I dinged some of the guys currently injured by dropping them to third on the depth chart for their position. So Boyd would not be ahead of Arriola if Arriola was not injured. I'm curious, who would you move up ahead of the guys you highlighted in red.
One reason Sargent is not scoring for WB is that he is playing a lot of defense from the striker position. His coach has praised his defensive work. In the last two games (Cuba doesn't count), the USMNT played two different types of striker: 1. We played with a pressing striker, not involved in build up, that would play off the shoulder of the CB. 2. We played with a almost false 9 that would drop in and be part of the build up almost as a second CAM. Zardes can do #1 and can't do #2. In the GC, Jozy never did #1 but did do #2. I don't know if Jozy can do the pressing, I've never seen him asked. Sargent is doing #1 for Bremen now, and has done #2 with moderate success for Gregg and with success for Sarachan. Ferreira did #1 well for 45' against a decent CONCACAF team. So, I would think the one that could do it all adequately is Sargent. Ferreira can probably press but can he lead a line? I'm sure the FCD guys could tell us if he plays on the shoulder of the last defender for them; from what I've heard he is more playing off a guy. Jozy, if healthy, probably can't play like Zardes did against Canada. Now, does Gregg want both clubs in his metaphorical bag? Then maybe Sargent is the best overall choice and you take Zardes and Ferreira to backup. Or maybe Weah can do the job. We won't see Ferreira until June maybe, or not until next January. Weah we maybe see in June.
With Sargent and Jozy, I think we have to go mainly based on form. Obviously, one is a rising young player and the other is on the downside. But right now, I think they are close enough in quality that form should be the deciding factor. I like Zardes as a 20 minute sub for either in a situation where we are trying to defend a result. Ferreira has a certain amount of versatility but it remains to be seen if he develops into an international level forward. I'm hoping Siebatcheu gets called up for the upcoming friendlies. The situation at forward requires casting the net a little more widely than is the case at other positions.
striker’s a black hole so I don’t know if there should be a rank order (weak non-answer, I know) arriola over Boyd Holmes over lletget (I know u had him in a different bucket) Aaronson (I like his athleticism, energy and fight) over roldan Morales over Yueill Long over alverado as I have no idea how good alverado is (but would love to see him) Steffen and horvath as 1/2 Quibbles for sure as there’s no one on your list that doesn’t deserve a real look to compete: I’d add Ledesma, Richards, Weah, busio, Palmer-brown and Ferreira to the pool as well
I have Weah listed. Keeping a close eye on Richards, Aaronson, Ferreira and Ledesma. Those four could easily push their way onto my depth chart by the end of this year.
----------- Sargent ------------- CP------------------------Morris --------Reyna-------------------- ----------------McKennie------- --------------Adams------------- Dest--------------------Cannon ------Brooks------Long--------- -------------Steffen-------------- I'm doing "if all healthy" but at this point, I haven't seen Weah or Altidore healthy in so long it's tough to evaluate them over Sargent and Morris, respectively. I also struggle to put any evaluation on Antonee Robinson at this point; I haven't watched more than a few highlights of his at Wigan so I've no real idea on him Reyna gets the nod in central midfield over Lletget and Holmes. I'm not sure he's better right now, but if you offered me a bet, I'd take that he is. And with McKennie and Adams behind him, I'm less worried about his inexperience. I'm content with everything here but striker. That's not to say some positions couldn't use an upgrade and most could use some depth, but striker is at the intersection of need/lack of top end, in form quality. Hope Josh gets going.
With the trepidation over Sargent/Altidore and any other strikers, my head does drift toward playing Reyna as sort of a false 9.
And I was correct in not including Adams in the Best XI when he was just back from injury. It should be common knowledge that a guy who's been out for a while is at a higher risk of re-injury when he returns, for at least a couple of months. It's irresponsible to call for NT duty a guy who's just back from an eight-month injury break.
I actually think Sargent would be fine and get a needed boost playing for the US and getting away for a bit from his dysfunctional club team. He plays well off creative types but isn't the one man forward who can do it all by himself type. Not many are.
My "Best XI Right Now" with my usual caveats: -- no injured players, the title says "right now"; -- no players just back from injury; -- no players who have not been playing consistently for months; -- no players who have never played with the NT, after all it's a Bext XI, not "who I think should be given a cap right now"; -- no players who are unlikely to declare for the US (Tillman, Hämäläinen, etc.); -- I try to keep players in the position they play for their club regularly, recently -that someone played LB two years ago for three games doesn't rate with me. ---------------------Hamid---------------------- Dest-------Brooks-------Long-------Villafana ------------Cameron-----Morales------------ Chandler-------McKennie---------Morris -------------------Sargent-------------------- Injured players in Europe: Antonee Robinson Julian Green Tyler Adams Christian Pulisic Eric Lichaj Duane Holmes Fabian Johnson Matt Miazga Zak Steffen Jonathan Amon Romain Gall Timothy Weah and others. Two Notes: 1) I'm avoiding MLS players at this point because outside the ones who just played in the CCL, they're all very much in off-season form. 2) LB and striker are terrible positions to fill up at the moment. -- With Robinson & Lichaj out, and Ream not looking good in the last two games, I had to pick the guy who was looking good at the end of the season for the Timbers and has NT experience, but I'm not happy with that choice. -- With MLS out of season, and none of our strikers in Europe doing anything noteworthy, it's a black hole, even the guys scoring in the CCL for MLS teams have been foreigners, Morris excepted. I was tempted to write down Aron Johannsson, who had a good game today and is finally showing something after ages, or even Sabbi, who shows flashes in a first division too, but I had to go with Sargent, another choice that leaves me unsatisfied. PS: I'm not ready to include Gio Reyna until he plays at least one game with the main NT first. I'm quite certain he belongs, but to pick a "Best XI" one must have seen the player actually play with the team for which he is selected as Best XI, IMO.
Yeah this Sargent hate is too much. His team scores no goals, they are terrible. He plays? They don't score. He sits? They don't score. It's just a bad situation that says virtually nothing about him, other than he's just in a bit of a rut (which again, is explainable by his awful team). He's my starting 9 at this point.
There are a couple positions on the Nats where I think it makes sense to split who starts in the Holland and Wales games. Forward is one. I'd start Sargent in one and Jozy in the other. Centerback, I'd alternate who Brooks' partner is. Long one game, Alverado the other.
I will admit that his body language is terrible right now... but overall I agree with you. Hard to put the blame on a young player like that when the "veteran" / "hired gun" they replaced him with is doing nothing either... Their offense is in complete shambles right now. The only way they can score is if someone hits an unbelievable shot from outside the 18. It is beyond pitiful.
My aggregate sum says those 11 in that formation are best on the pitch in 2 months and obv. Healthy. Caveat know nothing about morris this year... Edit... Totally forgot about holmes!
My only issues with Sargent is he’s late to the final ball in the box too often (that Zardes gets to). Other than that his game is solid. Oh and he’s not a forward that beats defenders off the dribble (like Altidore can). All our forwards have strengths and weaknesses and a good coach starts the one that gives the opponent the most issues. Also Ferreira is super interesting. I was very impressed with his play; much more than you. My question is at what level is his ceiling.
Yet everyone is calling for Jozy! Did Jozy ever get benched when he was scoring 2 goals in 2 seasons in the epl? (I don't know, it's a legitimate question, but I'd say probably not).
Everyone is calling for Jozy? I don't see that. I don't think there is much separation between Jozy and Sargent at the moment. So I would give each a start in the upcoming friendlies.
Right now Sargent is terrible. And he's still, very likely, our best option. That tells you all you need to know.
Yeah but, while i am blind on holmes and morris, for the sake of arguement, cant you see mckennie on top with robinson fb? Ie headers back to reyna pulisic, mchead style. Edit, if i ever chose the ignore button it would be people advocating zardes in any post.
And Weah has impressed when played centrally for Celtic But it remains the weakest attacking position we have.