Nice rant. Now for the reality. The Brazilian team you pointed to was stocked with guys age 23-27 who have many years of professional play, many at elite levels. They had a couple of kids like Pato (AC Milan!!!) and Neymar. The US also had a couple of 20 year old kids in Altidore and Gonzalez. Brazil absolutely did NOT send out some wet behind the ears youth team, as you seem to want the US to do. A national team should not be force-feeding a bunch of rookie professionals or teenagers who haven't even really begun their professional careers. World Cup qualifiers don't start for 2 more years. There is plenty of time to bring in the younger players slowly, AFTER they actually accomplish something as professional players, first.
Scared Straight BB comes across as so conservative, and such a company guy, that I don't think gets the credit he deserves for pushing the envelope in both our style of play and the development of players. He's far from afraid to blood - even rely on - young and untested players. I think he overdid it, in fact, when it counted: the 2010 WC. Bob's approach may not strike you as radical, but I'm not sure I'd agree with an approach more extreme than, say, the one that led to our 5-0 thumping by Mexico, or "Scared Straight: the USA 2007 Copa America Story." To me there's real value in continuity, in keeping the best parts of what we've been working on since Gansler. You can throw the rest out if you like. But surely you'd want to have the veteran players around who can challenge the new guys and show them what a US camp and squad is about. And results still matter: those veterans help maintain the attitude of real competence - competitiveness - whatever the scenario, no matter the opponent. That attitude has taken decades of painstaking work to build. We have just arrived there. I might have a problem with aspects of Bob's performance, but not his pace in blooding players.
Look....I don't know about you guys, but I've played a lot of FIFA and the one thing I know for sure is.....you have to bring the kid in when they are 18 and put them into the first team. This way their XP pluses up faster and they develop their ability better. Also, big games will guarantee bigger gains in the XP column. So, we should scrap our whole team and tough out our next few years with 18 year olds. Then you practically guarantee yourself a squad for the next 2 world cups. I'm telling you it works every time.
Quote from RB forum on Ream last night. As a NY fan we have obviously seen him a lot and see this a lot. This sums up TR's shortcomings right now very well IMO - "This actually happens quite often, going back and looking at our conceded goals it is usually Ream who is responsible for either losing his mark or failing to hold the line and allowing a player to stay onside. I know he's a rookie, but this part of his game needs to improve FAST if he wants to keep his reputation as a possible national team player. Being composed on the ball and a decent tackler isn't going to be enough, you need to be able to communicate with the rest of the line." These are clear issues the kid has to work on. Also, TR rarely gets high pressure like he did in RSL, where he was a complete lost cause, turnover machine, while RSL did this in half one. Remember, I am a NY fan. I love the kid, but we shouldn't get carried away. There are clear international issues he needs to address. There have been a few dozen plays this year where he made a great tackle to save a break through or a shot. One problem. Most of these were a result of him blatantly losing his man and having to recover. That "great tackle" was unneccassary if he had played it better the first time. It's like the keeper who made two great saves on partial breaks and is lauded. Another keeper positions, reads and reacts so he gets to the ball before the other team doesn't even get a shot off. Which keeper would you rather have? Which one looks better on the highlight reel? I know who I want, but he won't have two great saves on a highlight reel. Will he? Ream suffers from this syndrome right now. The tackle you never see or the one he doesn't have to make is better for a defender. Not glamorous but more effective. Holding the line, communication, losing his mark, dealing with quick high pressure. These are the things he has to work on first and foremost. The good thing is that a lot of these, if not all, can come through hard work, experience and learning from his elders. Up to him, but there are real issues there. If you go to RB forum you will see quite a few people who think Mendes is actually RB's best overall player on the back line.
To me Lichaj and Danial Williams are running a close race. We have enough RB's too bad we don't have a lot to choose from for LB
While not totally untrue, it is at least partially. That Brazil team had 11 players without a single senior cap. The team also had 7 players on it that are eligible for the 2012 Olympics (meaning they are 21 or younger right now). Brazil certainly took a different, and to my mind better, approach to that game ... a friendly, no less.
From the day I heard this match was scheduled I called it a no win for US Soccer in any way other than the bankbook. Payday match. While Brazil took a young squad, that young squad is so far above any young squad we could field. What to do? High profile game after an exciting cup that boosted the US team in people's minds. Go really young and risk a blow out? Very, very, very possible. Play mostly starters, who IMO really looked like they had enough at that point, and try to win. We saw how that worked out, yet I'm not sure the alternative was that much better. Big tix prices, profile, money, hype, TV, etc, and a young Brazil team with something to prove. I don't like being down on our young guys but they really could have taken a beating far worse. We just aren't ready to casually compete on this level. All there is to it. Even with the few caps these young Brazilians had, they are already so much more tested and toughened (at higher levels) then 99% of US Soccer. A damned if you do, damned if you don't game IMO.
Yeah but US Soccer took a friendly, sold 80k tickets and were the main event in the capital of the world for one night. US Soccer wanted more play from the attention we got out of the World Cup. Not a "Victory Tour," just one game. Good idea. And really, I think we had a decent chance of scalping Brazil with our A team. That would have been tremendous. As it was, our A team got another tough game under their belt. We'll always need those. Our C team would have been completely embarrassed.
Right now, these friendlies programed for this year is perfect, to test-out these defenders with USNT. I am not sure about Alston, but I would be wrong.
Gonzo got his trial by fire versus Brazil and IMO has looked so so in MLS since. Lichaj get's to show his worth now. If there ever was a position for the taking in US Soccer, it's fullback, either side. Take it young man. Pearce has played well since coming back. Left back, done a real nice job at right back this year, and even some left mid. Has Pearce matured? He will get his chance also. I haven't given up on him. He may not be top notch, but he could do the job against what we face and decent international comp. Stevie C, if you were only 5 years younger.
no reason Stevie C cant take us through qualifying and potentially play in the WC, he has a 3 year contract with Hannover and if he can play that out then imo theirs no reason he can't play for the USA.
I've asked this before, but didn't get anyone to bite. I'd love to know what folks think of the prospects of prying Ponce out of Chivas' hands are. USSF have to be more than interested, don't they? He's starting for one of the more storied clubs in Latin America and at a position that has really never been claimed by any current player. It would seem certain that they've had contact with, at least, his agent. USSF couldn't afford to be as overt with this kid as they were with Salgado. Ponce is a starter or very close to it. Open talks would put his job at risk. There's a bit of an uneasy silence to his situation IMO. Does anyone know what the LB situation looks like behind Salcido? I haven't paid enough attention to El Tri to know what the competition would be. Salcido is at the age where 2014 isn't at all out of the question (Dempsey and Donovan), but it could also easily be one too many for a lot of reasons.
The silence is deafening. My guess? As long as he is with Chivas we have zero chance. Hell, I think we have a better chance at Najar. If he keeps starting for Chivas politics alone will guarantee him an El Tri call up. I pretty much consider him gone.
Yep..........he gone. The USSF can contact him thru this agents.......no harm in that, but the chances of us getting Ponce hover around zero percent. We know we can't get him while he's at Chivas. Our only hope is: A) He sucks giant donkey balls, and Chivas dumps him. In which case, why would we want him? B) He sets the world on fire, and is transferred to Europe. In which case, Mexico would be all over him before that even happens. When a player goes to Chivas, he knows that he can only play for Mexico. By definition. So we can be fairly confident we know where his heart is. Yes, yes, Salgado, blah, blah, blah. Salgado had to leave in order for him to play for us. Ponce isn't just going to leave Chivas while he's a friggin' starter. That's just ludicrous.
Not just saying this as a NY fan, but yeah. In the majority of his games he has shown very good intelligence, tackling, shot blocking, passing, distribution from the back, and other attributes--hey, even a goal. As for athleticism, his speed is not great. We'll see if that becomes an issue. His height and heading ability are both quite good. He seems strong on the ball but the next level will show if he's too slight. Not saying he's the best of the class because none of us know who will pan out...but he's been excellent.
Ream with 3 more unpressured mistakes that lead to direct chances. Teal B ran right by him at one point and only fullback help saved him. He made the block but without that track back bump from the fullback (excellent play) TB is in alone. I'm not down on TR. I just see way to many "he was outstanding" broadbrushed comments, as posters literally ignore these things. Typical US fan. We need a guy like him so he is great...until he actually plays for the Nats and makes those errors, that he always made. Then he will be torn down for playing like he always has! It never fails. Another up tempo, high pressure match where he made blatant errors. People need to relax a bit. CCake will be perfect for him to adjust. He will need it IMO.
That play where he lunged at ?Bunbury? with hardly any coverage, and the guy blazed past him as Ream kind of fell was painful. Not an abysmal game but not a good game.
The key here is good game. You go over to some threads and some are acting like he is the Kaiser. Just setting up for typical US overhype/hope, to eventual letdown and hypercriticism that always follows. A lot of really good things up TR's game, but clearly work to do.
You mean, like in past years with Parkhurst? Chad Marshall? Kyle Martino? Quaranta? Eddie Johnson? Szetela? Gaven? Dare I include Adu?
Of the 5 people listed in the title. Gonzalez- isnt the same without Berhalter next to him and a solid midfield. If he was a rookie this year, he may not be in the top 3 for ROY. Plenty of upside but he still needs to grow. January Camp is where he should be called up. Opara- a pretty good start and got injured. Is a freak athlete at a center back. Pretty good in the air. Just more needs to be seen from him. January Camp or after more games next year Ream- has done very well. He has the skills to play in Europe. He just needs to get used to the speed of the game. Has done pretty well before Barcelona came to NY and made the team better. January Camp is where he should also be called up Boss- why is he on the list. He is a great prospect but he hasnt even played a first team match other than miami fc. I know he is young, but its way too early Alston- Like Franklin, he is speedy and floats in a couple decent crosses. Not in the same class as previous US right backs from sanneh, hejduk, spector, simek, cherundolo. Frankly he has more ball control than wynne but is slower than wynne. He and Franklin should get Jan call ups, but i dont see much more than that. Lichaj- the only person who cant come to January callups because he plays in England. Is a solid player, just waiting for his chance like Guzan. Was the player Aston Villa had in article about young talent in the Premier League. Has a great future if he gets his chance. A player I have been impressed at this mls season at RB. Sheanon Williams. I know he has played a couple of games, but the kid has some talent. He really has played well in the games I have seen. Frankly Heath Pearce has been a better right back than anyone else in MLS statistically.
Gonzo looks eh. We definitely are going to need our vets for a while. Probably most of qualies. Let's hope Boca stays healthy and Gooch gets healthy and takes a Jan loan. For all the stick they get they are clearly going to be needed. Big time. I hope Opara gets healthy. I get the feeling that he is going to be the best defender. He had scouts all over him before he decided to stay in school and then hurt his knee. He may not have the ball skills we covet but I think he will be an excellent defender. Pearce, Franklin, Lichaj will get their shots. I think one of these three will step up sooner rather than later and take hold of a job. The middle is going to be a much slower process than we might like, but it' starting to look that way. Anyone think J Jones could play sweeper? Just a thought. Is it that far out of the realm of possibility with the midfield depth we have. Just looks like we have a lot of not ready for prime time in the middle. Here's hoping.