US vs. Mexico 11/12/2021: the pre-pre-pre-match thread

And get reinjured. Tuchel would really appretiate that. He won't be 100%, and this kid seemingly doesn't know how to protect himself, he will play like he is at 100%. Not a fact that it will help the NT in a short run, but might seriously hurt the team and his careeer in a long run. Talking of Gio, his dad extended his career by plainly refusing to leave Europe for any games, so I'm not worried about that kid, he will be fine.

 

He could always get re-injured. Guess we shpuld never play him then.

 

I agree. They will evaluate his fitness over the coming weeks, blah blah. This will be dicey. But I agree... if he's cleared to play for Chelsea... even if he's barely healthy... he should be called in. If the US lose AGAIN to Mexico at home (two cycles in a row), it will be a gut punch to team morale. Others may disagree... but I'd risk a re-injury for 3 points (or even 1 one point) against Mexico at home. The two tournaments this past summer mean exactly ZERO compared to this game.

 

Let's play him as much as possible. Not our health, not our career, who gives a shit. You would risk? Get on the fvcking field and risk.

 

I mean at this point, Chelsea isn’t going to clear him until he’s fully healthy. The real question if that happens, is going to be match fitness and whether he’s in game shape. But I would imagine in that situation he’d be at least an off the bench option.

 

Its risking his career to play after he's cleared to play? Lol ok buddy.

 

I think Ream is valued for his versatility, in large part.

 

Ever heard of Michael Renken? Or dosens others cleared to play, buddy?

 

Do you mean Charles Renken?

 

Yes, sorry.

 

Ever hear of Buso Renkin?

 

I like Kenny Rankin.

 

Anyone could get injured on any day. Its sports. Why would you not play if you're cleared? He may as well retire then if its that risky to play.

 

You're not the only one running with this "Mark McKenzie isn't playing for his club" idea, but you should really look at his actual playing time before repeating such assertions. He's played in 10 matches this season for 651 total minutes. He's played in 9 of 12 league games, and started in 6. He's getting solid and regular time as a rotational starter.

Miazga seems to have locked down a starting position, which is great news. He'll probably edge out McKenzie this window based on form/PT for the 5th CB position--assuming we call in 5 CBs (and assuming Brooks is healthy).

I totally agree that current form and playing time should be the biggest factors in roster decision-making. Of course, there are other factors like player quality--thinking Pulisic here--and skillset/fit.

 

Yes. Miazga is 8th among all defenders in minutes played under Berhalter--more than Brooks, Lovitz, Vines, Lima, Sands, A. Rob, Yedlin, Moore, and Bello (to name a few of the more prominent names who've gotten decent minutes under Berhalter).

Of course, Ream has the most minutes amongst defenders (by a pretty wide margin if you exclude Aaron Long, who's still injured). So you may be right that Berhalter could call Ream over Miazga, but that won't mean he doesn't "rate" Miazga.

 

If Pulisic is healthy enough to play for Chelsea, then it would be odd if he is simultaneously unable play for the US. If he has only been on the bench but hasn't gotten any minutes, that would be the trickiest situation.

Can someone point me to info on Reyna? I have heard he's out 'til next year, but what happened to him?

 

There's not a ton on Reyna other than its a hamstring issue and that its taken much longer than anticipated to heal. It was also reported that Claudio Reyna flew out to Dortmund and wanted to get a second opinion on the injury. Which may be part of the reason why Gio is in Austin.

I thought the report was he's not available to us until January, not necessarily that he was out for Dortmund for the rest of the year.

 

I’m partial to Kenny Bania at the 8.

 

That is a really solid argument. You listed a bunch of guys who play a different position. It is as if you don't even pay attention to what Berhalter actually does. It is clear that Berhalter has never rated Miazga.

After watching Miazga be a regular in 2018 with MOTM performances against France and Brazil, I would have expected Miazga to be at least begin as a starter in 2019, but Berhalter has never viewed him that way. 8n March is was made clear that Long was his guy, playing him alongside Brooks and playing Miazga with Gonzo. Then he tried to pair Zimmerman with Long at the GC, but he wasn't up to it and had to play Miazga in the semifinal and final (of course, Miazga looked the best of all of them).

Miazga has only been in four camps since the 2019 GC. He played against Cuba but was on the bench for the loss at Canada. He did get both games of the camp in Europe. He played in that awkward three CB formation against NI. Finally, Berhalter went with Mckenzie out of the blue vs Switzerland and the NL.

So the top CB of 2018 had Long and Zimmeraman picked over him in early 2019, then Ream later in the year, McKenzie in 2021, and now Robinson is ahead of him. Berhalter has done everything he can to find a CB not named Miazga and think that the only one he has found that there is a decent argument that he is better than Miazga is Robinson.

 

Verstaility, leadership......................and left footed. Make a list of the USMNT regulars who predominantly play LCB in a back 4 in club football. its not a long one.

I think this board has kicked Ream out of the pool long before Berhalter has.

Right now Ream is playing LCB for Fulham with Antonee Robinson right next to him.............

 

He's dead

 

That's a very important point. Chemistry and understanding between players in defense are critical.

 

thats about 400 less minutes than scally who many say hes too inexperienced to be in the team yet.

im not making a bigger argument, im just saying lies, damn lies and statistics or whatever.

 

This is a silly argument in support of Scally. McKenzie is a multi-season starter, with international experience at the full national team level. And you are arguing that Scally's four and a half games of extra playing time THIS SEASON somehow bridges the experience gap between the 2 players? C'mon. Scally has about a dozen 1st team games for his entire career. If you like Scally so much that experience does not matter, it is fine to say so. But arguing there is not a huge and legitimate gap in experience between he and McKenzie is a non-starter.

 

In 2019, what games were so important that Miazga HAD to play? 2019 was the perfect time to establish some depth in the team, by trying new options. If Gregg had not done so, and Miazga played poorly, you would be howling that Gregg wasted time by not expanding the pool when he had a chance. Gregg was 100% right to test other options early in the cycle.

In 2021, what do you see wrong with McKenzie getting games ahead of Miazga? McKenzie was in a better club situation, was playing well, and the team needed a partner for Brooks for the Nations League. Sorry to tell you, but Brooks/Miazga is not an ideal partnership. Neither has great lateral movement. So Gregg was trying to find a partnership that meshed, in terms of skillsets. Whether or not you and I deemed it to have worked, the idea was perfectly understandable at the moment.

I cant believe some of you have put me in the position of defending an average tactical manager like Berhalter -- but all this Monday morning quarterbacking is excessive.