I've noticed we don't really have a thread to discuss Omar Gonzalez and I figured we could use one. He had an extremely impressive World Cup after a rough couple of months. He merits his own thread because there's certainly plenty debate about him, but the real reason I feel he needs his own thread is his recent work in the 2014 ESPN Body issue.
I'll eat crow on Gonzalez... I was his number one critic, and I was thoroughly and gladly proven wrong.
Ladies, all rise, and join me in a standing ovation. There's another body issue pic, too, worth the google search. I was very proud of our Omar at the World Cup. He did especially well against Germany. Glad that Klinsmann gave him the chance after Cameron stumbled against Portugal.
Has a good chance to solidify that starting spot in right central defense. There are other talented players like O'brien, Farrell, and Packwood but Gonzalez has the experience edge while still being young. Still preferred Goochie for this tourney, however. Seems niggling injuries contributed to his crappy play.
Terrible game from him the other day that will probably be overlooked because of the goal. Capped off by the most Omar of all blunders, when he organized an offside trap at the 11th minute or so, by for once communicating, organizing and commanding the area, only to then promptly abandon all organization and play Martinique onside. Unbelievable. A short list of crucial traits to look for in an international quality CB: Reliability. Consistency. Decisiveness. Unflappability. Communication. LackofridiculousbrainfartsXnumberoftimespergame. All of which Omar lacks. These are all qualities that must be present in an international caliber center back in any sort of contention for a spot on the A squad of the USMNT. Particularly given the constant narrative I hear, that we for once have depth at CB, yet somehow this dude gets chance after chance that he continually blows. It was once arguable that he was young, then "youngish" and might grow out of, or iron out these flaws. These are now just facts about the player he is that will not change. We have plenty of other flawed options that are not any worse and are young enough that they may actually improve, but they need the playing time that OG keeps taking. Time to stick a fork in him.
Omar is okay, he's declined a little, he was better a few years ago. I still wouldn't have him on the WC team. Maybe like the 6th or 7th CB.
He is so good in the air and in his defensive 3rd defending. He is so bad in possesion, my gosh. Him playing against teams where we have such great possession numbers is a huge reason why we struggle to create anything. He backpasses or bombs it up the field.
This is an exaggeration. I don't really do stats or heat maps, but there were several times that he combined/distributed well out of the back. Several at least. I suppose I'm looking for the good - we all have confirmation bias.
Omar can pass out of the back. He's not the best passing CB in our pool, but he's not a schmuck. Does anyone here actually watch him in Mexico? Omar played out of the back for his last two championship winning club squads.
I respectfully disagree with the two LAG fans. For me, Omar's in the category of one of our worst passing CB's up there with Miazga. For me, those are our two worst passing CB's who are really in contention for a NT spot, and I'd have Omar last due to less mobility than Miazga. They are incredibly negative passers, they boot the ball up the field, they aren't comfortable with the ball at their feet. They can successfully recycle the ball back and forth, so their inclusions to the team aren't catastrophic, but definitely below average passers, IMO. When you have them in the team, you recognize they are going to be a liability in that sense. I also think their mobility plays into it. Omar is immobile, while Miazga has about average mobility. If they were freak athletes who could run around with the ball some more and not be forced into more difficult passes, their passing wouldn't look as bad. For me the next category of passers is Hedges, Zimmerman, Carter-Vickers and Cameron. I'd consider all to be average passers, although I think their passing plays differently due to their mobility and comfort on the ball. The order of how good their passing appears due to their mobility is in reverse order of how I have them listed there. Cameron's looks the best, Hedges the worst, but for the most part, I consider these guys to be average passers. Then there's the next category for me of Brooks. He's a very good passer, maybe as good of a passer as anyone we have, but his lack of mobility limits what he can do with his passing at times. I'd still consider him an above-average ball-playing CB, but he has to watch carefully what he attempts to do with the ball. The top tier includes Besler, Glad and Palmer-Brown. Besler and Glad are both very good passers with very good mobility. Palmer-Brown is a notch higher due to mobility of the highest level, along with very good passing.
My general observation on Omar is that he seems to play up (or down) to his competition. He makes the same mistakes/poor decisions versus top ten teams as he does with CONCACAF minnows. Like virtually every USMNT player, he is an incomplete package. Of course if you remove the ball from those pictures earlier in the thread, we might think otherwise.
There is officially no reason to ever play Gonzalez as long as Miazga is healthy and available. All the strengths, big tall dude who is good in the air and a threat on set pieces. Many of the same flaws; mobility, awkward looking, sometimes naive, but younger and unlike Gonzo could still improve and finally and most importantly, Miazga is able to play a full 90 minutes without a horrendous brainfart that is actually so bad it is more of a brainshart. Thanks for your service OG, it's been real.
Whose fault is that, partially? The former long-time manager of your favorite club team, that's who. So that's what's preventing it from potentially being proven that there are a number of better options than his former player at said club. We have major depth at the cb position. It's a matter of giving them trials to prove which are legitimate and which aren't. I can't imagine there aren't several better cb's than Omar in the pool, and if not that should make you and everyone dissatisfied as USNT fans.
Please. It's Bruce's fault that Miazga doesn't have much experience in the pool? I don't think so. "I can't imagine" there isn't someone better out there. That should be the motto of this forum. There's always greener grass. Except in this case Omar is a proven winner at many levels, and he's at the prime of his career. His game has flaws, and they are the type that are easily pointed out, but most of the analysis that derides him is so lazy. His game also has great assets for the US. Let Miazga or someone come take his job away - I'm sure Bruce will want the best options as his backup center backs in Russia.
Who has been the coach for this entire tourney and surrounding, consisting of 7 games? That's a lot of potential caps. Miazga could have easily been integrated for subsequent meaningful matches through this camp. I figured you'd still manage to defend both former Galaxy members, even though given your statement, logically that would be partially Bruce's fault then. But no, you still tried to provide him an out. I bet the Zardes criticism is unwarranted too, but no club bias. It's just a coincidence and everybody else is being biased, even though they have no stake in the claim. That's what is claimed in the safe space. You're conveniently hiding behind the secrecy Bruce is creating to argue Omar is better than alternatives, in spite of his multiple glaring flaws. If he doesn't start Besler-Miazga the next game, that was his intent too, because he managed to play a cb who has been that brutal for a few games and didn't even give Miazga any time in the friendly.
Omar is good in the and an ok emergency defender if the add a 3rd CB to ice a game but he just doesn't have it for the international level. He isn't good on the ball, he isn't good passing, he isn't mobile amd he doesn't read the game well. Add in brain farts and he shouldn't see the field with our CB depth. He's an old school CB in a modern area and just doesn't cut it when the level goes up. He's had a very good club career in the MLS and MXN but we're talking international level against top teams at a WC. He isn't gonna do and I hope Arena is smart enough to move on from him.