An Early Call on the Central Defense Pairing in 2014

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Maximum Optimal, Feb 11, 2011.

  1. soccaisthecoolest

    Jul 22, 2008
    Edu is not going to cut it in midfield. Klinsmann has to decide whether he wants to continue the CB experiment because I don't see a future for him at midfield, unless the team is really hurting for someone, and never at any position that requires any attacking ability. He is a CB or #6, nothing else.
     
  2. holly nichole music

    May 3, 2012
    Club:
    Real Salt Lake
    I ruled out Ike Opara after the Olympics fiasco. Not that the fatal goal was his fault but he looked shaky throughout. Recently he has been getting time and playing very very well for San Jose. Best marking I havee seen in a while, by anyone. Maybe Bernardez has taught him something. Ike has the raw tools to be class.
     
    Tom Collingsworth repped this.
  3. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IMO he's still a long ways away. Like fringe 2018 squad long ways away.
     
  4. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree. In fact, I don't think he'll ever make it consistently to the Nats, if ever. He's athletically gifted, but he's made of glass and from what little that I've seen of him, he doesn't have the necessary soccer smarts.

    I'm a fan of Okugo and likes what he brings to the table. I'd like to see him have a chance at the NT but I don't know if he has what is needed athletically.
     
  5. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Meh. Soccer smarts (and for defenders in particular) take a while to develop (and for Americans in particular!). Cameron is only just coming into his game and he is how old?

    Check out Jozy's highlights from the weekend. That is the smartest game I've ever seen him play. Even without the hat trick his positioning and movement were stellar. That has taken him quite a long time to develop.
     
  6. Tom Collingsworth

    Jun 14, 2011
    North Carolina
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with this except for your inclusion of Ream as one of the young options who deserves more minutes. Tim has been quite dreadful for Bolton this season, so it's imperative that he show better club form to warrant another national team call up. But I do recognize and agree with the premise of your post.
     
  7. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Correct. Regardless of what is happening right NOW, in the past year he should have been getting more minutes. Worst case scenario at least you've completely exhausted that option and he has that experience to build on going forward. I'm not conviced that Ream is washed up just yet. ;)

    But yes, at the present moment you could make the case that a guy like Gonzo, John, Edu, etc. should get more time over Ream.
     
  8. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    He's got a future with the National Team wherever he's getting minutes at a high level. Main problem right now is getting minutes at club level.
     
  9. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    I don't understand Ream's fall. Thought he did well in the Prem last season in the 4 games I watched. Bolton may be getting a new coach the way things are going...
     
  10. soccaisthecoolest

    Jul 22, 2008
    Isn't that the story of his short career, though? Very inconsistent. When he's on, he's caught the eye of some very impressive talent evaluators. However, his lows have been confusingly below the level of play that you'd hope for from even your off form national team defenders.
     
  11. INKRO

    INKRO Member+

    Jul 28, 2011
    He needs to get over the physicality hump that is play in the Championship or really any top flight team in England. He hasn't done that so far so between swimming and sinking he's doing the latter at the moment. Hopefully he'll turn it around though.
     
  12. soccerusa517

    soccerusa517 Member+

    Jun 23, 2009
    Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Gonzalez, Besler, Okugo, uuhh... :eek:

    Edu? Not sure where his place is. The emergence of Williams at the #6, Bradley will be back, Jones likely to always start. One also has to be concerned with his playing time at Stoke, although many suspected as much before he joined.

    Seb Hines hasn't been playing consistently for Middlesbrough? And hasn't filed a one time switch.

    George John is injured, again.

    Tim Ream has fallen off the face of the Earth.

    Onyewu? I'm ready to move on, I respect him for all he's done with the national team but he's had one too many injuries and his mobility is gone, not that he was the most mobile CB in the first place. But I won't blame people calling for him if he breaks into Malaga's XI.

    I do not believe Goodson will cut it as a starter. I said this earlier in the year and I stand by it. Klinsmann needs to find a partner for Cameron.
     
  13. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree that it takes time to develop, but I disagree with your examples. Cameron has had it for a while. He had it when he was first moved to CB years ago. It's just that necessity forced Kinnear to move him around over the past handful of years. It's his soccer smarts that allows him to move so seamlessly. Jozy is 22 years old and is showing a good soccer brain. Opara is 23 and is still showing a lot of room to improve. I'm not seeing he won't but I just don't see him being NT caliber.
     
  14. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He'll be fine. He has the raw tools, he just needs more games. He might not be our next Eddie Pope, but he's going to have a very decent career.
     
  15. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, but not all players are alike. Some Americans (for whatever reason) take much longer to peak. Just because Jozy is showing signs of development at 22 doesn't mean that because Opara isn't showing it that he won't get there. My main point was that he seems very VERY far away right now compared to what we have available or who we project will come on in the next cycle.
     
  16. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    I don't get the Opara, Altidore comparisons. Opara, 23, went the college route and his time has been limited by injuries. Altidore, 22, turned pro at age 16 and has had a major-injury free career.

    Geoff Cameron also took the college route and turned pro at age 22/23.
     
  17. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The poster was comparing Opara and Altidore which I think is tough because Altidore had a pro training environment way longer than Opara who went the college route.

    Sure every player is different, but for U.S. players that went the college route I just don't think you should write them off until about 27/28. Yeah, they might only have one good cycle in them by that age, but every little bit helps.
     
  18. 6 ft. Leprechaun

    Dec 9, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Um, I was only comparing the two because you had initially brought up Altidore when I was remarking on Opara.
     
  19. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Okay. In that case don't take any stock whatsoever in my specific examples or comparisons. My main point was that some American players peak late. That's all. Carry on.
     
  20. KickballWizard

    Jun 11, 2013

    I haven't seen him play yet this year. How is he looking? Has he cooled off a bit?

    He was my favorite for MLS breakout defender at the end of last season.
     
  21. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa

    He's been good this year imo. You can go through the MLS Flavors of the week thread and find him mentioned every so often.
     
  22. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Okugo needs to cleanup his aerial(defensively) game. Also Parke is major stepdown from Valdes.
     
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  23. SPA2TACU5

    SPA2TACU5 Member+

    Jul 27, 2001
    ATX
    His aerial game (d) hasn't been a problem the past few months.

    No GC call up for Okugo is a bloody shame.
     
    Tom Collingsworth repped this.
  24. Tom Collingsworth

    Jun 14, 2011
    North Carolina
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I still think Amobi can become the best US produced CB we've had. I don't know about Champions League level but I think he'll be starting for a quality team in the EPL or Bundesliga one day.
     
  25. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I'm surprised to hear you say that. Jk rates Parke in top four US cb's in MLS which is why he called him in to January camp ahead of Okugo, John, Hedges, Moor, Marshall, Baptiste, among others.
     

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