Lima played well for a really really bad Quakes team...tragically awful. He had to deal with a lot difficult situations...desperation defending...clown car defensive rotations, slow central defenders and no legit LB...Shea Salinas, normally a mid, played LB. He was positionally challenged all season. A classic example from last season, a CB would step up high, get skinned...Lima collapses into the middle to cut off the attacker...attacker passes the ball to the guy Lima just left...that guy assists or scores and most of the fans think Lima lost his mark and got burned...repeat that about 50 times...those constant no win situations don't show well for an All-Star invite. He is a good solid player with a great mentality...he checks a ton of boxes. He got his opportunity and showed very well. His assist to Zimmerman was great, but the play that blew my mind was his run up the right side against CR. He hip and shouldered three Costa Ricans off the ball and got separation...you just don't see that...each of those guys were coming in hard for a piece of him. Hopefully he gets an invite to the next two friendlies. We need to see him against better comp. I'm pretty high on his nats potential. I think he's exactly the type of player GB is looking for.
That's a good point about his age but he is still pretty young. He's almost 1 yr younger than Yedlin (for whatever that is worth). I consider physical primee to begin approx 26 or 27 yrs. That give him at least 1.5-2.5 yrs to improve physically. Tactically he can improve beyond that. The big question I have about Lima is that he looked real good in Berhalter's system against Panama and Costa Rica but that was against Panama and Costa Rica B. Yedlin has already shown what he can do against the big boys (although not in Berhalter's system). How will Lima stack up? Inquiring minds want to know. Either way, both Lima and Yedlin will be in their prime for the next WC with a few guys like Cannon in the mix as well. We could be in a worse situation at RB.
All three of Yedlin, Lima, and Cannon will get plenty of chances to win a spot. We have a lot of games this summer. and fall. [And there could be other MLS veterans like Rosenberry getting a chance if they have good MLS campaigns.] And if our program is advancing like we want it to, yet another option (or 2 or 3) will emerge over the next 1-2 years. There are a lot of people that are high on Chris Gloster, for instance. I mean, it doesn't really who's number 1 on the depth chart in February of 2019.
It's entirely possible, if not likely, that 3G is a mixture of both. No system in this sport can accommodate every one of the best possible parts. There will always be someone, or someones, who lose out to the "system" any given coach employs.
Something funny though sometimes as a defender or GK it is easier to shine as a cut above because you get so much of the ball. You have lots of opportunities to make great plays or saves. And when you get beat everyone blames the shit midfiel. But it is a different mentality to play on a good team. Not at all saying he can’t do it though. Hoping he kicks ass.
I tend to agree when it comes to GK's but not as much with defenders. A bad defense can make a good defender look bad. A GK, on the other hand, can make spectacular saves with a bad defense in front of him and be judged somewhat independently from GA. I do agree that sometimes it can be very difficult to evaluate a defender. Often you don't notice a defender by what they happens but by what doesn't happen. I don't remember the saying but it is something about how a good defender is one that you don't notice. Many times a spectacular defensive play is really just the result of a player turning a simple play into a difficult one or a non issue into an issue.
'Blow by you'/'run you down' speed: Donovan, Beasley, Yedlin, Davies Can hang with anyone speed: Lima, Cherundolo But Lima and Cherundolo were quicker, more physical, and better 1v1.
Ah, yeah, I love reading about all those right backs that carry their team to victory! Oh, wait, that never happens? And Zardes, I've seen him on the All-Star team, he must've killed at Camp Cupcake! He might never be seen again, but he's a good player on a bad team, while Yedlin is a mediocre player at a high level. Lima's not as fast, but he's got a shot on him and can pass well. It remains to be seen if Yedlin can pass as well, we know he can't shoot (and yes, I remember his Tigres goal, he's not good at shooting overall).
I think as a fan base we need to always remember that players don't all peak at the same time. Some players will peak at 27-33 while others will peak at 18-26. A good national team program is one that can equally evaluate players based on their current abilities and overall mentality. If said player was an average player from 18-27, but slowly over-time peaked to an extremely high-level at 28/29 then its important to make that player a part of the team. Sure he was not the early bird chosen one, but now at a prime-age, hes a really good player and now better than the long-time incumbents. My favorite example of this, is Dax McCarty starting to pass Michael Bradley by in 2017 but Arena stayed to familiarity even though the formation called for a more agile DM to cover ground and provide support for the Pulisic forays. Another current example is Aaron Long and Christian Ramirez. I hope Ramirez can get his shot and we not linger on Zardes because Zardes was the early familiarity.
I like Lima a lot but every single level that he has proven himself at, yedlin did so years ago. In fact for both national team and club yedlin has performed, and performed well; at higher levels. People may take this to mean that I am thus proclaiming that Yedlin > Lima. But that is not the case. Just trying to remind the growing crowd of people that brush off yedlin and have crowned Lima due to 2 good games against Panama C and Costa Rica C. Seems bizarre to me. People remember moments but forget context. Antonee Robinson is another victim of this. The kid has some obvious flaws. But he gets skinned against some of the best attacking teams in the world and suddenly he is exiled. As if we have capable replacements waiting to put Douglas costa in their pocket. Again, these players are not immune to criticism. I just feel sometimes playing at a higher level comes at a higher cost. I wonder what the perception of Lima would be today if he were had started against Brazil and Colombia (under Dave ********ing sarachan mind you) but not panama and Costa Rica
Yedlin was getting skinned by Fabian Castillo at MLS level. What DeAndre had was youth(potential), a good workrate, and unworldly speed. Lima has 54 league starts, in addition to the two January Camp games. There is plenty to base a judgement on. Lima is a conventional defender; defenders take longer to develop. JK used Yedlin, especially initially, as a deep-lying winger. In some matches he would be subbed in in the manner of an attacking sub. And to great effect! 6 primary assists in his first two years with the NT. His transition to the role of conventional fullback for the NT has been, imo, a misuse of his talents.
I think saying Lima should continue to get looks in the year ahead is perfectly reasonable. My problem is with the anointing of Lima as some great player based on the last 20 minutes against two poor teams not able to go more than 50 minutes. Lima has never performed against good competition in a pressure situation. Let him show some dominance in MLS. If you are so high on him, just say he will. Not so hard, just predict Lima takes his game to another level and is the best RB in MLS in the coming season. Then when he does it, I will be happy to say I was late on him.
Dax was a player that many complained was not used by Klinsmann. Well he was tried by Arena at the B team GC2017 and could not keep up. Sometimes the above average MLS players are just that. We will see in the upcoming matches if Lima fares any better than Garza or Villafana against good international competition.
First, I've almost never heard of a player peaking at 33. That's extraordinary rare. Second, Lima is a speed-based player. That makes his peak a shorter period because he will start losing his speed at 29-30. That being said, Americans who spend their career in MLS and then move to a top European league in their early-to-mid 20s do often experience a bump in ability and form, so perhaps that could happen to Lima. I'd love him to test himself so we can see what type of player he truly is against a higher level of competition.
Another thing to consider is that Lima switched positions. (not sure about Yedlin but don't believe he did). Having to learn a second position can set back your development curve....at least initially. Not saying that the switch was a bad thing or even detrimental in the long run (having the experience as a forward can provide benefits above and beyond simply learning a defensive position.) I don't know if they still do it but I know, for example, that the dutch system used to encourage players learning and playing all positions at a young age and only specializing at some point in their teens.
I think Yedlin has been poor for the NT for a while, under JK, Arena, and Sarschan. And, as Ive said a couple times, I'd like a RB with some offensive skills, which Yedlin doesn't really have. I just don't think that not seeing Lima on an All-Star roster means he's not a really good MLS player. He's just as good, if not better, than Zusi and Murillo. Except Zusi is on SKC, a way better team with a system that mitigates his flaws (e.g speed). And Murillo was on the league-leading NYRB, with Tyler Adams and one of the best CB pairings in the league. He's probably not going to be considered the best RB in MLS. But he's the best American RB in MLS. You should easily be able to name the better ones. Particularly of note, we just saw a competition between Cannon and Lima at Camp Cupcake, and GB went with Lima, not Cannon. He could be wrong, but Lima did well, which to me suggests he went with the right choice (however he made that choice).
Best American RB in MLS gets you to Camp Cupcake. But it isn't saying much. You have to be able to stand out and be on another level. WS rating doesn't tell the story either or Opta rating or any other rating really. We have seen these stand outs walk right into EPL and Bund teams this window. But I don't know if anything can be said of average MLS players or even good ones. It is an eye test thing and most people don't watch West Coast MLS games. But a 7 figure transfer to Herta Berlin would certainly tell us that someone was watching and thought so. Playing with the NT against better competition and continuing to perform would also help. Lima wasted valuable development playing college and it could be he is taking a step forward at 24. Not unlike Long and many college guys before him. He has almost 5,000 minutes in MLS, so if he is going to take a step forward, this would be it.
Actually, someone posted a long while back some statistics on athleticism and age. My numbers will be off a bit, but the gist was that speed maxes out very early--before 20 I think. Endurance, however, continues to improve until the early 30s, then drops off pretty sharply. Perhaps that's why central midfielders tend to be at their peak as players for longer than wingers--of course, experience counts for a lot in that position. So, unless something miraculous happens, Lima and everyone else in the NT pool, pretty much, will continue getting slower as the years go on. That said, the statistics would suggest Lima (or anyone else) will be able to go on more lung-busting runs as they age, just at a slower top speed.
Getting the nod of the coach in January Camp says quite a bit. The player will get future opportunities with the NT. That's pretty important. You can't stand out with the NT if you're not getting caps. WS and other opta-based don't tell the whole story. But they do provide a baseline that can counter baseless, agenda-driven claims against players. Who knows what college did for Lima's career? Maybe he wasn't mentally or physically ready for an early pro-career. Maybe he valued education. Maybe he would've flamed out if he had turn pro early. We do know quite a number went to college then went on to have excellent pro and NT careers.
The "best American RB in MLS" is a bridge way too far. It is more accurate to say that Lima was better able to play a weird RB role the way GB wanted. That hybrid CM role is 180 away from how RBs are taught and Cannon admitted he had difficulty adjusting. “No chance,” Cannon said when asked if he’s played a role like that prior. “It’s just something I have to get more comfortable in the inside of the park. It’s just something that is gonna take time to adapt to and for me, a lot longer than a month. Many knowledgeable soccer folks are skeptical that any international team can be successful playing a RB that way including Cannon's coach at FCD. “I think Gregg is going to be smart about knowing what players he has in a camp, in a moment, in a game, and getting the best out of them in the lineup and formation. Club is a little different, where you have a lot more opportunities to train concepts, rather than just have camps every two months. That’s a big challenge for Gregg, . . . but his way has to be adaptable based on him getting a different crop of players every time from different leagues, different styles.” https://www.prosoccerusa.com/mls/fc...on-usmnt-training-camp-coach-gregg-berhalter/
That is interesting. I would have expected a max at 24-27ish with a relatively flat decline at first. I wonder what the curve looks like? It probably levels off and is relatively flat for a few years before a significant drop can be noticed. I wonder where that would be? Closer to 30?
That 'hybrid' role didn't even last into the CR match. Still, it might be useful against non-CR, non-Mexico Concacaf.
I'm pretty sure that the typical age of the Olympic 100m sprint winner 'fastest man in the world' is 25 to late twenties. I don't believe for a second that the peak is 20 years old. If that was true college sprinters would be winning all the sprints and they don't. The person putting that out there needs to show his sources. It's a pretty accepted rule of thumb that sprinters over 30 are 'past it'.