It's not that crazy that they are that close in value. Devyne Rensch has still played not that many games for Ajax. Indeed Scally has played more minutes in the Bundesliga that Rensch has over two season in the Eredivisie. Both are young prospects. Rensch is the better one, but the difference isn't that dramatic.
There are MLS snubs too. This isn't a Euro vs MLS thing. It is a "Group" that Berhalter does not like to break up. Certain players don't play that much but are also un-droppable. He has wanted to close the roster and drill his complicated system since Day 1 and he has been forced to make changes reluctantly. Arena similarly called in MLS guys, but also left guys playing better in the league out. In 2017 the best GK was Melia, the best CB was Opara, the assist leader Klesjtan, the goal scorer was CJ Sapong. Not one of them was involved with the USMNT. Right now, the best AM in MLS, that is American, is Djorde. He is playing better than Roldan or Lletget, eye test and statistically. He is still not an elite MLS player, there are much better foreign players at his position. But that is a reason not to include him over non-MLS players. It is not a reason to include inferior players in MLS over him. Pepi was the top American goal scorer in MLS, but of course, he was benched for Zardes in 2 of the last 3 games. White, Sapong, Picault all scored more than Zardes. Not one even gets into Camp Candycane or Cupcake. NT coaches all over the world pick the wrong players probably. But I don't think it is just selection issues with Gregg. It is this "nerve wracking"-ly complex system he is trying to run just doesn't let him pick the most in form players from anywhere they might be. One way around this would have been to have all the YNTs playing the same way. Then there are more possible camps and more players being drilled in this ridiculously complicated system. But that still hasn't been done. For example, Kreis and Berhalter barely got along and hardly interacted at all according to Williamson. Of course, all the other programs were mothballed by Earnie even before Covid and then long after. But even now the U20s are not playing with the complicated reads Berhalter is making the senior team play with. Probably because they want to keep their player pool flexible and changeable.
But Mihailovic was one of those guys who was in that first camp learning the system literally "from day 1." His form wasn't all that good for much of 2019 and 2020. 2021 was a different story, and I'd bet a lot of money that he is back on the radar. It would be chaotic if a coach simply called in the guys who were currently in the best form for every camp. At a certain point, you have to build a team. How would Williamson know that Berhalter and Kreis barely talked? The system that Kreis used in Olympic qualifying looked similar to how Berhalter's teams have played. The U20s are also playing a similar way by the looks of it. Both of those teams were definitely playing the same formation as the senior squad with intentional build out patterns. I'm not sure if their pressing cues and rotations were exactly the same, but I don't see how you can make such an accusation of a disconnected organization like you did.
What are you talking about? You know WCQ for the 2018 was over in October of 2017, right? There was a game in late 2017 that didn't include Klinsmann, Arena, Bradley, and Pulisic that included Adams and Mckennie. I am pretty sure that many thought Adams was our best and most consistent player in 2018. When you throw in your straw man that all the players were 15 make it pretty hard to figure out how to engage with you. I dont know, but you may be onto something the ide that time to get players together and letting a coach work with them might just be over rated.
Adams was with McKennie and Pulisic as the most ready of our young players at that time. Those guys are also the older players of our young generation that is so talented. He was then hurt for a significant part of the next couple of years. It was nice for those guys to get a little bit of international experience in 2018, but it was MUCH more important for them to be focused on club success at that time. There weren't any international games that really mattered for years and that's not where their development was occurring, anyway. Busio and de la Torre were completely undeserving of callups at that time even though that was your suggestion up thread. Indeed, Busio was 15/16 and de la Torre was in the youth ranks at Fulham. Who else are you calling for that Berhalter should have integrated earlier?
This is why these discussions are so frustrating and go nowhere. This all started with me intentionally staying away from listing specific players and trying to focus on the patterns I have noticed and what principles I would have followed to make it different. This post was 6 paragraphs and I ended it with... "This is longer than intended but in no way intended to be a complete answer." I was met with the excuse that often comes up that we are arguing about fringe players who don't play much. I show that isn't actually true, the players played significant minutes in WCQ that included losing points, suggested a player who has actually played well for us get more minutes, and where they could have come from. It seems so obvious and relevant to me that I see no reason for more than that "half hearted call". Maybe that is what people are struggling with. I am not like the usual crazies on here who demand a player start for the national team because they have had a few decent games in MLS. I have simply been stating that there are plenty of guys who are at the level or most likely better than the guys consistently called in and played and those guys should be actively in the pool. Without writing and exhaustive dissertation, my comments, some of which I struggle how someone who truly wants this team to succeed would object, are simply dismissed. I have included my thoughts on who else should be included in real time and have resited doing it because I don't see this as a player x over player y type of debate. So I dont waste my time, how many suggestions s do you want? What decisions has Berhalter made that make you think he has a god handle of this pool? Is your trust of him just blind or have you seen him make selections that were clearly right down the road? How do you explain all the guys he has played over and over and then ultimate failing so bad that he had no choice to drop them?
I again don't really understand what you are talking about. We went from JK, BA, etc and Mckennie/Adams shouldn't play, to the played but it didn't matter. Those two are irrelevant to the discussion about Berhalter as they were tow of the few that were included in that first camp. Strawman!!! I forgot to answer your question... Who was supposed to play instead of those "sub par players?" The answer is easy. Anybody else would do, but more clearly, whoever was next on the depth chart. You have made it clear that you don't think time matters, but to me and most others, we understand that international teams have very little time together, so don't waste any of it on players that aren't going to help. Go find better options.
Are you insane? Do you know how long ago 2018 was? He literally played in a handful of friendlies. He also gave away the goal that knocked the Red Bulls out of the Champions League. Apparently you are. See your post on Tyler Adams above.
You can't even give one good example of a player who should have been integrated sooner than he was...... Yet, you claim there is a big issue with exactly that and even claim that answers are obvious and plentiful.
Agree completely. The idea that criticism must be discredited with appeals to authority or other nonsubstantive rejoinders is one thing. But for those doing it to b*tch about the "tone of discussions" is ridiculous. The last few days have been all about characterizing opposing views as ridiculous, misinformed, ignorant etc. It's disagreement. It shouldn't implicate anyone's ego to the point where they feel compelled to attack the speaker rather than the idea.
Can you read and follow along? You think someone who says what he thought other people thought would be insane? 2018 was like 3 to 8 years ago. Why does that matter? He won this US Mens player of the year fan vote and came in second in the official vote to Steffen 44% to 38% of the vote. https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/u...-nominees-adams-mckennie-steffen-trapp-miazga What does that have to do with 2018?
At the start of 2018, at 18 y.o. he was the very definition of someone who was included "because they have had a few decent games in MLS". By the end of 2018 he was fully integrated and has played in every competitive match since when he's been fit and available.
The weird part is claiming that there is a list of players that Berhalter is excluding and then refusing to give any examples when asked for clarification. You keep giving non answers while trying to maintain your position, which has been clearly shown to be off base.
Did someone say "Williamson knows all about pressing"? What I said is "Williamson is very familiar with tactical pressure cues." In fact anyone who watches Portland can see that and the player himself has said as much. Why is the conversation on GB's scheme just around the high press, that seems like a bit of a red herring? The very first public questioning that GB's scheme was inappropriate for an international squad came from Cannon's manager after Cannon did not get a single minute during GB's first camp. There was no attempt by GB at deploying any pressure scheme at that point in time. That manager was the most recent assistant hired by GB so hopefully they came to a meeting of the minds.
The conversation is around pressing because there are two quotes by different players on pressing. And yes, I know the press is pretty new for the team.
Since we are still talking about pressing, I will add a few thoughts. Imo, there are two broad possibilities: 1) the players on the field at any point in time, generally understand and are executing the press. Or 2) at any given time, a significant number (or most) do not completely understand and are not completely or properly executing the press imo, the press has been the least of our worries. If the first option is true, I would expect marginal improvement from the press as the team has even more experience with it. If the second is true, I would say there is potential for immense improvement as the players improve their understanding. either way, saying something is difficult does not, by itself, imply any of the following: it is impossible, it is or is not worthwhile to pursue, or that decisions are being made solely upon that criteria
I think most of the critics aren’t anti-pressing. They are against a decision process that elevates the ability to press to such a high importance that it acts as a barrier to entry to some of our better players. Perhaps it then irritates GB defenders that civilians are second guessing GB. and eventually it leads to all kinds of mental gymnastics that convince posters here that some American players that the market values very, very highly are in fact scrubs. Silliness.
FWIW, I didn't take it that way. I never assumed that you were against pressing, per se, just that you believed Berhalter's plan was too complicated AND that some players had been excluded due to their inability to grasp the scheme. I don't have a problem at all with your opinion that it is too complicated (I don't have a strong enough opinion on that). I do disagree on your opinion but it has been a significant barrier to the point that top players have been excluded solely on that criteria but that's fine. We can disagree. One of us MAY be ight....or not.