MLS Flavors of the week: 2019 Edition

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Sombrerito, Dec 20, 2018.

  1. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think he's in the mix for sure. But to canonize after this cluster F of a tournament/coaching/roster is asking a bit much IMO.
     
    Namdynamo, btlove and adam tash repped this.
  2. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think Long was quick to react. But again this was against minnows without teeth. Need to see more and actually see how he works with the one lock at CB we have in Brooks.
     
  3. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll reiterate one more time because it's key to my analysis; the backline wasn't challenged at all in this tournament until the second half against Mexico and to a lessor degree against one of the minnows (Curacao). And I didn't like what I saw in those 2 instances. We have a glaring weakness in the back and it seems we're in denial about it.
     
    Namdynamo, yurch10 and adam tash repped this.
  4. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Maybe a 3 cb line would kill 4 birds with one stone:

    a) get Brooks in there for passing out of the back
    b) get a 3rd cb in there to baby sit Brooks
    c) get McKennie a spot in the team as rcb where he could use his dribbling into space, aerial game and impact in the final third.
    d) use our wb's like Arriola, Lima to good effect. (I wonder if Tommy Thompson has a role?)

    ------------sarge?--jozy
    --arriola-puli-adams-pom---lima
    --------brooks--long--wes
     
  5. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Keep in mind that we were missing two starters at the back. DeAndre Yedlin and John Anthony Brooks. And also missing CM/RB Tyler Adams.

    I think our inability to score goals against elite international teams will be a bigger problem moving forward than our defense...............................

    I personally believe that Cannon and Lima played fine. Long, Miazga, Zimmerman played like I expected them to. We undoubtedly have a left back problem. We know Ream isn't going to cut it. But when you ask folks to name alternatives, the list isn't very long at that position. Particularly if we want to cut out guys over 30. I'm hopeful that we have a breakout year from Chris Gloster at Hannover.........................
     
  6. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Our fullback situation 'may' be getting better but honestly I've been a 3-5-2 kind of guy for the USMNT for a while now.
     
  7. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Antonee Robinson is good, conventional left back.

    CCV did well in the position against Manchester City.

    Would take Ryan Hollingshead over Ream.

    Dotson could also use a look in.
     
  8. adam tash

    adam tash Member+

    Jul 12, 2013
    Barcelona, Spain
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    on offense
     
  9. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Couldn't agree more. But Yedlin looks ok sometimes, great other times and crap for what's left over. Still Brooks is the anchor and without him in there it's hard to evaluate the unit. And then there's the coach...

    I also fantasize that we have a coach smart enough to realize Sargent and Weah are the firepower we lack now. Sargent doesn't miss the clunker off Jozy IMO and Weah puts in some of those opportunities that Arriola rightly got on but flubbed, over and over. Forget the black hole Morris. Put Arriola over there in his spot until Holmes or Boyd or someone else steals it. But that's with a real coach.
     
  10. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Robinson is a good two-way fullback. Just because he got burned when left on an island against world class wingers doesn't mean he isn't. And he likely improve.
     
    Namdynamo, ChuckMe92 and btlove repped this.
  11. Casper

    Casper Member+

    Mar 30, 2001
    New York
    We allowed two goals in six games. We scored more goals than Steffen made saves. The defense may not have looked as good as you would have liked, but some of that is due to being eaten in the midfield, particularly against Curacao and Mexico. I thought it was pretty good USMNT-level defense by this group, with an average number of mental mistakes. It would be nice if every center back in the pool equaled Brooks at his best, but we're not there. Cannon was a nice surprise, Lima was OK, Ream had his usual mixed bag semi out of position, Miazga and Zimmerman were mostly good, and Long was one of top 3-5 performers for us in the whole tournament.
     
    majspike and IHSSOC repped this.
  12. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Cannon showed better 1v1 defense than Yedlin has ever done. Really like RG, Araujo, Dest, and Lima.
     
    jaykoz3 repped this.
  13. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd love to see more with the men's team but that requires a non tunnel vision coach.
     
  14. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Aside from Ream, the backline was not the problem in this tournament.
     
  15. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    That's sorta my feeling too.
    And when you make a list of alternatives to Ream at LB, its not a long list. We have a really weak LB pool at the moment. Villafana has fallen off. Greg Garza has fallen off. Edgar Castillo has fallen off. Beasley's been hanging around forever for a reason.

    Remember the long Kellyn Acosta at left back experiment? Maybe we should return to it..................

    I have hope for Chris Gloster, but there's not a lot on the way at left back in either MLS or Europe. Bello with Atlanta, but he's injured and won't be ready for a while. FCD has a really good young LB prospect (Jonathan Gomez), but he also won't be ready for a while. But who are the 22 year old left backs out there? Antonee Robinson and not much else. So yes, we're calling up Antonee Robinson a lot over the next year.
     
  16. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    Sure? I haven't said anything counter. But I think he played well, played better than the other CBs, and his speed is an asset for a team that seemingly intends to press at times.
     
  17. gogorath

    gogorath Member+

    None
    United States
    May 12, 2019
    My issue with 3 back sets with the US is that the wingback role is really important and reqiures a certain skillset.

    Do we think we have those players? I don't. That lineup above doesn't feel like a five man midfield.
     
  18. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Then I am really lost. I never mentioned Lichaj. And Lichaj is irrelevant to what I posted because my point was that 2 players, in the same position, in training camp together and performing in the same tournament in rivalry for a starting spot SHOULD be judged according to those performances. That applies to Miazga and Long. That does not apply to Lichaj, as he was not a part of this squad, and does not play the same positions as those other 2 even if he WERE in the squad. You seem to be focused on squad selection maybe, while I am focusing on the competition of players who are already in camp and vying with each for game time ... and how they actually look in those games. Should Lichaj have been given a chance on this squad? Well, with Daniel freakin' Lovitz making the squad, how can I rule it out? But that's not responsive to the point I was making.
     
  19. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Berhalter seemed to do fine when he used it a few times with Crew.
     
  20. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I mentioned Lichaj. Out of frustration from this idiotic roster and more of a straw dog to those fawning over Long from the GC performance. He may be it but this was no proof for me and Lichaj's play in Europe is something I like and I've watched more than a few of his games.

    Please don't bring up Lovitz. I never had acid reflux before watching him this past week or so.
     
    yurch10 repped this.
  21. laxcoach

    laxcoach Member+

    United States
    Jul 29, 2017
    intermountain west
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So there's hope.
     
  22. Eleven Bravo

    Eleven Bravo Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    Jul 3, 2004
    SC
    Club:
    Atlanta Silverbacks
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nick Lima needs to go ahead and be converted as a LB for this team.
     
  23. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Danilo Acosta. 21 years old and with a ton of talent. Strong, tough, pretty fast, great left foot. He has been a bit of a head case, but I think he realizes that it is now or never for the US. He was just about to switch allegiance to Honduras for the Gold Cup and refused to sign on to the permanent switch at literally the last moment. There is no other reason for him to do that but for him to give it one last push to get himself together and get in the US mix. So again, I think we will see a motivated Acosta. At least I hope we do. He has miles more ability than Daniel Lovitz.
     
  24. yurch10

    yurch10 Member+

    Feb 13, 2004
    Not sure "ability" is something that matters much to Egg. Part of the equation, maybe, but as many others have argued (not sure why it's a good thing), but there are many other factors that go into it for a high end sub .500 manager like the egg.
     
  25. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    For the LB/CB role: CCV and Hollingshead

    Conventional LB: Robinson, Lichaj(seems to be disliked by NT coaches), and Lima.

    Minnesota's Dotson looked good there. I haven't seen Gasper, who has lately been starting at LB with Dotson on the right.

    I wonder if the uber-talented Araujo can player LB.

    Gloster needs to find club minutes.
     

Share This Page