27-man roster for June matches

I still suspect that this is some sort of “quiet the critics“ call up. It will be interesting to see if Scally gets a start in a game that counts for something.

 

This is a frustratingly right-footed team. Zero effective width on the left side (can't trust Bello), if ARob goes down. Which keeps him in the running for MVP, in spite of being a fb.

You could have made a case for all of Pomykal, Sonora, & Paredes on this roster. And that would have bolstered left-sided width options, if 1 or more performed. Instead none comes, so our situation remains very tenuous.

 

Other than being slightly faster, I don’t see a single thing that PA does better than Sarge, and several things that Sarge does better than PA. But if the press is everything, as it appears to be, then I suppose there’s a logic to it.

 

Well as you noted later, Vazquez did later. But I noticed the same on the other three, which given the number of players who were mentioned, that they seem out of the picture till at least January. Sonora too. Ebobisse seems like he'd switch to Cameroon at this point if they give him a legit opportunity.

And I hope Gomez is with the US U20s and not with Mexico.

 

i’m not sure I actually believe that you can’t imagine what I’m getting out here. If I told you 2+2=5, would you challenge that? If I offered you implausible and contradictory explanations for something, why wouldn’t you question that? It’s your job, after all.

 

I think this is Bello's make or break shot for a hail mary ticket to Qatar. Not a bad way to test him then rolling him out there against Uruguay and Morocco. It aint going to get easier at the WC.

Personally, I don't think he makes it, sometimes it takes a long time for these well thought of prospects to cook, and other times they stall out. I hope I'm wrong, I don't want Dest at LB, but I want Bello there far less still unless he can clean up his game a ton.

 

Lletget was not useless but there were always better/more interesting options, including Roldan and Williamson. But ultimately the move to Musah happened. Maybe not as fast as we wanted, but it did happen. It was inevitable.

 

I hope he gets one of the games other than Grenada.

 

But a press conference with Berhalter is not how you do that. If you ask him a question and he gives you an answer, you can't just keep asking it over and over until you get a different answer. And if you think there is actually something else going on, you have to do actual reporting to try and figure out if there is. And the parties involved have to be willing to talk even if it's on background or off the record. I doubt Brooks would want to for instance.

 

I can't buy Roldan there, just not remotely enough production to justify it, and he's been invisible so often I just can't see the waste of roster space on that. Apparently he's a glue guy though, and as a young vet w/more years in the program then most, if he doesn't make it, he'll be a last cut. As for Arriola, I think Berhalter takes one less striker if necessary to insure that he can bring him along w/the top four wing forwards. Only way that doesn't happen is if one of the big four is out injured and/or Arriola himself is injured, otherwise he's the 5th and in (or 4th and in if a guy is hurt).

 

This is not a fair take. Scally is on the roster, going to be at an approximately three week camp, and will almost certainly get minutes over the four games. It's a great chance for Scally to make his case to be on the roster.

 

Sarge was and is tactically naive, he is playing like he is still 18. When (if) he is able to figure out what's hapenning on the field he will be a good player.

 

I may be the last poster around here who believes this, but I think Brooks will be on the World Cup roster.

 

I expect Scally to get a start in one of the non-Grenada matches. Probably Bello too. These guys need to be tested.

 

I would’ve had many people on the depth chart between he and Roldan, but that’s all moot now

 

He doesn't endear himself to Berhalter like Arriola does, and to be fair, there's definitely a sense that like with Roldan, Arriola is a big time glue guy/locker room guy. I also think he's much better with his runs/spatial awareness than Sargent, I just think his finishing is trash, could be a touch more clean with his feet as well, but Arriola's ticket is about defensive metal, energizer bunny approach, and ability to find and then waste boundless opportunities (until that gorgeous header against Panama, had no idea he had that in him).

 

You have ascribed motives to all of the parties involved that lead inexorably to the conclusion you draw. Which is fine, for you. But others don’t have to accept the way you fill in the blanks.

 

Well Bello went from good in the fall to completely dropped by Venezia by March

 

Once again, I reject your definition of the situation and your policing of others “takes.” I voiced a suspicion, and you have disagreed with it. But you have not defined it as unreasonable, as you seek to do.

We seem to be repeating ourselves over and over in this thread. You keep defining the boundaries of reasonableness in where is that begin and end with your opinions, and I keep challenging that. I think probably the best way to end the cycles for me to put you on ignore.

 

So guys who are out with injury are Dest, Richards, Robinson, Reyna, Pefok, Dike, and Sargent.

And then given time to rest were Pepi, Ledezma, Busio, and Sands

 

Yeah, Arriola knows the exact movement Berhalter wants from wingers in his system. It's why he gets in position to flub so many chances, but at least he consistently gets there. And he works his butt off pressing and defending.

 

I am totally fine with having Paul on the team, he's actually been performing in MLS quite well and he's clearly a strong locker room guy. I think my issue is....I worry that he's going to play 150 minutes in the World Cup, which would be suboptimal.

 

He is also playing well with Jesus.

 

I'm just curious what specifically you would actually do differently if you were in the position of the US Soccer press corps?