FJ isn't even playing. Canouse can't get on the field in January friendlies. Zimmerman has never played against a decent team. Long can't pass. Gooch is a good League 1 player. No Sargent, Adams, McKennie? Try again.
No worries about Sargent but any coach worth his salt starts his roster with 3 names in pen: Puliisic, McKennie, Adams. Sargent sure looks to be the 4th.
That’s more than fair. Him, Johnson, and Weah are the biggest question marks for me. I was kind of thinking that by hiding Bradley in the back 3 while in possession, he won’t be defending in the open field as much. He would only be a CDM once we fell into our blocks of 4, which means that he has Adams and McKennie on either side of him to cover for his deficiencies. I also don’t know who would be a better option to replace him, assuming we move Adams into his central position (but then we need another CB while in possession). We really are lacking in wide midfielders. Hopefully Lleget/Amon/anyone can step up and show their worth.
My guess is that Berhalter wanted to see Canouse against CR because he is stronger defensively and felt that CR would likely give a better test. Can't see how much he adds to defense when Panama can't attack. I am looking forward to seeing the lineup vs CR because I want to know what the changes are. Not sure what if anything they will mean but looking forward to in nonetheless.
That is possible. But GB has been very honest and he said he wasn't going to "play everyone". The impression he gave was he was going to get reps with the best players, the "core". Now, with these players, seems a waste to focus on any that way since most will not be involved. But that is what he said. So, I have to assume Bradley is first choice. We will see if Canouse gets on the field Saturday for meaningful minutes.
-----------------------Sargent-------------------- -------------Weah----------------Pulisic-------- F Johnson---McKennie---Adams---Yedlin ------Miazga--------Brooks----------CCV----- ------------------------Steffen--------------------- I think this gets most of our best players on the field and plays to our strengths. Biggest question marks for me would be F Johnson and CCV. I could also be convinced of Chandler over Yedlin when healthy.
Anyone who can cross the Atlantic and get into the squad for a good 1BL team in the span of one month should probably be given the benefit of the doubt, don't you think. Then remember his age.
Have to find better options than Miazga and CCV. I'm hoping that when we take the field in 2022 that all the predictions on Chris Richards at Bayern will be true. just don't trust CCV and Miazga doesn't have it right now. If Fabian is healthy he is one of our best overall players. Outstanding technique, versatility, a good defender and still great timing on his forward runs.
We are all so fickle. Miazga doesn't have it? Because a new coach scapegoated him? Then he plays a few weeks in a row for Reading and he has it again? I think Miazga has shown plenty and is a solid option. Twellman saying Pulisic hasn't played regularly in 14 months. Why the constant denigration of our players? We should hope that better players are always replacing the current players. But the tendency to throw guys out on any little change in fortune is dumb. CCV also looked good just a few weeks ago.
"Really good"? He played because a few guys were hurt. Call him in. Would be good for Robinson and Amon to have him around. I don't know how much Berhalter wants guys in his age range. But having a veteran left sided player that can probably pick up the advanced tactics faster than the kids would be useful. Certainly, against much higher level of competition that Panama C, like Chile, you don't want to put Ebobisse or Lewis out there.
Is Morales worth another look, if we want a DM to play with Adams and McKennie in more advanced or free roaming roles? He seems to keep being an unremarkable but mostly adequate player in a good league, which is something and he's not as old and doesnt come with as much baggage as Bradley. His previous call ups didnt make much of an impression on me one way or another, which isnt necessarily the worst thing for a guy in his role.
I watched every minute of his recent games and he was really good. I'm not sure why you don't see it, but whatevs. The guy is, when healthy, relative to other options the USMNT has, a great player. Maybe relative to other 1BL players he is fair to midland, but we aren't so flush with talent.
Morales is a curiously overlooked player. Solid if not spectacular and absolutely should be in the pool. Can play in multiple midfield positions.
Sargent has played 76 career first team minutes. If we had a WCQer tomorrow against Mexico, Sargent doesn't start. He'd be on the roster. I have really high hopes for Josh Sargent, but let's all take a deep breath.
FJ is more than four months younger than Bradley and has a skillset that is needed much more by our team.
He has played 76 more minutes in the Bundesliga than all our forwards not named Wood... and that means as much as your comment about first team minutes. What matters is what he can do on the field and he has shown he is a special player and belongs at Bremen and on the USMNT. We dont have a WCQ tomorrow and dont know where you got the rule that he wouldn't start if we did. Our next games that some people think matter are in the summer. That is the soonest we should be planning for anything and not sure that tournament should be used for planning for the future rather than focusing on winning. Do you think a half season at Bremen would be enough? After you take a breath, please stop making rules that favor lesser MLS players and hold real young talent. Sargent and Weah are way more talented than the attacking players we saw on Sunday night so the only other option is to stick with Wood and Altidore. I'm not opposed to either being in the team or starting, but only if they show they are better than these younger guys.
My take on Sargent is that he would be called into any NT camp and then show what he can do against the 9's that were also called in, and would probably show the manager that he was the best option to start. However, there are probably other metrics that some managers might utilize that would suggest that they should start someone with more experience in those games. Tough judgement call, and one I could see going against Sargent, but not for long.
——-Altidore——— —CP————Lleget?— ——McKennie—Adams ———Bradley——— FJ—Brooks—Long—Yedlin ———Steffen——— No idea who should play right wing. Don't think Weah is a winger and wanted someone a bit more of a 2-way player there. I still think Bradley is better than Trapp and don't know about Canouse relative to Bradley even though I'm a DCU fan. I still think Altidore is probably above Weah and Sargent up top, but I'm optimistic that won't be the case in a year's time. Honestly I'd be happy to see either of those younger guys play over him, even in a meaningful game, anyway. I do worry about lack of speed at center back/esp. with Bradley protecting them.
There is only so much soccer a married man with kids can watch ;-) I will totally take your word for it. FJ always one of my favorite players and deserves at least a final curtain call. I had seen he started when some players were out then hasn't been starting now that they have been back. I agree with you that he is probably better than most of our pool.
I'm not up tight about anything. And there is no WC tomorrow, I am looking to the next tournament that means anything and my comment stands in that perspective. Many here are dwelling on minutes played for the teenagers. I use my eyes to see talent and project to what's coming. And I know he's got no one in front of him with his talent, at any age.