Dangerous attitude. Soccer analytics have a ways to go, and your right, baseball is particularly better suited with it's 1v1 discrete actions. But, every team - club and international squads - are using analytics to help identify players and strategies that improve their likelihood of wining. Ignore them and you'll eventually be doing the soccer equivalent of bunting guys from 1st to 2nd (while an ok strategy in very limited circumstances, it reduces your run probability in every case) or punting from the other teams 35.
Some might say you’re too pessimistic about the youth team. I say you may be too optimistic about the senior team.
I question Durkin's first step. Adams has a great first step (360 degrees) and Bradley aint bad in that department (not as good as when he was younger). otoh, if you look at Durkin's speed when he gets going, it ain't bad and he has stamina. The problem is that the 8 position doesn't suit Durkin's passing which is good in terms of long passes but rather poor in terms of short passing in traffic. Essentially, the passing of Mendez-Durkin-Pomykal is all encompassing because they complement each other beautifully. Somehow Tab managed to make sure we wouldn't see it against an organized, elite level opponent like France. In fact, we didn't even get to see it against Qatar. We got to see it one time out of 4 games. US Soccer and Earnie Stewart (+Berhalter) really let us down here. They knew full well that Tab was facing a conundrum going into the Qatar game and they should have called a confab to give him support with a risky decision. I said before the Qatar game that I would be happy to see subs in the Qatar game to preserve the eligibility of the yellow carded players we needed against France (or Mali, as the case might be). The first line players would have been on the bench in any case if the Qatar game had gone south. What have we learned after we go out v. France with the subs playing (who should have been playing v. Qatar so the first team would be together v. France)? That Tab is some kind of hero because he gets out of group regularly? A big FU to US Soccer. Bad management.
Mendez not "moving"? What a bunch of baloney. Didn't listen to scuffed but Mendez was terrific. I'm not interested in people telling me that so-and-so doesn't do everything. On that basis I wouldn't want Messi on my team.
Basically our chances amounted to Mendez making the key defensive play that left Qatar on the back foot as the ball went forward beautifully to Weah off Mendez' defensive play.
I don't think Mendez was terrific in the Qatar game. He tweeted that it wasn't his best. I know he's disappointed about the saved PK and not getting his FKs on frame. I think he was tired all game, as everything was a bit off. All that said, too many critics go to the extreme of saying he's a one trick pony with his free kicks. He not only is the most reliable passer on the team, he has a good understanding of orchestrating an attack. While he's not always successful with his passes in the final 3rd, he tries $hit. And the interception that led to Weah's goal was done by...Alex Mendez. I agree that he'll need a bit more physical development (maybe add some strength and quickness), but the other parts of his game are in good shape.
There's a lot small time operators around here nitpicking on a guy who makes the huge plays that win games and is actually doing a lot more than they realize because they never spend a second on watching a guy off the ball - because it is in the nature of tv soccer fans to watch the ball. Edit: In respect of the pk, Mendez should never have taken that pk. It's amateurish to think that the guy with the strongest shot on goal is the best pk taker. Mendez is one of the youngest on the team. Soto should have taken the pk. Mendez isn't ready for that yet.
Panama look like 10 mids and a GK Edit: but, b.t.w., that could bode ill for USMNT @ Panama in the hex. I"m still wondering why the Kiwi guy switched to US from NZ when you consider that NZ will have two games to qualify on (the play-off) whereas US will have to overcome a revived Canada and that U20 Panama team and a Jamaica that certainly has the horses, in addition to Mexico, CR and the usual suspects.
Also, the Euro teams don't always get it right in scouting/recruiting players, but obviously there's a reason he's at Freiburg (from what I've heard he had interest from other Bundesliga clubs as well). Those scouts have been at it much longer than we have and just have a better sense of what qualities are needed to make it. Remember the diagonal ball to Weah against Nigeria? The weight and accuracy of that pass was spot on. Not many players can do that. Mendez can, and has done it many times.
Sorry, I didn't do it last night because I didn't know who our opponent would be yet, and I was at work all day today. It's up now though
@Excellency, say Mendez one more time. Credit due, he did step up and get the ball that Weah scored on.
USMNT is way better for Boyd's profile than NZ. He also will have a lot more fun playing our schedule than theirs, who wants to beat up on small pacific islands all the time?
Who wants the plane trip ? My initial search gives me Turkish Airlines, 3 stops 31 hours, Ankara to Wellington.
Too many people discount the physical toll three very high level matches in a week will take on any athlete and even more, young guys. There is going to be some drop-off unless you're a compete mutant or taking drugs to improve your endurance or aid in recuperation. I expect the young Yanks to be better physically against France.
Love Mendez. But I am excited to see Ledezma get a full game at that position. Unless, you know Tab goes all Tab.