Current best starting Xl?

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by USAMEX10, Sep 4, 2014.

  1. Step Over

    Step Over Member

    Oct 18, 2008
    Atlanta
    Club:
    Atlanta
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Probably closer to 1200 if you count USL and Open Cup also.
     
  2. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    He certainly mentioned him as a piece in the center. Several others on this thread have him in central midfield. You yourself have a post with him as a CM.

    This the the "Current Best 11". In no universe is the best CM we can field today a guy that played on the wing his whole career and a few weeks ago played centrally for DC United and has done so for a handful of games. The whole team played great as they opened their new stadium last weekend and he was a part of that. But in his previous seven starts he has 2 goals and 4 assists. Hardly earth shaking.

    Let Arriola play CM for a season and let's see what it looks like before he is starting our next NT game there. I don't think he ever supplants Delgado or Trapp or Adams.

    I'm a big fan of Arriola. Maybe I'm just a stickler for Thread titles and he should be discussed as a CM for the USMNT in another thread. Maybe titled, "Unexpected Position Shifts for 2022".
     
  3. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    In defense of Arriola, I would point out that he can move fast and kick a mean ball at the nets and defend as well. His problem was putting the ball on target - his shots tended to be out of the park bad. He's not really a great combiner. Suppose our best team turns out to be missing some energy and drive at goal and Arriola is turning it on with Rooney in DC. He's in the mix at that point. He has a pretty good team in DC at this point and it is up to him to make the most of it.
     
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  4. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    Just to be clear, mentioned Carlton only as a reference to a type of player. I wasn't claiming he is anywhere near best 11 yet and I don't believe anyone else was saying that either.
     
  5. Mahtzo1

    Mahtzo1 Member+

    Jan 15, 2007
    So Cal
    I haven't seen Saief too much but what I have seen hasn't impressed me in the same way that some seem to have been. I have seen enough of Weah to believe he has the potential to be really special but I don't believe he is best 11 yet.

    Frankly I would replace them with Feilhaber. I know he is old but it is CURRENT best 11 and I think he is one of our best 11 right now. In addition, I believe that he would complement Pulisic very well. I also think that is the area of greatest need going forward because he probably won't be of too much value in this cycle as he ages. Of course I could be wrong and he will be like the ever-ready bunny....
     
  6. Patrick167

    Patrick167 Member+

    Dortmund
    United States
    May 4, 2017
    We will see. Does he check over his shoulder constantly without the ball? Does he take the first touch away from pressure? And I would think combining with team mates would be the first job.

    Only Olsen knows where Rooney will play. But I would think Rooney as a CAM makes more sense feeding balls to Arriola coming off the wing makes more sense than Arriola trying to unlock a defense to get Rooney in behind.

    Like Zlatan and Schweinsteiger and the other older Europeans that have come into the league lately, I expect good things early then a gradual fading and many injuries. So, if he can do the job, Arriola might be back in their centrally towards the end of the season.
     
  7. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Not really the same as 'a centerpiece', but whatever.

    I don't have him as a bang-on starter for right now.
    No one claimed he was.

    His stats at CM are.
     
  8. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    I'd go with the team that tied France against strong rivals:

    --------------------Steffen-----------------------
    Shaq---CCV---Miazga---EPB---Robinson
    --------Adams---Trapp---Wes----------------
    ------------------------------Pulisic*--------------
    ------------------Bobby---------------------------

    * = instead of Green.

    And the one that barely lost to Ireland in Dublin against not so strong teams:

    --------------------Steffen*----------------------
    Yedlin------CCV-----Miazga------Villafaña
    ---------Adams---Trapp---Wes---------------
    Pulisic^------------Wood-------------Green~

    * = instead of Hamid, he must be getting rusty as heck by now.
    ^ = instead of Weah.
    ~ = instead of Rubin.

    Hopefully, Parks becomes an upgrade on Adams.
     
  9. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    It was Parker in there against France,,not EPB. EPB replaced Miazga when Miazga knocked heads with Giroud.

    Hasnt Shaq been demoted to 2nd division?

    I would move Adams out to lwb and insert Delgado in cmid and play Weah in lieu of Pulisic. I don't know who is better between Jozy or Sargent as a hold up 9. Pulisic would sub in for Weah in the second half. Parks would sub in for Delgado.

    ------------------Jozy/Sargent---------Weah
    -------adams
    ------------------Wes----Delgado--
    ----------------------trapp
    ----------------------------------------------Yedlin
    ---------Parker----CCV------Miazga
    ----------------------gk: steffen
     
  10. Pragidealist

    Pragidealist Member+

    Mar 3, 2010
    The problem with the US talent pool is right here and the next few years added on. We had a pretty big drought of excellent players. The problem with the US was not that Bradley, dempsey, etc came back to the US. It was that we didn't have a steady pipeline of talent going out and climbing up.

    I am excited about the future of us soccer - not because of a few talented young guys but because it looks we have a steady pipeline that is getting healthier (the pipeline- not the players) and producing prospects getting shots elswhere and domestically.

    Its all about the pipeline, imo. It was pretty dry for years and is now looking healthier than I can remember.
     
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  11. Eighteen Alpha

    Eighteen Alpha Member+

    Aug 17, 2016
    Club:
    Stoke City FC
    Demoted?

    I think it is where he needs to be at this point. He already has two goals in preseason and looks to be a lock starter and leader of the team.

    Just as Yeddy benefitted from the Championship, this will be good year for Shaq's further development.
     
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  12. largegarlic

    largegarlic Member+

    Jul 2, 2007
    The pieces of a best 11 are starting to fall into place in my mind. Of course, Sarachan wouldn't use this formation, but I'll assume a 4-2-3-1 for my 11. It'd look something like this:

    ---------------------X-----------------------
    X-------------------X---------------Pulisic
    ---------McKennie-----X-----------------
    Robinson---Brooks---Miazga---Yedlin
    ------------------Steffen-------------------

    I know Robinson doesn't have many caps, but he's looked promising in his friendly appearances and seems to have established himself as a solid starter in the Championship, which is at least as good as any other candidate. So, I'd give him the role and see if he can continue to grow into it.

    Other than McKennie and Pulisic, the rest of the midfield/forward spots are up in the air. I'm close to putting Weah and Adams in there somewhere, but I want to see a little more of both in high-level games before putting them in my official BS starting 11.
     
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  13. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Solid foundation. I'd put Weah opposite CP because I don't like any other options that much there; Adams next to McKennie or in between the wings. Let the coach decide on Wood, Sargent, Altidore up top.

    1-2 midfielders needed IMO. And one of the strikers to step it up.
     
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  14. yurch10

    yurch10 Member+

    Feb 13, 2004
    Wrong.

    A problem was our pipeline.

    That was not THE problem.

    We had/have enough players to make the World Cup. Our overall talent and depth is, was, and will continue to be, better than Panama/Honduras/Australia.

    THE problem was the reliance on old guys who were no longer good players, and who got lazy because of the fact that their positions were never questioned.

    But back to the topic, as this isn't about our current best starting 11.
     
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  15. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I think it is, because Arena basically put the players he thought were our best xi on the pitch and lost because they didn't work together as a team.
     
  16. Pragidealist

    Pragidealist Member+

    Mar 3, 2010
    We had two different coaches both under perform. We lost to T&T?!

    But yeah sure- we had several problems. The primary problem has been our pipeline. Not enough good players were rising up and succeeding. We were relying on older players because most of the ones that should have been at the top of their game were worse than the older guys.

    There was a big gap between the older guys and the young guys. That came from a pipeline that didn't consistently produce. At the same time, MLS is giving professional minutes to these other countries... closing the gap in quality.

    Anyway... the pipeline is the largest problem of any nation. In the end, its always about talent.
     
  17. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Saief.
     
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  18. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He doesn't do it for me either to be honest. He has moments of flash and lots of nothing else. He's only 24 too so he's a good roster choice and if he impressed over Weah to the new coach, I'm ok with it.
     
  19. Eighteen Alpha

    Eighteen Alpha Member+

    Aug 17, 2016
    Club:
    Stoke City FC
    I'd like to see FabJo on the left now that we have an actual left back.
     
  20. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I expect you will be getting a visit from a chimp.
     
  21. Eighteen Alpha

    Eighteen Alpha Member+

    Aug 17, 2016
    Club:
    Stoke City FC
    Can't wait.
     
  22. The Potter

    The Potter Member+

    Aug 26, 2004
    England
    Club:
    Stoke City FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    People, blame veterans because it's an easy answer. England's golden generation the players born around 78-82 were good players. Overhyped at the time? Sure maybe, but there's nothing wrong with having Rio, Ashley, Terry, Gerrard, Owen and Lampard who were the core or even players like Joe Cole and Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, King, Carragher etc. After that apart from Rooney the only players who got caps born from the mid to late 1980"s were the likes of Milner, Cahill, Hart. I've had this argument for years with my fellow England fans and at the beginning their annoyance at the failing veterans clouds judgments but after a while people start to realise the veteran who is underperfming at 34 on his hundred cap wasn't a bad player, the system has failed to replace them. It would be a great shame if the likes of Howard and Dempsey are tarred with this brush, they just got old.

    Dont let Pulusic be your Rooney an outlier that covers up a failing system.
     
  23. Cynical US fan

    United States
    Mar 30, 2017
    Boston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Is he injured? He wasn't even on the bench for Anderlecht their first league game.
     
  24. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    Wood (or MLS hot hand}
    Weah Pulisic xxxx

    McKinnie Parks (if he get minutes)
    If not Parks MLS guy with bite

    Robinson CCV Miazga Yedlin

    XXXXX

    Not sure Parks is going to get minutes this fall so that would leave him off and open a spot. I dont keep up with MLS enough to decide on any of those guys but we could use some bite in that midfield.

    If Weah gets minutes for PSG this season, then he is ready for the USMNT .
     
  25. grandinquisitor28

    Feb 11, 2002
    Nevada
    Forgive the long winded post: I rambled a bit.

    Two things are equally true:

    #1: The entire system failed kids born between 1990-1995, identification, development, everything. There's no excuse or explanation that can justify how a generation blessed with opportunity and advantages no generation had ever had before would pratfall so badly when it mattered most, but it happened, and this isn't a situation of fat and happy prospects, because they were kids, most of them hadn't even had time to get fat and happy yet. The system itself failed to identify and develop the proper prospects, and the prospects identified failed, or lost their careers to injury. It was a total debacle, and there's no explanation to my mind that fits other than a failure of the fed rather than the players.

    Anyone 40+ knows what soccer was like in this country in the seventies and eighties. It was an afterthought. No serious professional league for more than a decade, hell we were promoting indoor players to the national team for several years because we had nothing else. Kids played soccer until they were teens and then played baseball, football, basketball, hockey or really anything else instead. I was a '74 (December) and my experience with soccer was largely playing in club leagues for a decade before switching focus to football and baseball and promptly suffering a series of injuries that ended any further athletic endeavors. I loved soccer but I didn't even know what the EPL was as a kid, know idea what that incarnation of the Champions League was, didn't know anyone anywhere who watched World Cup '82, and only a few latino friends who watched it in '86 (and I did a teeny bit as well), the focus was more on the 49ers and SF Giants. No leagues to watch, no coverage whatsoever in the eighties, then we got the World Cup in 1990 with decent coverage and I watched, thrilled with Nigeria's performance, then it disappeared again until '94, and after that with MLS born, things slowly, for the first time ever, started to change.

    But really, as a '74, soccer was totally irrelevant as a professional sport to anyone and everyone throughout my entire life until college: Elementary, Middle, High School. I didn't grow up in a soccer hating area either, I grew up 20 minutes drive south of San Francisco in San Mateo where soccer was played by almost all kids in their youth.

    So to my mind, the idea that kids born in an environment where soccer for the first time, was an actual viable enterprise, where they could see World Cup and Champions League and Club league play on tv in elementary school and much much more by the time they entered their teen years and beyond, would perform infinitely worse than my generation that grew up in an environment where nobody could give less than a word I can't say about the sport, and where people actively sought to denigrate it and abort its growth just strikes me as absurd.

    I don't know why the pipeline failed, I just know that the Fed is to blame for the failure, as that's the only thing that makes any sense.

    #2 Despite the pipeline failure of 1990-1994/1995, there was still zero justifiable reason for failing to qualify. You can't pound Panama and Honduras 10-0 aggregate at home, and then play to a 2-2 aggregate score on the road without the problem being something much worse than just a pipeline issue. If the Pipeline was the problem, we wouldn't have just lost in shocking fashion to Mexico and Costa Rica at home, we also would have struggled against Honduras and Panama at home as we did on the road, but we didn't, instead we kicked the living hell out of them at home, but then when we had to deal with a little adversity, deal with some road issues, scary refs, intimidating stadiums, hotels, and start times, well, I don't have to say the rest. We watched the World Cup at home #1 because our coaches and players were soft, incompetent, entitled fools, and #2 we did not have the players around to push said soft, entitled, incompetent fools.

    A little bit of both, and if you want to identify why we failed to qualify for the World Cup, it's primarily #2, if you want to identify why the quality of our play stalled out and actually regressed this past decade, then that's at least as much #1 as #2.

    The good news is that in spite of the total incompetence and corruption of the fed, our pipeline coughed back to life around birth year 1995, and has slowly but surely started to function again and now is producing more cream and more depth in terms of prospects than at any other time in the history of the program.
     
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