Pre-match: 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification: USA vs Costa Rica

It's good news, for now at least. Don't want to be a cynic, but of course the best thing for hammies is rest, so if they're rushing him it'll end up being counter-productive. We'll have to monitor to see if he doesn't pull up lame again. For Bruce to call him up, he's going to have to prove he can go 90 first w/ Newcastle I suspect. Bruce has shown to be cautious with recently injured players. He's pretty much the polar opposite of Jurgen who had about 15 guys he trusted when it mattered and if they had borderline health status he was always going to "build" them. I think a centrist philosophy on that is probably best, but closer to Bruce's (perceived) perspective and Jurgen's.

Change accordingly to my lineup/roster above:

Howard; Villafana, Besler, Cameron, Yedlin; Bradley, Nagbe, Johnson, Pulisic (diamond); Dempsey, Altidore. I feel confident we'd win with that group.

(rest of roster - Wood, Morris, Rowe, Kljestan, Arriola, McCarty, Roldan, Miazga, Ream, Morrow, Guzan, Hamid

 

Not to sound like a broken record, but when the heck does the roster get here? Wasn't it 2 weeks before the first game last time?

 

Brooks out, Yedlin in.

GK: Howard, Guzan, Hamid

DF: Yedlin, Chandler, Villafana, Johnson, Besler, Ream, Cameron, Gonzalez

MF: Bradley, McKinnie, Acosta, Williams, Nagbe, Pulisic, Arriola

FW: Dwyer, Altidore, Dempsey, Wood, Morris

Just Missed: Gonzalez, S. Johnson, Lichaj, Zusi, Morrow, Hedges, Miazga, Roldan, McCarty, Pontius, Saief, Zardes, Rowe, Bedoya, Agudelo

---------

Vs Costa Rica

-----Altidore--Wood------
-----------Pulisic-----------
-----Nagbe----Bradley----
Johnson-------------Chandler
---Besler--Gonzo--Cam---
--------------Howard----------

Bench: Guzan, Ream, Yedlin, Acosta, Dempsey, Morris, Dwyer

 

Mckinnie? Sure we all have high hopes, but seriously?

 

I'm not saying start him or even play him.

 

Isn't Gonzo hurt? Demspsey in good form. Wood as a faster sub when CR is tired?
Otherwise I like it.

 

So it's to cap-tie him?

I think he'll have one appearance max, by the time the roster is selected.

He doesn't warrant a call-up from any perspective. Regardless if he ends up having a near future like this or not, it would be a Goochian, Greenian, Vickerian, etc.; type move to give him a roster spot over guys who've actually earned it on merit between club and country play. We've got to stop having that mentality and doing things like that accordingly. He could move quickly where he's at, but we need to be a little patient. Without going through all the options, I don't know if he'll be top 20 on the pecking order in cm come selection time next week.

 

Good roster. I'd take Mckennie and Williams out for Rowe and Bedoya. Too early for Mckennie. Williams has been away from the group too long to step in for a WCQ.

 

I don't know if you follow soccer much, but Bedoya is garbage.

 

Sure if you think so. But my suggestions were more towards what BA would do. Also Williams is nowhere near a starter and never has been.

 

G: Howard; Guzan; Horvath.

D: Zusi, Cameron, Besler, Johnson; Chandler, Gonzalez, Ream, Villafana (if Yedlin proves he's healthy, he goes).

M: Pulisic, Bradley, Nagbe, Acosta, Williams, Bedoya, Arriola, Jones

F: Altidore, Wood, Dempsey, Morris

Bruce will want a look at the Euros he hasn't had in camp yet (Williams, Chandler) so he can compare them to known quantities. I also think he goes for experience in camp as we could qualify with 6pts, hence Jones & Zusi go, and to a lesser extent, Gonzalez.

More time to look at the youngsters in the next set of two.

 

It's to give him Camp experience. If he's going to be a big fixture for us, it'd be good to let him go ahead and start getting acclimated.

 

i wouldnt use a single roster spot in a qualifier for anyone who couldnt step into that match (especially in a cycle we still arent assured qualification). friendly, gold cup, confed cup? throw whatever you want at the wall. once youre qualified for the cup? sure, whoever.

and in mckennies case i dont think giving him a taste of a us camp is remotely as helpful (to him or us) as continuing to earn/keep his spot with shalke. i think he got in one match last year, a cup appearance, today...hes exactly where he should be.

that aside, we should get a roster tomorrow/monday at the latest, right?

 

I'd like us to qualify after this round because I'd like to bring McKennie and Wright for the final round to get them a few minutes and integrated into the squad, as long as they continue getting regular minutes between now and then. Might be a little more difficult to do if the last two games are important.

 

I'd like us to experiment if we secure qualification or effectively have with a huge goal differential advantage and a couple of games that aren't overly tough looming, not focus on trying to win the group or something superficial like that.

However, Wright's just not happening or should it. That became a distance away once he dropped to the 2. BL. He'd need to go bonkers there for like a half season or more to start warranting consideration. I know you regard MLS as better than the 2. BL, and yet in all likelihood we won't see Sapong and Ramirez in those games, nor do I think you'd argue for that.

McKennie is more arguable, but probably shouldn't be there either. It'll be a month and a half until that roster is announced. That's a pretty small sample of showing you belong at the Schalke/BL level. If he gets a spot, that means it'll be replacing somebody, who've provided more evidence they are nt fodder this cycle.

Call-ups should happen more naturally on sufficient merit/proof, not be forced.

 

Na, the recent m.o. is to release it about as late as possible, and during nationally televised football matches in America. There are a slate of club matches next weekend. That's when I'd expect them to be released - NEXT Saturday or Sunday.

 

Thats your opinion, I disagree. I've said many times that if both of those players (along with a few others) play regularly, they gotta make the WC team. I've watched enough of McKennie and Wright to think they'll sufficiently help our NT more than whoever is last on the 23 man roster at their position. If for some reason they play horrible between now and then, you can drop them later, but I've seen enough of both to say that its my opinion they are on the verge of deserving NT call ups, if they can maintain this level between now and when that October roster is released. Too early yet for September, one game means nothing, but 10 games is notable. Pulisic wasn't called in after 50 games.

Wright's merits for making the WC team should have nothing to do with what a club coach decides. His play in preseason was there for anyone to see, he was their leading scorer, and played well. Our NT has nothing to do with Schalke's club team. And no, I don't think the WC squad should be about giving everyone a fair chance. For some, there is just a higher level they have to reach to make the team. You gotta balance a number of factors. Of course players in their absolute prime might statistically do better than kids in their first pro games in their respective leagues, but that doesn't mean those players will be more helpful to come off the bench at the highest level and spark the team. There's also a consideration of the age of players. I tend to think if a decision is close, you should probably go with the younger player to get them experience for the next WC. So IMO, if these guys show they deserve a WC spot, there's one less spot available at their position, and all the pool of McCarty's, Sapong's, Williams, Ramirez's, etc are competing for one less spot.

 

youre right, i was a week closer in my head...getting impatient.

 

343 or 433: what's the best way for the NT to get Pulisic close to goal?

 

Maybe I'm being dense or don't understand the nuances of the formations, but what is the difference with regard to Pulisic for a 4-3-3 vs. a 3-4-3? I would think that in either case he'd be one of the front 3.

 

He is a wing forward in both formations. The question was in regards to how the rest of the team was organized.

 

I like a 3-4-3, suits our strength at CB, attacking full-backs being able to cover ground, and it negates most of our chance creation problems by not forcing an attacker onto the field who is not close to one of our best 11 players. Chances will be created in other ways, from the full-backs playing more a more attacking style, maybe we could even get Chandler onto the field, as he'd have less defensive responsibility, and he's clearly our best offensive full-back. Might be the best offensive full-back in the Bundesliga.

 

Agree but in formation space I think what we would best lineup as is more of a 3-5-2. Its really semantics because its all about the roles you expect from the middle 5.

 

Chandler would have to actually choose to show up. I wouldn't take odds on it.

I'm sure he'll get a "hamstring strain" and choose to stay behind so he "secures his club position" or some similar crap.

 

But the qualifier(s) are FIFA sanctioned, so Eintracht Frankurt cannot bar his call-up. Watched
a bit of the Freiberg match on FS1 today, Chandler looked good at RB, and he has a very powerful throw-in. But as you say, he could refuse to fly (he's phobic as well) over after next weekend's match.
Where is Fabian Johnson? He didn't even dress for Gladbach today.