Bruce is turning out to have much higher entertainment value than Klinsmann. Here Bruce trolls BS: Arena stated that anyone who thinks Bedoya should be dropped is "pretty stupid" and hailed Bedoya's contribution over the course of this month. "[Bedoya] is a very good player. In this three, four-week period that we've been together he continues to demonstrate that he can play a number of positions," he said. "He's a really versatile player, and he does an excellent job with them." http://www.espnfc.us/united-states/...says-us-made-it-pretty-difficult-on-ourselves
Nagbe is not in the top 10 of American players with assists. He is tied with Villareal and Ibarra with 3. Ben Sweat and Matt Polster beat him out with 4 each and they are fb's! Not to mention guys like Benny, Nguyen , Sacha et al.
Assists aren't the only measure of creativity. The bile Bedoya gets in the media and on BS has always puzzled. Within the team, he has a niche, in which he has excelled including against elite sides. His move to central midfield hopefully sees role expanding; Acosta and Roldan don't look ready to take the reins in central midfield.
Today's #USMNT ✈️ to Philly! #GoldCup2017 pic.twitter.com/tJjBmFMRbT— Tim Howard (@TimHowardGK) July 17, 2017
Not so fast, tiger. Arena himself benched Bedoya the first time he had the opportunity and started a player with no previous NT experience (Lletget) over him in his first meaningful, must-win game as coach (home WCQ against Honduras). In fact, Bedoya was the only core player from the Jurgen era that didn't automatically get his job back for that game. To me that speaks volumes. Having said that, it would be stupid to drop him from THIS camp at THIS time, since we don't seem to have a credible 8 otherwise.
Philly - so why's Tim going on a tropical vacation and Mike headed back to the Canadian Tundra? Also what are those microphone looking things? Some kind of 1st class pleasure device not afforded to the masses?
Arena said "anyone who thinks Bedoya should be dropped is "pretty stupid" and Bedoya who captained the squad in 2 matches has been sent home for the birth of his 2nd child as planned. So it is not stupid to drop him from THIS camp at THIS time. I am not sure what Arena starting Lletget v Honduras speaks to other than Arena preferring Lletget over Bedoya on that day for that role v that opponent, but this is BS so I am sure once I put on my tinfoil hat I too will hear volumes.
My point is, nothing Bruce said invalidates most people's long-standing criticisms of Bedoya as an underwhelming player and wanting to see better options at his position. I mean, what do you expect him to say? Bruce himself felt a completely inexperienced NT player would be an upgrade over Bedoya for a key match and was validated in that decision; Lletget scored his first NT goal, bringing himself to 50% of Bedoya's all-time total for the USA. That for me, is more telling; it's okay if you disagree.