To be fair we only have 2 players from CONCACAF countries that aren't the US, and both (Espinoza and Wallace) are injured long term right now. As for the US, our guys are either too old (Besler, Feilhaber, Zusi) or too young (Busio, Freeman), or also hurt (Lindsey).
Our Americans are basically either under 20 or over 30, both of which can be used but typically aren't unless they're exceptional. We have a much smaller contingent of players from other CONCACAF nations than previously. Most of our standouts are European (Nemeth, Ilie, Russell, Barath, Gerso, Salloi, etc.). Our most plausible domestic talent right now are our really young guys, two of which played for the baby Nats just now and one of which is long-term injured. I mean, who should go? Besler has been acceptable at those levels but his day has passed internationally, I'd say. Zusi the same, except he's hurt and also not succeeding at MLS level right now either. Feilhaber is too old to factor into Berhalter's plans. Who should be there? I almost think Vermes has drifted away from CONCACAF players because of how often we've been stung by major international duties. Anyways, this isn't a competition. The internationals are surprisingly spread out throughout the league, which is cool. I'm grateful from this reprieve. I can watch that tournament without stressing over SKC players, and SKC can play a couple games with extra advantage, which is a wonderful thing considering the sheer volume of dropped points right now.
Wallace was the only SKC "of age" player that was a likely selection for a Gold Cup roster, but he's inactive. Roger was at best a maybe. Everyone else you mention had no shot. What this shows is how the roster build has changed. Peter has replaced the core of the talent, which used to consist of CONCACAF internationals in their prime, with players from UEFA nations. Only three of those are regular internationals. It's an interesting evolution.
And Espinoza and Wallace are mostly non-US by national team affiliation. I'm guessing they both consider themselves more American than Honduran or Costa Rican. Rodney Wallace moved to the U.S. at 9, Roger Espinoza when he was 12.
Sad? Okay, I can see the lack of young quality in our American players. But Zusi, Besler, Benny, Rowe. Zelalem all have their caps, and well earned. They're not going because they have issues. age, injury, form, but they have the quality, and have had caps in the past. This doesn't make me sad. It's just timing, and it works for us, so it makes me happy. Imagine our entire roster was healthy. would anyone else have been called up? No. does that mean our roster wasn't capable of competing with the best in MLS? I don't think it does, at all. The final point: Holding a Gold Cup every two years sucks. Carlos Vela made the point best by turning down a callup. What is the advantage of playing in this thing? The fact that the GC interferes with MLS season sucks. the fact that everyone else might lose someone, and we won't, I call that a bonus, and it is something that doesn't make me sad.
at first sight it is , but when you're thinking where the money is in our roster, it is either injured or from spain, scotland, chile, france and hungary. if anything, it is a sign that our team is getting old. melia, sinovic, besler, zusi and feilhaber probably won't be getting called up anymore, and our young us players are so young (busio, lindsey) that they are not getting called up yet. the only potential us callups are rowe (lol) and zelalem, who has not played regularly in years.
Exactly. Our internationals are mostly the "former" variety (US, Honduras and Chile). We don't have many current internationals. The only current reliable call ups are Wallace (Costa Rica), and three from mediocre UEFA nations (Scotland and Hungary). 2-5-4 is a long way from competing with the best.
First, screw the Gold Cup. Who cares? Second, 2-5-4 would be an honest relfection of our roster if there was no evidence that it can produce much better, which it did, last season, a solid season which before the injuries it looked as if it could better this year. We're suffering through an injury glut. It happens, and maybe predictably with the CCL run, but it's simply wrong to look at the way this team can play and has played this season already, and toss them into the junk pile. There are reasons, not excuses, that we're not getting better results. There is one connection, IMO: We have an experience heavy roster. Those players tend to be overlooked for callups (nats teams are foryounger players) and tend to be more likely to suffer injuries when overworked.
Us: Current: Russell Barath Nemeth Hasler LAFC Current: Mark Anthony Kaye Ramirez Zimmermann Miller (Vela) just as a comparison to the best team in the league right now.. not that different, especially considering that when all is said and done, only kaye is actually likely to play a role, with vela self-excluding.
Barath and Nemeth called up for Hungary, will miss the Portland game. https://valogatott.mlsz.hu/ferfi-a-...vakia-elleni-az-idei-legfontosabb-merkozesunk
We're toast! Yes, mathematically we're not eliminated, but functionally we are. It's a lot less stressful to accept the toastness and get too worked up about what happens the rest of this season!
That's where I was before the wins against San Jose and Minnesota. Suddenly, we look okay again and a few more wins could keep us in the postseason. It's bullshit, this stupid hope thing.
Against Argentina, and in LA so an easy flight. I despise losing folks to in season friendles, but I can't imagine he turns this one down and it is hard to say he hasn't earned it. I'm more disappointed that Busio will be leaving at the same time, as his departure is for yet another idiotic youth tourney. He really gains nothing from a U-17 deal at this point.
Last time this happened I said the same thing and it made some people very wildly unhappy. It's even more true this time.