Bolded part is true of many BSers. And...if any injuries happen to our World Cup squad I hope they happen a few months before the WC so that replacements can be inserted in the roster. Bruce got to see the players every day, on many days multiple times a day. He exposed many new players to the (lower level) international tournament. That is good. More options have been identified. Now let's see what happens when WCQ starts back up.
I have read with interest how the coach sees the players every day, sometimes twice a day in practice, and he knows them better than BS participants or other fans. This is probably true, but the truth is really how they play in the actual game. Just like some league players who do not play that well in international play...there are possibly those that feel comfortable in training, and even stand out, but cannot for whatever reason translate that to an actual game. I am more inclined to think that BA and many other coaches do have there favorites, whatever the reason, and will stick by them no matter what. It is not, perhaps ideal, but is human nature. Sometimes it impacts negatively to a soccer team. BA is BA, and he is not about to change soon. The Nicaragua game is being replayed today at 4:00 pacific time on either FS1 or FS2 (can't remember which) and I intend to pay close attention to Rowe. I am not sure he is ready to replace Nagbe as some have suggested.
There are 2 favorites to win the World Cup, always, the US and Mexico, so I expect Bruce to win it or make it to the final, that would be what is expected of him. If he wins, good, I won't go around doing a front flip but I will see bw satisfied. If we go second, thats ok I guess, I don't expect much from him. If he doesn't make it to final, well, I just hope to make to the wc, make a non-embarrassing appereance and wait for the update.
None of those 3 coaches has done anything out of the ordinary, one of them was his dad, a fairly decent coach. Any time I have a flashback of the Argentina game is pretty bad, very few times I felt so embarrassed, like I said, Bradley was done that day for me.
Wish I could rep this twice. But I'd make a slight change. It's too soon to have a solid opinion. But it's never too soon for a HOT TAKE!!!!
What does this mean? MLS stops playing for neither....Plus as Continental Championship GC has mandatory release rule in effect.
The variant could be "I like your style". I rewatched Nicaragua and listened to Rowe explain his departure on ET radio at the MLS site. I watched Pontius who did everything correctly but at a slightly deficient athletic level.I think he had a rough go with some injuries in the middle of his career.) Rowe plays like a beserker. They would love him in Chile. Hwvr, I like Arena because his goal is open ended. He's happy to be convinced of an alternative, unlike our previous manager. I'd hate seeing him make a deal with the devil just because he wears a nice suit.
No, they definitely happen when it is too late to go back and re-write the fairy story. Well intentioned hoping will not change that.
We take players like Zardes to Russia, we may make it out of the group, we take players like Pontius... We will never know, because players like Torres, Corona, Silva, Pontius never "fit" our "American" style.
Pay close attention to Pontius at the same time. b.t.w., one interesting way of examining this issue of bias in selection is to consider the case of Nagbe. The suits called him an automatic call up when he got his eligibility in order. When asked his evalutaion after Nagbe's first cap Klinsmann said of the son of Nice's Captain and captain of the LIberian national team that went to the finals of the African Cup of Nations - "he knows how to play the game." You'd think Klinsmann would have played him more but after a few unproductive stints he declined a call up from Klinsmann who was fired not long after. It will be interesting to see what part Nagbe plays in the ko rounds of this Gold Cup.
Obviously, it was a sarcastic remark about Klinnsmann tendency to play players out of position, but congrats on lacking a sense of humor and having enough time to waste to research his former GC player swaps!
I've been watching Zardes a long time. I like him with this team ----morris----agudelo----pulisic ----zardes(10)--Bradley(6)--Dax (8) Zardes' offensive game is really like Dempsey, running the channels in space others have created which fortifies his strengths - what Klinsmann called his "nose" for goal - and his midfield abilities to position correctly and intercept balls. Problem is that I think Bradley and Dax need 3 cb's behind them and in a 343 Zardes becomes a forward and his shortcomings would be magnified - he can't handle physicality, touch required to play with initiative off the front line.
I'm just confused as to why Arena would start Rowe and Dwyer in important games and then send them home? Why not send the bench players home?
I like the theory that those two showed enough (ie, they're 'safe') and that Bruce kept around the players who still hadn't proved their worth. On the other hand, I like even better when our good players get to play with our other good players.