U.S. Soccer ussoccer #usmnt @j_klinsmann announced that @jermainejunior and @sachakljestan will start in midfield for #USAvBEL 9 minutes ago
Brad Evans is a suboptimal international player. Just because he *can* play multiple positions doesn't mean he can be any good at any of them. Qualifiers is not the time to reward hard work and loyalty. It's the time to bring your best available players.
Klinsmann says Cherundolo asked for a break so he could be fully ready for next club season. Hadn't realized that. Interesting. While needing time off for physical injury is somewhat different than a mental one, wonder if Dolo will get the LD treatment and find himself off the Sept roster.
The analogy doesn't work because comparing children of significantly different ages is not a good model for comparing professional soccer players. Presumably Donovan and Holden are both professional soccer players competing for spots on the US National team. The arena in which they compete is the same. Their physical and mental abilities, their skills, and their experience levels can be compared and evaluated. In what arena are the 13 year old boy and the 10 year old girl being compared? Running? Jumping? Shooting baskets? Weight lifting? Eating ice cream? Singing? Painting? 7th grade math or 4th grade math? Household chores? If you are selecting the 7th grade math team for the county competition, do you give the 4th grader a bye because she is owed some "different" criteria from the 7th graders, even though she has never taken 7th grade math? And if so, how does she help the 7th grade math team? Or do you pick the best 7th graders who all have had 7th grade math? Yes, at home in terms of doing chores, you may legitimately treat the 13 year old and the 10 year old differently. But not for the 7th grade math team. And making the US National Team for Qualifiers is more like making the 7th grade math team than it is like doing household chores. The child analogy doesn't work.
It's sort of getting to my ideal system for USA.... But I'd rather have Sacha infront of JJ and perhaps Stu. With Dempsey wide right, EJ or Brad Davis wide left, and Jozy as the striker. You's 4 to 5 attacking players supporting Altidore. Someone playing centrally who can go box-to-box in Stu, and then a dedicated attacking presence in the middle of the pitch with Sacha. That would really help alleviate some of the pressure off of Davis, who can then just send in crosses.
Sorry, I don't read many PR as they mostly BS. What does that mean. So LD asked for time off and was told no and Dolo said I need to rest despite playing 90 for his club and was told fine? Especially with TC out with an injury and WCQ's generally being seen as important matches. Not a big deal, but doesn't add up.
He has a hot galpal and a cool stache and he's proven time and time again to be a critical player for the USMNT. Ok, two out of three?
That he can get a super model as a GF with that porn-stache speaks to one hell of a charisma. Good enough for me to make him captain.
That makes sense considering the roster available for the Belgium friendly. I hope it means that Kljestan will be playing as a central midfielder, rather than as a wing midfielder. I've been hoping to see that.
JK had Mike doing the press conference with him in the last set of matches if I remember correctly. Mike wasn't captain, I think he just likes to have a guy who is an obvious starter (like Mike, or in this match Kljestan since he's already named him as such). Doubtful that Kljestan will be named captain, but who knows.
I could be wrong, but I don't think that is what he is doing. He is comparing the relationship of himself as a father of two children to JK's relationship to two players. That's the focal point of the analogy. Analogies are not situational replications.
I'm afraid it won't be fair to him since he still a work in progress. As to the "imagination" label others have put on him, to me is just a smaller version of MB at best.
I believe it will be a #6 #8 CM combo. I know some posters have been calling for this so we will get to see it. It will require a ton of running and defensive work for Sacha against a physical Belgium midfield. Lets see how he performs.
Why would someone compare a professional relationship between a professional coach and professional players to that of a family relationship between a father and his young children? JK has never implied that he views professional sports in terms of a parent-child relationship. JK has always talked about how hard and demanding the professional game is. Very, very different arenas.
Kljestan has been playing a 6/8 going all the back to '06 World Cup Qualifying. He's been playing the role in Belgium.
To show that the relationship between an authority and those he has authority over can be different, based on the differences of situation. But I take your point. You don't think the analogy has any informational value, and I can understand that point of view.
Hopefully he's subbed at the half, because I would imagine JJ wants to play as much as possible against Germany.