Let's be real. Are we still gonna talk about Vermes not playing youth? Playing EPB last year over Opara or Besler is the equivalent of playing a 35 year old over 25 year olds. You're not going to play a player that's young when he's made it clear he's leaving. It's a sunk investment.
There were more minutes (for years) that he could’ve given to EPB, but he didn’t. He even sent him on loan, which you don’t do if you plan on using a player extensively. EPB can also play RB and CDM competently. Vermes got it wrong in his handling of EPB. Thats the most talented player to come from their academy so far and the fans barely got to see him play. Hopefully he learned from that. It seems like he might’ve.
Zusi is their right back. Ilie Sanchez, an all star this year, is their d mid. It's literally 4 of their 5 best players, and all leaders of their team. Here's Brian's opinion. The dude played 640 minutes in MLS July and later. He DID rotate into center back, and yet we're still here complaining when he's now in the Eredivisie.
I’ll never understand why a guy playing YNT games at different intervals throughout the year is a perfectly legitimate reason not to play him with his club to some people, but a club can purchase a guy on Wednesday or Thursday and insert him into the starting lineup on a permanent basis on Saturday without any problems or reservations
I didn't say he needed to start over those players, but Vermes didn't use him as an all-purpose back up. I also don't understand why Zusi at right-back is such a daunting test. Is Zusi a better RB than RW? I don't think he's particularly good at RB compared to RW. SKC struggles offensively. Why did they move their best attacking player to RB? Because Klinsmann moved him there with the NT? Why would Vermes (a better coach than Klinsmann) care what Klinsmann did? Didn't make sense to me. Right now, I still don't understand why Zusi plays RB (as opposed to playing RW with Lindsey at RB).
Didn't both of them use Zusi at RB? I think Vermes is a better coach than both, whether it was Klinsmann or Arena.
Arena used Zusi at RB in 12 of Arena's 18 matches. Zusi was Arena's most used RB. I can't find Klinsmann using Zusi at RB. Please remind me which matches Klinsmann played Zusi at RB? I do remember Zusi playing RB in training under Klinsmann. I remember for a while in 2016 when Vermes had benched Besler you were ranting that Vermes was a terrible coach, I guess things change.
I don't think I ever did that, so maybe you could find those posts before you claim that. I remember hearing Vermes eventually apologized to Besler and admitted he was being way too critical of a player who was playing injured. Its good that the guy is able to realize when he makes coaching mistakes.
I don't think EPB will be the Breakout Player this year. Nobody is complaining about his move to the Eredivisie. You are correct, if you view a young player as another player on your roster. This is how most of MLS thinks of U20 Americans. This is how Vermes treated EPB for the most part. However, if you view a young player as an investment, then how Vermes handled it was wrong. It was wrong because he left on a free. Simple. Don't need to discuss whatever particulars. It is a results business and letting an investment (how everyone in the world views U20 players) get zero return is a failure. You can argue, as you have, that the failure was unavoidable for whatever reasons. Fine, but still a failure. I think Vermes learned. I think SKC learned. They gave Vermes a long term deal and more power, which lets him be more flexible in generating a return on their youth investment and getting current results.
Getting back on topic... I love Tyler Adams and think his ceiling is very high. However, it doesn't seem like he is moving to RB Leipzig this Summer. I will doubt any American being sold by MLS until I actually see one; so maybe he doesn't move at all until he can leave on a free (next Summer?). If that is the case, has he broken out in 2018? Not really. He took a big leap, but mostly it was late in 2017, and is maintaining that level. Going from HG game to All-Star starter. But getting better in MLS might not be enough this year. Leaves the field open and a dark horse might be emerging. Tim Weah could get 1000 minutes and score 10 goals being the 4th or 5th option in attack for PSG. Only a year ago, he was considered the 4th or 5th best player on the U20 team and only at PSG because of his father. Kid is forcing himself into the USMNT conversation and PSG conversation. Josh Sargent might be one Harnick injury from starting for WB. Robinson, Miazga, CCV, EPB don't seem to be making big jumps in the next 6 months.
On a smaller scale Derick Jones (Phili) played vs Portland, it has been a while since I last saw him play, tough for him to get minutes behind Bedoya. He looked a lot more polished than in the U20 WC. At 6'3 he is an imposing player playing the 6. At around minute 70 Derick came out for Bedoya and he proceeded to make two blunders. I hope Derick gets more minutes he had a good game including a shot on goal that didn't go in because of an excellent GK block.
I did not see anything there about Klinsmann playing Zusi at RB which was @ussoccer97531 's claim. If we want to talk about breakout youngsters played out of position, Klinsmann broke out Kellyn Acosta at LB and played him exclusively at LB for his 4 caps. JK's analysis was similar to Arena's with Zusi. Klinsmann believed that Acosta was extraordinarily talented and that the CM depth was such that Kellyn would not see the field there but could become the starting LB in time. I would love to see a coach do something similar with Parks. He is never going to be Viera, Matic, or even Pogba at CM but could be the next Berbatov at forward if he moves up top and learns to finish.
I hope they pair him with Bedoya in Philly, and give Medjunanin a rest. Bedoya is the captain, so he isn't sitting unless he is injured/suspended (or like Saturday being rested for the Cup Semifinal). It's been said that Jones is the most talented of the 5 current home grown academy players on the Union's roster.
Kellyn Acosta played left back with the US U17s at Bradenton and international competitions. And lest we forget, broke into FC Dallas as a right back (after an extended injury to Zach Loyd). So that wasn't as much of an experiment as Zusi playing right back under Arena. Folks like @ussoccer97531 can correct me if I'm wrong, but Klinsmann using Acosta at fullback for the USMNT was really an experiment for the U23 team. That's the position he was needed in for the 2014 do-or-die Olympic qualifying series against Colombia. In fact, that Acosta at fullback thing should continue with the USMNT. We have young depth in central midfield and right back as well (plus Yedlin in his prime). But the in-their-prime and young prospect talent at left back right now is fairly shallow. There's an opening there for any player regardless of age to take the bull by the horns.
We have seen a lot of McKenzie and looks to be better than Trusty. I haven't seen enough of Jones to make a decision but from the game I saw vs Portland, Jones looks to be very close in performance.
He's also quietly been having a MLS Best 11 caliber season as well. Also, David Accam is a DP player and he has been rooted to the pine for the past 3 months. Not according to Earnie Stewart and Jim Curtin. Trusty has been garnering interest from European Clubs for the past two years. McKenzie has been good, Trusty has been the better of the two. Trusty has also played every minute this season in league play. Of the two, Trusty is currently more reliable. Yeah.........A LOT of people more qualified than you would beg to differ on your take. These would include the current GM of the USMNT, independent USL Analysts, USL Coaches, MLS coaches etc.
He must have gone through a good streak because he didn't start out playing well. Accam for all his hard work he hasn't been able to put it in back of the net. For that matter neither Sapong, so I don't think the bar is high for Phili. Yes, Trusty plays every game but I still think McKenzie has a more rounded game. Trusty is not as quick as McKenzie and doesn't want to play those tougher through ball, McKenzie will bring up the ball if there is no passing lane. Just my opinion. And remember more qualified USSF staff passed up on Bjorn Johnsen so take it for what is worth.
About ten years ago, I was sitting next to Paul Westphal at the Pac10 men’s basketball tournament. This would’ve been shortly after he coached Pepperdine and before he became an assistant with the Mavericks. We were talking about a UCLA freshman, and he could see that I knew what I was talking about. About ten minutes later, he got on tv and repeated exactly what I said. Manny Ramirez was traded from the Red Sox to the Dodgers in a 3 team trade that also involved the Pirates. Bryan Morris was one of the prospects that went from the Dodgers to the Pirates. The day after the trade, I had lunch with a scout from the Pirates. He knew nothing about Morris at all. Didn’t even know his name. I probably have 4 or 5 more examples of incidents like this. It’s a fallacy to assume that every person employed in sports has an opinion better than your own. We are all wrong sometimes, but as long as we are well-informed, our opinions are often no better or worse than the people in charge. I’ve seen Trusty play... I don’t know how many games. I don’t rate him at all. If those guys do, good for them. I guess we will see who is right in a couple years.