TBF, he is out of contract at season's end. If the LigaMx interest is true then a good GC would help things along.
Mikey in Liga MX next year would be spectacular. "Lothar Matthaus with Metrostars" kind of spectacular.
My problem is that I keep watching Mikey play, with Toronto and with the USMNT. Too much awful play just builds up negativity. Maybe I should stop watching Mikey play, and just embrace the bliss? Ok, Mikey, here's an offer: You keep your Statue of Liberty playing mettle to just with Toronto, and retire from the USMNT, and I'll stop watching your games. You win. I win. The USMNT wins. Toronto? Let it enjoy the Bonfire of the Vanneyties.
Berhalter released a 28 player squad for the Jamaica match: 27 of the 40 + Yueill. GOALKEEPERS (3): Sean Johnson (New York City FC; 7/0), Tyler Miller (LAFC; 0/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 8/0) DEFENDERS (9): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG; 7/0), Omar Gonzalez (Club Atlas/MEX; 49/3), Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes; 2/0), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 5/0), Daniel Lovitz (Montreal Impact/CAN; 3/0), Matt Miazga (Chelsea/ENG; 12/1), Tim Ream (Fulham/ENG; 28/1), Antonee Robinson (Everton/ENG; 6/0), Walker Zimmerman (LAFC; 6/2) MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/CAN; 145/17), Duane Holmes (Derby County/ENG; 0/0), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 9/2), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 8/1), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire; 2/1), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 9/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 15/0); Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0) FORWARDS (8): Jonathan Amon (Nordsjælland/DEN; 1/0), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 110/41), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 21/3), Tyler Boyd (Vitoria Guimares/POR; 0/0), Joe Gyau (Duisburg/GER; 2/0), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC; 27/5), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen/GER; 6/2), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew SC; 44/7) http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...s-us-pre-gold-cup-camp-pulisic-expected-later The most interesting news is that Ethan Horvath will miss the Gold Cup because of a finger injury. Berhalter's choices above may indicate that Guzan is the odd goalkeeper out, and Steffen seems to be the likely starter. A few other obvious players (Pulisic and Adams) haven't joined U.S. camp yet.
With that roster even if they play poorly we "should" beat Jamaica in a friendly at home. Jamaica is horrible and hopefully we are not. However with so much of our probable Gold Cup roster missing I really do not see how this prepares us for the Gold Cup. I would hope Greg B is already pretty sure of the Gold Cup roster so I guess this match is little more than an exercise session for several players.
Unrelated to this roster (except for maybe GB liking some of the old guys), but i just noticed ricardo clark is still playing!!?? That is ridiculous! Still remember watching him in abject horror in a small bar in queenstown NZ, the only one open at 4am or whenever it was, as we got beat by Ghana. Pretty sure he had a nice turnover leading to a goal. Ah, the memories!
If I'm correct (and I certianly might not be), the Gold Cup roster will come from the above 27 plus Adams & Pulisic. So I need to find 6 guys to release. The battles I see as: Mihailovic v. Holmes v. Lettget This is essentially to be Pulisic's backup and I think only one will make it. Favorite: Lettget. Amon v. Boyd v. Gyau v. (Arriola v. Morris) The two in () I think are close to locks. Only one of the other three is likely to remain. Hard time believing Gyau is a real option. Favorite: Boyd Omar v. CCV v. (Zimmerman) Zimmerman is liklely there and might even start, but uneverno. So one spot between the other two. I think we all know who we'd pick, then again... Favorite: Gonzalez (might even start as well) Lovitz v. Robinson v. (Ream) Lima is the only RB on the roster, so I guess he's in (there is that Adams guy). Ream stinks but he's gonna make it, so it comes down to the other two. Favorite: Lovitz (booo). So Gold Cup roster is this Jamica friendly plus CP and TA minus 6 cuts: Mihailovic, Holmes, Amon, Gyau, CCV, Robinson. And yes, those are the players some of ya'll were excited about. Not trolling. Just prepare yourselves now.
I'd imagine there are some roster battles going on here as well as some first match dippings for others. First time with Berhalter for a decent number of players - Boyd, Holmes, Robinson, CCV, Sargent, etc. Heck, it will be McKennie's first full game, hopefully.
This is not a good roster for either MLS superfams or SUM is evil theorists. A lot of Chapionship pand 2BL players of no great accomplishment in, while touted MLSers like Robinson, Cannon and Ramirez are out. Plus Corey Baird.
Right now, Canada is wondering whether to move their recent Bayern Munich signing or their MLS All-star midfielder to left back. We're trying to pick among Tim Ream, Daniel Lovitz and Nick Lima in a bad stretch.
would it be better to say 60% of the talent in our team? that said, jamaica beat us at home in the gold cup what, four years ago? im gonna go ahead and skip the hubris for a little while.
I think this is good analysis of what Berhalter is evaluating prior to the Gold Cup. Seems like it is safe to assume that Corey Baird and Jonathan Lewis are out of the picture given that they're on the 40 man provisional roster but not called into the Jamaica game. I'm not sure that Morris and Ream are locks but that's probably just wishful thinking. The Mihailovic vs. Holmes vs Lletget is the most interesting battle to me.
You’re probably right. It would be bad to see a coach consistently choose the older MLS (+ Ream) player over younger ones trying to establish themselves but that would be consistent with how Berhalter and Arena have constructed their rosters.
Ignoring Yueill, the average age of this 28 player group is 24.9 years old, and the team does not even include Pulisic or Adams.
It wouldn't surprise me if FCD asked the USSF not to take Cannon. They're already likely to be down Pomykal, Cerrillo, Servania, Aranguiz, Acosta, and Grueso next week on international duty. Perhaps they told the USSF that they'd like to retain Cannon this month, but will make him available for the CONCACAF U23 championships a little later. [Miles Robinson is eligible for that as well of course.] So there's a balancing act here.
Yes, yet there persists this view among a significant portion of this forum that Berhalter's rosters are too old.