67' | Two more subs for the USA, as Christian Cappis enters for Mihailovic and Sam Vines comes on for Gloster. 🇺🇸 5-1 🇸🇻— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 16, 2019
80' | Another change for the U.S. - Johnny Cardoso takes the field to replace Lewis. 🇺🇸 5-1 🇸🇻— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 16, 2019
This is the third goal: Correction: Mihailovic played to Omir Fernandez, who set up Ledezma for the goal from close range.— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 16, 2019
FT | Solid victory for the U-23 #USMNT over fellow @Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Championship participant El Salvador. Six different players score for the USA on the night. 🇺🇸 6-1 🇸🇻— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 16, 2019
A lot of the guys I’m high on did pretty good I see. I hope this U23 team can be the light that the senior team doesn’t have... dark time for the senior team right now
IMHO, it’s just more important that the US qualify for the Olympics for several reasons 1) it allows for a smoother & quicker transition to the full NT 2) there is a lot of positivity with this team right now. A lot of it is due to having great experiences with Tab and now being surrounded by many of the same players they had with Tab. To Kreis’ credit, he’s trying not to disturb that. 3) If there is a coaching change with the USMNT, it has a bunch of players who are coming from a positive place 4) this country loves the Olympics. Success in Tokyo would give people a reason to feel good about the program, for the first time in years
I normally don’t quote myself, but just to clear this up. Cardoso is doing well all things considered. He’s not likely to make this U-23 team. There are just too many midfielders. In addition to those in this camp, you also have Pomykal, Aaronson, Yueill, Servania, plus those in that top tie like McKennie and Adams. But this was a positive first US Soccer experience for Cardoso who is also eligible for the 2021 U-20s and the 2024 U-23s.
How does he play? Who is a good comparison? What do you think about his game? He’s knew to me so I am curious and there is not a whole lot about him out there.
Idk the whole gk core is kind of a wash to me. Not sure how others feel. Marcinkowski looked okay at best in USL action. I thought Ochoa really displayed his shortcomings with the U20 WC + USL play, although he is young. The Stanford kid is fine but not amazing. Freese looked a little shakey with Philly but I think he'd be my pick as of right now. But I wouldn't say any of them are on track for the NT, unless some pieces start clicking, which may happen. Who knows.
I’m genuinely unsure as to whether Parks is just a blind spot for you or you just don’t like his game. Also, if they call Cardoso again and Parks is there he can help some with the language barrier.
My general belief is that national team coaches' evaluation should start about 12 months into the job, which is where Berhalter is right now. His preseason/honeymoon period is just about over. Tab should be on deck in the case there are not tangible signs of improvement/integration of his players. I selfishly hope like hell that he doesn't take a position before we have a clearer idea of how this team is going to progress under Berhalter because there cannot be much confidence at this point.
Agree. I didn't want to judge to soon or overreact but things I thought Berhalter might be doing have not happened. I also thin Ramos should be considered since there won't be much time for a new coach and he knows all the young players who could help. Marsch might be my number one just because of how he likes teams to play would work great with the young players.
I am trying to do my mock U-23 qualifying roster right now. I don't think people realize how tight it is for central midfielders. I am not even sure of the roster limitations yet but if this is like 2012, the roster was 20 players (w/ 2 GKs) Here is one potential roster breakdown GKs 1) GK 1 2) GK 2 Defenders 3) RB 1 4) RB/LB backup 5) LB 1 6) CB 1 7) CB 2 8) CB 3 9) CB/FB Mids 10) CM/DM/CAM 11) CM/DM/CAM 12) CM/DM/CAM 13) CM/DM/CAM 14) CM/DM/CAM 15) CM/DM/CAM Wings/Forwards 16) Wing 17) Wing 18) Wing/Fwd 19) Fwd 20) Fwd That leaves about 6 positions which Parks can compete for. That is also a best case scenario since they might take another defender. Here is the pool of mids Hassani Dotson Brandon Servania Chris Durkin Jackson Yueill Paxton Pomykal Djordje Mihailovic Brenden Aaronson Richard Ledezma Alex Mendez Christian Cappis Keaton Parks That is 11 players going for 6 spots. It also doesn't include an Adams or a McKennie - who might factor in (Kreis said they're talking about it). It also doesn't include players like Sands who might be a defender, or U-20 guys either. It's not saying Keaton is out of the picture. But I think it will be tough for him.
I don't think that makes much sense considering where we were post-Cuova, where we were under Sarachan, and what we've seen from Berhalter. We were shattered after Cuova. A huge low point. Under Sarachan, we played gritty soccer against tough teams with extremely young squads that seemed to lack only the right tactics to take the next step. Under Berhalter, we have fallen off a cliff. His rosters are old and awful, with an emphasis on older, mediocre players, not older, experienced ones. No longer are they young, talented and full of potential. His subs are terrible. He subs in defenders when we need attackers, subs off our best players when they can't carry the team, and what subs he makes do not make the team better. His tactical adjustments are non-existent. His teams look and play dire, boring, slow, simple, and ineffective soccer, and he has never effectively experimented tactically a single time, despite putrid play. What's perhaps worst of all, he refuses to take any shred of responsibility for his team's massive failures. He attacks people who offer the slightest criticism. And he fills his media appearances with empty platitudes that promise nothing except that he will take all of the credit possible, and none of the blame. The fact that the team looks this poor after all we've been through is more than enough to warrant a coaching change. Think about it this way: if Berhalter had coached the team immediately after Cuova, and achieved Sarachan's mixed results with that young roster, and THEN went on to achieve his current actual results with the teams he's been putting out, he'd be looked at AT LEAST as poorly, if not moreso.
Robbie Russell, who played four seasons at Duke, started three UEFA Champions League games for Rosenborg in 2004.
Parks has been more impactful than all those players except a healthy Pomykal. He shouldn't get excluded simply because he hasn't been part of the group. That's been one of the main faults of Gregg in his downfall w/ the senior team. Thankfully Kreis is a better coach. The player relationships he's cultivated early on that all managers do are not exacerbated by a dedication to a system and those who've learned it initially.
Parks has not been as good as Yueill this season. He has finished the season much stronger than Mihailovic though.
Parks got off to a later beginning, as a loanee and American at NYCFC, but won back-to-back club player of the month so reached higher heights, and as a starter had a significantly better WS rating than Yueill. Regardless, tough to argue on 6 players legitimately beating out Parks in cm, when he can play all 3 positions.
Thought of a couple more. Tony Sanneh, who played four years of college soccer at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, played in six Champions League games, three of them starts, for Hertha Berlin in 99-00. And back when it was still called the Champions' Cup, Steve Trittschuh, a veteran of four years of NCAA soccer at SIU-Edwardsville, started two games for Sparta Prague, then the reigning champions, in the fall of 1990.
I agree that it is incredibly tight for CMs. I think it's the most competitive spot on the roster. The level of talent there is unprecedented in American soccer, and that's even before you include Adams and McKennie. Parks is a big contributor for the best club in the East. His on field performance has been better at a higher level than most of the guys on your list. He started slow but made the starting spot his own, and he's not even a homegrown player who had years in the system. Plus, he can play pretty much any of the CM positions well.
Match report Scoring Summary: 1 2 F USA 2 4 6 SLV 0 1 1 USA – Brooks Lennon (Alex Mendez) 10th minute USA – Jonathan Lewis (Djordje Mihailovic) 29 USA – Richard Ledezma (Omir Fernandez) 48 USA – Sebastian Soto (Jonathan Lewis) 49 SLV – Andres Hernandez (penalty) 54 USA – Mason Toye (Richard Ledezma) 62 USA – Manny Perez (Richard Ledezma) 90 Lineups: USA: 22-Matt Freese (1-JT Marcinkowski, 46); 2-Aaron Herrera (23-Manny Perez, 46), 6-Mark McKenzie (15-Auston Trusty, 46), 5-Justen Glad (14-Chris Richards, 46), 3-Chris Gloster (20-Sam Vines, 66); 13-Hassani Dotson (16-Chris Durkin, 46), 8-Djordje Mihailovic (capt.) (24-Christian Cappis, 66), 10-Alex Mendez (17-Richard Ledezma, 46); 11-Brooks Lennon (21-Omir Fernandez, 46), 9-Sebastian Soto (18-Mason Toye, 57), 7-Jonathan Lewis (25-Johnny Cardoso, 79) Subs not used: 12-Brady Scott Misconduct Summary: SLV – Alexis Renderos (caution) 26th minute USA – Mark McKenzie (caution) 34 SLV – Henry Argueta (caution) 69 SLV – Walter Guiguila (caution) 70 USA – Richard Ledezma (caution) 70 USA – Chris Durkin (caution) 81 SLV – Andres Hernandez (caution) 88 Statistical Summary: USA / SLV Shots: 17 / 10 Shots on Goal: 9 / 7 Saves: 6 / 5 Corner Kicks: 4 / 2 Fouls: 15 / 17 Offside: 2 / 1 Preview video from before the game: All set for a Concacaf clash in Miami 💥Following a week of training, the U-23 #USMNT 🇺🇸 is ready to take on El Salvador 🇸🇻 tonight! pic.twitter.com/9NA6hrFWkc— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) October 15, 2019
First-division, first-team minutes by the US U23 GK pool: JT Marcinkowski, 450 (in 2018) Matt Freese, 437 (in 2019) Jonathan Klinsmann, 211 (all in Swiss and Europa Cups) That's it. The pickins, they're a-slim. Thus it makes some semblance of sense that Freese and Marcinkowski have each gotten a half in both of the 23s last two games. They are basically what qualifies as the professionally "experienced" goalkeepers. Brady Scott, David Ochoa, Justin Vom Steeg, Trey Muse, CJ Dos Santos, Eric Lopez and the various college GKs may, in time, end up being better GKs than Marcinkowski and Freese. But odds are none of them are gonna have more pro experience than either of them when Olympic qualifying starts in March.
Just to refresh your memory. Parks has played for Kreis and has started for him. My guess is he didn't get released in the previous camp and he barely recovering for this camp that just finished. I think he will get a shot at making the team but as Brian said, it will be tough.
All fair points, but 1-5 matches of pro experience vs. 0 matches... seems kind of a wash atm. But you're not wrong. It's all fairly concerning/disappointing that it's slim pickins at the position. And for those that may look at the field players' talent to overcome at shortcomings we have in goal, I would point to the U20s were both Scott and Ochoa performed very underwhelmingly and hampered the team's ability to find success when they could have made an even deeper run.