With the tournament finally confirmed, and what I hope will continue every 4 years... With the potential to be as big as the Euros... Who is on the ticket to make it? My group: GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan Tim Howard Bill Hamid ------- Alternate: Ethan Horvath In Reserve: Nick Rimando, Cody Cropper FULLBACKS: Fabian Johnson DeAndre Yedlin Timmy Chandler Brek Shea ------- Alternates: Tim Ream, Eric Lichaj In Reserve: Greg Garza, Jonathan Spector, Andrew Farrell, Brad Evans, Edgar Castillo DEFENDERS: Matt Besler John Brooks Matt Miazga Omar Gonzalez ------ Alternate: Ventura Alvarado In Reserve: Michael Orozco, Cameron Carter Vickers DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS: Geoff Cameron Alfredo Morales --------- Alternate: Danny Williams In Reserve: Wil Trapp, Dax McCarty, Perry Kitchen, Matt Polster, Fatai Alashe, Kyle Beckerman CENTER MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley Jermaine Jones ------- Alternate: Mikkel Diskerud In Reserve: Lee Nguyen, Gedion Zelalem, Luis Gil, Benny Feilhaber, Jose Torres, Emerson Hyndman, Sacha Kjlestan , Kelyn Rowe, Harry Shipp OUTSIDE-WIDE MIDFIELDERS: Alejandro Bedoya Darlington Nagbe Julian Green Gyasi Zardes ---- Alternates: Sebastian Lletget, Ethan Finlay In Reserve: Paul Arriola, Marc Pelosi, Miguel Ibarra, Joe Corona, Shawn Parker*, Devante Parker*, Kekuta Manneh* FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore Clint Dempsey Bobby Wood Aron Johannsson --------- Alternates: Jordan Siebatcheu, Andrew Wooten In Reserve: Jordan Morris, Jerome Kiesewetter, Bjorn Johnsen, Rubio Rubin, Juan Agudelo
I think we should hold off with our Centario squad predictions until we see whether we qualify for the Olympics. Should we qualify, it's doubtful our U23 players will be released for both squads, so we'd have to make decisions on guys like Brooks, Yedlin, Morris, Miazga and others who may emerge over the coming year.
With U-23's (don't qualify for Olympics) GK: Hamid, Horvath, Howard RB: Yedlin, Chandler CB: Besler, Miazga, Brooks, Hedges LB: Johnson, Tierney DM/CM: Bradley, Cameron, Trapp, Kitchen AM/Wing: Nagbe, Lletget, Finlay, Zardes, Rubin CF: Agudelo, Johannsson, Dempsey Without U-23's (qualify for Olympics) GK: Hamid, Howard, Guzan RB: Chandler, Lichaj CB: Besler, Hedges, Gonzalez, Ream LB: Johnson, Tierney DM/CM: Bradley, Cameron, McCarty, Kitchen AM/Wing: Nagbe, Lletget, Finlay, Zardes, Nguyen CF: Agudelo, Johannsson, Dempsey
All he did was post a roster and say the tournament could be big for us as a nation if it becomes a regular event for us every 4 years. No where did he say we're gonna win it all.
I really hate the idea of listing Zardes as a wide player, especially while Finlay isn't in the lineup. Not saying this might not be accurate, but Zardes should be deployed as a forward. It's his more natural position and where he has traditionally done the most damage for the NT. Even when put out there as a wide player, it always seems to be on his runs into the box, when he pushes in like a forward, that he is able to either create or score.
Not going to bother with Klinsmann's picks. Hopefully, with any luck at all, we can have our program back by then. GK: Guzan, Howard, Hamid Defenders: Yedlin, Ream, Lichaj, Besler, Cameron, Brooks, one of Gonzalez/Miazga Midfielders: Bradley, Johnson, McCarty, Feilhaber, Nagbe, Morales, Finlay, one of Kitchen/Trapp/Williams/Zelalem/Lletget Forwards: Dempsey, Altidore, Johannsson, Wood, one of Zardes/Agudelo/Morris
Part of the problem with USMNT is the communication to JK that you call up the German dual nats you jerry-rigged to play and we are all happy as pigs in shot. No. I'm not happy with any of them. Let's see Agudelo, McInerney, Finlay, Mullins, in camp with some U23's (Morris?), Shelton, Arriola(?) etc. How do we know who is going to play well starting with 2016 MLS season, especially those nearing the apex of the age curve - 23-25. We need to start getting ahead of the curve instead of surrendering before the first whistle. Somebody please explain to me why we should expect a different result in 2016 than 2015 cuz I don't see it with another 11B o.p. list of Bundesliga wannabes. Time to slaughter the sacred bulls. Who says we need a Bradley captaincy after his disastrous 2015 campaign?
He's been around for 4-5 years and played double digit games at midfield. If he was a player we could build around just by moving him up the park, we'd know about it already. There has been an overreaction to play against a minnow and with his club. As a winger for the U.S. he typically has to drop deeper so he has to defend a good amount anyway. From my P.O.V., might as well stick him at LB then to alleviate our woes at that position. The biggest reason why he's had value to the U.S. over the years is because he's solid at a position in recent history we've struggled majorly at. We've had a lot more comfort at LW/LM. Still have plenty of viable options there right now. If we go with a right-footer there, Johnson can still get forward some and provide width. The team should more build around a CAM like Lletget, if he's the dude like I think he is, or operate as a machine with all facilitating parts ala Austria right now. Don't necessarily need to build around anybody.
?---------Wood--------Johnson -----Lletget-----Nagbe-------- -----------Bradley----------- Ream--Miazga--Cameron--Yedlin ------------Guzan---------------- So far those are the guys I'm pretty sure about that could be in the XI. Still will need to think about the rest of the roster but one other question who is going to be on the opposite side of Johnson on the wing. I don't like Zardes there he doesn't have good close control and is still sketchy on his finishing. Finlay?, Ibarra?, Rubin?, Morris? Who's gunna step up...
Here's how Sciaretta criticizes Jurgen's use of Fab "Johnson’s been used to plug up holes, as opposed to being put into a position that truly brings out the best in him. You say "we've struggled majorly at" the left fullback position. Don't you think JK deserves criticism for struggling that long at one position? Who else decides which player plays there? Nobody. It's on him.
I think what we need to seriously answer is what formation are we going to play? Personally, I say: --------LF-----------RF----------- -----LAM------------RAM-------- ---------------CM------------------- LWB--------CDM------------RWB ----------LCB-----RCB------------- We have the type players at fullback who are excellent going forward, yet they're not world class wingers,.. And they need extra cover on defense.... I.e, Shea, Chandler, Lichaj, Yedlin, Johnson, Garza, Spector, Castillo.... And Ream might be a more on the defensive side, but he still provides very adequate distribution...so, if he starts, I'd play a more attacking wide option on the left. In other words, I wouldn't start someone like Bedoya and Ream on the same side. A player like Geoff Cameron would be well suited for the very deep CDM position, and now have some depth at center back with Besler, Gonzalez, Brooks, Alvarado, Orozco, and Miazga. Plus, it fits Bradley better and plays with the shuttler type mids, that we also seem to have some depth at. And, it allows us to play with two up top, which has always seemed to fit our traditionally more hardworking, counter attacking style.
Yeah, it's not his ideal position. But as I said, he's not exactly made a big impact at LW in his many opportunities there either. He's just been a half level up or so. [QUOTE="Excellency"[/QUOTE]You say "we've struggled majorly at" the left fullback position. Don't you think JK deserves criticism for struggling that long at one position? Who else decides which player plays there? Nobody. It's on him.[/QUOTE] It's very possible. We don't know the answer now the way Jurgen runs his shop. But, Bob was employing Bornstein, Boca out of position, Lichaj out of position, and Castillo. So it was a HUGE problem spot for him too. I have little doubt it's improved beyond the point where using Bornstein would even be a reasonable consideration for a sane person. That said, who stands out as an option which we wouldn't be taking a hit with? Ream out of position? Lichaj out of position, again? Shea? Rogers? Tierney? Villafana? Salinas? Acosta? The only one I have a hunch we wouldn't take a hit with if employed, would be Salinas. And for how long, considering he's 29? Most people would probably disagree too, which tells you the current state of the position. It's incumbent upon Jurgen to go thru the options, but at the end of the day we might come back to Fabian. And on the current roster, he's your guy, unless you want to probably get exposed by Ream's lack of quicks.
GK's: Howard, Hamid, Guzan Backs: Besler, Ream, Miazga, Hedges, Lichaj, Yedlin, Salinas Mids: Bradley, Johnson, Cameron, Lletget, Nagbe, Feilhaber, Finlay, Bedoya, Kitchen FW's: Dempsey, Johnsen, Altidore, Wood/Morris
You say "we've struggled majorly at" the left fullback position. Don't you think JK deserves criticism for struggling that long at one position? Who else decides which player plays there? Nobody. It's on him.[/QUOTE] It's very possible. We don't know the answer now the way Jurgen runs his shop. But, Bob was employing Bornstein, Boca out of position, Lichaj out of position, and Castillo. So it was a HUGE problem spot for him too. I have little doubt it's improved beyond the point where using Bornstein would even be a reasonable consideration for a sane person. That said, who stands out as an option which we wouldn't be taking a hit with? Ream out of position? Lichaj out of position, again? Shea? Rogers? Tierney? Villafana? Salinas? Acosta? The only one I have a hunch we wouldn't take a hit with if employed, would be Salinas. And for how long, considering he's 29? Most people would probably disagree too, which tells you the current state of the position. It's incumbent upon Jurgen to go thru the options, but at the end of the day we might come back to Fabian. And on the current roster, he's your guy, unless you want to probably get exposed by Ream's lack of quicks.[/QUOTE] You are making the same mental error as Klinsmann which Sciaretta pointed out. Let me ask you something: Who is our left wide forward, since you say Fabian isn't any good there. Give me somebody with assists and scores and defense. But no fakes like Ibarra, Nagbe, etc.
Man, what I actually said, is pretty far from what you claim. I said he's a half level up from LB (where I consider him solid), but hasn't exactly made a big impact there. How do you then make the leap to me contending he isn't any good there? Backing up he hasn't exactly made a big impact there, before the T&T game I posted the w-l record for the U.S. w/ him playing left wing, and it was 6-5-1. Now it's 6-5-2. That's not a big impact. I said in an ideal world he's a LW for us, but those kind of stats, while minorly more positive when you factor in opposition, aren't worth moving a player if you're going to take a significant hit at the position he's coming from. So from my standpoint he and you are probably making the mistake. What are the alternatives at LW? Well, you can play the skinny diamond with Bradley at LM and Fabian streaking forward from his LB position to provide width. If you play an attacking left wing, Nagbe or Lletget can handle it. Actually there are a lot of players who could cut in with their right. Finding a LB who can match up quickness wise, have good enough defensive instincts, and get forward to provide width with their left foot is considerably more difficult. We're playing Ream right now, and he provides one of those three things. Hey, I'm open to getting Johnson up to LW on a more permanent basis, but let's find a good LB alternative first, if there is one. Until then I'm employing Johnson primarily at LB when it counts because he's more a good cog in the machine type than a major difference maker.
Well, he got around Brazil for an assist which nobody else has done. In fact, he has many assists. And now he has added a scoring foot. Why would you not use that when we don't have an alternative and instead put him at lb where we could put any number of CB's? Orozco? Hedges? Ream? Alvarado? Answer: Klinnsmann's stubborn mentality. "we don't have alternatives at lb" - that is falling into JK's manipulation. Stepping right into it.
I don't want to use a CB at LB, that's part of the problem. We don't get proper width or match up with speedy wingers. And yeah you know me, I'm a huge Klinsmann follower. Any time someone makes that ridiculous claim, that's when I know I'm one of the most unbiased people here, which actually adds to my credibility when I regularly make crusades against Klinsmann. I would be trying out alternatives at LB in this window for depth and to move Johnson up the field ideally, but we've long had huge issues finding viable alternatives at LB, and the only one my own independent unmanipulated mind tells me has a good shot at being one is Shea Salinas. And he's 29, soon to be 30.
If the U-23s pull off a miracle and qualify for the Olympics, that makes the squad selection intriguing: 1. Do the U-23s pull double duty or just one tournament? Right now, this question seems to apply to Yedlin, Miazga, Brooks and Morris. The problem is that if at least some of the U-23s don't do double duty, then the Copa Americas team will be old and slow. 2. 3 overage players? Should the heavyweights like Howard/Guzan, Johnson, Bradley and/or Dempsey be picked, or should the U-23s select guys right on the edge of the full national team? Until March, my 23 projection will assume that the U-23s will fail: Guzan, Howard, Hamid Cameron, Besler, Brooks, Miazga Yedlin, Ream, Shea, Chandler Bradley, Jones, Diskerud Bedoya, Johnson, Nagbe, Zardes Altidore, Dempsey, Wood, Johannsson, Morris
actually you get better width with fab forward than in the back. I didn't see Orozco having any speedy match up problems. Funny how quickly Klinsmann pulled the rabbit out of the hat after Fab's walk off