Yanks Abroad Flavors of the Week 2018-19

Yeah, at this point, it may be best for him to forgo the International career.

 

It's not a tactical foul if it's in your own half of the field. The yellow was for shirt pulling.

 

I'm offering you a job on the spot selling left over Trump University diplomas.

 

Did you watch the game? What did you think?

Schalke fans gave good reviews from what I read.

 

Hadj was fine and Zardes > Hadj

 

Why compare him to Zardes? Zardes plays a completely different style of football. It seems like a lazy comparison to me.

 

Results.

 

We needed players who could be part of the Trinidad match and win it - not guys who were "not part of the Trinidad match".

 

At the same age, Zardes was playing for the Ventura County Fusion. That is the fourth tier of American soccer.

 

Facts... who needs those... this is America

 

Cutback and found the open man.
Wonderful assist via @AndrijaNovakov3.

pic.twitter.com/prSeDOhmsK

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) December 16, 2018

 

Novakovich could yet be a good one. He just needs to keep on keepin' on at club.

 

Tweets aren't embedding right now. Anyway, @bshredder just tweeted this. A reminder of Joe Corona's achievements in Mexico.

Joe Corona has won his second Liga MX title. Once with Club Tijuana and once with Club America. In addition, he scored the decisive goal in 2011 that put Tijuana on the map to secure its first-ever promotion to the top flight.

 

It will be interesting to see if Berhalter brings in some of the forgotten players and they excel in his system. Corona, Morales, Williams etc?

 

Williams is out again with an extended injury.

Out again... another 10 weeks. So so so disappointed that I can’t help the team and do what I love for another big period of time, but as always I’ll be fighting to come back as soon as I can! #Focused pic.twitter.com/RuyRSKs8TB

— Danny Williams (@Chilliams19) December 14, 2018

 

Nice ball control for a big, not nimble, guy.

Also, it's nice to see those Feyenoord uni's. Way back in the 90's (mid 90's), ESPN showed the Eredivisie, and Feyenoord had a fun team, including the great Henrik Larsson, and Ed de Gooey.

 

He's certainly had a nice club career. In terms of international, it's just never been there, at all. Not sure why. I tend to give more room for mistakes to guys that show me something in particular that gives me hope (Haji, who I was basically giving up on after '17-'18 has me intrigued again w/his solid season, but it was '14-'17 that made me willing to give him so much room for mistakes, similar views in place with guys like Antonee Robinson, Taitague, Wood, Boyd (until the last 18 months or so when I finally gave up), with Corona, I just never had that. Saw him play as a young pup coming up through the system, and have seen him play in handfuls of US internationals and I've never seen anything to suggest that he's anything beyond a bench option for Camp Cupcake caliber friendlies (and honestly, not even that).

Happy that in terms of a club career he's been successful, but at this point, nothing he does with club interests me at all. I just don't see him as relevant. Would love to be wrong, like I may have been this year in giving up on Wright possibly too early (obviously nothing's proven yet, but this year has had more good news in the past four months than in the previous 14 or 15).

 

I also feel the same way. His game never wow me.

 

Berhalter's thoughts one the BL contingent.

https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bunde...-games-usa-coach-gregg-berhalter-dortmund-917

 

I believe most of the US players in the Mexican league struggle for the US because of style of play. Would be the same in reverse if US players were to play for Mexico. If Berhalter goes to a more ball control system it's possible some of these guys get a second chance but I think age is a hindrance for most and the others may have been passed by by our young Euro based players. If McKennie and Adams can't control the ball like GB wants others may get their chance.

 

It's possible, but I don't see it. All national team members come from different teams, with different styles, whether in Germany, England, MLS, or Mexico. It's the responsibility of the USMNT manager to integrate them into one whole. In the case of most international sides that means a simpler system than they are coming from since they have a limited practice time together.

 

The US simple style was bunker and counter. That doesn't favor skilled mids that aren't mostly ball winners. Think about how mids and defenders that play for Barcelona would look on a desperate team in England trying to fight to stay up. the defender for Barcelona's main duty is to recycle the ball and keep possession while in England they would be deep in their end trying to snuff countless attacks from a superior opponent. Mids would get bypassed by countless desperate clearances instead of having 65-75% of possession.

 

Most of the recent players for the USMNT from Liga MX have been defenders. I don't watch a ton of Liga MX but the attacking style is very different from MLS or EPL or Bundesliga. It is mostly passing through the middle with almost no crosses or much wing play at all. If they were great players, then they could certainly adapt. But if they are average or below average players like Villafana and Omar, then T&T getting wide and crossing it in can be a problem. Omar was not at all in position for that play. Jorge never came close to cutting out the cross. Villafana almost never stops a cross in USMNT shirt.

But, great USA players are going to end up in England, Holland, or Germany. When we pull players from LigaMX, they are not much better than the rest of our pool. Not long ago, the money was probably much better and guys like Herc Gomez could get a shot in Mexico he wouldn't get in MLS. But I think the pay, for the most part, has equalized.

 

Some Yanks trialing abroad. Gutman is a talented left back, who should/could be the heir apparent to Brandon Vincent in Chicago.

Some intriguing #cf97-related news: Defender/midfielder Matt Polster and homegrown left back Andrew Gutman are currently in Scotland on trial with Rangers.

— Paul Tenorio (@PaulTenorio) December 18, 2018

 

Anyone, you have in mind if McKennie and Adams falter?