Nations League A, Camp 1, Cuba/Canada, Oct. 11/15

Per Goff. 9,000 tix sold so far for Cuba game in DC in 2 weeks.

yikes..

 

There must be a lot of us waiting on Dest to confirm his presence. Hope you're working overtime to make that happen.

 

Thoughts and prayers, people...thoughts and prayers

 

Is it in the DC soccer stadium? If so it won't be too bad if they get a few more as it gets closer and walkup. If it's in the Redskins stadium it will look really bad.

 

It is at Audi Field. They probably figured there weren't enough Cuban fan to fill up Fed-Ex Field. I feel like a lot of usmnt fans did not return after the missed WC and the debacle that followed with the coaching situation so you can't rely on them either.

 

If none of the Lions are called in, I'll definitely go check it out (especially if Serge is in).

 

Was Serge ever out?

 

Does anyone really not expect to see Bradley, Lovitz, Baird, and Zardes? I wish the roster would drop so the wailing and gnashing of teeth could begin. We could have a USL roster and beat Cuba, however, Canada might just be rough for our Gold Cup all-stars. I'd be so happy to see some experimentation with Cappis, Gall, or Sabbi. Could they underwhelm as much as our recent selections? Sure would be nice to find a revelation before the hex. Heck, I'd settle for a few that are just a little better than what we've been watching. Additionally, if any of them are good enough, they need to learn "the system."

 

Unless Berhalter does a complete swap of players between games (he won't bring in an all new experimental side with little to no practice) I hope to see maybe three new players added. Would actually love to see the U23's play against Cuba. If at least three new players are added every time the team gets together eventually all the placeholders will be gone.

 

Would certainly not be shocked to see Trapp get called in as well. Is he still riding the pine in Columbus?

 

They got over 17K for the friendly versus Jamaica in June. This is the price for playing terribly. You are going back to those fans, after Berhalter played an experimental (more disposable) 3-4-3 with a midfield of Trapp, Roldan, Yueill and Djorde that got manhandled by a USL Jamaica side. 1-0 flattered the USA.

You can't charge people $120/ticket, then use the game as solely a training session for your fringe players, lose badly to a bad team, then come back 5 months later and expect those people to show again. They feel used and defrauded.

Not to mention in the meantime, you had the 3-0 Mexico disaster on national TV.

Gregg has lost the fanbase. Attendance has been poor for years, but a new low in enthusiasm has been hit.

 

i don't disagree.. would just throw 2 points out there. Prices for the past 2 years have been beyond reasonable. Outside of the 2 premium games (mex/braz) prices have been $28-35.... $120 is for maybe the super premium seats. This is not a ticket price issue.

Second, friendlies have been drawing ~15k for 10 years. This isn't a Gregg Berhalter thing.

My 2 cents.

But agree that Nations League is super unknown. This game will end up in the ~15k range and that's pretty standard...unfortunately.

 

I don't think there's any reason to weep or gnash. Berhalter has been pretty liberal with his opportunities guys are getting called in all over the map. Not only that, but he has shown a willingness to reward players for significant advancement (Dest, Pomykal, Weah, etc.).

I wouldn't expect to see an experimental squad against Cuba. Fans need to go ahead and get that out of their heads. Berhalter is all about getting guys up to speed. Cuba will feature guys who haven't had many minutes, but who have been called in. I think that there will be a couple of newbies as well, but they will not define the squad. That squad will be prepping for Canada.

We may see new guys, but they will likely be full professionals. I am expecting a couple of guys like the following: Keaton Parks, Emmanuel Sabbi, Christian Cappis, etc. and maybe a longshot like Ulysses Llanez who is exploding in his youth league for opportunities or Richie Ledezma who is on a run of good form in his youth league. I don't think its realistic to expect Llanez or Ledezma to get senior team minutes with the Nats until they break through into their club teams.

 

My updated shot at this:

Forwards: Altidore, Sabbi, Morris, Arriola, Sargent
Midfielders: Holmes, Bradley, Morales, Parks, McKennie, Llanez, Pomykal
Defenders Cannon, Ream, Lima, Hollingshead, Zimmerman, Robinson, Miazga
Keepers: Steffen, Johnson

v. Cuba
----------------------------Sargent-------------------
Morris-----------------------------------------Sabbi
------------------------Pomykal----------------------
--------------Morales------------Parks------------
Hollingshead--------------------------------Lima
---------------------Ream-----Robinson----------
-------------------------Johnson----------------------


v. Canada
----------------------------Altidore-------------------
Morris-----------------------------------------Arriola
------------------------McKennie----------------------
--------------Holmes------------Bradley----------
Ream-----------------------------------------Cannon
---------------Miazga-----Zimmmerman-------
-------------------------Steffen----------------------

 

I basically like you lineup but no Pulisic? Also unless less one of the Robinson's stops being called up don't confuse me by not putting a first name or initial. For a second I was thinking of the left back Robinson at CB and thinking WTF? That second bunch is more experienced but pretty blah. Still a bunch injured that would help - Adams, Weah and others on the brink - Gloster, Ledezma, Reyna, Richards, Mendez....

I don't know how many he's allowed to call up but I'd bring in at least three that haven't been there befre to look at them and start getting them acclimated. If they show well then maybe at least be on the bench for the Haiti game.

 

I know this isn't the point but I don't expect to see Baird. It's possible but I feel he was in the last camp due to who was unavailable rather than forcing his in.

 

Yeah, Pulisic off to work on getting in the lineup at Chelsea.

The fact is, this group is generally young and have yet to really put together an inspiring performance, much less a run of them.

I didn’t realize that Morales has been injured, so I replace Morales with Julian Green.

 

Yes, I think it should be seriously concerning for GM Ernie Stewart or whatever his latest title is - sporting director, I think.

They're even taking pot shots over on MLS site. They seem to think we are an unremarkable team and I can't say I disagree.

Doldrums.

 

I say screw Chelsea as he went back early from the last set of friendlies and they didn't play him. This will be his chance to get playing time and clear his head. It might make him better when he gets back to Chelsea. Or not but since they aren't playing him who cares?

 

Well, the MLS site should probably be taking pot shots at themselves for that problem.

 

Your oppnents for the Canada game

GK- Milan Borjan | SRB / FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade)
GK- Maxime Crépeau | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
GK- Jayson Leutwiler | ENG / Blackburn Rovers

CB- Derek Cornelius | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
CB- Amer Didić | CAN / FC Edmonton
CB- Doneil Henry | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
CB- Steven Vitória | POR / Moreirense FC

FB- Samuel Adekugbe | NOR / Vålerenga Fotball
FB- Juan Córdova | CHI / CD Huachipato
FB- Richie Laryea | CAN / Toronto FC
FB- Kamal Miller | USA / Orlando City SC

M- Scott Arfield | SCO / Glasgow Rangers FC
M- Stephen Eustáquio | MEX / Cruz Azul FC
M- Will Johnson | USA / Orlando City SC
M- Mark-Anthony Kaye | USA / Los Angeles FC
M- Jonathan Osorio | CAN / Toronto FC
M- Samuel Piette | CAN / Impact de Montréal
M- Russell Teibert | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC

F- Lucas Cavallini | MEX / Puebla FC
F- Jonathan David | BEL / KAA Gent
F- Alphonso Davies | GER / FC Bayern München
F- David Junior Hoilett | WAL / Cardiff City FC
F- Liam Millar | SCO / Kilmarnock FC

The 2 most probable formations

-‐‐----------------------Cavallini
-----Davies‐-----------------------------Hoilett
-----------------------------David

------------------Arfield------------Piette

Adekugbe----------------------------------------Laryea
--------------------Cornelius-----Vitoria

--------------------------------Borjan

 

Klinsmann thinks the League of Nations is a complete waste of time.
And he's probably right. Nothing we can do about it, though.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/fifa-wo...nited-states-and-mexico-back-jurgen-klinsmann

"It's a waste of time, I'm telling you," Klinsmann said of the new competition. "It's a waste of time because you that need [that competition] as a country. I mean talking about Mexico, everyone is hoping for the fifth game in the World Cup. You're not reaching that fifth game in the World Cup if you play the teams you are playing now in the Nations League in CONCACAF. You are not.

"Because you need to play Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Holland and England. That is your competition. And when you have an opening for a national team window and you can maybe make one or two friendly games, you need to play Argentina or Germany and not a CONCACAF team.

"So within that system that was created here, it's almost impossible for United States or Mexico to get better. And that is why Mexico just lost against Argentina 4-0."

 

and UEFA changed their NL for next edition to groups of 4, so that's even less friendlies games then before. And with no Copa 2020 for USA, it also means all you get is pretty much concacaf focus between now and WC. with a few friendlies.

 

I swear, Canada is to the US, what Wales is to England. I can only imagine if we could pluck away David and Davies from Canada. It’s too bad that Canada produces some truly elite players (i.e. Hargreaves, De Guzman, De Rosario, etc) but has absolutely no depth to put them into that next level category’s