Nations League A, Camp 1, Cuba/Canada, Oct. 11/15

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by thedukeofsoccer, Jul 23, 2019.

  1. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Whatever the reason, Chandler isn't the type of player we should be using at the League of Nations anyway.

    To me this is a great opportunity to call up a lot of young, emerging players to a competition that does matter to some degree.

    Heck, I'm happy if we use this competition to gel our U23 side in preparation for the subsequent Olympic qualifying tournament. And its not like that' just a cop-out. Much of our squad is a U23 team anyway....................and I'll throw in Steffen in goal. He's not U23, but we want him to completely win that starting job. As many games for him there, the better.

    -------------Sargent-------------
    Pulisic----------------------Weah
    ------McKennie-Pomykal---
    ------------Adams--------------
    Dest--CCV--EPB--Cannon-
    -----------Steffen---------------

    Quibble about my selections if you want, as there are options in these positions. But you get the idea. We can come up with a highly competitive U23ish team. If you want to include Richards over CCV, be my guest. CCV played 30 games for a mid-table Championship team last year; Richards has never played a first team professional game. I start with CCV against Canada; a player like Richards against Cuba. I'd also like to call up Miles Robinson. Can have Antonee Robinson on the roster too as a LB/CB. Or if you like Justen Glad better, so be it. Or Auston Trusty or Mark McKenzie. Whatever. We get the picture.
     
  2. juvechelsea

    juvechelsea Member+

    Feb 15, 2006
    i could understand the USMNT fudging a specific game for a player's club future showcase or work permit needs. i do not like giving players several games in a row to the exclusion of others, to further one specific career. we should know better. people get hurt. a younger player comes along and becomes the flavor of the month. the team does not exist to market its players or to turn one particular conventional wisdom into dogma.

    if you properly spread around playing time each year then whether a set of players needs time off for a MLS stretch run isn't a big deal. if you are putting all your eggs in a basket and someone gets hurt or needs out for a marginal MLS team then it matters.

    olympic qualifying is a fair point but the way you handle that is, again, plan ahead, have roster redundancy, and have your senior peek at the olympic age players over the summer and spring. or the next date after.

    fwiw one creative use of Gold Cup would have been as a U23 team exercise. it would have been risky for a "win now" senior team perspective. but it would have given the senior coach his look while also preparing a U23 squad to try and qualify. hard to get U23 games? use them instead of the senior team.

    worth noting that with as young of a team as we have that in some ways that U23 team is the short term future of the seniors anyhow. people joked about sarachan's bunch as a U23 team. not that far off really.

    we don't think beyond next week and we seem a little too invested in the name brand club names our players wear next to their names on the roster sheet. so we will run out an older team minus its U-23 on roll out sod and a baseball field to prepare for LoN. we will slap together a U23 team and be befuddled why we can't qualify.
     
  3. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    I like the lineup, mine would be pretty close and the exciting thing is that it would be pretty close to my first team overall. If this was a WCQ the only changes I would make from that 11 would be the CBs, Yedlin for Cannon (but Cannon is coming on strong to win that job outright), and maybe A. Robinson or Arriola for Dest.

    My 23 for these games:

    GK - Steffen, Horvath, Gonzalez
    D - EPB, CCV, M. Robinson, Zimmerman, Dest, Arriola, Cannon, Araujo
    M - Adams, McKennie, Pomykal, Canouse, Parks, Acosta
    F - Pulisic, Weah, Boyd, Morris, Sargent, Novakovich
     
  4. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    No im not joking. Im being perfectly honest with you. Timothy Chandler told a teammate to be careful about making your injury worse because your club team will be pissed and they pay the bills. THATS AMAZING Advice!!!!!!!!!!! because it so happens Bobby Wood later on played injured for hamburg in the relegation fight and it ruined his current career!

    And US male players don't get guaranteed contracts from USSF, their living comes form their club.

    Timothy Chandler was under immense pressure from his club team and his German family to wait for and play for Germany. Guess what? HE CHOOSE USA!!!

    Guess what, Jonathan Gonzalez was in the same situation and he choose Mexico to be in a World Cup. Timothy Chandler grew up in Germany and immediately played for USA!!!!!!


    Chandler's a scapegoat.
     
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  5. truefan420

    truefan420 Member+

    May 30, 2010
    oakland
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He’s got pros and cons but he is definitely a scapegoat. I remember people blaming him for a goal that he didn’t close out well enough when Gonzo was closer literally runs half way to the player then stops and goes back to the box to wait for him to cross. While chandler comes from a further position to try and close him out and not let him cross the ball freely. He’s got pros and cons but he takes more bs than several other players got.
     
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  6. FeedhimtothepigsArold

    Apr 7, 2014
    Club:
    Oxford United FC
    This team probably beats GBs first choice 11.

    I agree with the concept for sure.

    Only place I disagree is keeper. I dont think Steffen has to win the no 1 spot. I think its already his. Due to this, I wouldnt even bring in Steffen for the LoN games. Let Horvath, Johnson , Gonzalez etc battle it out for the no 2 spot.
     
  7. FeedhimtothepigsArold

    Apr 7, 2014
    Club:
    Oxford United FC

    Some of those who have opposed Chandler getting call ups are now arguing in favor of Nagbe.
     
  8. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    I don't want any of Chandler, Johnson, Nagbe, or Morales because I don't think we should be giving minutes at this point to guys who will be on the wrong side of 30 or at most 31 come December 2022.
     
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  9. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I hear you. But there are times when there is a place for it.

    Mainly, Nagbe and Morales. Chandler would need to reclaim his RB spot with Frankfurt... if that happens, he needs to be in the equation. Pretty much the same with Johnson. But both seem to be on the downward spiral of their careers. Meanwhile, Nagbe and Morales are peaking right now. They still should be in their primes in the next four years considering both seem to be late bloomers.

    Also, nobody can possess the ball in our player pool, aside from Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic (McKennie does other things better), than Darlington Nagbe. He has not been the star for Atlanta, but he has definitely been the glue. Unless someone makes him obsolete, I think he is still vastly superior to any youth option. Now, if Mendez or Pomykal blow it up, that’ll cancel him out. But right now, he should be in the rotation.

    And, we are DESPERATE for a #6 in this pool; especially, with Adams’ injury. Bradley and Trapp are god awful, and the alternatives are even worse. Right now, Morales is a solid, not spectacular, athletic hustler type CDM that isn’t going to win any beauty contests but I believe he could help us protect our backline. Will he be there in 2022? I’d like to hope that a young phenom will make him obsolete, but until that happens, I’m not ready to move on him...
     
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  10. Mantis Toboggan M.D.

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jul 8, 2017
    That's fair and the more I think about it I could probably be convinced on Morales. As you point out we need depth at 6 behind Adams, plus that position tends to have about the longest shelf life of any on the field other than GK and CB. And he'll be 32 in 2022, which isn't ancient for that position. I'd still like to see some younger guys get looks at the position--Canouse, Parks, Roldan (at the 6, which is his best position, not RW or wherever), Yueill--but I'm good with keeping Morales in the squad for now and rotating the younger guys through to get looks at them.

    Nagbe, I just don't think we can count on him to be around in 2022 and I think we need to give those minutes to the younger guys. If WCQ is getting ready to roll around and none of them have stepped up and Nagbe is still playing well then by all means bring him in, but right now I'd rather see guys like Pomykal, Parks, etc.
     
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  11. #1 Feilhaber and Adu

    Aug 1, 2007
    30-32 is still a decent age for a veteran.

    Morales and Chandler will be about 32.

    Johnson will be 34, but the Johnson is not giving up he just went 90 at CM in Bundesliga. Fabian best traits was his technical skill and brains. Would not shock me to see him finish out his career as a good CAM.
     
  12. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Considering the September call ups... My roster before these games:

    GK: Zack Steffen, Ethan Horvath, Brad Guzan
    RB: Reggie Cannon, Julian Araujo
    CB: John Brooks, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Miazga, Aaron Long
    LB: Sergino Dest, Antonee Robinson
    M6: Alfredo Morales, Brandon Servania
    M8: Weston McKennie, Alex Mendez
    10: Paxton Pomykal, Matko Miljevic, Richard Ledezma
    RW: Tyler Boyd, Jesus Ferreira
    FW: Josh Sargent, Sebastian Soto
    LW: Christian Pulisic, Konrad De la Fuente, Ulysses Llanez

    Rest: DeAndre Yedlin, Tyler Adams, Tim Weah

    Line up vs Cuba:

    —————Sargent————
    Ferreira———————Boyd
    ——Mendez——Pomykal——
    —————Servania————
    Robinson———————-Dest
    ———Long—-(C)Zimmerman—-
    —————Horvath—————

    Subs:
    Soto (Sargent) 65
    Konrad (Ferreira) 75
    Miljevic (Pomykal) 75

    Line up vs Canada

    —————Sargent————
    Pulisic————————Boyd
    ——-Pomykal—-Wes(C)——-
    —————Fredo—————-
    Dest—————————Cannon
    ———-Brooks—Miazga———
    —————-Steffen—————

    Subs:
    Araujo (Cannon) 90
    Llanez (Boyd) 80
    Ledezma (Pomykal) 80
     
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  13. nycfc919

    nycfc919 Member+

    Aug 17, 2015
    Konrad and Ledezma...ridiculous. Can’t call either up.
     
  14. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why?
     
  15. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Because Konrad didn't even stand out for the u-20's nor is he right now in a youth league, and Ledezma wasn't established in the u-20's and so far he's underwhelming in the Dutch 2nd division. Looks like a kid. It serves no purpose to call them up for a friendly let alone competitive matches. We could wait until it actually appears they are anywhere close to ready. This would just be wasting valuable caps you never get back. Before you know it you have Klinsmann's pool getting out-played by Guatemala and Haiti.
     
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  16. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Meh. Sergino Dest was outplayed too and now he’s Ajax starting fullback. I’m not saying we construct the whole team around them, but there’s not much to lose and a chance to both cap tie but more importantly show the ropes to these young guns. As pointed out, it’s not like I’m giving them the arm band or anything. Besides, we’d have to call away MLS players from important matches and if we can’t beat Cuba easily, with maybe giving them some garbage minutes at the end, we’re in a world of hurt.
     
  17. thedukeofsoccer

    thedukeofsoccer Member+

    Jul 11, 2004
    Wussconsin
    Club:
    AFC Ajax
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dest was at an earlier stage in development and now he's progressed + proven enough to be called up. It would be coming at an appropriate time. Last year was not. And you're talking exceptions over rules. Most youth teamers/reservists do not end up being useful to the US senior team. It's still far from proven when it comes to Dest, although now we've seen enough to where I'd bet on it.

    I definitely would not bet on KDLF eventually let alone now the way he's stagnated in Barcelona's system and under-impressed in every game of the u-20 WC. He needs to keep moving up the ladder naturally. The thread about the mania to cap-tie in the past reinforces how much it's a sucker's bet and we'd have been much better off using the caps for tryouts of players who were actually performing at a reasonable level.

    The match at Canada is very loseable, I think important to not give them confidence in a burgeoning mini-rivalry, and your roster would greatly deplete options to help us win.
     
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  18. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    To be clear, neither Konrad nor Ledezma call up is a hill I’d die on.

    But, for a tournament I render mostly meaningless except for the opportunity to try out new things, I say take some chances. Canada can still be dangerous, but nonetheless, looking at my starting XI, if they can’t do the job. Then, I don’t see the difference being between Zardes and Ledezma.
     
  19. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On another point, I want to see when we can get Alvarado back in the picture.

    It is quite possible that Alvarado could be an improved option for us on our backline. If all our players get healthy, stay in form, etc... our XI would include starters for the following:

    Chelsea———Werder Bremen———Lille
    ————-Schalke———-RB Leipzig——-
    ————————-Fortuna———————
    Ajax—————————————Newcastle
    —————Wolfsburg—MLS/Championship
    ————————-Fortuna———————-

    On paper, The captain and regular stand out for Necaxa sounds at least like an improvement in that hole in the lineup.
     
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  20. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    It's not.
     
  21. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    How fast is Alvarado? With Brooks / Miazga not being the most fleet of foot, I think Berhalter rightly wants someone with good footspeed.
     
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  22. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Speed was never his problem, for sure.
     
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  23. Pegasus

    Pegasus Member+

    Apr 20, 1999
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Didn't Klinsman pair Alvarado and Brooks to not very good results? I'd be willing to give them another chance because of much increased experience but sometimes there's just not a good chemistry between players especially two who play in very different cultures.
     
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  24. NietzscheIsDead

    NietzscheIsDead Member+

    NO WAR
    United States
    May 31, 2019
    NO WAR

    Brooks is plenty fast. I think you're requesting more lateral agility or agility in general.

    Long is the guy with the quick feet out there...he's the laterally agile center back in the group. Long actually has a really nice set of attributes. He'll be in Europe at some point.
     
  25. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This was obviously years ago when both defenders were just emerging into their careers. Unless there were some personality problems, I wouldn’t let that hold much stock now.
     

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