Roma finished second in Serie A during Bradley's last season with them. Not a great comparison to Everton. McKennie looks to have the potential to be a player at a big club.
It's a decent comparison because Roma finished 6th the year Bradley was a regular starter for them (and 6th and 7th the two years earlier), which is right around where Everton normally finished when Howard was a regular starter for them (or Donovan in his brief loan spells). The year that Roma finished 2nd, Bradley still appeared in every game he was available for, but more often as a sub rather than a starter after Roma made some midfield upgrades. I'm someone who's argued that Bradley could have held on to an important role at a CL Roma if he had stayed, but just going off the evidence we have, I think I have to stick with the Everton comparison.
He only played 11 games 5 starts and 561 minutes that year. Not exactly a key contributor either. Wes def looks to have the potential to play for a top tier club. He needs to grow his game but the tools are all there.
I thought he should have stayed and fought for a spot but he’d have never broken in as a key starter. He’d have been rotation starter at best. Yes Strootman went on to have a bunch of injuries for them. However, he wasn’t beating out the other 3. De Rossi, Nainggolan or Pjanic.
A guy who is in the 18 and regularly subs in when not starting is a regular IMO. Besides his injured period he played. I don't see how a part-time starter is "superfluous squad player." He was on the team for 18 matches and made 11 appearances with 5 starts with 4-5 games lost to injury https://www.transfermarkt.us/michael-bradley/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/30593/verein/12
In his last season, Bradley played half-a-season for Roma. So 11 appearance is a solid number. How many Americans have been regulars on a team that placed second in a top-5 league? That's what makes the Everton comparison inapt. And Bradley has suffered a likely career-altering injury while at Roma. Pre-injury Bradley would've been able to compete for minutes based on his pre-injury form.
Anyway, I didn't mean the Everton comparison to be disparaging. Part of the reason it might seem that way is because during Howard's time there, the Premier League regularly had 4 to 5 elite Champions League teams that finished above them (e.g., Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U, and Liverpool all made the Champions League finals around the time Howard was there, and Man City definitely had the talent to do so as well during his later years there). If they had played in Serie A or the Bundesliga instead, I suspect they would have been able to qualify for the CL at least some of those years, and even make it to the knockout stages, especially if they were drawn into a group with teams from lesser leagues (like Schalke was last year).
He was literally superfluous because they were able to sell him half way through the season and didn't miss him. Would "replacement level" be better? Whatever you call it, he was not important enough to start every game or be kept the whole year.
Again, he was gone long before they came in second. 555 minutes in 11 appearances is Haji Wright at Sandhausen levels of contribution. Roma finished 6th, in 12/13, with Bradley as an actual key contributor with 2,200' and starting 6 of the last 9 games. Know what other team finished 6th in their league in 2012/2013? Everton. But the trivia answer is Pulisic and McKennie?
During Howard's time with Everton, 3 different Italian teams made UCL finls and 3 different English teams made UCL finals.
The discussion is starting to reach MLS, Europe, etc. (pulled from Camp Cupcake 2016 levels. Agree to disagree.
If you want to be pedantic, I was also including Arsenal since they played in the CL finals after Howard was announced as joining Everton on loan. But my point was about the difficulty of a club like Everton breaking into the top 4 during any given season, not the number of good teams total over a span of a decade. In the EPL, and especially during Howard's prime, there were generally always at least 4 teams capable of challenging for a Champions League trophy during any given season. So even when a team like Chelsea or Liverpool struggled during individual seasons, there was usually another top quality club that would take their place. In Serie A, during periods where Milan or Inter have struggled (extended periods at that), clubs like Lazio, Fiorentina, Udinese, and Sampdoria have finished top 4. All solid clubs, but not ones with any serious CL trophy ambitions. And yes, I agree we're getting off topic, so this will be my last post on the subject here.
Announced? LOL. The discussion has cratered. There's just too much spin when folks don't have a point to make. Bottom line. McKennie is a very good young player. He's a starter on a mid-table team. But no big teams are being linked with him. That should tell you something. He has some things to work on. I'm sure he'll get there. Bradley secured a move to a team that would finish 2nd in Serie A. Again, how many Americans have been regulars on a team that finished 2nd in a Top-5 league? You want to claim he was 'superfluous'? OK, how many Americans have been able to get 'superfluous league minutes' on a team that finished second in a Top-5 league?
Ugh, I know I said that would be my last, but... Me: Everton was a quality club that never got to play in the CL because there were generally always 4 elite CL clubs above them, including 4 teams who made the CL finals "around the time" Howard was there. You: Aha, there were only 3 teams that made the CL finals while he was there. Me: Yes, one of them made the final a couple months before he arrived. You: Checkmate!
Speaking challengers for Weston, Vassilev and Otasowie could get additional league minutes next season. 15 y/o striker, Malick Sanogo, is still interested in playing for the US. Kid is already 6 feet tall and has a solid physique.
Liverpool was linked to have some interest in him also noted sources later said not at this moment. Rumors are always just rumors until something is official. I wouldn’t put much stock into it either way.
Fungible would be fair. Anybody that starts half the games he is healthy is a regular in my opinion. Teams competing in that many games count on more than 11 guys. An 8 million dollar offer for your 4th central midfielder probably gets you off of most teams.
Great place to leave it. Not really that important. I remember a US v Italy friendly in 2013 and Bradley was awesome. He was so technical on the ball, dribbling through and around guys, finding good passes, being the metronome. Different player than against Slovenia in 2010 (another great game by him). More mature, more Italian, less bull in a china shop. I've never seen that Bradley again. He was spectacular that night.
Does anybody know what escape clause Sargent may have if Bremen go down (which they surely will)? If I had a choice between Burgstaller (Schalke) or Sargent, I would take Sargent. The problem would be what contractual option Sargent has if Bremen don't want to sell (at a reasonable price). I think I'd rather see him in Belgium or Holland than BL2. Gent will probably sell Jonathan David (born in Brooklyn, b.t.w.).
No idea if they have anything and doubt it would be reported. Hope does and I agree Belgium or Holland would be great. There’s def teams with interest tho which is good and I suspect they won’t stand in his way considering they have a few young strikers.