Good point. I rarely even see Durkin mentioned, but he's damn good already. How good could he be four and a half years from now if he can stay healthy and get out of the MLS? I definitely think he'll be in the conversation if he stays healthy and doesn't end up in a Hyndman situation.
I think you're putting too much emphasis on him just not putting up major goal contribution stats lately. He's still impressing, but playing deeper, helping more w/ pressure and build-up. When he does make a dangerous pass his teammates often do nothing with it because they need the ball put on a plate for them while the team's style is very open these days and his passes aren't precision. He would have better targets with the US. and likely translate because the U.S. plays an open style. He has shown the versatility to help in both. Kljestan and Dwyer haven't really. Kljestan especially is declining. The local writers are still high on him and of a similar opinion. https://www.themaneland.com/2018/7/1/17521728/orlando-city-vs-atlanta-united-five-takeaways Chris Mueller is a Big Deal The young Lion continues to impress in so many ways. He wears his heart on his sleeve at all times and lets you know it. He is still young, at only 21 years of age, and needs a bit more time to develop, but it is obvious that he is going to develop into a very good player. Last night, he was possibly the best player for the Lions on the pitch. I certainly hope the incoming coaching staff does their homework on Mueller, and can mold him into the player that we see him becoming. If I had to project starters they'd be: Steffen; Robinson, Glad, Miazga, Adams; EPB, McKennie, Parks; Pulisic, Mueller, Sargent
No, I don't think I am. I've watched the last 4 OCSC games, and in 230 minutes, he's forced 2 saves, plus 1 assist in garbage time that was mostly Dwyer. I'd be interested to see his "key passes" statistic, or really any of those more advanced metrics, but I think it's likely to be similarly poor. He isn't getting into the same positions that he used to, as often as he used to. This is my eye test, I don't have a dog in this fight, we need wingers. If you have some stats to give me, go ahead, because my eyes tell me a different story.
I'd probably go with this prediction for now. GK: Steffen, Hamid, Garces DF: Yedlin, Scally, Adams, D. Acosta, Akanyirige, Miazga, Palmer-Brown, Glad MF: Trapp, Durkin, McKennie, Parks, Booth, Pulisic, Carleton, Nyeman, de la Fuente FW: Soto, Wright, Sargent
I had something similar. The same CFs. If we get Sibatcheu and the other two are good enough to be able to start some games we will do really well at the WC.
I also put Nyeman in. But that's mostly a hope. He is very young and we know multiple ways to retard kids growth. Might be a year too early for him. We don't have creative players that would occupy the center off the field. Don't buy Parks, and McKennie and Durkin are DMs.
I think the team I listed is slightly too young to be our WC team, but I'd rather start predicting those guys than Saief, Arriola, Brooks, Nagbe, Altidore, etc. Average age of that team is 23.87. Thats likely a little young now that I think about it. I would be surprised if we weren't one of the youngest teams at the 2022 WC, but the youngest teams are usually low 26's, high/mid/low 25's, occasionally something in the 24 range. The youngest at any recent WC was 24.0 by Ghana in 2010, so probably like 3 or so of the guys in the 20's are replaced by early 30's players, and that takes us up to around 25.0. I still think it will be a young team, and two players under 20 (what I listed) is not out of the ordinary. If we made 2018, we probably would've had 2-4 kids under 20 (Pulisic, McKennie locks. Adams, Gonzalez 50/50), so I don't think its unrealistic to think that there might be a couple 02's or 03's on the roster. 04's are probably pushing it, but I don't think its impossible. Parks is not a #6, IMO. I think he's a #8. I know McKennie has been used recently as a #8 because he's just starting out his pro career, but Schalke seems to want to develop him as a #6. I wouldn't be surprised if he plays a lot more as a #6 this season. I don't know what Durkin would be other than a #6. CB? Ball-watches too much at CB.
On that pass to Dwyer he took on 2 guys off the dribble, shifted around them, and made a deft outside the foot pass under pressure. Very slick play by him. The last game that the Orlando local writer was raving about he had 4 key passes per Whoscored. That was highest on the team by 2, and joint top in the game with Barco. In 10 league starts at wide attacker he has a rock solid 7.1 WS rating. That would be on pace for 3rd on the team behind El-Munir and Yotun if he started and stayed in those positions. WS lists one of his strengths from the #'s as key passes. He's got sweet dribble moves to get there in the final 3rd. Not just the Arriola put my head down and try to beat you to the end line, the Dempsey step over, or even Pulisic shoulder fake. Some actual craft with some double moves or where he really sells his first one by rolling the ball in that direction first. Last game he megged a guy on the end line. It's not vanilla American a-winger stuff. They need to get him up closer to goal out wide to make more use of it. Play a high press and pair him with a capable target fw. That complement and style makes Kljestan better too. Even before he was well into his 30's he needed to play close to his teammates to have a lot of success.
I didn't mean that Park is #6, but rather that I'm not sure that he will be on the team, unlike McKennie and Durkin that I' sure about who are #6. If Park is as good as advertised that's a big plus as creativity in the middle of the field lacks for now.
Surprised Guzan isn't getting more nods. In all likelihood we're only going to have 2 guys on the rest of the roster with World Cup experience (Brooks and Yedlin with one apiece). That's not only due to our failure to qualify this time, but also the ancient squad we brought to Brazil. Bringing a grizzled vet as your 3rd GK is an easy way to inject some experience into the squad. IMO as long as Guzan is still starting in MLS by 2022, he's on the plane to Qatar. No, I don't think he'll still be our 3rd best GK at that point, but I do think whoever the coach is will value his experience on what will otherwise be a very young and inexperienced squad.
God that was a futile exercise. My squad only included 5 MLS player, 2 of which were keepers. Obviously that won't happen, but right now everything is based on hype, and the Euro guys draw more of it
8 guys that have never made a first team pro league appearance. one guy that has played about 50 first team minutes and one guy that is about to play in 5th division in germany (if no loan) after being left off schalke's pre season first team. pretttttyyyyy bold
Considering there will be an 8 and a half year gap, which involved a missed World Cup in-between, it's pretty natural the roster would be light on experience. I wouldn't be averse to Guzan, so long as a quality 3rd keeper hasn't emerged, a very real possibility. It won't be on-field experience anyway. We're just going to have to deal w/ the lack of experience. Youth more often wins in the WC anyway, and these players will have experience in plenty of other int'l comps.
100% agree--I'm all about youth, I'll always take the better player over the more experienced one, the possible exception being the third GK spot. Think Meola over Howard in 2002.
I really hope Jamie Dunning will be coached so well by Roy Makaay and Robin van Persie that by 2022 he will be a name no one can ignore. Just fantasizing to be the ground where a US dreams start.
USA Today's quadrennial prediction came out- https://thebiglead.com/2018/07/13/us-soccer-2022-world-cup-roster/ GK: Hamid, Horvath, Garces (Steffen left out!) FB: Yedlin, A. Robinson, D. Acosta, Olosunde CB: Brooks, Miazga, CCV, Parks (as a defender! And EPB not mentioned!) CM/DM: McKennie, Adams, K. Acosta, Durkin Wing/AM: Pulisic, Arriola, Green, Reyna FW: Sargent, Weah, Wood, Altidore Their prediction in 2010 for 2014- GK: Howard, no other mentions FB: Spector, Bornstein, Lichaj, Pearce CB: Oneywu, Marshall, O. Gonzalez, Agbossoumonde CM/DM: Bradley, Edu, Holden, Torres Wing/AM: Feilhaber, Adu, Bedoya, Gaven FW: Altidore, Davies, E. Johnson, Findley Their prediction in 2014 for 2018- GK: Guzan, Johnson, Cropper FB: F. Johnson, Chandler, Yedlin, Ocegueda CB: Brooks, Besler, O. Gonzalez, Cameron CM/DM: Bradley, Diskerud, Williams, Bedoya Wing/AM: Green, Zusi, Shea, Gil FW: Altidore, Johannsson, Boyd, Agudelo
Can’t get over how “inside” some of those picks are for the casual fan and then you get the inexplicable take on the goal keeper position after Horvath and Hamid made a mess in their pants in auditions against Portugal and Ireland while Steffen stood on his head against World Cup Finalist France.
Wright?http://www.americansoccernow.com/ar...ore-plus-updates-on-wright-hines-ike-amp-more Haji Wright, 20, did not have a good year least season on loan from Schalke at Sandhausen in the 2.Bundesliga where he played just 587 minutes and scored one goal. He began preseason back at Schalke but is now on trial with Union Berlin. I''ll go --------------------------------------Sargent/Jozy --------------------------------------------------------------Pulisic/Weah -------------------------Parks/Carleton ---Adams/Saief--------------------------------------- --------------------McKennie--------------------------Delgado/Booth/Lletget -------------------------------------Trapp/Durkin ------Robinson/Parker------------------------------------------------Yedlin --------------------Brooks---------------------------Miazga/EPB ------------------------------GK:: Steffen/Klinsmann/Las
Yes, have you seen him play in the last couple of years? Because I remember you put him in the Acosta/Adams category once you saw him play a bad youth tournament three years ago? Watch him play and maybe you’ll change your mind. I know a lot here just go off what they read, but I know you watch these players closely to form an opinion, which I respect.