I've gotten what you are saying, but: 1) Dest has shown in other games to actually be a plus defender (the Lainez game) 2) While mistakes on the back line are bad, neither Reggie Cannon or Nick Lima are going to make zero mistakes 3) A sample of effectively one U20 WC game with a mistake or two in it is hardly enough to determine that Dest is going to commit mistakes at a higher rate, especially than someone like Lima, who makes his fair share for the Quakes. I don't necessarily agree but can't quibble with a solid backline. But my issue is that a very small sample has designated him a weakness. I've only seen him play about 6 or 7 games but he only looked shaky a couple of moments in the Ukraine game. If one bad game is enough to damn you ... well, we're not fielding anyone in the defense.
FWIW, yesterday's ExtraTime radio interviewed Berhalter. He compared Dest's and Pomykal's trajectory. He essentially said that Dest is playing at another level compared to Pomykal.He seems particularly impressed by Dest having won a starting position for a CL game where if Ajax loses they lose millions of dollars. Pomykal is playing at a lower level but he shows interesting characteristics. https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=a...I4ZGM0NWNkOGFiY2Q&hl=en&ep=6&at=1567170805585
I think we can now stop using the U20 WC as the games that show his defensive prowess. Now that he's playing for Ajax then his Dutch league and Champions league games against adults is the better indicator. Against APOEL he was very good both ways. APOEL didn't attack a lot but he was up to every challenge. I like having Yedlin, Cannon and Dest plus any other challengers because it seems lately the US is having more injuries than they used to and that was a big factor in missing the WC last time. Now the drop off if someone is injured should be much less and Berhalter will have depth to game-plan which defender fits and opponent and rotating during qualifying and if we actually make the WC.
Funny thing is this sounds like exactly what a lot of people who dislike Berhalter would say about them and their situations.
Full quote here: Berhalter talking about the different levels currently using Dest vs Pomykal as the example. #USMNT pic.twitter.com/pXQuqpo4gg— Taylor Twellman (@TaylorTwellman) August 30, 2019
That's why I push back on the whole "Berhalter is an MLS pawn" narrative. I think people are overreaching and trying to find patterns in a small sample set. Could it be possible? Sure. Is it remotely provable so far? No. Are there counterexamples? Yes. What's the verdict? Too soon to say.
Meanwhile, in the twitterverse it looks like Berhalter is gaining ground. One of the first smart things I've heard from him as coach. MAYBE just MAYBE he knows what he's doing. I've said mean things about him, I might need to apologize.— Blake (@BlakeEM_) August 30, 2019
I don't know who would disagree with those comments or with the quotes associated to him in the Twellman tweet. Dest is playing Champions League qualifiers with Ajax. This upcoming week Paxton Pomykal will be playing against FC Cincinnati. I also think we've called up Dest at the right time. He couldnt' play with the group earlier as he was with the US U20s at the World Cup and had never played a first team game. Even to date he's only played 7 total first team games for Ajax. The USSF has been aggressive with Dest. They made him a key player for their U17s in 2017, their U20s this year, and now have called him up to the USMNT. He's only 18 folks.
They have awarded Dest with more opportunities than the BigSoccer mob ever would have. He has advanced quickly and has been given a lot of responsibility within the US set up. These facts should be allowed to resonate in the minds of those who incessantly criticize the US set up. They saw Dest just like Ajax did. US Soccer and Ajax saw Dest while the BigSoccer mob did not. A little humility would be nice around here every now and again.
Berrhalter is doing a really good job at being transparent. I think he's doing a pretty good job in general. He has a vision, he's developing that vision intelligently and with intermittent goals, and he's giving players opportunities. I think that it needs to be more apparent that every position is always up for grabs (no automatic out-of-form starters), but otherwise I think that he has brought some respectability and transparency back to the USMNT.
It all comes down to results in the end............................. And as much as folks want youngster X, Y, or Z called up to the full national team.....................we have a ton of youth incorporated already. In the past calendar year 20 players who are still eligible for US youth teams have been called up to the full USMNT. [Cannon, Dest, M. Robinson, McKennie, Pomykal, Pulisic, Yueill, Sargent in this camp.]
Are you being paid by Berhalter? He's NOT doing a pretty good job in general. His "vision" is inchoate and hasn't been obvious or successful on the playing field. He continued to put Bradley and Trapp in the middle up until now: against better teams that is NOT effective. We are in a bind with this guy. Putting Dest in the lineup has been one of the unanimous suggestions by BigSoccer and in your previous comment you were denying that. Are you being paid by Berhalter?
As a primarily YNT fan, this roster has been a dream for me. I really can't have any complaints. Berhalter even goes as far as saying that this group is better than 2002 and 2010. He's obviously not talking about Roldan, Zardes or Trapp. He's talking about Pulisic, McK, Adams, etc. He seems genuinely excited for the talent coming in.
Ahh, this is the type of content that fills my soul with the jollies! Just plug it into my veins! Seriously speaking, though. Didn't Berhalter do more than just call up Dest? Morales was a big discussion point for a month. I was not expecting a Robinson call up and we got him. Didn't he do better than you expected?
Yeah, I was critical of Dest after his mistakes in the Ukraine game, but I've now also watched him be part of holding APOEL scoreless over two legs in the UCL qualifiers, so you've got to revise opinions based on new data. I still think he's better going forward than defending, but like Berhalter said, if he's doing it with UCL qualification on the line, he should be able to do it in CONCACAF. And since he's so young, he should get better at reading the game defensively and should develop a bit more physically, which combined should, in a perfect world, solve most of his defensive issues.
berhalter is sounding better, but others have made the point that he is still basically incoherent if the better mls players get their relative youth held against them and get beat out by inferior mls players who are already established national teamers
There is potential from this selection for a compelling line-up composed of "this WC cycle as well as next" players. A step in the right direction. Won't really know until the starting XI is named. I agree with earlier comments that it is clear Egg wants to have a blend of players familiar with what he's trying to do and "new faces" he is looking to bring in. I was critical of JK's seemingly arbitrary groupings so I guess I will be tolerant of this approach (for now). Am going to check USSF site to see if we have any EU-based friendlies scheduled. [EDIT] Nope. Anybody hear any rumors?
Apples vs. oranges. Look at who Dest was playing with in those matches. U20 players vs. Ajax players.