I get it, but at some point, I think a coach needs to make some hard choices based on where he projects a player to be at the World Cup.
I'd keep calling in Ream because he should quickly become an assistant once his playing days are over. Mostly as a player coach but yes if they can't outplay the old guy ....
Maybe I'm still holding onto some anger over how bad CCV was against Panama, but I might bet that Ream is more likely to be useful player at the WC than CCV. When I really think about it, I guess I just don't have a lot of confidence in the mid-20s Euro options--CCV, McKenzie, and Trusty. Richards was bad in the Copa, but I think he has been good before and has a better chance to be good again. I'd prefer the older guys like Zimmerman or Ream and then maybe skipping to speculative young guys like Neal or Banks for these friendlies.
I think we just need a break from Ream, like before, to try other options in friendlies like these. But if they fail, we can circle back to Ream, provided the wheels aren't coming off in MLS & he does well enough in camp. It's a false dilemma between the likes of CCV & Ream in the interim. CCV has played his way out of chances. Now it's McKenzie's & Trusty's turn. Though I might opt to push Neal, if those guys don't look like they belong when given shots in better comps for club & country. This is of course surrounding the re-integration of Zimmerman & Miles. Richards had a poor last camp, but he's just kind of in the rotation by default, though he has to know he'll get dropped for those sub-standard performances. Whoever manages throughout the next several months has to know how to push these roster-building buttons and create this culture of accountability. If it's an interim manager, those lessons have to be passed on to the permanent one. Berhalter did a poor job of using the info that Sarachan, Callaghan, & Hudson gave him; just being headstrong he'd do things fully his way. It's in part why he had a poor start and finish to his tenure.
I've always had doubts about CCV due to his lack of speed, short stature and lack of hops. I need to see him go somewhere where he faces more than a couple of teams that have scoring threats before I believe in him. I think the Championship would be a lot tougher that the Scottish League and a few early CL games.
Please watch a replay of the League Game: Quakes vs Chivas and tell me that you want to see Cade on the roster. He is a one trick pony (speed dribble). He may be worth bringing off the bench, but I would want to see more improvement at the club level over the next year before even considering him for the WC.
If we play Scally at RB, then we not only have to deploy Gio in CM, but empower him to stay higher. He shouldn't be dropping in front of the CB's to be a DLP, creating a chasm to our FW's.
He’s like Jordan Morris for me, kinda wasted on a wing but can bully ball from the 9. I wish he would just play there, his wheels alone will unsettle center backs.
When he played with the Quakes, there was a lot of Quakes fans who wanted to move him to the 9 for the exact reasons that you have stated. The problem was the Quakes played a possession game under Luchi (not a lot of long balls). Jordan Morris is probably a good comparison. If he can refine his play enough (I.e. finishing in general, better passing in short confines), he could be a contributor to the USMNT.
Based upon the Copa America, we need to do the following: Look for other options in central defense (Reem could be a backup/coach for the next WC, but we need more; Richards needs to play the position at club, not DM, I don't ever want to CVC again). Need to find another GK (to challenge for starter and as a solid backup - Horvath and Johnson are not the answers) We need to re-look at the makeup of the midfield. MMA is not the answer. I'm less concerned at the 9 as I think solving the midfield and improving the defense will help the 9. Depth - Defense at all positions except may be right back. Defense mid. Need another speed option at wing other than Pulisic and Weah. I want to see a solid team a year out so that they can start getting consistent playing time together - should include depth for injuries or lack of form. Lastly, stop playing players who either are not playing for their club or are playing another position for club than for country (see Richards).
Richards only played DM for a month or so when Palace got desperate. They don't see him there. He had more than twice the appearances as a CB then Mid, and he finished out the season before the Copa playing very well as a CB (LCB in a back 3).
Again, playing in a back 3 is the main point for most of our CBs. Especially if we want to move on from Ream. Richards, Zimmerman and Robinson all play in 3cb back lines for their clubs and it could work for the USMNT. Neal seems like the next cb up and he does well for the galaxy in both 2 and 3 cb formations. Scally could be a backup at both outside cb slots. The only problem here is that Zimmerman is the only sweeper cb we have right now. I think he plays it pretty well but he isn’t a world beater at long range passing. It would be nice if Tessmann and/or Neal moved to that slot for their clubs but again, we aren’t very deep at center cb. It may still be worth it though as I think Richards, Robinson, Neal and Scally would make us deep and more dangerous at the back
This is where Brooks has a chance. In a three back set IF he gets regular playing time again and especially if he moves to that center position and excels. Maybe just a backup but using three instead of two gives him a foot in the door.
I'd guess this game with an interim head coach will look a lot like what we saw under Berhalter. A temp isn't likely to make big changes or start trying something new unless we have a coach selected, and that coach communicates some of what he wants. I think this makes it a pretty uninspiring game since whoever is brought in as the coach will have his own ideas of how he wants this team to play and what players he wants to rely on. This game is just kind of there to fill a space in time but too disconnected from either past or future to matter much.
Interesting. I assume that you are thinking a 3-4-1-2. That would put a lot of pressure on Pulsic and Dest on the defense end. What would you think would be a sample lineup?
Ream has had some stinkers in the USMNT uniform. He was awful vs Costa Rica in our home L2-0 in WCQ in 2017. That loss was one of the reason we did not make the WC. Ream also lost the 1v1 header that led to the Uruguay goal. Ream got back into the program and has been competent since late 2022 so I suspect CCV will get more chances. CCV was competent at WC2022.
Have you watched Scally in a 3 atb? He got some games there with Gladbach but he has a ways to go when it comes to defending in the middle, imo.
If it is an interim coach (not like when Gregg was hired but didn't take over right away) I'd prefer some of the big names to be left off. Try and let them integrate further into their teams and rest in a game for a coach that won't matter in 2 months. I'd go something like this Schulte Horvath Celentano Reynolds Scally Richards Miles Trusty Neal/EPB/Dietz Jedi Vines/Lund/Gooch Musah LDLT Tillman Johnny Maloney McGlynn Pulisic Zendajas Booth Paredes Flo Sargent Vazquez Keep the core for the most part (letting Gio and Wes figure clubs out). Bring in some younger guys, kinda like Sarachan did. Up the tempo and see what happens. If it's a set coach, you bring in your a group with 2 fringe players. Just figure out what's better.