https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...layers-for-matches-against-mexico-and-uruguay Johnson got another call-up as did Guzan and Gonzalez with Steffen as the no.1 Johnson seems to be steadily getting the no.3 spot though maybe Guzan is making a return for that. Hopefully Gonzalez over the next year or 2 can sustain himself and get a move abroad so he can make that his own.
I think Guzan is just serving the Rimando role from the last cycle. A veteran guy the staff can trust not to crap the bed if called upon in an emergency. Steffen is #1 by a wide margin. After that it's pretty much an open competition..
Steffen has a bit of an injury history. Not that he's missed lots of time but occasional bouts where he'll miss a few games here or there. GB needs to find other keepers he can trust for if that happens.
He has Horvath for sure and potential from guys like Gonzalez not to mention guys who can fill in like a Johnson. Though I wonder if Hamid will ever receive a call-up again?
The thing about Johnson vs. Guzan is that if you have 2 young keepers who have not played in a WC, you really need a veteran backup who won't come in and crumble under pressure. Just in case the young guys do. Plus he seems to be a leader. Or at least a good quote for the media.
We probably aren't paying enough attention to it..................but Zack Steffen has started out in the Bundesliga in fine form. 🇩🇪 Bundesliga Team of the Week -- @DieRotenBullen striker Timo Werner celebrated his new contract with a man of the match showing@zackstef_23 @BenPavard28 @salouf5 Konate@David_Alaba Coman@nurisahin SkhiriBulter@gpaciencia9 Wernerhttps://t.co/m9Ss60TZR4 pic.twitter.com/UVauf8uZNh— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) September 2, 2019
We just need some good KARMA to happen for Horvath and for Gonzalez to get himself in contention for a move abroad and we'll be set til 2022.
Matt Turner has been a beast. He's been little appreciated because all the credit has gone to Almeyda, but Vega has been great as well -- and probably is the single biggest upgrade in MLS year over year (Vega's value v Tarbell). I expect a veteran who lost it to others the last few years to actually win it, though, Melia or Frei or even Guzan, who has a shot at the clean sheet record. Turner deserves some level of look.
Turner has been good, especially being counted out for how many times now? I've got Steve Clark and Maxime Crepeau but I don't think either will win it. Basically the team has to be a contender or the gk has to be doing something on the international stage. Rimando and Howard have been really average but I could see one of them picking it up just because it's the end of an era.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...bulls-keeping-home-playoff-game-within-reach/ Hamid with a 13th shutout of the season. 454 mins without conceding.
Steffen, Guzan and Johnson. So is Sean Johnson our no.2 going forward or is it just simply because Horvath isn't getting any PT?
I would say it's because Horvath isn't playing. He was going balls out last season but was done dirty by his team. There is no reason that he wouldn't be solid #2 or occasional #1 if he had been allowed to continue to play.
Oh Frei has been pretty underwhelming this year. Melia got off to a terrible start but has evened out. 2018 was a strong year for them but 2019 has not been kind. Clark and Turner are running the show now. Admittedly, it's all pretty fickle. Clark and Turner could have an average year just a likely as anyone else, but I do think there's something to be said about reward the top goalkeepers and not just keeping the same names in, regardless of performance. From the USYNT to the senior squad, it's just recycling the same names far too often.
I don't follow the ins and outs but are Clark/Turner really having a better season than say Hamid? Clark is nearly as old as Guzan so that counts against him whereas Turner is a year older than Horvath and Steffen. Hopefully he gets a call-up in January to reward him. And hopefully he isn't just a one season wonder. I do wonder why Melia and Frei weren't given more opportunities in recent years.
Oh absolutely better than Hamid. Give me a week and I'll have my GSAR stats finalized. I do think MLS does a terrible job of highlighting any gk who doesn't do upper 90 saves, fwiw. The age for a goalkeeper is pretty irrelevant, especially when it comes to friendlies or playing low CONCACAF. Just call the best guys in and maybe the odd, serious prospect. Are we really looking to count on anyone who isn't named Steffen or Horvath for serious games in the next 8 years? Very unlikely. So just reward the best instead of calling in the middling talent. Johnson has 8 (!!!) caps and has only finished in the top 5 for MLS goalkeeper of the year just once after ten years in the league.
But which young keepers out there are doing anything? We have these discussions for the Olympic qualifying group. Which Olympics-eligible keeper is doing anything worthy of mention in first soccer? I believe that the 4 keepers just called up to the US U23 camp have a grand total of 6 first team appearances this season. (David Ochoa, Brady Scott, JT Marcinkowski, and Matt Freese). Maybe we have to count on Jonathan Klinsmann. He's made two appearances in the Swiss Cup. I'm with ya. In the absence of these young keepers to include, we should just be taking the best from MLS. I wonder if FCD asked the USSF not to call up Jesse Gonzalez? They rejected the U23s request for Pomykal and Ferreira in this window. Gonzalez has taken a step forward in many respects this season. I certainly would have selected him over Sean Johnson. Keeper right now to me is Steffen and then everybody else. With Horvath not playing, he's back to the pack for me in terms of a USMNT role. Not the clear #2.
Yeah, good point. The U23 crop is really underwhelming. Scott/Ochoa looked rough with the U20s. Marcinkowski hasn't looked great in USL. Freese had some positive moments with Philly but not sure he's NT call up-level, but the most intriguing of the bunch for me. Klinsmann is pretty average across the board. Of the U23s standouts, the Benfica kid, Carlos dos Santos, and Furman's junior goalkeeper, Ben Hale, are the only ones that really interest me tbh. I think they both have some interesting upside. But no, our next wave of goalkeeping should not be impressing anyone atm. The Horvath thread is giving some hope that Ethan moves to a better club situation for 2020, but TBD on that.
Hamid with his 14 cleansheet of the season. Finished the season tied with Guzan. I'd like to see Berhalter give him a shot this winter provided he isn't going back to Denmark.