Just stumbled across this bit of information. Looks like the many BS'ers who thought that Victorine was done after his performance versus Argentina weren't the only ones, as Da Bruce is bringing in Cherundolo to replace him. But due to injury? I mean how bad can a leg contusion (charlie horse) be? I really doubt it, but what do you guys think? http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/latest_soccer_news/339813.html
I predict that Victorine never wears the Nats jersey again on the field. I dread if Victorine and Olsen become the new ABMODs of Bruce Arena. Olsen does deserves some time on the right wing though.
Possibly a useful addition to the team, but what is Cherundolo's travel schedule? The game is supposed to start at 7 PM eastern. That is about 1 AM in Germany. It takes 4-6 days to get over jet lag. At the end of the game, Cherundolo will be playing at 3 AM, body time, if he hasn't been on the east coast long enough to re-set his body clock. The period of 1AM to about 4:30 AM is the period of worst physical and mental performance for virtually everyone.
I guess Ryan Suarez just doesn't cut it at right back? Sheesh, I just want to see the kid get a run out. But BA sees practice, I don't so in BA I trust. With regards to Victorine, his RB experiment didn't work. These are friendlies though, so I have to say that I didn't mind the attempt. No harm, no foul. To have a Sanneh esque (sheesh did I just write that), helps with the major weakness the German's exposed against us, our lack of height. Experiment worth the effort, but didn't work out. So RB list is: Sanneh at least for a year or two Dolo Suarez? Garcia? Anyone for a 3-5-2?
I too would like to see Suarez in a friendly. But if Arena is set on putting a converted MF back there, maybe Klein will be the next one to get a chance. A few people here on BS have suggested this over the past few years and I've always wondered if he has the necessary defensive skills and wherewithal. It seems like he's not quite good enough to make it as an international-level wing midfielder, but maybe he'd be good enough to help out the U.S. in the back. He seems to be very similar to Sanneh in many respects.
i aggree on the klein to right back part. he's big he's tough and he's just not quick enough to be a right wing...but he does have skills. i think he'd be the perfect back up to dolo
Travelling back from Europe should not be a problem. You don't even need a day to adjust. When you arrive and it's 5-7 hours earlier in America. If you take say, a 2:30 p.m. flight from Germany, you arrive at 7:30 p.m. on the east cost. Your body feels like it's 1:30 a.m., but you just stay up until 10:00 eastern time and then crash. You'll get the 8-10 hours of sleep you need and be absolutely fine the next morning. You can take a quick nap in the afternoon if you really are concerned about the evening. Going TO Europe from America is a bit tougher, since you really have to go an entire day without sleeping in order to get your body clock adjusted. But I've never had a problem on the way back.
I don't agree at all. Not being quick will kill him defensively, just as it did Sasha against Argentina. And all we will get is another big back who just blindly clears the ball upfield. How many times did we do this on saturday? Particularly from the right half of defense. I'm sorry, but I'm going to bring up Reyna to right back, AGAIN. If he comes off this injury able and willing to play for the nats once qualifying starts then I expect Arena to give him some time in that position. He has the experience and ball control to get the job done. I would be worried about his speed though. Cherundolo is the only other player I feel will bring what Arena is really looking for at that position. Sanneh was put there not quite as a last resort, but close to it. Luckily, he stepped up and had a great world cup. 'Dolo is getting the experience in Germany that he needs and once he has more than a few caps for the national team he could be the guy to beat out.
Why not try Olsen there as he has lost a step with injuries and seems to be what Arena is after. I still wish Suarez got a least a half because as you saw with Sanneh right backs don't have to be good at small sided games and Suarez is a load when he gets going and he never backs down. Maybe he can make the move inside or work as right back in a 3-5-2 for the nats.
here is one more vote for a Klein-at- right-back experiment. the guy is big and fast and sufficiently skillful. he does seem like a younger Sanneh in many ways. the questions are whether he can defend the 1.v.1 and does he have defensive positional savvy? i don't see him as a good option as a true winger or right sided midfielder. his performances with the USMT shows that he just doesn't have the skill set to get behind international defenders and, in the alternative, is not an exceptional server of the ball (see beckham or ralston on the MLS level). the logic of the Victorine experiment applies to Klein too. let's hope for a better result.
Here's a novel idea, let's play a right back at the right back position. Cherundolo-hope he's improved over the last year. Garcia-deserves as much of a shot as Victorine got. Suarez- ? must be looking bad in practice Heaps-don't laugh, he really came on last season.