No - just what I’ve read. When Steffen left, the word was Johnson would start because he’s better with the ball at his feet?
"better" with the ball at his feet can be a vague description. I've seen SJ do some pretty wild things.
Horvath is better in distribution from what I’ve seen of them. The concern I and many others have is Johnson really started because he was in Jan camp. I get having a short period of time to work with them before the game but we’re talking about a GK. If Horvath doesn’t get the start/90 against Chile then it’s going to confirm what many in here already fear. 3G will be like Bruce and promote the MLS product over others even if it’s at the detriment of our program.
Bc hes the best player in the USMNT and has been absolutely vital to RB Leipzig. These friendliest are meaningless and Tyler gets his money from RB Leipzig. Other than that, idk?
OR - his professional evaluation difffers from your evaluation. Why jump to bias? There is no reason to jump to some cynical opinions. Give it time and see what happens
I'm a big fan of Long and watch him with the NYRB. We have not really seen him have a game for the NT like he did against Santos Laguna. When he is under pressure and defending with his back to goal, his clearances can be weak and poorly placed. He is really good defending moving side to side like how he rode Ibarra out to the corner early in the game on Thursday. We've never seen Miazga with a competent coach. Maybe we will Tuesday. On second viewing, Ream was quite poor.
Long played great. I’m curious to know if he is ahead of Miazga or if it was someone who knew the system. After seeing CCV play lcb against man city - he could be next up depending on how they prioritize the Olympics
If I were to play, say, Brazil or Spain in a R16 world cup game tomorrow, I'd go with three CBs protected by Adams and Trapp, like this: --------Miazga---------Long-----------Brooks----------- ----------------Adams----------Trapp---------------------- Of course we'd still lose in the end, but we could give them a good fight.
Honestly - the system they rolled out could easily be tweaked that way. Just use Yedlin and Arriola as wingbacks more than pure wingers in a 433. The base they seem to be putting together could end up very flexible
That’s certainly possible but it would also differ from several other professional opinions. Yes I know his is the only one that matters in this situation. Why jump to bias? My experience with the USMNT and the fed as a whole. I would call it an educated guess that league bias / Jan Camp is playing a role. Zardes is a prime example of just this. Lets look past Sarge and Weah for now. Rameriz got a brief look in Jan Camp, why? When he came on he looked much livelier. It’s Jan Camp, no reason to give those minutes solely to Zardes unless you’ve already made up your mind. You could argue the practice we didn’t see. But game time we did, club and international, tells a different story. I’ll give it time but that’s simply because I have zero options other than to do so and this fed has left me very cynical. There’s smoke everywhere in the distance, only a matter of time until the fire becomes visible as well.
It would make far far more sense to swap Brooks and Long. Brooks is the better player with the ball at his feet and better passer. Long is quicker and would do better defending in space out wide. Miazga would likely need to be swapped for a more athletic defender who’s going in space as well.
I think you’re prejudging and only seeing what you expect. Zardes is not one of my favorite players (understatement). However I do realize he knows the system well and that is needed when the goal of these is largely to get Pulisic familiar. So I understand if the coach just wants Zardes to be in the right spot. I also realize Joey is our number 1 and Zardes is just running his patterns for him right now. Sargent is the future but the reality is there is no rush to get him on the men’s team and he can probably help the program more by playing with the u23. So it’s fine. I’ve seen nothing to indicate Gb has some bias for MLS unless you already believe it exists and are just looking for confirmation
Brooks is left footed and in a 3 back system is in the best position to make line breaking passes centrally
Yes he’s left footed. However, he also isn’t quick and will struggle when pulled wide to defend 1v1 in space on the wings. He’s the far better fit for CB in middle of 3. Long is the better fit at RCB/LCB. Especially with how 3G wants to play. That LB/LCB isn’t going to receive the same help of a wingback cover like the RCB is supposed to get from the flex RB/CM. Long is better in space on the wing because he’s more athletic. I don’t care what his dominate foot is, he should be able to use both well enough.
Maybe but I could also say that what I expected to happen, happened. Nostradamus may have to step a side. This system is different than what he ran with the crew. Yes, Zardes knows him and the ST role has similarities but it’s still different. Jozy may or may not be the no1. We will have to wait to see the GC to know. Sarge is currently better than Zardes and Rameriz. That’s not rushing him. He’s better, hes clearly the future. He should be involved with the senior team not the u23. I’m concerned it exists. I’ve seen things to confirm that my concerns are valid. The GC roster will be interesting to see and should provide more insight to bias or not. Guess it’s a waiting game until then.
The idea that mediocre players are better than more talented ones because of "system" is really silly, IMO. If the system is a good, useful system, it can be taught to anyone, at which point you put the most talented player out there. If it can't be taught to a player without having him be playing that way for his club, it's not a system to implement at the NT level. So, no, Zardes knowing the system does not mean he needs minutes. It's even more reason to give minutes to Sargent et. al (even Ramirez), because there should be more time given to the best players to learn the system!
I think this is a misunderstanding of why Zardes played. Zardes knowing the system better simply means he’ll be in the right spot as guys like CP learn it. It would be harder for CP to learn his runs, spacing and timing if the center striker is not running his part correctly. Think of Zardes as a better training aide. Two - the idea of a good system is to make the whole greater than the sum of their parts. That means sometines a system will deploy a specialist over an overall better player because that specialist in that role makes others better. I don’t think that applies to Zardes.
So if that’s the case why not bring Sarge as the n2? Let him learn the role from the coach. Maybe give him some spot minutes to get a feel. It could be argued that the time with the senior team learning the system from the coach is far far more valuable then getting two games with the u23.
Because 1- he wouldn’t start and get meaningful minutes and 2- they want to qualify for the Olympics. It’s a world showcase for the youth that would give them unique opportunities to be seen by elite clubs. 3- there is plenty of time before he needs to play. Jozy will likely be the starter for the first qualifying games.
Sargent will be cheering the U-23s on with the rest of us when Werder Bremen declines to release him for the qualifying tournament in October.
Maybe - it’s also likely GB has already made arrangements with them. Notice Adams going back early - it’s shows the type of negotiations they are doing and are willing to do.
For whatever reason Sarge is in Spain instead of Houston, it is not for the Olympics. He will never be released for it. Arguably, he is taking minutes from a player that could be available like Wright or Ebobisse or Toye.