http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/08/reams-resolution-reflects-his-remarkable-transformation/ Hopefully Arena is an idiot and saw this game.... Championship team of the week. Many thanks to ShaftBrewer for posting this in the Yanks Abroad section.
Great, all our NT players play at a level as good or better than that. Ream has never shown well for the NT, and there have been questions at time if he was even a decent Championship player. Ream doesn't belong in consideration, we have 10-15 CB's better than him.
Its the same level, I think most would acknowledge that. Its nice that Ream had a good match, but is he one of the Championship's best CB's? I think people see a player playing in that league, and just assume they need to be in contention for the NT. I completely disagree. Any random MLS player (a similar level) is not in contention for the NT, they have to be one of the best players at their position in MLS to be in contention for the NT, so making a team of the week or starting in the Championship should not be enough to be in consideration for the NT. He should have to do that consistently. If Ream was so good, why hasn't he been bought by a Premier League team until now? Premier League teams buy the best players in the Championship all the time. Williams just finally got to the Premier League after many years in the Championship, and now he's struggling to get minutes. He's the 4th CM for a relegation fodder side.
Your main point makes sense, but slow down on this. The season is 6 days old and he was the first sub on the field in a 3-0 win.
Fair enough, we'll see about his minutes this season, but I do believe he is the 4th CM, given there's one injured and he was first sub in at CM, as you mentioned.
Sorry, last point and I'll stop distracting from the fact this is a John Brooks thread - he came in at right back. Both CMs played the full 90.
it could be the case of some players who are great for club but terrible for country. Ream has plenty of competition.
http://americansoccernow.com/articles/asn-morning-read-the-man-in-the-middle Great article about Brooks mentions his recovery.
I haven’t posted here in a long while, but have been watching and following US Men. Very excited for this off-season as we’re going into the World Cup in the Fall and seems to be a lot of momentum for American players on the transfer market in general. That being said, one player who is presumably looking for a new club is the one and only John Brooks. Though I have no intel on where he might be going or what league might be the best fit for him if not the Bundesliga. I did want to ask soccer people as I know a lot of people are up in arms about his exclusion and though I understand it and think he has a spot in the pool, I do however understand the thinking of him not being included. Let me explain and then would love to hear your thoughts or counter points to this discussion. Admittedly I am a late bloomer to soccer and learn new things I think every time I watch (started following in 2012). I see a combination of things that I think makes his exclusion into rosters acceptable. Things I’ve seen from Brooks over the years is an inconsistent defender, who can look like he did years ago in the Confederations Cup (I believe?) as a world class defender or he can look slow and like his feet are in concrete at times, example in Honduras earlier in qualifying. In my analysis of GB’s system, it requires CB’s with at least average speed if not better in order to play we want to play (not agreeing or disagreeing w the system). With the FB’s pushing high ultimately leaving the CB’s defending against any counter attack and Tyler Adams (#6) if he hasn’t also pushed too far forward. In those instances it makes a lot sense not to have Brooks in that pairing. I know it’s brought up a lot, but his passing is what people love about his game, but at what point does being a CB require to be a good defender over being a good passer? Not saying he isn’t at least a pretty good defender, he plays in the B1, but I think there are others in the pool that we’ve seen that are better for GB’s system and better “defenders than JB. Aaron Long is a hot topic lately and rightfully so, I get it. But Aaron Long is athletic and has good speed, wins balls in the air and on the ground in pivotal times. There were some mistakes in this 4 game window from him but there were others that I’m not sure Brooks makes that could’ve costed a goal. I am not a MLS snob or think GB is untouchable though I think there are good players from MLS just as much as I think GB has done a good job so far. Sorry for the roundabout way to bring this discussion up, but would love to hear from anyone who thinks one way or another on this topic. My CB pecking order currently would be: 1- Zimmerman 2- Richards 3- Long 4- Brooks 5- CCV 6- EPB others in consideration- Miazga, Kessler, Trusty, Glad, McKenzie
Brooks isn't an ideal defender within our system. But there is no ideal defender out there. As recently as last summer's Nations League he had more than acceptable performances against Honduras and Mexico in very tough competitive matches. He's also been playing at a high level for club for a long time now. I'm probably a bit different than most posters around here in giving a lot of weight to the larger sample of club matches. Not just for Brooks but for every player. In light of the points made above, I think there is a solid case for his being in the top 4-5 of our center backs. I'd put him just behind Zimmerman and Richards. And Robinson when healthy. And ahead of the likes of Long, CCV, EPB, McKenzie and Miazga.
I can understand why you may take his overall view into more consideration. The way I look at it is that I don’t believe he’s played at the level of a top 2 CB for us in the past year since those performances you’re talking about. He did have a slew of bad performances for Wolfsburg before sort of getting it back on to average stages towards the end of the year. I am with you on the last paragraph and am interested where he lands this off-season and how that helps his situation personally and for the NT.
I would split the list into two types - big and strong and good aerially - quick and fast. Those two will be paired up and it would be nice if one can pass out of the two. Big and Strong 1- Zimmerman 2 - CCV 3 - Brooks Fast 1 - Richards 2 - Long 3 - EPB 4 - McKenzie Wild Card - Sands If four are chosen it's easy. If a fifth then do you take one who adds tons of experience and has a lot of experience in a back three/five or one who can play multiple positions including per emergency DM? Sands and EPB both fit that last guy while Brooks is the experienced vet. If any of the first two on the list become inured #3 moves into the WC.
Regardless of our evaluation of his talent or skillset, Brooks doesn't appear to be involved. He hasn't started a USMNT game since September of 2021 when Gregg yanked him at halftime against Honduras. So that's zero minutes in our last 16 games. He won't be on the plane to Qatar. Some day we'll find out what happened. [Kind of like how we didn't know why John Harkes was left off in 1998 until much, much later.]
If he lands at a club like Hoffenheim that would say something about how a group of professional talent evaluators see him. I always accord a fair amount of weight to the views of the pros in the game. They will sometimes get things wrong about a particular player but the pros generally know best.
Sure..............but it doesn't appear that talent level is what's keeping JAB out of the national team.
True. There is some mysterious factor that only those in the know know. Whispers and rumors to the rest of us.
We’ll know exactly what the issue is/was, at least from JB’s perspective, if he is left of the roster. He’s probably staying quiet for now, just in case things change.
True. I think Gregg is mostly right. But we are here to second guess him. My biggest second guess of Gregg is not Brooks. It is not trying a lineup with a front 3 of Aaronson, Pulisic and Weah in the June matches.