Expectations for the Hex

Mexico and the C American teams have a big advantage in style. They all grow up playing a very similar way while the US is trying to transition away from their classic style to a style more like their southern neighbors with some Dutch / German mixed in. It will take awhile before that style becomes comfortable for our players while for teams getting together for short intervals it's a big advantage to already be well versed from birth on how to play together. It's one of the things I'm glad Stewart is doing at all age groups even if we take a few lumps right now. BTW, I was in the group kind of ridiculing GB for how he intended to play Adams but don't know what to make of RBL doing the same thing his last few games. I think with right back a strength he won't be needed there but maybe GB isn't as dopey as some have suggested. Really bummed that we aren't getting to see evidence with their play right about now.

 

Love the less bulky Jozy.

 

Adams at rb for the US was 'dopey' because he was the best CM in the team. Moving him to accommodate Trapp/Bradley was a dumb idea, rightly ridiculed.

 

No doubt. That run to celebrate after he scores was more running than he’s done in a game in years.

 

Exactly, nobody ridiculed Egg for thinking Adams could play some odd position, different whether we are in the attack or on defense. And I agree, the fact RBL is doing some form of it shows well on Egg.

However, these are two very different teams. RBL isn't shuffling Adams around so Trapp can start in the squad's most influential position, or so MB can get the caps record. If the US had a better player than Adams at the 6, I think fans would be happy moving Adams to get him/keep him on the field!

 

The central midfield options behind Adams and McKennie could certainly use more work.

 

I think our depth there at CDM/CM is actually quite solid. Holmes and Yueil are solid. If you want more experience, you've got Morales. If you want experienced MLSer, you've got Bedoya.

As always, we're thinnest at striker and winger. We have plenty of good, strong defenders and defensive midfielders.

 

I suspect Yueil lacks the athleticism for high-level international play. Bedoya is now passed it. Morales is solid depth. We have some interesting up and coming talent. Need experience, though.

 

C'ship is basically a top-8 Euro league, certainly a significant step above MLS. In the '18/'19 addition, only 5 teams spent below what TFC spends on wages.

As can be discerned from his every touch videos, Holmes's athleticism is top notch. He now seems to now be putting it together, in terms of all around game.

 

Yueil's athleticism is fine. He runs all around the field for Almeyda. He's also used to significantly more time on the ball and more space because he's used to MLS.

Bedoya's 32, that's far from "passed it". We've played CDM's that are much older in the recent past (e.g JJ, Beckerman), and he's infinitely preferable to a younger guy like Trapp, or a nothing-burger like Bradley (who is a whole 2 months younger than Bedoya).

 

Holmes is not Yueil, he's much better. If you think about it, Holmes is playing against top MLS-level competition most of the time, and the rest of the time, he plays against the equivalent of bottom-feeding EPL teams (the teams fighting for promotion into the EPL).

Last year, had Derby won the Final in the CShip Playoffs, he'd be in an EPL relegation scrap right now. That's not a team that is handing out a spot lightly. Meanwhile, while the Earthquakes refuse to buy better players, Yueil is a cheap option to plug a pretty awful defense (especially at CB).

 

Bedoya plays box-to-box and has never really played the holder. Perhaps he could play the role for the US, but it would be only the 2nd instance, the 2015 fiasco against Brazil being the first.

Yueill doesn't appear to the have quickness needed for international level.It's great he has the stamina to run around in Almeyda's system, though. Would take Tommy Thompson over him, as a CM prospect.

 

Our next camp for the United States men’s team could be for a hex game considering all the games in the summer are canceled. Crazy to think. Wish some of the A players got some more time together with GB. Oh well, no excuses.

 

Everyone is operating under the same conditions.

 

I agree that Adams should be the #6 against good teams but also that it may be worth a look at more offensive #6's because we have to play bunkering CONCACAF teams to qualify. With the excess of good right backs now though Adams should always be a midfielder. That experiment is over and now with virtually no time left before games that count no here's no time for anything other than clear starters combined with the best formation(s). If somehow Olympic qualifying is able to resume a little latitude is left for that.

 

Would like to see some of the RBs moved to LB. But Gregg seems obsessed with a left-footed LB. Sam Vines, Tim Ream, and Gasper. Are they better LBs than Hollingshead, Kyle Duncan, or Aaron Herrera? Probably not, but GGG wants that left-footer.

 

He could have just played AR.

Also don’t forget his favorite lefty LB Daniel Lovitz.

 

This is going to be very interesting. Egg has somehow gotten on the good side of many fans due to one experimental January camp. Throws out Uly for a cap against CR, and now apparently all is forgiven.

Seems the past has been completely ignored, or at least forgiven? The two matches before that were against Canada. Starters for at least one of those must-win games were Bradley, Lovitz, Zardes, Roldan, and Ream.

If our next camp is before the first Hex matches, I would assume all of those players would be in camp, and many getting legitimate minutes. Trapp was also on the bench for both of the Canada matches (despite his poor play, he has kept receiving call-ups).

 

I’m legit scared that cause we didn’t have March with the euros that it will be another excuse for why he didn’t call them in next and why we need to stick with the MLS guys he knows better.

 

Gregg did well in the second match against Canada. The team solid against a Costa Rica who had fielded much of its normal lineup.

Let's see if he can build off this. I wouldn't be surprised if WCQers are postponed.

 

CR game was the first I watched in years. And maybe so many had low expectations from his previous matches, but I thought it was kinda "meh". Didn't look awful, didn't look very threatening. Outside of the first 20 minutes, it was generally more bad than good, I thought. Yes, the team was young, but if that was a solid effort for Egg's boys, color me slightly unimpressed.

He has shown better in the last two matches, but my point is two matches isn't much to write home about in the grand scheme. Agree with truefan, my fear is he could easily go back to Brucie Redux, and call in the "EXPERIENCE".

Hope not.

 

I wouldn't be suprised if WCQing were to get moved back.

 

I think the real wildcard is whether you are looking long term or short. Short was pretty bad not too long ago (Bradley and Trapp). Now Yuell and Morales have entered the picture. Holmes may be on the near horizon (after Covid dies away) but we have several potential game changers that could be able to help us before the end of the hex and by the world cup. If one or two of them come good, our midfield could be pretty good.

 

By 'depth at CM', I mean players who are better than Alfredo Morales.

Young CMs who might breakthrough:
The FCD Kids, Alan Sonora(21), Jole Sonora(23), Christian Cappis(20), Frankie Amaya(19), Jackson Yueill(22), Brenden Aaronson(19), Mauricio Pineda(22), Owen Otasowie(19), Keaton Parks(22), Hossani Dotson(22)

Mid-career CMs who might breakthrough in their prime years:
Marco Delgado(24), Christian Roldan(24), Duane Holmes(25)

A position change to CM could lead to a breakthrough:
Julian Araujo(18), Tommy Thompson(24)