So begins the great 2026 center back battle: so let it be written, so let it be done

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by OWN(yewu)ED, Dec 7, 2022.

  1. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    MRob, Richards getting healthy. Trusty gatecrashing the championship. Can Sands take the Tim Ream route? What about EPB? Can McKenzie get better? Can Elliot get naturalized?

    And I think we all learned our lesson not to write off elder statesmen whether it’s Zimmerman, Long, even Tim Parker. Tim Ream illustrated to us all you don’t even write off the 30 year olds. Center beck is just different. Hell, did Tim Ream find the zlatan ibrahimovic juice?
     
  2. QuakeAttack

    QuakeAttack Member+

    Apr 10, 2002
    California - Bay Area
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hopefully we will do better than Spain having a midfielder play central defender. The good news is that the pool is relatively young and has time to improve.
     
  3. JUnionFan

    JUnionFan Member+

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Sep 30, 2020
    Just looking at the pure club situation for all of them, I think McKenzie, EPB and Trusty all have real good shots.

    They still need to continue to grow, but all 3 are locked in starters for their teams in very respectable leagues.

    For McKenzie, Genk specifically is running away with the Belgium league and would be in line for European games next season.

    Richards obviously has the blue chip label, but he is still a backup and needs to really establish himself.

    As for everyone else, I'd say the above four names all play in better leagues than MLS so the MLS guys are behind the curve. MRob obviously gets the inside track based on WCQ but 1) he needs to come back from a big injury and 2) needs to continue performing at a high level in MLS or move to bigger league to continue to grow.
     
  4. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Miles getting back to pre injury would be massive. Potential CB1 massive
     
  5. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    John Brooks is the next Tim Ream

    y'all heard it here first
     
    sXeWesley, kennytt, dark knight and 7 others repped this.
  6. TrustingtheProcess

    Philadelphia Union
    United States
    Jun 11, 2021
    Philadelphia, USA
    Agree it would be big. I know Achilles aren't the career death sentences they used to be but it is still a really long way back, especially for someone like MRob that relies on athleticism, much like Long.

    Would love to see it but not expecting to.
     
    gomichigan24 repped this.
  7. theboogeyman

    theboogeyman Member+

    Jun 21, 2010
    I think Richards and MRob could be a great pairing IF they’re both healthy and playing at their full potential.

    I’m not really too confident about the guys after that, but I imagine 1-2 will step their games up in the next few years. I think McKenzie has a ton of potential, but the mental errors are absolute killers for a center back.
     
  8. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Erik Palmer Brown.
     
  9. FlipsLikeAPancake

    Jul 6, 2010
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Incredible that Ream ended up being our top guy and that I’m worried about replacing him.

    A healthy Miles and Richards I think would have the pole positions…but they aren’t healthy.

    Also in 2018 I would’ve bet money that Brooks and Miazga would end up as the starting pair, which ended up completely wrong, so what do I know anyway.

    It’s definitely the position where I expect to see the most experimentation. Zimmerman, Richards, Long, Miazga, Robinson, CCV, Palmer-Brown, McKenzie, Sands and Brooks are all numerously capped players that if healthy and in form could potentially be factors, though most do not excite me.

    Among uncapped guys, Trusty is doing well in the championship. Che hasn’t broke through on the Bayern to Hoffenheim loanee path as quickly as Richards did, but he is younger. I am sure there are names who will end up factoring in that I am omitting. Lot of uncertainty.
     
    Boysinblue repped this.
  10. Kirium

    Kirium Member

    Jun 18, 2007
    Edmond, OK
    ages for 2026 WC

    Miles Robinson 29
    Chris Richards 26
    Erik Palmer Brown 29
    Mark McKenzie 27
    Cameron Carter Vickers 28
    Auston Trusty 28
    James Sands 26
    Bryan Okoh (if we get) 24
    Kobi Henry 22
    Grayson Dettoni 21
    Owen Otasowie 25

    Just some of the guys I can think of

    I know there's a dozen more that are young playing in MLS or abroad. Surely, a few of these would be ready or continue to increase their level of play by 2026.

    Zimmerman will be 33
    Brooks will be 33 as well, maybe he'll get his form back and figure out whatever is going on.
     
  11. dspence2311

    dspence2311 Member+

    Oct 14, 2007
    I hope Brooks is allowed to compete for this.
    If Richards can get PT, he is next best in terms of having a decent passer in the CB pairing (Which should be a priority)
    I assume Robinson has the inside lane on the other CB spot, Zimm #2.
    Every time I watch trustees playing with my own eyes he underwhelms. But so many people seem enthusiastic about him that I must be seeing an unrepresentative sample.
     
  12. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    There's no reason he can't be. He isn't young, but he isn't ancient, and he didn't take the golden parachute to go play in Saudi Arabia (in which case I'd say, "Nah, stick a fork in him, because he isn't coming back now..."). Four years is a long time. Things happen. Player pools evolve. Tactics shift. Form and health goes up and down...

    He's not the front-runner or even in the top 4 this time, though, like he was at the beginning of this cycle. But neither was Tim Ream. Or, at very least, Ream was at best #4.
     
    gogorath and tomásbernal repped this.
  13. gomichigan24

    gomichigan24 Member+

    Jul 15, 2002
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I just want to see him move to a club where he can get some regular playing time for now.
     
    Winoman repped this.
  14. Marko72

    Marko72 Member+

    Aug 30, 2005
    New York
    Yeah. Five matches and 233 minutes in all competitions according to Transfermarkt. Definitely not "regular" playing time, but it could be much worse.
     
    gomichigan24 repped this.
  15. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    He's just saving his legs for 2026
     
    kennytt repped this.
  16. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Mostly in cup matches vs 2nd and 3rd tier. Contract expires in June so needs to get himself visible to potential clubs he can land at.
     
  17. asoc

    asoc Member+

    Sep 28, 2007
    Tacoma
    Jackson Ragan with the Sounders could be a decent shout for a long shot.

    24 years old. 6'6". Good distribution from the CB position. Solid in the air. Aggressive, needs to rein that in a little to avoid the occasional bad card. Suspect he is close to a starting spot, he had 14 starts in 2022. Could see him blowing up in the next 2-3 years.
     
  18. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ragen is already 24, not yet a starter in MLS, could blow up in 2-3 years so at age 26-27... yeah a long shot.

    Depth in the player pool is always good just in case guys do break out. Who are other long shot CBs from MLS?
    Maybe Jon Bell (25) who just went from the Revs to St Louis...
    Atlanta's George Campbell is only 21
    Chicago's Mauricio Pineda is 25
    Colorado's Aboubacar Keita is 22, is he better now?
    DC's Donovan Pines is 24, not sure we want to see more of that...
    Revs' Henry Kessler is 24, and seems like the NT floor for us, which is a decent floor
    Philly's Nathan Harriel is 21
    RSL's Justen Glad is still only 25, seems like another floor guy

    What do we know about 18 year old Orlando City homegrown Thomas Williams, I see he's 6'3...

    (too bad Mamadou Fall isn't American)
     
  19. dspence2311

    dspence2311 Member+

    Oct 14, 2007
    I don’t apply the same age criteria to CBs as other outfield positions. They can keep improving for longer, I think.
     
  20. no exit

    no exit Member+

    DC United
    United States
    Nov 20, 2019
    As long as we're talking longlist, don't think the Jack Elliott shout is crazy.
     
    Mr Martin and Boysinblue repped this.
  21. dspence2311

    dspence2311 Member+

    Oct 14, 2007
    Wasn’t Justin Che a CB at one point? I see he is not listed as a FB.
     
  22. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Tim Ream finds your lack of faith disturbing.
     
    TOAzer, kennytt, Dervos and 4 others repped this.
  23. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hell I love that. Make one of the kids take his spot when they’re good enough. If that’s two years from the line so be it. Make them earn it
     
    FTGOTC, RossD and Winoman repped this.
  24. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Tim's comments in Doug's column have a little bit of a different tone than that. He's clearly aware that the end is near. :) Still he has no intention of officially retiring from the group.
     
    xbhaskarx and Winoman repped this.
  25. ChrisSSBB

    ChrisSSBB Member+

    Jun 22, 2005
    DE
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    There is really no reason for Ream to say “I’m retired” even if he thinks it likely he’s played his last for NT. It isn’t like he would collect a pension or have a parade if he says the words.
     

Share This Page