Americans who should consider a transfer or come to MLS... Jerome Kiesewetter (MLS) Rubio Rubin (MLS) Aron Johansson (MLS) Andrew Wooten (MLS) Caleb Stanko (MLS) Cameron Carter Vickers (loan to Championship) Julian Green (MLS > Galaxy?) Luca De la Torre (MLS > ???) Emerson Hyndman (Championship?) Gedion Zelalem (injured but full transfer to MLS > LAFC?) Eric Lichaj (MLS >Atlanta?) Jorge Villafana (MLS) Joel Sonora (loan to BL2)
Geoff Cameron started again today (in a 1-0 victory over Arsenal), as he pretty much has somewhere on the field when healthy the last 3 years. He's not a utility player anymore. That's the paradigm of his early Stoke career. Now he's just a versatile starter. In spite of playing in a few different roles last year (but primarily cdm), he was their highest rated outfield player (albeit in what was a disappointing season for the club). I don't see him going anywhere. Hughes hasn't shown an aversion to players either just because they were on the wrong side of 30.
By whom/what? Whoscored? It's cute that you take that "rating" seriously. As for today, Geoff was fine. Zouma again looked very good, Fletcher was composed in midfield (a real upgrade on anyone they trotted out in midfield last season...yes, that includes Geoff, duke...) and Jese had a very nice debut. Solid team performance but they were a bit fortunate to take the three points (questionable offside call, possible penalty, etc.).
I'd take Geoff over Joe Allen these days. Slot Geoff in with Fletcher and play a 4-4-2. Cameron was great again today save for losing his man once. Holding Arsenal scoreless while ceding all possession to them (which they did after scoring the goal) is always a tough task. Cameron in great form right now. The Diouf tackle was a penalty the ref missed but the rest of the calls were fine. The breaks tend to balance out.
I wouldn't (and neither would any PL manager worth his salt). Allen isn't great but he's actually a PL quality midfielder and offers much more at the position than Geoff.
I'm aware you think Geoff isn't PL quality but I think he'd be an asset starting for a lot of teams right now including Stoke.
Ethan Horvath is off to a good start with Club Brugge, who sit atop the table in Belgium. He made the team of the week. Monsecour stond afgelopen weekend een eerste keer in de basis dit seizoen. Hij staat ook meteen in het 🔝elftal van de week. #Nieuwsblad pic.twitter.com/NIPgHp294F— KSC Lokeren - Temse (@KSCLokeren) August 21, 2017
He could potentially figure in behind Yedlin at right back during the next WC cycle. Also should note that Levante's regular top two right backs also made the 18, so Shaq earned a spot on the squad beyond merely injury replacement reasons. His play at right wing in preseason must have helped. Good news for USMNT fans. U.S. defender Shaq Moore makes the 18 for Levante's opener today vs. Villarreal. https://t.co/LaUT3YiRyT— Arch Bell (@ArchBell) August 21, 2017
Putting this here so as not to junk up his thread in Yanks Abroad with call-up speculation... I watched the Monterrey/Toluca game the other night to check out Gonzalez. I'm not entirely confident in my assessment, since the combo of the game being in low def and the striped jerseys made it hard to pick out jersey numbers. That said, I thought he was perfectly fine, but unspectacular, which is good for an 18-year-old on a top Liga MX team. He seemed to be disciplined in terms of his positioning and moved the ball cleanly and quickly to more senior teammates. He didn't necessarily seem like an imposing tackler, but did well cutting out passing lanes. Maybe it goes without saying, but I don't really see him as an option for 2018. At this point in time, there was nothing about his game that really jumped out and screamed "Cap him now!" Whereas with someone like McKennie, you can see those flashes of next-level ability and think, "Hmm...maybe if he starts getting some more minutes, gets more comfortable, and starts flashing more consistently, he could help the USMNT right now." I'd say the right course with Gonzalez is to get him with the u-20s, see how he progresses in Mexico, and then maybe call him up with the senior team in 12-18 months if everything keeps looking good.
Its been reported that Arena has been watching......................... .@ussoccer youth international Jonathan Gonzalez's breakthrough season @rayados is catching the eye of Bruce... https://t.co/W5lBlQBdwa— Tom Marshall (@mexicoworldcup) August 22, 2017 The idea that United States head coach Bruce Arena would be asking for Monterrey midfielder Jonathan Gonzalez's telephone number would've seemed almost inconceivable a couple of months ago. But after the 18-year-old burst onto the Liga MX scene in some style early this 2017 Apertura, that's exactly what happened last week, with U.S. Under-20 head coach Tab Ramos giving Gonzalez the heads up to let him know Arena would be calling.
ICYMI.............................USYNTer Emmanuel Sabbi has signed for Hobro in the Danish Superliga. He was a member of our recent U20 World Cup squad. Hobro IK skriver med amerikansk angriberhttps://t.co/dcHqnLAFQg#HobroIK #sldk pic.twitter.com/cGbDtXuuAI— Hobro IK (@hikfodbold) August 25, 2017
39' ⚽️ YESSS ! La réplique immédiate de @Theosonsmith, à la réception de ce débordement de @DiegoRigonatoR !!! 1-1 ! 👏👍 #FCLSDR pic.twitter.com/vkMA5xCQGw— Stade de Reims (@StadeDeReims) August 26, 2017 He scored again for Reims, this time against Lorient, which had been in Ligue 1 for the past decade-plus. 6-foot-3 starting center forward for Reims, captained them in preseason. I just feel we have a really good shot at Jordy. He's a France U21/U23 international, but look at the ridiculous forward depth France has, particularly the young ones. He will essentially have to start for a UCL/UEL club outside Ligue 1, or for a Top-5 Ligue 1 club, to be on France's senior team. If he can eventually start for a more-than-respectable middle-table or lower-table Ligue 1 club, which I think he has the potential to, it simply won't be good enough for France. And he's already expressed USMNT interest, and according to Sciaretta, was even invited to our U23s (but Reims rejected the request). Not saying he'll be a star or a starter for the US, he's not someone who I'd scream "Cap Him Now!" about, but his physical tools and resume to date are intriguing. And we are the team that less than a year ago had to call up Alan Gordon for WCQ for target forward depth. I think Jordy has a realistic chance of joining the USMNT pool sometime during the latter half of the next WC cycle, after his France YNT eligibility expires and he isn't getting called up to their senior team.
Stop gap defender Cameron gets the start at right wingback. So far, so good. Pulis looks 10 years younger with the hat.
Diouf injured (I believe) and Cameron got the start at RWB against WBA. A RWB he is not. Partially at fault for the goal and deservedly subbed out in the 69th minute. Ends in a 1-1 draw.
Eh, both Geoff and Zouma were standing next to the goal scorer watching the ball come in and neither did a thing about it. Poor from both of them.