So, are you saying that we shouldn't call up those three extra players? What are you saying? Also, the only players that are not clear starters are Dest and Sargent.
Agreed, none of us knows much of anything (except those who claim they know everything). But why not pick the all-timers? I would MUCH rather see Aaronson and Ledezma than Trapp and Baird. Brucie leaned on inexperienced youth his first go-round, and it led to our best result ever. Brucie then leaned on EXPERIENCE and age his second go-round, and it led to our worst failure ever. I know which way I prefer.
Especially if the 8 has the brains of a turf clod. I hate to start criticizing after reading this thread because it seems that a lot of people are just dragging out their tired agendas about mls v. Europe. So here's my tired agenda: Berhalter doesn't understand midfields. He wants to pretend it's not there. After seeing the recent callup and realizing nothing had changed since GoldCup, I actually was sad to see Pomykal get called up because now he'll have to play a scheme that will make him look bad and I really like Pomykal's game. It seems to me we are paying extra now not only for the GM Stewart but also for a sporting director because Stewart got promoted to new position of sporting director and we are hiring a new GM. So why can't these geniuses understand that Berhalter's system is fatally flawed and do something about it?
Hyndman over Roldan? Ugh Roldan is a straight up better player in MLS. He's been an indispensable player for Seattle. Hyndman has been in and out of the SL for Atlanta (he's only even started 3 league games). Roldan scores far higher in the metrics in even his worst year recently. He's also more versatile than him or just about anybody. He played well in the toughest competitive games he's played for the US thus far - Mexico and Jamaica. We should be taking opportunities like this to see if he got over the hump or it was anomalous. If Hyndman would have called up I'm sure we would have heard from some that was MLS bias since he hasn't lit the world on fire since coming over and isn't clearly better than what he was in Scotland/as EPL squad. Meanwhile, Parks has won club player of the month and seemingly improved. So he should get the shout if anyone.
I cant complain too much... Yedlin and Adams are injured. Holmes is just coming back from injury. Smart move, really. I’m curious to why Arriola was left off. Personally, I would have given the #1 spot to Horvath over Steffen for this series to boost some confidence in Horvath and let Steffen settle. But it’s the right move for the best team. I would have like to seen Alvarado. But it doesn’t break my heart either. I guess Fabian Johnson, Eric Lichaj and Tim Chandler are done. Antonee Robinson was my biggest omission. Miazga being omitted is pretty big but there’s a big difference between Zimmermann/Long/Miles and Lovitz. I don’t mind alternating Altidore out of the line up. Speaking of, Lovitz, Zardes, Baird, Trapp, and Ream are a waste. Yuiell is not at this level yet, IMO. Glad to see Morales, Boyd, Pomykal, Dest, and Sargent. My line ups... Mexico GK Steffen RB Cannon (Lima) 80 CB Brooks CB Zimmerman (Long) 46 LB Dest (Ream) 70 M6 Morales (Pomykal > Wes to M6) 60 M8 McKennie (CPT) 10 Pulisic RW Morris (Lletget > Pulisic to RW) 70 FW Sargent LW Boyd (Baird) 80 Uruguay GK Steffen RB Dest (Cannon) 70 CB Brooks (Robinson) 70 CB Long LB Lima (Lovitz) 80 M6 McKennie (CPT) M8 Pomykal (Roldan) 80 10 Lletget (Morales > Pomykal to 10, Wes to 8, Fredo at 6) 46 RW Boyd (Morris) 70 FW Sargent LW Pulisic
Good answers. You and I generally agree so I wanted to hear a bit more of your reasoning. I saw your other post on Sabbi and think he has absolutely done enough to merit a call and would get it were he doing that in MLS. Sargent is at least playing. Hard to say what Werder will do because it's not like the other guys vying for time are producing. I've gotta think he'll get more chances to start and it will be up to him to take them. He's a huge talent at a desperately thin position so that does slide him up the traditional scale of what it takes to be called. Horvath played as the starter for most of the preseason and basically all of last year. I don't think he's in the position of being a long-term benchwarmer just yet, but he does seem to be heading in that direction. I think there's a very good chance he's sold or loaned out soon. If he's still not playing in November, it gets tougher to call him for me. With Mignolet being the prodigal son, I don't see Horvath displacing him. Gall is one of the strangest cases I can remember. If he didn't do anything when he plays for Malmo, it would make sense. But it seems like nearly every time he plays a full game, he either scores or assists, sometimes in spectacular fashion. I wouldn't call him either just yet but I do think he could eventually be the guy that displaces Jordan Morris. We do have an interesting crop of young attackers in Europe right now so here's to hoping a few of them make a breakthrough. In all honesty, other than LB, I feel like this whole thread is quarreling about the peripheral players which is always a fun argument and so much more enjoyable than the "OMG why are Michael Bradley and Omar Gonzalez still here" arguments we had to have at the Gold Cup. For the first time under Egg, there is a potential starting 11 I'd be really excited to see.
saw somewhere earlier (cant source it, sorry) that he asked out/withdrew due to "family concerns in california", whatever that means.
@UncagedGorilla on horvath, brugge sold their third keeper so hes stuck. the mignolet part is understandable i guess, but brugge has fully and completely bent horvath over.
I'm afraid we'll see ---pulisic-------zardes---boyd/morris ----------mcKennie10----pom10 --------------------trapp 6,8 ----------------------------------------dest/cannon --------ream----brooks--long
The weird thing is we have four guys who have played LB for the USMNT who are still playing at reasonably high levels but Robinson is the only one who's even been called into a camp. Johnson doesn't play much left back but he's so versatile and playing at such a high level that now that he seems to be healthy, he should get a look at some point. Lichaj needs a call. That's a no-brainer. He's played the best minutes at LB that we've seen since Johnson was around. I don't know that he'll get a call but he picked up an injury two weeks ago and Hull actually just cleared him today so that may have had something to do with it. Villafana is the other guy who has played there serviceably for the USMNT and he's even in MLS. I don't know why he has been tossed aside. Granted, I don't watch all that much MLS but I caught a Portland game the other night and he looked like he hadn't lost a step. I would take any of those guys over Lovitz in a heartbeat. And I'd take Johnson, Robinson, and Lichaj over Ream no question and probably Villafana as well. Ream should be a center back.
Interesting, I had not seen that yet. Poor guy. He better not sign another contract there. Maybe he's their cup keeper. Sadly, that's probably best case at this point. Too bad because I agree with you that he and Steffen should have been our 1A and 1B for a while now with no one else really close. I'll make a bold prediction that Jesse Gonzalez moves up the pecking order and we saw a lot more of him after this camp.
Miazga left his last game after 20 minutes injured. Weah is injured. Holmes is just getting back an injury. Arriola asked off because of family reasons while Nagbe turned down a call-up. There are some fringe players on this roster but if everyone was healthy and available they wouldn't be there although we'd probably be griping about Gonzo and Bradley. Altidore might have eliminated Zardes if all the above injured weren't injured.
The problem Horvath has is if he's not playing for Brugge, it does open the door for others like Gonzalez that are putting together a resume. As I said, if you're a backup in the Belgian league..................you can't expect USMNT callups. Sorry. You can be called up anyway if the pool dictates it of course. The keeper position isn't Steffen and Horvath at 1A and 1B. The keeper position is Steffen (Bundesliga starter)......................and everybody else. Surprisingly the
Yeah, it was pretty much for s**ts and giggles. Mignolet is Belgian, he became available, and on a buy low so they pulled the trigger. It's heavily circumstantial that Horvath is now a backup in the Belgian League. Wasn't performance-based. He succeeded there last year, included in UCL, which they're still in so they ain't just any Belgian club.
Isn’t this the downside to not joining a “loan army” team (in addition to getting paid a lot less)? If something like this happened to steffen, I’d guess that he’s be pulled back like miazga. I’m not saying that one should always join the huge club but we should at least acknowledge that there are some benefits.
Looks the Mihailovic experiments have ended for now (thankfully). Instead of Baird, would have liked to see a different striker: -Haji Wright - this kid is going to be good, but just signed for VVV-Venlo, so maybe Gregg wants to let him integrate with his club. -Andrija Novakovich - He keeps getting ignored for some reason, though he had a great season last year in the Netherlands. Again, Gregg might want to leave with him Reading to help him break into the squad. Then again, a good international appearance might have helped strengthen his confidence. -Aron Johannson - Yes it's been years since he scored a goal, but he's getting solid minutes for Hammarby, and he's still only 28. Also still wondering when we'll Sabbi and Romain Gall with the squad. Sad that Julian Green keeps getting overlooked - better than some of the other mids/wingers. And we need to call up Theoson Siebatchieu.
No idea why you would think they shouldnt call in extra players when I said all of them can get on the field. I am talking about clear starters for the USMNT.... If all our players are healthy, I am not sure any of the MLS players called in should start. Long maybe? There are questions about a few of the euro based guys so that gets you to 5-6 clear usmnt starters... Steffen, brooks, mckennie, pulisic, maybe Boyd. Ream, Morales, Dest, and Sargent arent clear picks to me. The USMNT hasnt improved over the years and the only thing going on now is that MLS players are being over rated and keeping euro based players from getting shots. It is horrible for the team and appears to be turning more and more people against the league.
Yes, Horvath has looked better in a more challenging environment. He also looked pretty good last year at the international level.
Take Jozy as a backup but it's friendly so Sarge can take the minutes. Those other 2? No thanks. Keep Guzan, Baird, Trapp and Lovitz too. This crap show just doesn't have an end; sadly.
Horvath was clearly at least the #2 going into the gold cup. Not playing a couple of games pushes him behind the rest of the other players? I dont recall that ening top goalkeepers in the past. Friedel, Howard, etc went through periods of being on the bench, but were still with USMNT. Again, these are arguments to get lesser MLS players into the team.
But it's cool to put obviously not first choice MLS guys in there that we've seen more than enough of and realize they aren't up to task? It's a friendly after the Egg lost to Mexico's B team with these guys. Why watch more of them? Is Egg 'developing' them? Ha.