Johnny has got to be able to hang with Grenada on the road and El Salvador at home. I think the risk there is pretty low. JMO.
@bshredder put out there was clarification on some exclusions. In terms of the #USMNT roster, US Soccer clarifies that in addition to Tyler Adams, the following players were held out due to injury:Cameron Carter Vickers (knee), Chris Richards (back), Josh Sargent (ankle), Malik Tillman (hamstring)— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) March 16, 2023
Since Sargent and CCV did just play in their clubs' most recent games, and Tilman is I believe available for selection in their next game, I'm guessing we're being a lot more deferential to clubs on those matters than we would be later in the cycle or if we had a permanent coach at the moment.
I think Hudson got Paredes right in his comments. He's not quite there yet. "Right on the edge." If he finishes the season well in Germany, then we can call him up this summer. Could we have called him up to make an appearance against Grenada? I guess so. But I don't have an issue with the guys we did call. As far as LW versus LB, we'll see. We're not particularly deep at either position.
Paredes has mostly played on the wings and at LWB. He has few reps at actual LB, but against a very weak team that’s probably fine. However, having him at LW makes it easier to play an inverted right footed or more defensive LB because Kevin can provide the width. I’m fine with him sticking with the U20s and then graduating.
You can call up the best roster possible, every time, factoring in availability, experimentation, & winning. That would yield far from a USMNT of all MLSers all the time. In fact a sizable majority of minutes would go to Euro-based players, because if everyone was available, a best 26-man roster at the end would look like - 22 Euros & 4 MLS'ers. And at this stage of the cycle, where integration is a higher priority, it's maybe 19 to 7. The only times where it'd be heavy MLS players would be January camp. We have another one in April though. These are outliers, not the best measuring sticks for these guys, and bonus friendly camps. They exist in a parallel USMNT universe. At GC you could pick your spots as to which key Euros you bring where it's going to bleed into their preseason. It's still the A-team GC. This isn't B-team GC we're talking about. We could do better on both sides. But that was more a shot at not having a sufficient stand-in to the point we run those guy's legs into the ground when it really matters, ultimately costing us. We need to build up a depth chart. That shouldn't wait. I seriously feel like from the generational gap and Klinsmann's prejudice breaking down the depth chart, we still haven't recovered. It should have taken a year or two. We're 6 and a half years later. So having a whole 3+ years to finally accomplish this isn't all that comforting. Let's get cracking on hammering out a 2-3 deep of guys we find reliable to play if need be. He's gotten more chances. He has 4 caps. Even with how weak that position is behind Adams, he's not as accomplished and/or has performed as well internationally as several other guys. I forgot which one of the main podcasters said someone at USS seems to have a fascination with him. He supposedly almost made the WC roster.
Your logic: "Paredes is not a LB because Wolfsburg's 2nd highest rated player is blocking him. Therefore the US shouldn't play him there either." "BTW, Musah should have played wing for the US. He always played that for Valencia. You need experience pressing as a pack and operating in tight spaces to play in the middle". In the actual minutes Paredes plays LB for Wolfsburg, he does well all-around, just like pretty much everywhere else. He got a ton of defensive experience at a crappy DC team. He's performed better at LB than at RW w/ Wolfsburg. The assist he just had was at LB. Your logic also: "He's productive at LB for a LB. Therefore he shouldn't play LB. Madrid should have played Roberto Carlos at right wing". In addition: "Just play right backs at left back when all your core players further up the field are right-footed too. Who needs width on one side."
Leaves me wondering why no Wright. I'm happy w/ Pepi and Dike being called in. I just hope Wright is still in the picture.
That's dumb. You're just making up shit up, at this point. Look, he's not ready to play left back. I saw him play. His positioning was weak, ok. It's that simple. And the problem is compounded by his getting next to no reps there. I'd explained that in the post. And Musah moving from right to central midfield is not comparable to Paredes moving from wide foward to fullback.
We have an interim coach, the worst MLS coach by both results and advanced statistics over the last decade... I don't think you need to worry about whether anyone is no longer "in the picture" based on Anthony Hudson's call ups.
He just came back at the beginning of the month after being out for two months with a thigh injury. Maybe just giving him a break.
Interestingly I saw a stat tonight on Futbol Americas that this is the fewest MLS players on any roster since 1996 (the same year MLS started).
Hudson did say those guys had sucked If he has a chance to go with the Euro-guys, he's going to take it.
I guess interim coaches are not subject to the MLS quota. Must be in his contract that it doesn’t apply to him.
You joke but now I'm trying to remember if Auston Trusty, who was just called in for the first time, was on the Colorado Rapids when Hudson publicly declared that their players were crap....
Or it could be what the actual coach said and they are saving the MLS players for the Mexico match that is not in an international window.
Trusty and Hudson were together at Colorado in '19. Small world. Even more awkwardness will accompany the gathering of the parents when the Berhalter, Wollf, and Reyna kids get National Team caps together.
I didn't use it as a homophobic slur. I used it to denigrate Mex fans for using a homophobic slur. They should be known for their cheer. If I referred to fans from certin parts of the country as klansmen, I wouldn't be supporting the klan, I'd be denigrating them.