I think he's in the mix for sure. But to canonize after this cluster F of a tournament/coaching/roster is asking a bit much IMO.
I think Long was quick to react. But again this was against minnows without teeth. Need to see more and actually see how he works with the one lock at CB we have in Brooks.
I'll reiterate one more time because it's key to my analysis; the backline wasn't challenged at all in this tournament until the second half against Mexico and to a lessor degree against one of the minnows (Curacao). And I didn't like what I saw in those 2 instances. We have a glaring weakness in the back and it seems we're in denial about it.
Maybe a 3 cb line would kill 4 birds with one stone: a) get Brooks in there for passing out of the back b) get a 3rd cb in there to baby sit Brooks c) get McKennie a spot in the team as rcb where he could use his dribbling into space, aerial game and impact in the final third. d) use our wb's like Arriola, Lima to good effect. (I wonder if Tommy Thompson has a role?) ------------sarge?--jozy --arriola-puli-adams-pom---lima --------brooks--long--wes
Keep in mind that we were missing two starters at the back. DeAndre Yedlin and John Anthony Brooks. And also missing CM/RB Tyler Adams. I think our inability to score goals against elite international teams will be a bigger problem moving forward than our defense............................... I personally believe that Cannon and Lima played fine. Long, Miazga, Zimmerman played like I expected them to. We undoubtedly have a left back problem. We know Ream isn't going to cut it. But when you ask folks to name alternatives, the list isn't very long at that position. Particularly if we want to cut out guys over 30. I'm hopeful that we have a breakout year from Chris Gloster at Hannover.........................
Our fullback situation 'may' be getting better but honestly I've been a 3-5-2 kind of guy for the USMNT for a while now.
Antonee Robinson is good, conventional left back. CCV did well in the position against Manchester City. Would take Ryan Hollingshead over Ream. Dotson could also use a look in.
Couldn't agree more. But Yedlin looks ok sometimes, great other times and crap for what's left over. Still Brooks is the anchor and without him in there it's hard to evaluate the unit. And then there's the coach... I also fantasize that we have a coach smart enough to realize Sargent and Weah are the firepower we lack now. Sargent doesn't miss the clunker off Jozy IMO and Weah puts in some of those opportunities that Arriola rightly got on but flubbed, over and over. Forget the black hole Morris. Put Arriola over there in his spot until Holmes or Boyd or someone else steals it. But that's with a real coach.
Robinson is a good two-way fullback. Just because he got burned when left on an island against world class wingers doesn't mean he isn't. And he likely improve.
We allowed two goals in six games. We scored more goals than Steffen made saves. The defense may not have looked as good as you would have liked, but some of that is due to being eaten in the midfield, particularly against Curacao and Mexico. I thought it was pretty good USMNT-level defense by this group, with an average number of mental mistakes. It would be nice if every center back in the pool equaled Brooks at his best, but we're not there. Cannon was a nice surprise, Lima was OK, Ream had his usual mixed bag semi out of position, Miazga and Zimmerman were mostly good, and Long was one of top 3-5 performers for us in the whole tournament.
That's sorta my feeling too. And when you make a list of alternatives to Ream at LB, its not a long list. We have a really weak LB pool at the moment. Villafana has fallen off. Greg Garza has fallen off. Edgar Castillo has fallen off. Beasley's been hanging around forever for a reason. Remember the long Kellyn Acosta at left back experiment? Maybe we should return to it.................. I have hope for Chris Gloster, but there's not a lot on the way at left back in either MLS or Europe. Bello with Atlanta, but he's injured and won't be ready for a while. FCD has a really good young LB prospect (Jonathan Gomez), but he also won't be ready for a while. But who are the 22 year old left backs out there? Antonee Robinson and not much else. So yes, we're calling up Antonee Robinson a lot over the next year.
Sure? I haven't said anything counter. But I think he played well, played better than the other CBs, and his speed is an asset for a team that seemingly intends to press at times.
My issue with 3 back sets with the US is that the wingback role is really important and reqiures a certain skillset. Do we think we have those players? I don't. That lineup above doesn't feel like a five man midfield.
Then I am really lost. I never mentioned Lichaj. And Lichaj is irrelevant to what I posted because my point was that 2 players, in the same position, in training camp together and performing in the same tournament in rivalry for a starting spot SHOULD be judged according to those performances. That applies to Miazga and Long. That does not apply to Lichaj, as he was not a part of this squad, and does not play the same positions as those other 2 even if he WERE in the squad. You seem to be focused on squad selection maybe, while I am focusing on the competition of players who are already in camp and vying with each for game time ... and how they actually look in those games. Should Lichaj have been given a chance on this squad? Well, with Daniel freakin' Lovitz making the squad, how can I rule it out? But that's not responsive to the point I was making.
I mentioned Lichaj. Out of frustration from this idiotic roster and more of a straw dog to those fawning over Long from the GC performance. He may be it but this was no proof for me and Lichaj's play in Europe is something I like and I've watched more than a few of his games. Please don't bring up Lovitz. I never had acid reflux before watching him this past week or so.
Danilo Acosta. 21 years old and with a ton of talent. Strong, tough, pretty fast, great left foot. He has been a bit of a head case, but I think he realizes that it is now or never for the US. He was just about to switch allegiance to Honduras for the Gold Cup and refused to sign on to the permanent switch at literally the last moment. There is no other reason for him to do that but for him to give it one last push to get himself together and get in the US mix. So again, I think we will see a motivated Acosta. At least I hope we do. He has miles more ability than Daniel Lovitz.
Not sure "ability" is something that matters much to Egg. Part of the equation, maybe, but as many others have argued (not sure why it's a good thing), but there are many other factors that go into it for a high end sub .500 manager like the egg.
For the LB/CB role: CCV and Hollingshead Conventional LB: Robinson, Lichaj(seems to be disliked by NT coaches), and Lima. Minnesota's Dotson looked good there. I haven't seen Gasper, who has lately been starting at LB with Dotson on the right. I wonder if the uber-talented Araujo can player LB. Gloster needs to find club minutes.