If you really believe that then more power to you. Iran has never gotten out of their group at a World Cup. I love how the standards are shifted for people who have agendas to push.
You're not alone. I'm right there with you, because competitive matches with the USMNT always get me excited, whether or not we suck.
You jumped into a discussion about such players (you are more than welcome to, of course) and added a youth player while we were discussion first team players. I don’t recall people seriously considering him for the USMNT but rather had high hopes for him given the worldwide press he had received as a teenager.
Hell, their ineptitude has accelerated since the Cup was expanded. Asia has had 31 teams quality since 1986. Only 6 have gotten out of the group. Two of them were hosts (2002). I'm giving facts while you're just "mind-numbed" about them.
You mean the standards that FIFA uses as its baseline? You should get back to pushing your “all Asians are slapdicks” agenda - that’s a unique one sure to earn to lots of neat friends.
Mexico got one win vs Germany to fly them to the R16. Very ehh vs Korea and terrible vs Sweden. Panama got decked. Costa Rica fell flat. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea, each picked up a win in 2018 and some notable results(Portugal1-Iran1, Germany0-2South Korea) Their best performers: Iran lost to Spain by a fluke goal. Japan went head to head with Belgium. I said if any of the top7-8 in Asia were transplanted in the place of US/Mexico into our hex they would fancy their chances of going to the World Cup. Maybe I'm being too negative but based on what Carlos Quieroz built with Iran and is now building with Colombia, I don't think we would have scored on them with our 2018 team after 10 hours of open play.
If we going to play a system that has QB that isnt expected to defend, I would take a teenager like Zelalem or mendez over Trapp.
I responded to @Suyuntuy thinking about part of one of his (many) posts: "And the moment they're sitting on the bench of some Premiership bottom-feeder, people here will be clamoring for them to be on the NT." This is very true, and Gedion Zelalem is a classic example. Most of the examples are forgotten by nearly everyone, so folks are free to rage about the next teenage sensation at wherever, and argue how stupid the rest of us are for not seeing their quality, and that whatever skills they have should put them immediately above whichever concurrent mainstay we've got.
"A" win? Whoopee. Asia is the second worst confederation by performance. It's just a fact. You can try to nibble around the edges but it's just true.
Why would you rather play with crap MLS players? My expectations for Hyndman have dropped the last couple of years, but would easily take him over any of the midfielders listed on this roster not named Pulisic or mckennie.
Zelalem wasn’t sitting on the bench of an EPL bottom feeder - he was on their youth team of an elite program. There’s a significant difference in Sargent (who is training with and getting modest time with the senior team) and Konrad de la Fuentes. Zelalem is only comparable to Fuentes Also, Arsenal is not a Premiership bottom dweller.
Well, no one other than Swope Park Rangers has seemed to think he's good enough, at 22, to take a flyer on. He may still develop and become a decent player, but the precipitous fall from Arsenal to Swope Park Rangers in 3 years can't be understated.
And vice versa. But again, you're just making this all up. It's all your opinion. Asia is terrible as a matter of fact.
Shame Tyler the Creator is out. I read most of the Venezuela outrage and none of this pre-match but I think the hybrid RB is trying to re-invent the wheel and too smart for the own good. Just go with a 541 and be done with it. -------------------Jozy -------------------Pulisic -----------McKennie---Roldan --------------------Trapp Lovitz Ream Zimmerman Mizaga Lima
I dont think he meant they were top players. But playing consistently against better competition usually makes you a better player. It's why the best academies usually produce better players. And inferior leagues and academies usually have a smaller amount of better players. So while I agree none of the players he mentioned are top players. I do in fact believe that Yedlin based on his play against better players is a step ahead of Lima. Does that make him a top player? No. Just a better one. Not every player who plays in Europe is better, that's true. But those playing against better competition from a younger age usually are. It's why it's important to judge individuals players and not just compare leagues. But the leagues you play in do directly impact your development as a player. I think that was the point. If not, and the point was that Euro players are better then I digress and disagree.
We need a 5 man back line against Guyana now? Going to get 2nd bottle of Ketel One before this game starts.
An Asian team has made it farther in the modern version of the competition than either us or the Mexicans. Thinking about our win over Ghana 5 years ago doesn't make me feel better about today. Today our current roster would struggle against the teams I mentioned.
What, we'd build up the hopes of our fanbase, then break their hearts in the playoffs, and build the legacy of the best franchise to never achieve anything?
Jesus Christ, you and @DHC1. I never f*cking said shit about "rather play(ing) with crap MLS players." Nonetheless, I'll take your bait: I'll take any of the guys on the roster who are currently PLAYING IN MLS over a guy who currently has 4 GAMES FOR SWOPE PARK RANGERS in the USL. Don't give a shit that he once showered at Arsenal, and someone made highlight videos of him (which I've previously seen and got excited about).
Ok, fair enough. Still, it's even worse that there were a memorable number of posters who wanted Zelalem called up to the full team if he was only ever on Arsenal's youth teams.