I know you love to call me out on stuff, even when you can't grasp facts. So I'll hold your hand through it You bolded "With Fabian, it's the injuries." Regarding Fabian's injuries: Fabian hasn't played since August. In 2018/19, he played 1010 mintues because of injuries. In 2017/18 he played 465 minutes due to injuries. In 2016/17 he played 1200 minutes due to injuries. You say nonsense. But, I think the facts are with me here. Fabian is in the fourth straight season of being limited by injuries. Typically, when you have a history with injuries and are now heading well into your 30's, it typically doesn't get better. Next up you bolded: "Bradley is playing more because Trapp's role is decreasing." You say nonsense. Let's look at the last 7 games 1) Bradley started the Gold Cup QF vs. Curacao. Trapp went as an unused sub 2) Bradley started the Gold Cup semifinal vs. Jamaica. Trapp went as an unused sub 3) Bradley started the Gold Cup final. Trapp went as an unused sub 4) Trapp started friendly vs. Mexico. Bradley not on the roster to stay with TFC 5) Yueill started vs. Uruguay. Trapp went as an unused sub. Bradley not on the roster to stay with TFC 6) Yueill started vs. Cuba. Trapp didn't make the bench. 7) Bradley started vs. Canada. Trapp went as an unused sub So by my count, Trapp has played just one of the USMNT's last 7 games. Right? Am I missing something here? That's not a lot. When Bradley has been on the roster, he's started 4 out of the last 5 games. Trapp hasn't seen the field in the last 5 straight games both he and Bradley have been on the team. So yes, Trapp's role on the USMNT is decreasing and Bradley is playing more. Deal with it.
Lol well played. While I too would look elsewhere FJ brings a tactical flexibility that would have / can be useful.
if we arent going to play robinson, dest, hollingshead or lichaj (in that order) then whatever, i dont care. id take him over lovitz, and thats literally it. hes said he doesnt want to play left back, he said he was retiring two years ago, hes been an above average player for us during the world cup and the copa america and not a single game more. he plays with less intensity for us than zlatan when the ball is in the defensive third. i have zero interest in him at any other position other than lb, and it wouldnt matter if i did cause hes physically capable of playing consecutive games in a way that makes brooks look like cal ripken jr. but sure, why not? why wouldnt a broken down old player who is a shadow of his former self look at this team and think, "yeah, id improve that"?
No, Bradley is playing more because Trapp is being made out to be the scapegoat. Bradley does not DESERVE to be playing so much as he has gotten significantly worse and our OPPONENTS ARE TARGETING HIM AND PUBICLY TELLING US THEY WILL. Your facts only fit your narrative. Omar Gonzalez comes into this team off- injuries. Show me an article you wrote that criticizes Michael Bradley? until you do your part of the problem and not a solution. Seriously, show me an article and back it up that you care more about the USMNT and the youth prospects and not selfish pompous have- it- alls like Bradley. Other wise stop pretending you do. And you tell me "to deal with it" well now the mods cant cover for you. Unlike you, I don't need people to like me on a message board for hits. Fiddle. . Team Nepotism.
I’d play him over Lovitz that’s for damn sure. I’d consider him as a rotational player as we groom the next best option. I’d want to introduce him to Antonee Robinson, and maybe a few other youngsters, and assign him as a role model. But, I do agree, he’s not my long term solution.
you are welcome to consider me a fan of nepotism, corruption, MLS, Berhalter, building around Bradley and the USSF. I think a reasonable amount of posters would slightly disagree. your posts aren’t conductive to the debate about any of the issues you think are important. Quite the opposite; they are more likely to make sympathetic readers less likely to consider the underlying truths because you are so hyperbolic and un-nuanced in your thinking (boo radley).
Fabian Johnson is unconcerned about whether we play Trapp, a man he may not even know, or Bradley, a man he may know too well. Preferably, we'd play neither, with a fully operational Tyler Adams in place. I imagine FJ agrees with that. I should go say that in his thread. If he wants to play for the Nats again, I'd be happy to see him re-earn a spot in the must-win lineup. Even as we mostly play for the future, he could still be one of the best "over-the-hill by '22" players we have.
Why are people assuming the US is going to qualify for Qatar? The entire team is an unmitigated disaster.
Bradley playing more has not changed the fact that Berhalter has not beaten a team inside the top 50, and has often looked awful while doing so. In addition, as if it weren't obvious from Bradley being directly responsible for goals due to individual defensive lapses/getting his pocket picked, Bradley has played poorly in those losing efforts. I mean, this is a team without any wins to build confidence from, full of weaknesses at multiple positions, filled with old players who are poor and young players cracking under pressure, playing a style that they are not suited for (or at least not good at). They are coached by an inexperienced manager fixated on stylized soccer that has produced boring, predictable, and ineffective soccer. A manager who shows immense loyalty to players who spent time in his first camp, especially older players with low ceilings and those who are playing in MLS. Perhaps most alarming is the fact that the current manager reacts so poorly to criticism, getting defensive when concerns are raised, and shifting all blame from himself onto his embattled players. Now, perhaps you are simply trying to point out a fact. Bradley has been playing more under Berhalter than Trapp. However, you could easily, and perhaps rightly, view Bradley's current status as a resumption of his previous role as a penned-in starter last cycle. From the end of Rio 2014, to Cuova 2017, the USMNT played 55 matches. Bradley started and went 90 minutes in 51 of them. Now, he's a starter again. The team looks worse, the coach looks worse, so the response "So yes, Trapp's role on the USMNT is decreasing and Bradley is playing more. Deal with it.", just doesn't really cut it.
Daniel Lovitz MLS barely-average 28 year old left back... and Berhalter's final substitute (after the game-changers that are Cristian Roldan and Gyasi Zardes) in the 83rd minuite when the US desperately needed a goal down 1-0 against Mexico in the 2019 Gold Cup final.
So, basically now that he’s basically not played much in 2 years and is gonna be out of contract he wants back in to the NT so he can showcase himself and maybe sucker some MLS side into giving him a big contract? Hard no.
Shhh, getting info about a youth player 5 days before is made public is more important.... But I will settle for both. That info and criticism where its due. Everybody wins.
he never wanted to leave the national team to begin with. This all started with a mis-translated ESPN piece. Fabian Johnson is a naturally quiet person who dosent get involved in the non-sense. Im more concerned with Fox Sports doing a soap opera on Michael Bradley's leadership and his guaranteed upcoming WCQ participation for the USMNT caps record trophy prize, then I am about Johnson watching Lovitz and then saying "im needed" to himself.
I think this is probably the correct take. But still... Daniel Lovitz. What is the proper translation... Bild link is right there: https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...-quit-united-states-team-after-2018-world-cup "I still really enjoy playing for my country, but there is an agreement with head coach Bruce Arena that I will only play in the more important matches," Johnson told Bild. He said it "could very well be" that he opts to quit after the 2018 tournament, for which the U.S. has not yet secured qualification.