After a scoreless half, and with Paredes, Booth, etc., playing great today, the question arises again about why we're holding this camp.
It's of pretty limited value at this point, but unless you think there are zero players in these camps who will significantly contribute this cycle, I don't see the harm in continuing to use it as an opportunity to identify/blood/integrate those guys, or keep them in the picture. Just for reference, here's every player in every January camp going back to 2018 who ended up playing major minutes for us in World Cup qualifying or the World Cup this past cycle (let's say at least 180 minutes worth). In bold are players with no more than 1 cap or 0 starts prior. 2018 (4 players) Steffen, Zimmerman, Adams, Arriola 2019 (6 players) Steffen, McKenzie, Zimmerman, Acosta, Arriola, Lletget 2020 (7 players) Turner, McKenzie, Zimmerman, Aaronson, Lletget, Arriola, Ferreira 2021 (7 players) Turner, Robinson, Zimmerman, Acosta, Lletget, Arriola, Ferreira 2022 (7 players) Turner, Robinson, Zimmerman, Acosta, Lletget, Arriola, Ferreira (Morris was in some of those camps and probably would have had major minutes in WCQ this cycle as well if he hadn't been injured for most of it.) The numbers will probably be lower this cycle, but I still don't see it approaching zero.
As long as our domestic league plays a schedule out of sync with the rest of the world, it makes sense to have this camp. Throwing in some Euro-based players has some value too. Learning or confirming that certain players aren't good enough to continue getting called in is also a useful purpose for a training camp. There will always be players who don't make the cut, but that's part of the deal as well.
Some people just have a real tough time decoupling team performance and contextualizing how bad players can make good ones look average. Some players who should carry over to March imo are Vazquez, Tolkin, Zendejas, & Jones. Then I'm on the borderline for Morris, Williamson, & Slonina. I guess it just depends how much of a b-team/experimental comp you want to make that camp. It'd be hard to lose to those opponents.
Overall, I’d say that I’m strangely okay with this performance even though we didn’t really get the results to show for it. Going into this January Camp, I had very little expectations, and I’m glad to see that Hudson took risks rather than go with what could make him individually look better. Seemed to really take one for the good of the team to allow everyone (minus Celentano) a chance to earn their first cap and prove themselves. It’s hard to critique “the team” too much when this camp wasn’t really meant for that. If Hudson is going to be the coach for NL and even for Gold Cup, then, we’ll see if he can build a coherent game plan.
I mostly agree. But when it comes to Hudson, I think we saw today he couldn't put together a functional gameplan. A Zimm-Long pairing didn't help you win or learn anything. How do you build-up w/ those two? Then he was extremely soft in the middle by opting to play Aaronson there, and especially with Sonora. We really got over-ran after that happened. Then we had no target until Vazquez came on, and his effort had to be herculean playing w/ that MF, CB's, Jones on the left, Gressel having to come deeper, etc. Ferreira's still miscast as a 9. Usage & formationally it's a cheap Berhalter knock-off. We're really going to have to survive until we can make a permanent hire.
Pretty reminiscent of some of Berhalter's ill-conceived CB pairings. Guess there was a mindmeld on some of those gameplans -- hopefully it's a moot point but it's part of the reason why I hope Berhatler doesn't come back; I wonder whether Hudson has the inclination or the gumption to challenge some of his stranger ideas.
Zendejas looked like the only new face from this camp who is ready for prime time. All of our veterans looked like they will get phased out this cycle. Arriola seems like a good dude, but it is mind boggling to me that he has 50 caps. I feel like there are 20+ players in the pool that could have contributed what he did last night. Hoppe was better, but still pretty frustrating. I wouldn’t call him in again until he proves he can make it as a pro somewhere. I’m also really hoping that US soccer closes in on their ideal coaching candidate soon. Hudson is a significant step down from Berhalter and I wouldn’t want him coaching the team for anything important.
Zendejas didn't do anything for 70 minutes, until his teammates could carry him the ball. If he had been subbed off before that, you'd have said what? This is why you need to watch in context of what players have to work with, their own attributes, & can't be a victim of recency bias. Given what Vazquez displayed in attributes and the fact that things were breaking down long before the ball got to him, I don't know how you come away not thinking he's not someone ready for prime time, unlike Zendejas supposedly. And if you watched the fb's that started last night in isolation, for what they displayed in this camp, they were good. Whatever manager came in, I'd hope they set up players better, and if/when they didn't weren't disarding players w/out context of this.
.5 points per game, .5 goals per game, yep it’s Anthony Hudson, the worst MLS coach of the last decade… not sure this interim gig will get him another MLS job unless some team is trying to be the first to get relegated.
Incidentally, here's where everyone graded out in the metrics for the camp (sofascore): Zendejas - 7.3 Cowell - 7.3 Johnson - 7.1 Tolkin - 7 Acosta - 7 Vazquez - 6.95 Slonina - 6.9 Rogers - 6.9 Zimmerman - 6.9 Jones - 6.8 Morris - 6.8 Neal - 6.8 EWill - 6.75 Long - 6.75 Pomykal - 6.7 Arriola - 6.65 Hoppe - 6.65 Ferreira - 6.6 Aaronson - 6.6 Sonora - 6.55 Gressel - 6.55 Gomez - 6.4 Sabbi - 6 * Naturally most the players who only played against Serbia had an advantage, and vice versa those who only competed v. Colombia the disadvantage.
That's cool, put a cutoff line (for now) between like Jones and Long ==== Made The Cut ==== Zendejas - 7.3 Cowell - 7.3 Johnson - 7.1 Tolkin - 7 Acosta - 7 Vazquez - 6.95 Slonina - 6.9 Rogers - 6.9 Zimmerman - 6.9 Jones - 6.8 ==== Gray Area ===== Morris - 6.8 Neal - 6.8 EWill - 6.75 ====Try Again Later === Long - 6.75 Pomykal - 6.7 Arriola - 6.65 Hoppe - 6.65 Ferreira - 6.6 Aaronson - 6.6 Sonora - 6.55 Gressel - 6.55 Gomez - 6.4 Sabbi - 6
That relatively aligns with what I saw and feel on a macro. But a couple warrant caveats: - Neal had a 2nd goal vs. disallowed due to an independent offside. - Rogers came on late for one game, so it's the smallest sample. - and Ferreira continues to play out of position. So their's are deceptive. And that aligns w/ where they are on a macro-level. Rogers shouldn't make the cut with the others off that. Who knows if he deserves to. I wish we'd seen more. Maybe next January camp, Euro-centric one, or subsequent move. In Neal's case, he's got to establish himself on a higher level, and work out those issues. As for Ferreira, I can take or leave him right now. And if he's taken, it should be in a deeper role, that's not part of this rigid system. As for Cowell, he was outstanding. But only played in the easier game. That # may have dropped in tighter spaces v. Colombia. I think to make the cut/next camp, he's got to be the starter for the Quakes, and be consistent thru that point.
The Ralston Line --> The Long Line On what planet is THIS pass from Aaron Long even close to national team quality? #USMNT pic.twitter.com/8vhh4siV4J— USMNTrev (@Eyesandvibes) January 29, 2023
I don't think that was a thing pre blown achilles. He had good performances against good competition. It's been true afterward though, and probably always will, unfortunately.
No kidding. he didn't have to make any tough saves and his passes were all lumped blindly up field to anyone like he was from pre 90's. Maybe worse as even then keepers were lumping it to someone.
The call up also creates a loop hole for the American player to be able to gain a roster spot in certain European federations that limit internationals unless they are stamped as National Team players.
I think this only matters in England and unfortunately it only applies to competitive matches. They briefly made an exception during the pandemic and let it apply to friendlies (which is how Dike got a work permit), but that exception is over now.