I entirely agree with your first point. Which is why I didn't mind Altidore's comments after he explained how he felt wrongly done by some NYRB fans, and felt his patriotism and desire to play for the U.S. was unfairly questioned. And don't worry, I didn't say anything about your fav.
I think you're right. I get the feeling that his benching really shook him. His quotes leading up to the game talked about having to get his head right and clear his mind. That the camp offered him that. I think he is pressing to try and right the ship. And because of that he is making mental mistakes. I've watched several of his games at Brugge and Molde. He has all the tools, and has made some wild saves. He's also let some howlers in. So typical young keeper that's learning. Really needs to find consistent playing time in a team that will let him develop. Think he made the jump to Brugge too soon. But of the keepers I think he and Steffen offer the most going forward, IF they continue to develop. Right now though it might be Jesse Gonzales' job to lose.
Don't get the Morris and Lletget hate. Are they the most talented, of course not. But Morris offers a dynamic ability up top to open up the runs and break the lines. And he is only 23. Lletget is a player that adds a lot of tools and is only 25. If he looks good coming off the injury, no reason he isn't included. Not auto starters or anything, but definitely squad players who offer things in a tournament format. Agree on Arena though. But you gotta know he is going to defend the old guard, who gave him another shot to be relevant again.
Agree. The T&T game was begging for Morris's speed up front. I could definitely see him chipping in a timely qualifying goal or two next cycle.
Couldn't wait live. Just finished first half. My thoughts...1) our b team is better than portugals b team. 2) our b team is way better than our a team. I hate everything right now
Regardless of the outcome, and the outcome was good, it was a pleasure watching a USMNT midfield with energetic, athletic players who didn't spend the whole game backpassing. Port's B team, not a slouch, had their hands full with these kids. The team fielded today would have dominated T&T.
You know despite how bitter I was after the qualifying failure (very bitter for the record), I still believe Altidore should be a part of this group moving forward. This group needs someone who can put the ball in the back of the net and until younger options emerge (Sargent, Wright, etc.) I'm not convinced any of the callups for this camp (or any over 23 player that wasn't called up for that matter) are capable of doing that with any sort of regularity, besides Jozy. Perhaps someone like Christian Ramirez provides some answers in that regard at Camp Cupcake, either way I think Altidore should be in the frame until more obvious solutions at forward emerge.
Agree, and IIRC he essentially stated his intent to ride the vets but try to inject more stability when he took over the mess from JK. On the other hand Bruce's fatal flaw was well documented as sticking too long with a cast of vets and not cycling in new talent quickly enough (2006), so it's easy to be skeptical. Ironically his highlight achievement in 2002 involved a situation where injuries and circumstances forced him out of his comfort zone playing young guns like Donovan, Beasley and Mastroeni. Either way the performance at T&T indicated a deeper dysfunction and rot in the current group and the program that can be traced as far back back as 2015.
I agree. Granted, it was a HORRIBLE showing for Horvath, but nobody, I mean nobody, should be thrown to the curb based on one performance. Let’s see how he rebounds. Hopefully, this makes him a better player.
The nationalism bothers me a great deal mostly because if they have a passport they are American and that ought to be the end of it. New coach needs to get that sorted first off. Anybody who doesn't like it can go home. Weston is what we thought he is. I like Dwill. Tyler Adams might just be a player! I hope he goes to Europe. If he loses his way MLS will give him a job, but I think our best need to be fighting for their jobs every day. Things look bright for the future if we get a coach that can make the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
If you look at other strikers who are in the 23-27 age range, none of them are clinical. Wood has 10 in 36, with a worse rate at club level, Zardes has 6 in 37, Morris has 5 in 24. As frustrating as Jozy can be sometimes, he is pretty clearly the best American striker right now, and I have doubts that anyone is going to surpass him for a while.
Morris doesn't have any more quality on the ball than Agudelo and we have speed coming up all over the roster. Morris has to bring something more than MLS rookie of the year who's fast. At least for me. Lleget will be 30 at the next WC and as of today he's not done anything for the USMNT. Both will be in the picture but I hope neither are starting in 2 years. My editorial on them was more to Arena just rehashing guys names that he's comfortable with because of MLS affiliation.
I was responding to the yuk part. As I actually think both can and will contribute during the next 3 years depending on how Lletget recovers. Morris is more dynamic with and without the ball than Agudelo. And scraps, which is really important for CONCACAF, or when you need to press. Or if you're playing a team who is pressing or bunkering. You need speed on the bench, and he has shown a willingness to go all out. Something a lot of our strikers haven't. Agreed on Bruce.
Jozy is hard to describe and has been debated ad nasuem here. But I don't know if you can look at goal rate as the only indicator. Given the same players around. And the state of the team. Id say most of our pool would put up similar numbers to Jozy if they played the games he has(not just the amount but the actual game). He isn't going anywhere. But I don't rate him as the best we have. He lacks too much to be a solo striker, has to have a partner and shoe horns you into that.
I'm not, it's just useful guidance. He's a better player than Wood, Morris, Dwyer, Johannsson, Wondolowski, and whoever else you want to throw out there. He's a better finisher, he's better in the air, he's a better passer, he holds the ball up better, and he is better in build-up play than every other American forward.
We just disagree on Morris. I have yet to be impressed by him (and I don't think Agudelo is the answer either, btw) and I think we have to find more quality with the ball for anyone in the front 6 or so. I would be content with Morris on the bench over Agudelo given he's a bit faster but I cringe with every roster I see here on BS that puts Morris in a striker's role.
Altidore might be better than Wood, but I'm not convinced given the disparity in club quality between them. Put Wood in the MLS and watch him score. But if Altidore is truly better, is his margin over Wood worth having a potential team cancer in the locker room? There was so much stench coming out of the locker room in the qualifiers and that can't continue.
What's going on is that Bigsoccer knows our pool better than Arena does. This roster is like the BS non-call up all-star team of all the players we knew should get a look but never could.