Miazga is also a leader, which is important on a squad of pups. He's an in your face Concacaf guy. I take him over McKenzie this cycle at least.
He was the shield in that U20 WC where we came one well taken penalty away from beating the eventual champions in the Quarterfinals. He's one of the few prime age players that's always been reasonably good for this cycle (and in retrospect, I would've preferred him vs Omar in that Couva clincher four years ago). He never developed into the talent I thought he might, in retrospect, a little too limited athletically and technically, but he's still a solid traditional old school CB, and fits in just fine in a group of five.
He's just not a top 5 CB in the pool right now. I'd take five guys over him, so I wouldn't call him in. He's playing like ----. He isn't garbage, he just isn't playing well. I get that JAB isn't either, but he's also a decade into his career of ups and downs and I flat out trust him in home and comfy games much much more than I trust McKenzie. Richards is and always was better than McKenzie, period, and Robinson and Miazga are playing better too, so for now McKenzie's odd man out. If he turns it around as winter sets in, I'll consider him in January or Feb, I'm definitely not taking him in November.
Dropping a couple of stones could help CCV's career. I hope CP is on the renewals list. “Untouchable”. This is how Chelsea board and Thomas Tuchel consider Mason Mount, it’s hattrick time today. 🔵⭐️ #CFCHis contract [2024] will be discussed again soon. Mount is in ‘renewals list’ with many other players - it will take some time. #Mount pic.twitter.com/c9beQO9Ck1— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 23, 2021
Looks like Reynolds is 100% out at Roma. Jose is looking to unload. Lukaku. DeBruyne. Salah. Bonucci. It's not a death knell to leave Mouriinho. Cannon got the start at right mid. Europe is turning our rightbacks!
I think Newcastle is going to make some Big Dick moves for players on both Chelsea, Man U, and Man City on the fringes. Guys like Raheem Sterling, Donny Van De Beek, and yes.......Christian Pulisic are gonna come to mind this winter.
I feel like Chelsea is going to want to recoup what they paid for him and that's going to be more than what Newcastle wants to pay. They have about $200 million to spend and need help everywhere.
"Unreasonable people complain that Gregg hasn't called up Joe Scally but he's barely even played professional soccer" Joe Scally: Lots of guys some people have been fine with not being called in making the top 10... 1. Scally 3. Busio 6. Richards 7. Konrad 8. Miazga (yes I did leave off 9. Sargent 10. Green just because I agree with those, what of it?) Meanwhile some other people just love dudes in that 90 minute range, Steffen, Hoppe...
Some of these players were making their moves to their new clubs during the September window, but generally I think most if the players you listed will be called in November, if Miazga has passed McKenzie. Scally probably passes Moore and comes as backup at RB/LB. Cannon and Vines getting healthy and playing will make things interesting though. Konrad might depend on whether Pulisic recovers. Worth noting all these players other than Scally have been called up by Gregg....
Anything happen between September and November? Oh what happened with Konrad the last time Pulisic was out? Never said the others had never been called up before...
Okay so just not any of the guys currently 1-7-8-9-10 in total minutes in top 5 leagues... seems totally normal!
It's been litigated over and over, but you said already you agree with leaving Sargent and Green, so it seems you agree that not all top 5 minutes are created equal 1) these are Scally's only professional minutes, so he could have only reasonably been called in October, but if he was going to be the backup to Dest/Robinson it's probable that BMG requested he stay because he is practically their only fit fullback. I hope he gets called this time. 2) Miazga and Konrad both play very specific roles for their clubs and those roles are different than how we would ask them to play. Miazga's team plays out of a bunker and Konrad doesn't play defense in Marseille's system. They can both be useful and should get called on again, I hope they do. November would be good because you might actually get to train as a team instead of a 3 game window. It's a good thing that we can bring in players depending on the match up instead of anyone with a pulse and 100 mins in Europe, this is progress.
The whole Scally argument is silly. 810 minutes means what............9 games? 9 professional games. And when Berhalter was choosing rosters for his previous WCQing windows..........................it was obviously less than 9 professional games. They could be counted on one hand. Joe Scally will be called in. Such a mindless argument. Berhalter has already started three 18 year olds in WCQers over the last two windows. Pepi, Musah, and Reyna. I actually think part of the issue here is that our USMNT roster was so young (average age 22 against Costa Rica), that Gregg called in some veterans to balance the squad. Guys who had been on trips to difficult road WCQers in the past. BY the way, I actually think its fine to watch Konrad de la Fuente right now and think he's not ready for the national team. He seems very raw. Just because a player is getting minutes in a top 5 league doesn't mean he's ready to be called up to a WCQer.
No way to guarentee that Scally will be called in. GGG is as random as they come in regards to team selection.
This is key. Without knowing any conversations between BMG and GB it's all guesswork on why he wasn't called in. He was also rested by BMG right after that. So ... he's playing great but doesn't have many first division games, is one of BMG's healthy outside backs and the biggest reason he has so many games so quickly, he may have been tired and as we've seen with Cowell and Clark players that age do get worn out. Could add that maybe adding one 18 year old per window is the the max that Berhalter is willing to do. So Reyna then Pepi then Musah and next Scally? I'd say he has deserved to be called up and the next window should but if he's playing this good and doesn't by January window then I'll join in the pitchfork group as the current possible reasonable excuses will be gone by then.
I'm not sure if we posted this. Luca de la Torre from this past weekend. Unfortunately his team lost again. This dribble, drive, and pass sequence from Luca de la Torre is so, so good. I’m legitimately shook. https://t.co/KgBQ1hBDqk— Joseph Lowery (@joeclowery) October 26, 2021
Or maybe the fact that Julian Green has more minutes than Tyler Adams might mean that "total minutes this season in a Top 5 league" is a dumb stat to be using? But yes, please get yourself worked up over it like a four year old.
If Chelsea's waiting for that, they're going to keep waiting. I just can't see a team paying upwards of GBP 50M for Pulisic given his injury history right now. Newcastle would be interesting given everything occurring there. Personally, I've long said that Leicester is a spot that I think would be a great fit for Pulisic. Europe-level team where I think he would be a real focal point. Rodgers likes playing more direct and doesn't mind playing counter-attacking soccer. I feel like that type of team is one where Pulisic (if healthy, of course) would be a player that Leicester would feel like they could build around him.
Looks like Busio will be playing the 6 today. With the other mids fairly attacking minded. Should be interesting. Venezia are at home against the last place team in Serie A. This would be the one match to try this kind of attacking minded midfield. The last few matches they've used Vaca or Ampadu as the 6, or gone to a double pivot. Vaca is out injured and Ampadu starts on the bench. Gets even more interesting. Salernitana starts the 38 year old Franck Ribery at attacking mid. Will be interesting to see how the kid handles the old fox.