I think you are completely right. And I found it strange they took off the guy who was playing the best the first 30 minutes. Their midfield went MIA, like ours, but we have better defenders and attackers, so we got the win.
1) Agree what you said about Yedlin and Gonzalez 2) Started to agree with what you said about Bradley, but then you ruined it by suggesting that Nagbe or Benny could "do MB's job way better than he can". Nagbe was out on the field last night, but you'd hardly know it, as he did close to nothing. And as much as I like Benny, he's an attacking midfielder, and MB is being used as a defensive mid. Maybe Cameron would be a better choice. 3) After Arriola has arguably his best game on the USNT, you want to replace him??? And your clairvoyance is amazing. Despite the fact that he's only 22 years old, the fact that you predict he will NEVER score any goals other than tap-ins is mind-boggling. 4) No, Howard isn't the keeper he was 5 or 10 years ago. His reflexes are indeed slower. But chubby? Did you see him during his post-game interview in that tight spandex t-shirt? The dude looks like a UFC champion. Chubby??? C'mon. 5) Deuce is just being put out there to get the goal scoring record. I wouldn't mind if he were left home when the team leaves for Russia. I know that sounds horrible, but he really doesn't add much. 6) I like the position of spectator for Fabian Johnson. I really don't think he would be any better starting at left back than Villafana. I can't understand how Villafana is getting shat upon as much as he has been. The guy is improving every game. And although he's not a long-term solution for the USA, I can't remember anything of consequence for the the Panama team developing from their right side.
Maybe you should rewatch the games where players with speed are on his side. He's out of position far too much.
Name someone in our pool who would do a better job out there. Let's face it: Left back is a weak spot for the USNT.
FJ is a better LB. Greg Garza is better. There's 3 or 4 other MLS LB's I'd rather see than Jorge. He's just not very good and against any decent team he's our biggest defensive liability even if someone like Gonzo is playing.
I would say, Donovan is a better athlete. At minute 90 at 28 years old he was still basically 100%. But mentally, CP is closer to Dempsey. There is a competitive anger in him that makes him better than his skill. I can't believe his teammates were not killing those around him. It pains me that no one enforces for him. It actually makes me ashamed of this team.
Having seen both FabJo and Garza attempt to play the position on an international level, I don't think they're an improvement over Villafana. No worse, but no better.
all I can say is, who is that skinny Howard kid? Cheeseburgers, milkshakes, and mircobrews. Thanks Colorado!
Good point. No one has said one word about VF. As a defender there is no better complement. Having Nagbe basically play LFB #2 helps.
If we're talking about what will actually happen and not what we want to happen, I'll take that bet. Knowing Arena, 3/3 will be at the World Cup, and Gonzalez will likely play far more than any of us would want him to.
Pulisic is a better dribbler than Donovan and it's not close. Donovan was a much faster runner in the open field...and that is alld I can really give Donovan.
I didn't say anything like when we beat Honduras 6-0. We beat Hondo that badly. I didn't see any sort of effort out of Panama. I really wonder about this game.
I think Cruyff, actually. But it doesn't matter. He'll be known for his own style if he gets to that level.
You could say that about roughly 150 players, globally. It's amazing how many talents can't: figure out the offside rule. Shit their pants on a tap-in. Have off-field issues. Get injured. Can't get along with teammates. Or coaches. CP is undeniably poised to have a great career, and seems to have a good head about him. But you can only really figure out if a player has all of the "it" things necessary until they are there, doing it game in game out. Let's cross our fingers he doesn't become Balotelli or get his leg broken in a CONCACAF match. Kudos for Bruce pulling him today.
There are a few loud voices that have been proclaiming how terrible the US is for days that seem to be either missing or have gone conspicuously silent.
On the topic of an enforcer and wasting a field spot.........combined with Nagbe/Bradley's losing the ball in the middle. We got a player that can knock out two birds with one stone: Benny Feilhaber. You dont gotta be a defensive player to be an enforcer thats gonna stand up for your guys. Benny will get in peoples faces if they pull that crap the way Bradley used to. Benny's defense has improved in leaps and bounds over the past few years as well, you can certainly get better defensive play out of him than Nagbe. Finally, i guess my argument is Benny does all the things that Nagbe does, but better. Just imagine Benny's surgical final third passing finding Pulisic's and Wood's menacing runs yesterday. It would have been a blood bath more than it was. Lletget is another guy if hes healthy i could see landing that role once he recovers. He's a bruce player and i know bruce will give him every opportunity to get back involved with the roster too. Benny my only exception to the rule in "old guy" roster turnover. I want him there, at least as a sub. If Dempsey and Benny's beef with each other is that bad, you know what, after seeing Dempsey's glacial movement last night, Benny does us more good than Dempsey at this point.
It's always good to watch USMNT home games to remind me that the vast majority of fans are positive and supportive, and that the negative tone of BigSoccer comes from a small cadre of poisonous spirits who feel the need to comment over and over and over and over again.
Sorry, no. BF is a fine passer and we all wish Bradley had that talent, but playing Benny at any kind of defensive position is just asking to get out butts kicked.
Ahhhh, the old rookie mistake of breaking the BigSoccer MB Criticism Rulez. If he has a poor game with numerous unsolicited passes to the opposition, like last night, you have one of these options - 1. Not his fault, he needs support. Midfield didn't help him. 2. Clean sheet largely due to his covering for the defense. 3. LOLOLOL, yeah, let's use a 15 year old from Granite State FC U-18 squad to replace him. He's gonna help!!! LOLOLOL! 4. He's not in his natural position. 5. He was one of the best players on the pitch. You chose something that included faults. Your account will be activated in 3...2...1... On a serious note, my thoughts - 1. Not sure we learned anything here, except that Pulisic doesn't belong on the same field with any of these guys outside of Wood. He is just that much better than everyone. Wood was excellent as well. And I'm not a huge Jozy guy, but he was pretty decent dropping back and laying balls off (his goals didn't say much to me). 2. Any game he plays, I just never notice Arriola. Not sure that's necessarily bad, but certainly not good. His two misses were pretty poor. 3. The Omar/Besler/Bradley back 3 is not just convincing. Sure, the shutout looks good, but they seemed to be offering up chances throughout the night. Shouldn't matter against T&T, but not the most impressive display. 4. Is Yedlin the US' second most important player? He's so good, and Zusi is so bad. 5. Was a good win, and definitely a fun game to watch with all the chances. However, I worry this will be a "Gold Cup Champions" type result, where people will see past all the problems just because of the impressive result. But a win was mandatory, and with only one more game, we can push any problems talk out to after we qualified, and Bruce calls in the same team for every camp until the WC.
If Bradley has (should have) any future with this team, it would be if we went back to old school 80's, Stopper/sweeper. He might, I mean might, be able to be an old school "stopper." But in any other permutation of the modern game, he is past it, and we need to move on, figure a better way to create a midfield.
I see two different players. Donovan is a speed monster down the wing. He uses speed to kill opponents. Pulisic is a dribbler, he'll dances with the ball around your defense and punish you with a killer pass or finish (which will get much better as he ages). Regardless, they are both GREAT players, and at this point Pulisic will surpass Donovan in every regards.