January Camp Roster Analysis

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Real Corona, Jan 6, 2013.

  1. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Although compare them to the Portugal team they beat....................and it ain't close. That was an extremely talented Portugal team (on paper).

    The same can be said of the Germany team that we fought to the wire. We had no business hanging with them.............but we did. But that's soccer. Korea had no business making the semifinal on paper, but they did.

    So from the point of view of a non-American soccer fan in the world, that US team was a great overachiever. People say on US boards say O'Brien, Mathis, and Pope are a talented bunch. Ask your typical Spaniard or Italian, and they haven't heard of these people.

    Arena, and then Bradley, had this team playing better than the sum of its parts. Under Bradley we beat the #1 team in the world in an official FIFA competition. [Spain in the Confederations Cup.] That was overachieving. Nothing wrong with saying it. Those guys knew what they needed to do in order to get results.

    Under Klinsmann I haven't seen this to be honest. Yes, we've won in Italy and Mexico..........but I wasn't convinced. Klinsmann keeps saying he wants to play with a different style than Arena and Bradley did................and yet he calls up a squad packed with defensive midfielders. I just don't get it.
     
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  2. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    The US has made the knock out rounds in two out of the last three Mundials and made the finals of the Confeds Cup. It's basically been a final 16/quarterfinal level team. A final 16/ quarterfinal team is going to upset some of the bigger squads in friendlies and official competitions on semi-regular basis. Don't make a bigger deal out of it than what it is. People in Spain or where ever never heard of our players? So what. That's the life of a mid-major.

    'I wasn't convinced'. That's some hell of a spin. The talent pool is what is. It's rich in experienced non-attacking center-mids, so those guys are getting the opportunities. When the Gatts, Sheas, and Pontiuses, Mixes, and Adus gain more consistency and stay uninjured they'll, if the previous call ups are any indication, likewise get more opportunities.
     
  3. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Mathis, McBride, Obrien, Reyna, Pope, Mastroeni, Donovan, Lewis, Friedel, and Beasley were within the context of the US program the top group ever assembled.
     
  4. SamsArmySam

    SamsArmySam Member+

    Apr 13, 2001
    Minneapolis, MN
    Altidore, Dempsey, Jones, Gomez, Bradley, Williams, Kljestan, FJohnson, Bocanegra, Cameron, Chandler, Howard... a damn fine player pool as well.

    In the 2002 World Cup we saw an incredibly fortunate peak of form at just the right time, and we played a style where the whole was more than the sum of the parts.

    Our current core feels a lot more solid to me, less reliant on health and peak form of critical players. But we still have work to do making our performances more than the sum of the parts.
     
  5. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Cameron doesnt pass as well as Besler
     
  6. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    JK wants a more 'pass to feet' foundation. Even in a game where we try to bunker, you still see guys passing to feet and trying to play the ball on the gruond more. Arena and BB's teams both were more direct, and didn't rely so much on playing to feet, or keeping the game more on the ground. That's what JK wants ultimately.
     
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  7. LouisZ

    LouisZ Member+

    Oct 14, 2010
    Southern California-USA
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with you at the individual level, at the team level I thought they did overachieve.
     
  8. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--
    I saw him at dmid for Stoke the other day man marking Arteta. He is a boss defensively I was thinking as a shield. He can buy some time for Timmy and Fabian get back on lost possession while the forwards and one of the two mids high press and the other falls back to d. I just think it gets better players on the field than Edu/beckerman/williams and still has a chance to get you some wide attack. It doesn't matter and is probably something we never see,but I would love to see it.

    To score points with this possession style offense you have to get lots of guys forward. Boca can't get it done at his age. Sorry and I think there are minutes and a spot for him all the way through even if at thee end it is just cameos here and there. We have to hold those backs to cover for him and it kills the offense. It helps to have the speed on the back if you aren't going to use in the attack then you must have it in the back. I know Cam might not be a burner but he holds his own against the best the EPL has to offer.
     
  9. sidefootsitter

    sidefootsitter Member+

    Oct 14, 2004
    I would have preferred the "pass to the players ahead of you" foundation.

    Vs. Canada, they passed into feet of the players 15 yards behind them and it doesn't take a genius to complete a pass to Omar Gonzalez standing in the own half.

    At some point, JK will have to go along with what Capello said recently, "If you want to play like Barcelona, you need Xavi, Messi and Iniesta". Otherwise, you need to find your own style.

    Only if Jürgen could locate a sample of that somewhere ...
     
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  10. Martin Fischer

    Martin Fischer Member+

    Feb 23, 1999
    Kampala. Uganda
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    With Williams not playing for his club and Edu only recently playing again, if JK has confidence in Besler and/or Gonzalez, Cameron in midfield is not a bad option in a road game in Honduras, especially since this is a game where there isn't a lot of preparation time (the USMNT has looked much worse during games in the international calendar when they are only together for a few days like this one).
     
  11. jaxonmills

    jaxonmills Member+

    Aug 26, 2011
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [​IMG]

    Cameron at DM would give us quite a bit of tactical flexibility. This personnel could look like a 4-4-2 diamond or a 3-4-3 (or 3-5-2) depending on the situation. Since we're expecting the width to come primary from the fullbacks, Cameron at DM gives us maximum defensive cover while Chandler and Johnson bomb forward. I'm not necessarily advocating for this, but it's an interesting possibility.



    It's really just a choice between

    Williams/Edu
    Boca--Cameron

    or

    Cameron
    Boca--Gonzales
     
  12. bmo180

    bmo180 Member+

    Jan 25, 2012
    Cameron is our best CB, he wont play anywhere else right now. If Gonzo and Besler pan out I think he could be our best option at DM though
     
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  13. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I know what you are saying and I have thought about Cam at dmid but JK's possession style requires a decent ball control/passer. That is why he favors Williams over Edu. I was wondering if Besler had the ball handling of Williams with the defence of Edu.

    Wish I had seen Cam against Arsenal but I missed that one. My own preference is Cam at rb or lb depending the opponent with Fab on the other side.
     
  14. Fanatical Monk

    Fanatical Monk Member+

    Jun 14, 2011
    Fantasyland
    I think Cam gives the ability to be very flexible once Besler/Omar can be blooded. I don't think that is this match just yet (somewhat frustrated that hasn't happened already). But going forward, a back triangle of those 3 would set us up very, very nicely going forward I think.
     
  15. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    I wonder what is taking Klinsi so long. It is like he is waiting for something and it is distracting him from building the team.
     
  16. Fanatical Monk

    Fanatical Monk Member+

    Jun 14, 2011
    Fantasyland
    It's funny, because he seems to get it right, but it's about a year late on most players. How long were people calling for Cameron? Besler broke out in MLS 2 season ago, just got called probably a year late. Gonzo is understandable with the knee, but should have gotten in earlier in place of Goodson, Orozco, etc. Same with Davis i think. He could help with bunker busting with his service in the last round I think. Serves the best set piece in MLS now with Becks gone.

    Pontius is my next "must call" when he's healthy this summer.

    I understand it's hard to bring them all in, but to me that's why its important to shed fringe players and bring in 1 or 2 each camp to get a feel. We get itchy on here, and are ready to call a player in after a nice 3 game run. There is a balance to be found between that, and waiting months, if not years too long.
     
  17. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Again, I don't think he wants us to play like Barca'. He wants us to just be more reliant on our techincal skills than our athleticism. Get our core of guys more used to playing with your 'brains' and not just using their 'body' like I remember an ex coach told me (rough translation from spanish).
     
  18. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I expect him to go with:

    ----Deuce-Jozy-Gomez
    -------Jones-Bradley
    ---------Williams
    Fabian-Boca-Geoff-Parky
    ----------Howard

    However, I won't be shocked by anything he throws out there.
     
  19. TimB4Last

    TimB4Last Member+

    May 5, 2006
    Dystopia
    If you're not shocked then I'll be shocked!
     
  20. FlipsLikeAPancake

    Jul 6, 2010
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    You honestly expect Parkhurst to start over Chandler? Parkhurst hasn't played since December.
     
  21. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If JK is gonna tell Jozy he isn't working hard enough and not call him up (previously), then what kind of message does he send by just slotting Chandler right in once he's finally decided to commit to the U.S.?

    Well, I guess you're probably right. That's JK's m.o. Sending mixed messages. So yeah, he'll probably start Chandler...or maybe not...who the hell knows with this guy?
     
  22. KALM

    KALM Member+

    Oct 6, 2006
    Boston/Providence
    Well obviously Klinsmann isn't simply lining up the hardest working XI, otherwise our squad would probably look completely different.

    Also, he can probably afford to be more principled about this if the choice is between Jozy and Gomez, than he can if the choice is between Chandler and Parkhurst.
     
  23. Bolivianfuego

    Bolivianfuego Your favorite Bolivian

    Apr 12, 2004
    Fairfax, Va
    Club:
    Bolivar La Paz
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Difference being, Gomez is the 'starting' forward. Parkhurst is NOT the guy who's been playing RB for us these last months. It's been Cherundolo. Makes sense to put in Chandler.

    Now, if Gomez gets hurt... to not throw Altidore in right now, would be stupid. Same goes with Cherundolo being out.
     
  24. ChambersWI

    ChambersWI Member+

    Nov 10, 2010
    Club:
    AC Milan
    to be fair, Pontius made a decision to reject one call up (either the Mexico game or the A&B/Guatemala games) to heal an injury to help DC on their playoff push and then only wasn't called up for the January camp cause he was still healing. But I agree with most of what you said. He did the same thing with Sacha and only called him up again after a good Champion's League game.
     
  25. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well Parky got the nod against Guatemala when Johnson went down so that indicated to me that he was next in line.

    I just think it would be insulting to slot Chandler right in there. Based on JK's comments about working hard, fighting for you team, being committed, yadda yadda yadda, I would think he'd use this opportunity to send a message that Chandler has to earn his minutes. I also think that IF Klinsmann has faith enough in Parkhurst then holding Chandler in his pocket until late in the game could be a very VERY good idea.

    However, JK says one thing and does another. So as I said: I won't be surprised at all if Chandler starts. In fact I won't be surprised if his lineup is COMPLETELY different from the one I predicted.
     

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