I'm not the only one who feels that we are currently in a bit of a quandary as far as our fullbacks are concerned. Greg Seltzer (http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...k-usmnt-two-unlikely-candidates-are-best-fits) posits that Jermaine Jones or Edu ought to be shifted to left back. What his article does not take into account, however, is the fact that the majority of our attack has been generated along the left flank, with Fabian Johnson somewhere on the left flank whether a defender or a midfielder. A left flank tandem of Johnson + Beasley is built for getting width in attack up the left side, but leaves us on that side without a truly solid defender. With Steve Cherundolo looking increasingly unlikely to mount a strong comeback on the right side, one could say we have concerns on both sides, 8 months away from Brazil. In my own opinion, both fullbacks are now the position we're most in need of answers, currently, moreso now than center back or winger. Discuss.
NOTE TO MODS: The "PBP" tag was unintended and inappropriate. I haven't been able to change it. Help, please?
give Chandler/Cameron/Yedlin/Lichaj a chance at RB, and if they dont cut it Evans and Parkhurst have done a solid job. We have alot of options at RB, especially if Cherundolo comes back. And JK should try Klute and see if he is an upgrade over Beasley, if not and Beasley isnt cutting it just move Fabian back. Parkhurst and Chandler weren't bad in their stints at LB either
There are a good contention rightbacks in the US pipeline. There's Lichaj, Yedlin, Beitashour, Chandler, Myers, Beltran, and Franklin. Everybody is getting high on Yedlin, but putting an inexperienced fullback in a high-pressure enviroment from the get-go doesn't sound promising. Not just because I'm a San Jose fan, but I'd love to Beitashour or Myers compete for than spot. They're both attacking, overlapping FB's and really could contribute to an attack that lacks wing play. Knowing Beita, I know he has good vision for crosses. For left backs, the only viable options are Klute, Pearce and Dunivant. Morrow used to be called up, but now he doesn't even start for the Quakes. Klute seems the most promising and youngest.
One thing I'd like others to consider is not only the quality (or trajectory) of said players, but also how they would fit within the overall team concept. For example, I think we honestly have an issue with either Beasley or Johnson at LB, but the way in which they provide the width on the left flank which plays a large role in driving our attack forward is quite obvious, and quite necessary, IMO. All cycle, our biggest issue has been center back (and secondarily, winger). At this point, it honestly seems to be fullback.
I like it.Each club or NT game for our candidates is a "play" in the big game of making the WC squad. I say sticky It!
I had intended discussion in light of my own concerns and in response to Seltzer's article, however... I wouldn't be opposed to a "MLS/YA Flavor of the Week" style thread following our fullback candidates.
Personally, I think right back is a position in which we have an absolutely obvious candidate. We have a guy playing at a higher level than everybody else right now, and that's Geoff Cameron. If that guy is going to play the way he is right now in the Premier League at that position, then I don't know what the cause for concern at right back is. Left back, as usual, is a mess. Against CONCACAF opposition any number of players has been viable viable. Hell, Austria, Scotland, Jamaica, Panama, etc. don't really tell me which one of our guys can hack it at an elite level either. We could call up Klute to play Jamaica and so what? How would any of these guys do against Argentina or Germany? I just don't know.
Not really worried about RB in that Gcam and Chandler are both starting and playing well against some of the best in the world in their leagues. LB is another story. I'd like to see Lichaj and Klute given a chance.
I think that was in reference to Luis Gil and Yedlin...no mention of Klute Matthew Doyle @MLS_Analyst1 Oct USMNT: Jurgen Klinsmann says DeAndre Yedlin, Luis Gil on his radar, but no call-ups imminent #MLS
Which one could take to mean he's further down the pecking order and as a similarly inexperienced full-time MLS starter the same general thinking would apply.
Hasn't Klute been playing pro soccer longer then a year (as opposed to Yedlin). I thought he played for the Atlanta Silverbacks, no?
I think we could be set at full back if we just go with Cameron as a stay at home right back and Fabian Johnson as a marauding left wing back. Bedoya will provide the width on the right, and I hear he has featured as a right wing back in a 3-5-2 for Nantes, so this role will work for him. I think we've got at least one good option at each full back position, and enough quality in midfield that moving Cameron and Johnson back won't leave us outmatched in that part of the pitch.
Yes, for the last half of the 2012 season. If this was the regionalia that these guys were top fullbacks in Jurgen would call them in but in the low quality MLS they need more seasoning. Bringing up the NASL gets you laughed out of the room.
MLS > regionalia by far... He is no longer an NASL player, he's one of the top LB's in the MLS...I'm not penciling him in as a starter and I want to give Lichaj a shot there but I think Klute shouldn't be grouped with Yedlin or Gil - he's 3/4 years older then them and in the soccer world that's pretty significant.
Sir Alex Ferguson is being interviewed (tape) on Charlie Rose just now (Bloomberg TV on my area) I liked what he had to say about observation. Just putting together a team of Bundesliga players because BL is better than NASL is not the way to go. I always worry when JK says "we" are watching, as if he never bothered to go see the player he refers to himself because he always intended to choose the BL player because everybody knows BL is better than NASL or Mls or whatever. I dont laugh when I hear NASL. I'm not getting the arrogance here.
Bedoya play RWB for only 25 mins vs. PSG...this past weekend he played 80 mins at LW - he's been all over the field. Not sure you want Cameron as a "stay at home" sort of player. One of his best skills then would be put to complete waste and that's his passing out of the back along with his dribbling and vision - all very strong versus Man City, Arsenal, L'pool. He's been getting forward very very well this season for them. His only downside is his crosses from the right flank. I'd rather have him in the CM then Klesjtan then put TC at RB to get forward, FJ in the midfield and then Beasley (I actually prefer others) at LB to "stay home" if you're gonna have a player like that on the backline. In fact between Brooks and Cameron combined they were 79/90 passing vs. Bosnia...I think Brooks actually takes one of Gonzalez's or Besler's spots...Gonzo is mistake prone and Besler has been "rested" for KC which I find odd This is also assuming Clint gets back to his old form I take it and AJ cools off
It seems so logical to me that this is the way to go. And we've often setup in a very similar manner to this, but I don't feel like we've ever gotten the personnel quite right. FJ should get forward plenty here. Everyone else should be quite comfortable I'm their roles. I feel like we're working toward this. I can't believe we haven't given it more of a shot yet.
No problems at fullback. Fabian starts on the left. Cameron on the right. Chandler can back up both positions. Parkhurst(if he gets a winter loan) and Castillo waiting on standby. The young guys gotta play lights out in january to have a chance.
So because Klinsmann said he's not calling up Yedlin or Gil, that means he won't call up Klute, who plays a different position?
The 3-5-2 is interesting, and I think we inadvertently toyed with this shape in the first half v. Mexico. The nominal backline was (left to right) Beasley - Goodson - Gonzalez - Johnson. However, when we possessed the ball, Beasley and Johnson had license to move forward. Though Beckerman is the true holding mid, Jones drifted in to the right-sided space. From a distribution standpoint (imperfect, as this is passes, not passes received), Jones, Gonzalez, and Johnson occupied some of the same space: http://www.mlssoccer.com/sites/all/...0LDUsNiw3LDgsOSwxMCwxMSZ0aW1lPTAsMjg0NTAwMA== Again, I don't think there were strict instructions to hold Jones back (he had a great game and popped up elsewhere on the field), but he kept some balance with our shape. Johnson had a rough first half from a distribution standpoint, but he found himself in pretty good positions. Having a right mid like Bedoya who minds his defensive duties also helps with this approach. If we played with two attacking fullbacks, I wouldn't mind seeing Cameron as a central mid. He seems like the most logical candidate to float between midfield and a back three.