-levels in Europe are more reliable in that regard, but everybody is wired differently so the NT manager should use discretion to figure out who's still useful.
Because with VAR, there is some accountability. If poodle boy is choking a player in a replay, the VAR see it. Ref can claim he didn't see it. Or, didn't warrant a card. But, as seen with WC19, with VAR, a lot of sh*t that goes unnoticed in the field gets called. I don't know why you'd assume it wouldn't be less of a sh*tshow. Even in Concacaf.
Wow, people are actually blaming McKennie for not playing both CM positions in the 2nd half? While Bradley stood there and watched like it was a tennis match? McKennie played a lot of different positions at Schalke, but I don't think he ever played the CM X2 role.
I think it's a matter of fit. Berhalter has chosen not to build around a traditional "destroying" #6, but rather more of distributor style 6 -- at least right now. That signals, maybe, he's not confident in the destroyer options we have, including Morales, or at least, he feels the team has a higher ceiling playing a different way today. OR he's just really rigid, I guess. I think that's what "hurts" Morales. The guys that nominally fit that role that are getting looks are a little younger.
Eh, Weston didn’t have a good game vs. Mexico. Better on balance than Bradley but nowhere near good enough. They are not a good pairing.
I mean... the throat grab happened right in front of the ref's face, and his MO clearly seemed to be "no blood, no card" We've all seen stupidity in games where both players get sent off despite the fact that one player was clearly the instigator and aggressor.