True. JK tries lots of stuff, and seldom sticks with any of it. Will be interesting to see what he opts to do going forward.
Clint in the hole would work best with an effective partner that moves off the ball and fullbacks willing to overlap effectively with the wide mids. The game against Dallas, while SSFC lost, saw Clint doing what I saw to be a really good job finding guys making runs with effective passes. (He was completely terrible trying to take guys 1v1 but then again that part of his game has always been really overrated). We have some of those components. Assuming Yedlin plays fullback and FJ heals and plays there as well. Wood up front is probably the best option in terms of movement. Bradley playing a deeper role needs to happen 2 years ago.
No doubt, he was excellent in CCL. But that didn't save LD, either (he was great in two legs against Xolos, netting 2 assists). Scenarios are different, of course, but like you the thought crossed my mind.
Straus for Sports Illustrated: Guzan, Howard, Rimando Besler, Birnbaum, Brooks, Cameron, Castillo, Chandler, Gonzalez, Yedlin Beckerman, Bedoya, Bradley, Johnson, Jones, Nagbe, Zusi Dempsey, Morris, Pulisic, Wood, Zardes http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/05/19/usa-copa-america-roster-final-projection-klinsmann-usmnt Very similar to NBCSport's Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando Defenders: DeAndre Yedlin, Geoff Cameron, John Brooks, Steve Birnbaum, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Edgar Castillo Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman, Darlington Nagbe, Alejandro Bedoya, Graham Zusi, Christian Pulisic, Fabian Johnson Strikers: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Gyasi Zardes, Bobby Wood, Jordan Morris On the bubble: Ethan Horvath, Matt Miazga, Tim Ream, Mix Diskerud, Danny Williams, Lee Nguyen, Chris Wondolowski http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2016/05...insmanns-23-man-usmnt-squad-for-copa-america/ Ives for Goal GK: Brad Guzan, Tim Howard, David Bingham Defenders: Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler, DeAndre Yedlin, Steve Birnbaum, John Brooks, Timmy Chandler, Eric Lichaj, Edgar Castillo Midfielders: Michael Bradley, Fabian Johnson, Alejandro Bedoya, Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman, Darlington Nagbe, Graham Zusi Forwards: Clint Dempsey, Gyasi Zardes, Bobby Wood, Jordan Morris, Christian Pulisic http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/587/...n-for-klinsmann-to-experiment-with-final-copa Very similar projected 23s
Roster should be out soon. How good will my picks be? This is the 23 I would pick. GK: Horvath, Guzan, Howard Defenders: Yedlin, Chandler, Besler, Gonzalez, Brooks, Miazga, Johnson, Lichaj, Ream Midfielders: Cameron, Bradley, Kitchen, Acosta, Nagbe, Bedoya, Nguyen, Pulisic Forwards: Dempsey, Wood, Morris This is what I expect to be the 23 picked. GK: Howard, Guzan, Rimando Defenders: Yedlin, Chandler, Birnbaum, Alvarado, Cameron, Brooks, Ream, Castillo Midfielders: Mix, Jones, Beckerman, Bradley, Johnson, Bedoya, Zardes, Pulisic Forwards: Dempsey, Wood, Morris, Wondo
The question in my mind is, will Klinsmann include an injured Johnson in the roster? What about Altidore? It's not beyond him.
Not surprised at all. Klinsmann likes him. I don't dislike Birnbaum or anything like that, but watching him in MLS, he doesn't perform better than Hedges, Parker, Campbell, Farrell, etc. Thats not to say he's terrible, because he's not. He's not Alvarado or Orozco, I can at least understand an argument for him getting NT call ups, I just think there are more deserving MLS players. Birnbaum was at the front of the uncapped MLS CB call up line two years ago. Since then, he's maybe 5th or so choice of the untested MLS CB list, IMO. Not the worst call up Klinsmann has had before, but I don't think he's capable of doing a good job at the GC. With the NT, Birnbaum has looked very shaky in games where we played teams that forced us to play any type of defense at all.
Doubt Alvarado earns a spot. I also doubt Klinsmann takes Pulisic, he'll see no need to rush him. The Core is impervious to form, so Dempsey, Howard, Jones, Bradley will be there. The rest of the roster, quite a few doubts in my mind. Orozco, for example. He may be a good utility player, but his form is meh. I think Gonzo and Besler are our best CB pair, but I also have a feeling JK is not particularly fond of either, so I wouldn't be surprised if one or both are left out. GK: Guzan, Howard, Bingham CB: Cameron, Brooks, Birnbaum, Miazga SB: Yedlin, Castillo, Chandler, Ream CM: Jones, Bradley, Beckerman, Zusi, Morales, Mix SM: Bedoya, Johnson, Nagbe, Zardes FW: Dempsey, Wood Maybe Morris instead of Morales or Mix. But it's going to be a roster emphasizing defense, as expected.
Birnbaum's sample size is small outside of those two weak opponents in January. We know he's good on set pieces. Doubt he starts once the tournament begins, a backup. Alvarado & Orozco could be out, unless he see's them valuable to play as right backs. Still see at least one of them making it, he loves those two. Lichaj call up might be a tease to us fans. Gonzalez could be the man cut for Birnbaum IMO. I know their skillsets are different but it would be quite a joke if Orozco or Alvarado make it over Gonzalez.
Will be pretty frustrating to see Lichaj left off but that's what happens when you have the versatility of Cameron who can double as a CB and RB and plays in the EPL. Still hope he's on the team though, if for nothing more than vindication for some of us.
Klinsmann has no faith in Morales. Mix's MLS form has no been good enough. JK is a huge fan of Morris and he's scored goals with the Sounders. He will be there.
He's a LOT better than Farrell, who has a pronounced weakness that's troubled the Revs considerably. (And I was an early one on the Farrell train, but one just can't not see the issue.)
I watch NE more than any MLS team. I just don't think Farrell is the defensive weakness some think he is. I know that perception is out there, but he looks like NE's best defender (at defending) to me.
He is a major liability in the air. Right now, it's a disqualifying issue as far as the USMNT is concerned. I'm not saying this from an old-school American/English "all CBs need to be 6'3" lugs!!!" perspective. CBs on the shorter side can be perfectly adequate aerially and some can excel (Bocanegra). Farrell, unfortunately, is just really bad with that part of the game, to the point where whatever else he brings to the table doesn't matter from the US point of view.
Only nominally like that: please note I was referring to MB+CD working "with our young wingers and forwards", not laboring with Zusi, Mix, AJ, and Jozy, and certainly not with fullbacks like Garza and Evans. Also note my dream comment....
NYCFC vs RB is going to kick off at 3:10 EST if the FA Cup Final ends in regulation. So the roster announcement will probably end up even later than it was supposed to be.
I havent noticed that mls teams are competitives in continental tournaments...........colombians teams always reached far in libertadores and actually are sudamericana holders Colombian players the only reason they want to get of out the domestic league, is because football is in europe......fredy montero prefered to return to colombia despite being a franchise player in mls.....victor ibarbo returned after a diifcult year in europe.....so not all players wants ideally get out of there........actually colombians league have a lot of foreing players, some with euro experience.....and members of other NTs..... so get informed a little