It's mind boggling one of these guys couldn't have shown up for Bradley or Nagbe in the HEX. Hell, I'm starting to think simply playing Williams would have gotten the US through against Trinidad.
I want to see Williams, Dwyer, and Adams involved in a rough-and-tumble qualifier in San Pedro Sula. I see them all as fantastic CONCACAF players.
This game might take over from Panama 2013 as the angriest I've ever been about a good performance from the US.
Seeing these mids and the hopeful injection in a couple years of our top youth wingers like Taitague and de la Fuente would change the entire dynamic of our squad. I just hope Taitague and Fuente break into 1st teams. We're talking 1v1 wingers with real skill and pace. Imagine that and Pulisic in front of the ball winners these mids are.
I don’t really have a problem with Williams being a part of the team, but we do need a more permanent option there eventually, imo. And I don’t think thats McKennie or Adams. They both look better and more comfortable in the 8 and wide mid spots, respectively, where they can run all over the field. Don’t know who becomes the 6, tho. EPB? It’d be nice if we could identify who that was at some point and start playing him alongside Williams in a 4-2-3-1. You know, develop a plan to integrate players into the team instead of just throwing guys out there and telling them to sink or swim.
No doubt they would have played with a lot more energy. Getting a positive result however, is the great unknown.
L I’ve been angry since the first half. I don’t care if this is a friendly, Trinidad and Tobago are not better than Portugal B at home with a week and a half rest.
Gonzalez down in Monterrey maybe. Perhaps Durkin down the road. Williams of course could play next to Gonzalez and McKennie.
Just stunned. Missed a big chunk, basically from the 20th minute till about 65th minute, but I fully expected us to get stomped. No creative midfielder, no true forward, wingers are iffy or not really there at the start, and yet they handled the pressure, I have no problem saying these kids would have produced better results in the hex than what we actually trotted out. I doubt they pound Honduras and Panama into submission at home like we did, but I sure as hell think they don't surrender 4 to Costa Rica, or 2 to Trinidad's Rec League team, or a 2-0 loss at home against Costa Rica.
That's the thing. This group is showing a really good base at CM and CB, and adding Pulisic will give needed creativity and attacking power, but I feel like they need at least one more high-level attacking player to be dangerous against top teams on a regular basis.
Taitague and Fuente while still prospects both project to have that type of dynamic skill/ability. Nearer-term I'm hoping a fit Saief can bring some of that.
The combination of speed, hustle and a clear focus on maintaining our defensive structure is awesome. It makes us look more attractive ironically as we've had several stretches where we've dominated play. Our shape has been rock solid and nothing like a bunker