News: 40 Man Provisional Roster For The 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup

It looks like you missed a play or two and many of your takes are somewhere between harsh to factually incorrect. Your descriptions are like those of many MLS fans describing foreign based players, especially dual nationals. He was pressured often and he was able dribble or pass out of trouble (see the beginnng of the 74th min where he dribbled wide and completed a pass centrally between defenders.

My takes are below. In my opinion, he got stripped once (85th min) , didnt control the ball quickly getting himself in trouble resulting in a throw in though could have been called a foul (89th min), and headed a 40+ yard ball slightly to the left (80th), otherwise a very good performance. He was strong in all aerial challenges and was 23 for 23 on passes if you exclude the one misheaded ball. It seems odd to single him out when a player like Lima who is going to the GC turned the ball over 6 times and Trapp was Trapp.

https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2019-06-05-us-mens-national-team-vs-jamaica/boxscore

75th min Wins header over over Orgill, ball goes to Lima and we maintain possession

80th min. Attacks clearance from GK, barely beats Jamaican to ball, heads it under pressure just to the left of Holmes. Counter attack is cut ended in Jamaican half with foul by Gyau.

84th min. Attacks throw in over the top and heads it to Lima.

85th min. Drives forward with the ball after being pressured and is stripped from behind. counterattack which results in a shot on goal from 30+ yard that is easily handled.

89th min. Gets himself in trouble by not getting an early touch on a bouncing ball, shields ball but jaimaican knocks him off balance with contact to his lef so knocks out for a JAM throw.

90+1 min. Nicholson (seems to be at least as tall) gets a better position on him on goal kick, but is still able to apply enough pressure such that ball goes high in the air centrally, another american misses a tackle, CCV tracks back and left sided defender cuts off pass to attacker CCV is marking tightly.

95 min. Cuts in front of attacker on throw in and wins a diving header nicely, which he clears away.

 

Daniel Williams has played a grand total of 96' in the 2018/19 EPL season.

 

Definitely a fair take and it definitely applies to some of the MLS players (particularly Altidore). We are entering a tournament where overuse could be an issue. I don't see the logic in bringing him. From a quality side, I see the desire to have him in the team....doesn't make the overall decision right.

You can support a player's exclusion due to injury independent of someone's inclusion/exclusion due to quality or other reasons.

If a player is included but has a lower level of quality (or attributes the coach has deemed important) compared to others not on the squad (Zardes vs. Sargent for example) that is a different issue. (still important but different).

I hate to bring it up but it is similar to Donovan and the WC. Many speculated that he was a cancer to the locker room and that was the reason JK left him off. If true, that would be a valid reason for leaving him off and his quality should not be compared to Davis, Green, Davis, Wondo and nor should the possible fitness issues of Johannsson or anyone else be considered.) The only question...if that is the stated reason, is was he a cancer that was harming the team? If yes, it was valid. If no, it wasn't.

(PLEASE NOTE: this is NOT an argument either way for Donovan's exclusion but I could not think of a better example. I am not trying to re-open a can of worms that has been on the trash heap for a while)

 

One more thing...all injuries arfe not equal.
Hamstring and knee injuries seem to be two of the worst in terms of durability. Of course Altidore is pretty famous for one of those.

 

I believe that Berhalter is also repeating klinsmann in that he’s not taking his best players for whatever reason. JK was able to succeed in advancing beyond expectations despite leaving a best 23 player at home. Let’s hope that GGG can do the same.