And Sterling is injured. Toney as #3 scorer in EPL may not get any minutes. Foden as good as him, may not get any minutes. Right now, probably only Haaland (if he choose) can break in.
The reporting from several months ago was the same as what herc was saying. I can't link where I saw it from because I can't remember where I came across it (probably some twitter linked story), but the gist was the exact same: that they handed him the paperwork essentially when he was getting on a bus for a game or something of that sort and acted like it was a formality and got super pissed when he decided he wanted to go over it, and not sign immediately. They've basically mixed heavy handedness w/like a pile of predatory cap tyings where they got guys signature and then essentially ignored them. It's like what, 4 or 5 of them now? Only Araujo seems likely to break through. Ochoa looks particularly stupid in retrospect. Part of his frustration was not getting a start in our June NL window in '21, and since Mexico nabbed his one time switch he's basically been ignored for 18 months. W/us he was in the top 3 or 4 for a major window 17 months away from the World Cup, w/them he hasn't been able to buy a look. If we can get regular playing time for more dual nats, the difference between our guys and theirs are treating will only become more stark.
If Heidenheim get promoted shouldn’t we take a look at Lennard Maloney? Just to remind USMNT fans that Lennard Maloney is eligible for the USMNT and has started 23 out of 25 games in the 2. Bundesliga for Heidenheim, who are strong contenders for promotion to the Bundesliga. Maloney has previous said he would love to be selected to the USMNT. https://t.co/2yEZd4Dpn3 pic.twitter.com/lkrAfIuBnx— USMNT Otaku 🇺🇸 (@USMNTOtaku) March 18, 2023 We could also use depth at the 6 No, he’s 23 years old and will be turning 24 on October 8. As for position, he used to be a CB, but he’s been converted to a 6 this season. According to Transfermarket, he has played 15 games as a 6. pic.twitter.com/mdeRbjQwXY— USMNT Otaku 🇺🇸 (@USMNTOtaku) March 18, 2023
Mikey Varas interview: http://www.americansoccernow.com/ar...r-pool-and-challenges-of-the-world-cup-roster On Cremaschi and Koleosho... ASN: There are two players eligible for your team who have had serious interest from other national teams. Inter Miami's Benjamin Cremaschi was with your team last year and then played for Argentina's U-20 team in December. Then Espanyol winger Luca Koleosho has spent time with various U.S. youth teams but is now in camp with Italy's U-18 team. Can you tell us what the latest is, on your end, with these players. Varas: They're both two very talented players. We'll start with Benja. He is a 2005. I've let him know that in the next cycle, he's a very, very important player for our u-20's. For this cycle, he still has an opportunity to play his way in. That'll depend on these next few months. A lot can change with players in terms of playing time at a first team level and how they adapt to that. We can't forget that we invited Benja into a U-20 camp already. We invited him in before Argentina did, and that was a camp that we did side by side with the men's national team. I think Benja is pretty clear on how we value him and how we see him for our future. I know our U-19 coach Marco has done an incredible job of communicating with the family and also letting them know. So, Benja is someone for the future. He still has a chance now, but we have to take that step by step at the moment. Then with Luca, it's a different story. Luca has decided to play with Italy. I feel really good about the process that we went through to make sure that Luca understood how we value him and how badly we wanted him in our program. Everyone from talent ID to federation leadership to senior men's national team was involved in multiple calls with him and his family. And we laid out our process and our plan for him. And unfortunately, he decided to play with Italy in the current moment. And that's a choice that we have to respect because it's a choice he made. At the end of the day, we want players in this process who are all in and want to play for the United States. It's an incredible honor to play for your country. And it's something that I personally reflect on every day. And every time you put on this crest, it could be my last moment. And when it is my last moment, I'm going to have no regrets because it's such an honor and responsibility. And so right now it's about turning the page on that and just focusing on all the guys who are ready to give their blood, sweat and tears to make our country proud.
Ochoa has not delivered at the club level, it's pretty disappointing he had the chips to breakout and become a force to be reckon with on either NT but he just isn't delivering. Off the field he has some maturing to do as well.
He definitely seemed like a very big loss at the time, but he’s since had some setbacks. Feels like he would have been better off staying at DC United where he’d probably be the starter. He’s still fairly young and goalie is a later developing position so who knows what might happen in the future.
I don't know with Ochoa. He was a product of Berhalter trying to find SOME young keeper to call up and develop. But his performance level never warranted it. He wasn't performing in MLS at the level of Slonina, for instance. The biggest dual-nat loss to Mexico was probably Araujo, but we have Dest, Scally, etc. Seems like a player that can get caps for both the US and Mexico, but perhaps not at major events. Zendejas probably the same.
The good thing for him is that goalies have a long time horizon in terms of utility as professionals, even if it takes him a while, he's still only 22, he could play for another 15 years if he can put it all together,and have national team relevance from '26-'34, it all depends. I do like that the new coach seems to want to clean things up a bit. Tata seemed overall all of it by '21-'22.
The problem is his discipline not his capacity to start. If he had better discipline and commitment he'd be starting for San Luis and getting called up already but he has a lot of maturing to do.
Maturity is definitely an issue, but he's 22 and plays a position where guys seem to develop later. Things aren't going well for him at current, but I wouldn't write him off either. Though the most concerning thing he's probably said was when he said that he preferred to make the flashy saves as opposed to learning the actual fundamentals of goaltending. I'm paraphrasing his exact quote but that was definitely gist.
That's the issue with Mexicans that go abroad. They either have the wrong mindset, too old (24-26) yes they can improve but an 18-year-old can improve better, some of them have a big ego for no reason aka Diego Lainez. Yes, I know he is young but clubs know him now. This is where MLS does right which is rare. Players like jack Mize and many more go abroad at a young age.
I don’t know why Diego Lainez didn’t stick in Europe but I don’t think that’s something you can generalize about all Mexicans who go to Europe. The main issue in the Mexico development pipeline is not enough opportunities for young players in Liga MX and Mexican teams being reluctant to sell guys abroad or the Liga MX market overvaluing them relative worth on the transfer market.
Squeeky bum time. Cuz Balogun must be "next man up." I'm in a constant state of waiting for the axe to fall on Balogun. It's always seemed like an upset to get him. Still................the vigil will remain until we're out of the running. Marcus Rashford will not be part of the England squad for Euro Championship qualifying campaign later this week as “Man United striker has had to pull out through injury”. 🚨⚪️🏴 #MUFCRashford suffered a knock vs Fulham and will miss the England games. pic.twitter.com/wPjfVccLSn— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 20, 2023
May lose Sanogo. He seemed to lose his place with USYNTs after making the first U20 camps of the cycle. Malick Sanogo is named to Germany U19 for Euro qualifiers. Apparently he will initially just train. If he plays then he will be provisionally cap-tied. Might face Koleosho.He was previously with the USYNT but did not impress yet. Currently leads the U19 Bundesliga in scoring. https://t.co/QLxEbjDDpf— ChuckMe92 Soccer (@ChuckMe92Soccer) March 19, 2023
Diego had to find minutes on whatever team but this does not look too good on him and Liga MX. Do you think this could change?
Diego Lainez did poorly in Europe, but plenty of Mexican players do well when they go over there. Look at someone like Santi Gimenez or Edson Alvarez. It's not really that useful to generalize off the experience of one player. Similarly not every MLS player that goes over to Europe does well there. Look at James Sands or Cole Bassett recently.
Unless we hear something differently I'd assume so. An update to Lee Carsley's #YoungLions squad as Nathan Wood is called up, while Folarin Balogun and Jarrad Branthwaite withdraw through injury.— England (@England) March 21, 2023
What rumors? But I'm old enough to remember Neven Subotic declining a Bob Bradley callup circa 2008 due to injury. And next thing we know he's suiting up for Serbia. So maybe there's a little fire to this smoke. Or -- maybe this cigar is just a cigar.
I’ve heard rumors that balogun will be joining the #USMNT in Orlando , not sure if true but big news if he does— Edgar Moreno 🇺🇸🇲🇽 (@ConcacafEdgar) March 21, 2023 An update to Lee Carsley's #YoungLions squad as Nathan Wood is called up, while Folarin Balogun and Jarrad Branthwaite withdraw through injury.— England (@England) March 21, 2023 View the comments below this, it's silly rumors which I hope turn out to be reality. He was perfectly fine during the Reims match where he scored the lone goal in the 2-1 loss.
"Injury" is notorious for "I'm switching but I'm not ready to announce it" or "I want to avoid a cap-tie." The thing is he can't switch without telling the FA, because he needs to get his youth playing record from them to submit.