I have not paid any attention to the pairings/seedings as this is mostly a throw away tourniquet but it is a little more important than the Gold Cup so I guess I should pay more attention to it. But I have very low expectations at this time. Our previous coaches and the current lack of a head coach makes it quite hard for me to think the USSF takes them seriously at all. And if the USSF does not care, why should I? We "should" completely dominate CONCACRAP but we don't and that is very frustrating for me. I keep expecting every USA men's team to fail over and over and the current car wreck that is the USSF does not make me more confident. Now that I know that I will change what I said a bit: If we lose to Mexico we have failed and if we lose in the finals we have failed. If we win every match we still will not be successful. But winning is not as bad a failure as losing. The attempt to save money by not hiring a head coach is just the latest in the string of failures at the top of the USSF and failing on the field is just another way to fail. The USSF has almost mastered "failing."
Tough crowd. I don't really know what you mean by should. Do you mean with 330 million people we should have better players, or do you mean with these players we should dominate CONCACAF? If it is the former, eh, there's a million and one versions of that argument in here. Knock yourself out -- I would just remind folks that Mexico has like 120M people in Mexico and a culture and interest in the sport far larger than ours. I'm not sure we're ever getting to the point where we actually have the population base invested they do. If it is the latter ... we have two nations with similar talent in Mexico and Canada at this point. Is ours better? Maybe, but not so much that domination should be on the table. This isn't Germany versus Andorra or something, it's like Germany - Switzerland. I don't even really think it is that, but I don't think the talent comes anywhere near expecting domination against Mexico and Canada. It's also soccer. Like, the US spent decades punching above their weight by working hard, playing tough D, and hoping to hit on the counter. We should totally understand how we could hang with a country like Mexico even when they had much more club talent. Let's let our players mature, get experience, and let's watch the cracks in the roster get filled in. We should win far more than we lose, but the idea that we should win every single time, all the time, and with style or by a lot of goals is unrealistic at this point.
That is utter and pure bull shit. I think you are putting way too much on the coach and their plan and nothing on the players to actually play.
I wouldn't hate this roster for Nations League... Here's my 23-man Nations League roster.injured - Adams, Ream, CCV, Malik Tillman pic.twitter.com/uQUFNErizJ— Justin Moran (@kickswish) May 30, 2023 probably Zimmerman over Brooks though
I have been accused of being a bit of a rabble rouser at times and it sounds like I have succeed with ease.
Definitely. We're not mixing up our gameplans, so I don't know who wants a John Brooks who hasn't played for us in over a year to be pressing in space. There's little chance Paredes is there with him at the U20 WC. And I wouldn't take him as a LB for these games if he hasn't played there in months. I'd go Tolkin, who is criminally underhyped. Morris is hurt, otherwise he'd make it for me over one of the backup wingers. I'm pretty sure Zendejas makes the roster. I'd take Malik Tillman over Paxten for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that these are going to be two physical games, I expect. I'd probably take Acosta over Timothy Tillman if he's healthy -- I am not sure Tim has the defensive chops we may need with Tyler out. But I suspect he will be there given the changeover.
Notably Slonina, Parades, and Paxton Aaronson are not on the provisional roster and cannot go to the Nations League.
If Adams is unavailable I’d take Morris over Acosta. Heck even if Adams is on the team I’d take Morris over Acosta.
probably Zimmerman over Brooks though[/QUOTE] Zimmerman has played 3 minutes in the last month due to injury. While I would have him on if healthy, workload says he stays home.
This is the roster I would call GK: Turner, Steffen, Horvath LB: Jedi, Tolkin RB: Dest, Scally CB: Richards, Robinson, Zimmerman, Trusty DM: Acosta, Sands CM: McKennie, Musah, LDLT, Tillman, Morris WF: Pulisic, Weah, Reyna, Aaronson FW: Pepi, Balogun And if Adams is close I bring him and maybe use him similarly to how he was used in the 2021 Nations League. We can take more than 23 as well and dress different guys for different games. The roster mostly picks itself, but the main questions are 1) who is the backup left back, 2) who is the 4th center mid or is it Reyna, 3) Trusty or McKenzie as the 4th centerback, and 4) If Adams is not healthy who goes in his place at the 6.
If he can’t go I assume it’s Richards, Robinson, Trusty, and McKenzie. But Brooks is probably next in line after that.
I'm always thinking what for a split second but then since Adams is usually mentioned I figure it out. Not that Miles is back we have the same problem with two Robinsons.
What's the point of Scally sitting behind Dest for 180 minutes then packing up and going back to another season in Bundesliga? same goes for Brenden, Pepi, Horvath, Booth and others who really need minutes and exposure to further their careers in Europe. Those guys should go to the Gold Cup along with some other guys who are just breaking in like Trusty, the New Brooks, re-habbed Miles, Paredes, Paxten. Those guys will have more time for preparation for Gold Cup. There is little prep time for the NL game so just go with the WC team plus MLS back ups like Kellyn Acosta and Yedlin and Sean Johnson, etc. ie. NL -vets hit the ground running from Qatar: -----puli----sarge/balo----weah ---------------MMA (A for Acosta) ---AR-----richards------zim----dest ----------------------gk: turner subs: Yedlin, Sean Johnson, Slonina, CCV, McKenzie, Ferreira, Tilman's, Arriola, LDLT, Hadji. Morris has a groin which needs more time so Gold Cup for Jordan. That leaves following for Gold Cup which could be more experimental and continue with guys who did well in El Grabico and with teams in Europe like ----------morris-----pepi----booth(paxten) --------------brenden--aidan-- ---------------------sands ---paredes---trusty---brooks---scally ----------------horvath etc. add in MLS guys to taste, i.e. Vazquez, Cowell(?), Luna(?) If MLS is complaining about ratings why not highlight some players from u20's like Cowell and Luna and McGlynn and Vargas and see if they generate interest in their clubs.
Folks, this is a throw away tournament and the only way it matters is if the USA loses every match and that I do not expect or want. The Gold Cup is even worse but it does not matter that it is worse. As has been said: By not having a real coach the USSF has reduced both summer tournaments to little more that the culmination of a rec league. But the play might be a little better; maybe not.
Sargent should be the GC starter so giving him the NL off, after a long season he ended with a heavy usage issue, makes more sense. Pepi and Flo are moving. If they go to the GC they will have 0 actual off-season downtime and then will have to win over a new manager. Maybe if they hadn’t played much coming into preseason a week late but closer to match fit would make sense. Pefok makes more GC sense.
USMNT roster for pre-Nations League training camp to be announced at 12:30 pm ET Thursday. Camp opens Monday in Carson, Calif.— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) May 31, 2023
Feels like Sargent and Ferreira have to be the front runners for the Gold Cup. If either are not available then you look at Vazquez, Pefok, or Wright.
I hope so. I want to get another look at Sargent up top and maybe a slightly different role for Ferreira.
Agree the situation is a bit ridiculous but the games are still useful competitive environments (other teams will still want to beat us). And for a player trying to improve their standing the games still offer a chance to show what you can do in the shirt. The ultimate new coach will still watch the tapes