In the Mexican system, they keep their kids in the MX until they are 22 or 23. Then they sell them to teams like Porto or Celta for some nice cash, and they become first team players until they show they're not that good and get demoted to rotation players. In our system, we 'send' our kids to the big Euro academies at 16 or 17, where they languish until reaching maturity, at which point with some luck get loaned to some second division team somewhere, where they stick until they return to the USA in their mid 20s. Both system produce exceptions, players who make it, but the Mexicans always have an edge if we only count players who actually play regularly in league games for decent clubs.
I think the personnel the US has makes for at least an attempt at the 3-5-2. Of course that requires a coach who can teach it or at least understands how it works. Someday maybe.
It's hard for you to make an argument great, Chad, if you refuse to make any argument other than the simple tautology: " I say it's race because I say it's race". Sure, that line of argumentation has a nifty tradition.... among racists.....but you just might try making an argument that has reason and evidence behind it. Sure, thinking is hard, and cant is just so much freakin' easier for those who can't, but you might surprise yourself. Give it a shot.
In general, people tend to be more lenient towards those of a similar phenotype. That's something widely accepted. So it follows the people who approve (above the median) of Player X tend to look similar to Player X, and those who disapprove of him (above the median) tend to be those more phenotypically dissimilar to Player X. It's simple biology. But, regardless, Trapp is an interim captain, a placeholder until things clarify. He's neither terrible nor good enough. The question is, do we have anyone good enough to play DM for the NT? Personally, I don't believe so. Beckerman was the last one we had, after that it's guys who may be ok as CMs, or sub-par types like Daniel Williams or Alfredo Morales (who doesn't even play DM any more). DMs in MLS tend to be quite poor, TBH. No other position suffers more, excepted (perhaps) left back. PS: Try Canouse and Williams. They can do fine against weaker C-CAF opposition. At that point the question becomes, why use a dedicated DM at all against such a weak rival?
Robinson, he completely changed the game in the 56'. CCV played pretty well, not sure Brooks does better. Trapp as a lone 6 hasn't and doesn't work, so any change in the midfield would change for the better. Even in the game, the change to a 4-2-3-1 really changed the game. A healthy McKennie would be helpful.
In that case I want as the playmaker for the USMNT a chunky, allergy ridden, tooth disadvantaged aged and angry dwarf.Damn it!
Folks get carried with how good of player Beckerman was for the NT. JK loved him because he was disciplined in staying near the back line. His serving as a backline shield also allowed Jones and Bradley to play further up-field. That is all. Any number of players, including Trapp, can play the 'Beckerman' role and play it well. The current problems lie further up-field.
3-5-2 should be used against Concacaf teams aside from Mexico. Against better teams, a 4-man backline should be used.
Hell I don't have to be convinced of the need for somebody to do the job, my response was more of an answer to playing Trapp because he is the "best we have" for that job. Unless he just had a really poor game or something then we would be better off trying to fit a square peg into that round hole, because as of right now it looks eerily similar to prior incarnations of our midfield that failed to qualify. A "DM" that can't cover much ground, doesn't read the game exceptionally well, doesn't intercept passes or get stuck in on the tackle shouldn't be on the field for the USMNT. Trapp has looked like that to me. I would rather some other MLS midfielder get a shot or two.
He hasn't been the manager for over a year. Maybe it would behoove you and the current coaching staff to look toward the future.
It's pretty obvious. Explains the mindset to come to that conclusion in spite of nine players on the field being black, two of them with suspect qualifications ala Trapp like Moore and Zardes. Not a rational conclusion to think Trapp started because he's white. Shaped by cultural indoctrination separate from football which bleeds in and deserves to be derided wherever found. He was the provocateur, and actually wrong. For me to put the cause and thought-process in that perspective which drives home the madness objectively, and then for you to still react the way you did, shows you are caught up in it yourself. That's a you problem. As is then presuming, laughably incorrectly, my political allegiance. I'm a progressive who ultimately voted for Jill Stein because her values and belief in study driving opinions closely align with mine, and she made a compelling case late it's not throwing away your vote because the greens would have gotten major public funding. I make my determinations of people and situations individually and substantively. Most progressive leftists try to debunk identity politics because they see the reality it's a divide and conquer trick as old as time. Most arguments are proven b.s. or over-exaggerations, and provocatively sexist or racist at their cores either way (which you'd see if not being tribalistic), to obfuscate from the reality the establishment of both mainstream sides of the aisle are a lot more similar than they'd like you to believe. Emily's List, for example, you can see publicly is predominantly funded by bankers, whose interests are diametrically opposed to a just society both logically and historically.
I think there are two key reasons Trapp, and before him Bradley, are played as the 6: 1) Many in US Soccer do not value the 6. You see this especially at youth levels, but even in MLS, many teams import their defensive midfielders. Youth coaches tend to covet and develop generalist midfielders and churn out a lot of two-way midfielders (8's). The 6 is a specialist position, requiring a different set of skills, physical qualities, and a lot of reps to master the position. 2) Because many are not focused on developing 6's, there is a broad misunderstanding of the requirements of a good 6. The primary function of a defensive midfielder is to protect Zone 14. They are as important to defensive strategy as the defensive selections and configuration. Protecting Zone 14 means the 6 must show exceptional anticipation to cut off the most dangerous plays before they happen. The 6 must be able to tackle. Opposing teams want to play in Zone 14, knowing that is where the most dangerous attacks happen. This means in addition to reading the game well and being in the right position, the best 6's can change directions quickly, can muscle players off the ball, and have great footspeed to poke away the ball when it is exposed. In terms of team value, the evidence is overwhelming. All four semifinalists in this year's WC had one player who excels at protecting Zone 14. France has the best in the world, Kante, and he was covered by Pogba. England had Henderson, and he was supported by Dele Alli. Belgium has Witsel, and covered him with Tielemans. And Croatia had Brozović, who was of course covered by Rakatić and Modrić. As @Bob Morocco mentioned, 5 of the past 6 WC winners played with 6's. Great 6's actually contribute most to the attack by allowing their attacking teammates to get forward and do what they do best. Their passing is simple. Usually, their job is to get open and check to the ball, then find teammates in space. Kante is not measured by how many defense-splitting balls he plays. He is measured by how often he makes himself available, and how quickly he cycles the ball to other teammates. So what about Trapp? He does make good reads and is usually covering the right areas. But he lacks the strength and foot speed to effectively tackle and push people out of Zone 14. This means his CM partners have to cover and protect him, effectively negating the value of what a 6 is supposed to bring. This was the same issue when coaches put Bradley in the position. Jermaine Jones, a physical aberration, could effectively protect Bradley. Darlington Nagbe and Kelyn Acosta could not, and that was the downfall of the 2018 US cycle. We cannot repeat this fundamental mistake this cycle. We cannot create lineups intended to cover for inadequate Zone 14 coverage. Trapp in the lineup is bad enough. Making him captain as some endorsement of his character is a joke.
Agreed, and with McKennie in place of Trapp. Can the coaches at least try that? Or does it always need to be Trapp +10 others?
Another one with strong deductive reasoning or honesty. That's an ironic smear. The implication with invoking InfoWars is one is being crazy. My opinion was the scientific, rational-based one. Maybe you mean Ben Shapiro because he's the anti-sjw guy who some actually take seriously. But there's nobody who I detest more right now. That's the one thing he's close to even correct on, and how he lures you in, playing upon frustrations of a world gone socially mad or in a lot of other ways. I don't fall for any of the tricks from either corporate-funded side. If you do, sorry to inform you, you're not the one who is grounded in reality. You could have just looked a few inches to the left under my avatar and see which sources I was promoting. They are progressive left channels, who would react a similar way as I did if it was addressed.
I would be open to an England style 5-man back line similar to the one Southgate used. This releases the outside backs to get forward and create width. But the CB's must be exceptionally mobile because they will often have to cover the full backs who venture forward. That is why Kyle Walker was used as a CB in 2018. He was basically a second right back to cover for Trippier, who was pushed very forward for a traditional right back.
Why do people when it comes to the US cry racism if their race is not represented? USMNT can not be divided equally into each race just to please everyone. Coaches will have their favorite player or players even though they suck and will stick with them till the end. It happens in EVERY national team but when it comes to the US, it has to be because of "racism". I agree with many here that there are some players that shouldn't be playing anymore with the USMNT but if you go to other National teams you will find fans saying the exact same thing that "X" and "Z" player shouldn't be playing, "Y" should be playing instead yet no one will cry racism or discrimination.
I agree. It is just that the one player who is the weak link in the team game after game yet always starts and is the captain happens to be a white dude. I am pretty sure that a lot of BigSoccer posters would be equally unhappy if the permanent starter and captain were Zardes.
Yes, I'll be pissed if Zardes were captain and starter but not because he is black but because he sucks. Please no, you should have used someone else as an example, now I won't be able to get out of my head that Zardes will become GZ90.
Kante is more box-to-box than he is the type of 6 being discussed here. There's a difference between a player who is tasked with sitting in front of the line--the Beckerman role--and a ball-hawking 8 who plays a somewhat more defensive role than his central midfield partners. What's being proposed is the elimination of that specialist role JK, Arena, and now Sarachan have been using. In a balanced central midfield, defensive duties are distributed, though one player is normally going to provide a little more of the defensive duties than the other(s). Bradley and Acosta teamed up well in the match at the Azteca. Acosta then tailed off probably due to the effects of the subsequent groin injury. The goals against at T&T came through passes and shots from flanking positions. The goals in the game at home to Costa Rica came through a pass from a flanking position and through a CB error.