I think we have exhausted the look ahead thread. We are almost six months away from the tournament. I think we are now in the "taking shape" stage. Post your roster, lineup, players you'd still like to see get a chance and any other questions you want to see answered about what the roster will look like.
Ya, this is too early. After these friendlies and after Cupcake it would make a helluva lot more sense.
As of now: Gk's: Guzan, Rimando, Hamid Fb's: Yedlin, Johnson, Chandler, Garza (Alt: Ream, Castillo, Lichaj) Cb's: Brooks, Jones, Gonzalez, Cameron, Besler (Alt: Orozco, Hedges) Mid's: Bradley, Mix, Nguyen, Bedoya, Corona, Hyndman, Green (Alt: Williams, Klejstan, Zusi, Morales) Fwds: Altidore, Dempsey, Rubin, Zardes (Alt: Wondo, Wood, Gyau, Johannsson) Starting XI: Guzan Johnson Jones Brooks Garza Bradley Mix Bedoya Dempsey Nguyen Altidore
GK: Brad Guzan, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid RB: DeAndre Yedlin, Timmy Chandler CB: Matt Besler, John Brooks, Omar Gonzalez, Nick Hagglund LB: Fabian Johnson, Greg Garza DM/CM: Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Geoff Cameron, Wil Trapp AM/Wing: Alejandro Bedoya, Luis Gil, Mix Diskerud, Julian Green CF: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Aron Johannsson 4-4-2: GK: Brad Guzan RB: DeAndre Yedlin CB: Matt Besler CB: John Brooks LB: Fabian Johnson RCM: Wil Trapp LCM: Michael Bradley RM: Alejandro Bedoya LM: Juan Agudelo SS: Clint Dempsey(C) CF: Jozy Altidore
How's Danny Williams been doing at Reading? I'd heard a few months before the World Cup that he had been doing well
Right now, I think Yedlin stays in his super-sub role, with Chandler and Garza the starting outside backs. I suspect DY will not get enough playing time this spring to be full-90 match ready for this summer.
Time for an update after the last two friendlies. GK: Brad Guzan, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid RB: DeAndre Yedlin, Timmy Chandler CB: Matt Besler, John Brooks, Omar Gonzalez, Nick Hagglund LB: Fabian Johnson, Greg Garza DM/CM: Michael Bradley, Wil Trapp, Geoff Cameron, Alfredo Morales AM/Wing: Alejandro Bedoya, Juan Agudelo, Mix Diskerud, Luis Gil, Gyasi Zardes CF: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Aron Johannsson 4-4-2: GK: Brad Guzan RB: DeAndre Yedlin CB: Matt Besler CB: John Brooks LB: Fabian Johnson RCM: Michael Bradley LCM: Wil Trapp RM: Alejandro Bedoya LM: Juan Agudelo SS: Clint Dempsey(C) CF: Jozy Altidore
Let's see how well Agudelo's doing in MLS before we pencil him into the starting lineup, especially after how well Zardes did on the right. Put Zardes on the right, Bedoya on the left, I think you'd get the best of both (because I think Bedoya can play all across the MF, but Zardes has a weaker left foot, so he has to be on the right), and Agudelo seems like a FW to me, not a midfielder. He never did that at Utrecht, and I don't remember him doing that for the Revs either. Trapp starting? I don't think that'll happen, even though I think it could work out well (I see Trapp like a younger, better long-ball, faster version of Beckerman). I also think we're going to see JJ somewhere in the starting lineup. Maybe in Trapp's spot, maybe as a CB, but somewhere. Is it me, or has Besler been clearing out balls a lot more often recently? Sometimes he's not under much pressure, and he'll just head/kick the ball out of bounds instead of trying to control it. Kinda annoying.
I think an in form Agudelo is definitely good enough to start for the National Team. Maybe if he's out of form, Zardes isn't a bad option, but if both are in form, I think Agudelo is the better player. I actually think he's good on the wing because he runs at defenders and gives us that element that we really lack on the wing. Bedoya and Zusi don't run at defenders with pace and skill, Agudelo does. With Trapp, I think its clear that he's the best of the central midfielders of the younger crop(Kitchen, Hyndman, Morales, Williams, Diskerud), so I think its best to get him into the lineup early in the cycle to form a partnership with Bradley. I think they could work very well together. Someone like Cameron or Jones might be the better player now, but I don't think you are sacrificing that much with Trapp in there now. He's presently a very good player. Just listen to the comments Henry had about him during the past MLS season. I've noticed the same thing about Besler. Doesn't really worry me that much. He's still a very good passer out of the back. The assist against Chile was terrific from a CB and he made another really nice pass that released Shea in this past game. Maybe he's just been trying to play it extra safe recently because he's been playing next to Brek Shea and Jermaine Jones.
What's this? A different opinion? Fite me irl... I think Agudelo's good enough to make the team. I have a few concerns. I don't think he crosses the ball well, which being a striker I think it's unsurprising, but still a flaw. I don't think he's played that position before, so I don't know how well he's going to do in a position he's never played. We all rail on JK for putting players in weird positions, and I think this would be one of those times. In addition, I don't know if he's got the legs to run at the defense for very long, plus do the tracking back like he'll be asked to do on the defensive end. With Zardes I know he's played on the wing, I know he runs for days, I know he tracks back, I know he's a good passer and I know he can run at the defense. I don't think it's very clear who's the best out of that group you mention. Kitchen I think certainly has more experience and I think is a stronger defensive-minded player, which should free up MB to go forward. Williams plays for a CShip club, which isn't too bad, and he's like a more conservative JJ. Not as young, but he could be better than Trapp just on pure athleticism and experience alone (right now, maybe not in a few years). Mix has the most experience with the Nats, so that's a huge advantage right there. That's likely why we saw him vs. Chile and Panama, while Trapp only got some time vs Chile as a sub (and he didn't do too well, though as a team nobody did well after that first half). Not so 'clear'. imo. You might be right about Besler. It's just a pet peeve of mine, because I hate losing possession on what I think are easily-dealt-with balls. Oftentimes it's just a boot up from the back, and very non-threatening, and suddenly they've got a throw-in in our final defensive third. The defense gets time to set itself, but you can't give away possession too many times vs good teams.
If you can't tell by my recent avatars, I rate Agudelo and Trapp very highly. Two of the players I seem to like better than most people. Maybe thats where the difference of opinion is. I think most people seem to like these players, but I think I like them more than most. Agudelo has played on the wing a little bit actually. I just think he's better when he has space to operate with, kind of in the way that Daniel Sturridge operated for Liverpool when they had Suarez. He's big, strong, athletic, can hold the ball up, good in the air and can score goals, but I think where he helps the USMNT the most right now is on the wing. We have some goal scorers, but where we really lack is that wide midfielder position. Maybe its not Agudelo that fits that position best, but we need someone whether its him, Zardes, Rubin, or someone else that has pace, skill and wants to run at defenders. Its just a little too predictable with players like Bedoya and Zusi.
GK- Guzan, Hamid, Rimando CB- Brooks, Jones, Besler, Gonzo, Cameron FB- Fabian, Yedlin, Garza, Shea MF- Bradley, Mix, Nguyen, Morales, Bedoya Trapp FW- Jozy, Johannsonn, Dempsey, Zardes, Rubin ---------------------------Jozy-------------------------- -------------------------Dempsey---------------------- Fabian--------Bradley---------Mix------------Bedoya Garza---------Brooks--------Jones-----------Yedlin --------------------------Guzan--------------------------
I'm glad you understood my joke. I've been responding to like 10 of your posts so I thought it'd be funny. At least it was in my head. I like that sort of faux internet warrior type of sarcasm. Oh I know we need people better than Bedoya or Zusi (although Bedoya is one of our top players atm, and while he can't cross too well, he can cut inside which is nice, so long as you pair him with a FB who CAN cross), I'm just not sure Agudelo is a winger. I'm a big RR fan, hence the early pick, and I think he could help us there as well, though Agudelo has an advantage over him in the finishing department. I have heard that Agudelo has looked sharp in training which is nice. And it'd be nice to see him back on track after being MIA for so freaking long. He's got really silky ball skills, and if he can fit on the wing more power to him. Ps, Zusi was slow and not really my ideal guy, but if Agudelo et al could cross like him from the wing, we'd be in good shape. At least crossing is a skill that you can work on, unlike speed which is much harder to get noticeably better at.
Btw, do we all think the 352 is gone for good? I wouldn't mind. We're just so much more comfortable with a 4 man backline.
i think it is funny that against Chile the usmnt won the first half 2-1 in a 3-5-2 and lost the second half 0-2 in a 4-4-2 but somehow that is evidence that the 3-5-2 failed lol.....maybe someone else can explain it to me better.
In terms of field players: JAltidore, JAgudelo, AJ, CD DW, MBradly, MD, GC, JJ AB, BS, GZardes, GZusi OG, MBesler, JAB TC, FJ, DY, GG We'll see if Chandler makes it to this one.
Oh boy, a single "good" half against a Chile C/B team = that formation works? We still got dominated by them in terms of crosses, SOG, and dangerous possession in the final third. Chile did what we were trying to do, except a thousand times better. We're just more practiced in a 4-man backline, not only at this level, but also at the YNT level. And isn't consistency between the MNT and YNT something that JK's been preaching for several years now since he's been made Technical Director?
I believe Olympians have their own camp? ------Wenger-------Dempsey---------Zardes ---Shea--------Mix ----------Bradley -------Bunbury ---------Besler------Marshall------Jones -----------------------Guzan---- 2nd team (alternates) ------------------Jozy------Nguyen----- ------Fabian---Ibarra---Rasta-----Finlay -------Garza----Hedges---Brooks---Gonzo-- -----------------------Rimando Hard to believe how little we know our player pool after all those freindlies. Klinsmann is incredibly inefficient and slow.
Agree. The team did well in the formation. Yedlin had fatigue issues, and Jones was uncomfortable in a back three, though.
First choice lineup: -------------Zardes-----Demspey -------Fab------------------------Bedoya ------------------------Bradley ----------------Jones ---Garza-------------------------------Yedlin ------------Brooks-----Gonzalez-- -------------------Guzan Perhaps Jones drops into Gonzalez's position with GCam then playing dmid Perhaps Fab drops into left back with Zardes, Shea, or Nguyen taking the spot. If the opposition doesn't feature two athletically elite attacking fullbacks, perhaps Zusi gets a start on the flanks.
Not the worst lineup ever, but I do have a few comments. I am amused by the Zardes over Altidore based on a friendly against a CONCACAF side's development team. Zardes is good but one beautiful assist doesn't count out all the goals Altidore has scored recently for the USMNT. Yes Altidore sucked in England, but there is no evidence that Zardes would do better in the Premier League or that he could score 31 goals in Holland. Need a little more wait and see on this one. Fab didn't play last weekend for BMG so I am not convinced he is going to play enough for his club to be effective for the USMNT. Not a big fan of Bedoya at this position but he has produced enough in the friendlies to keep this spot over Zusi. Jones has consistently not been willing to "embrace" the dmid position for the USMNT and, unless his time at CD has changed his attitude, I don't know why he would do so today. Don't see how Yedlin can be rated over Chandler. Only two real goal scorers in this lineup, not sure there is enough of that in the lineup.
Zardes has a body of work extending beyond the Panama match. Additionally, he imo, makes for a better partnership with Dempsey. If Jones is embracing the CB role then he is probably at the point in his career, in which he'll embrace the 'beckerman' role. I'm not sure of TC's commitment to playing the GC. First priority against quality opposition has to be defending.