So it's Christmas Eve. While I am normally more politically correct, I was hoping I could post 10 things I want for the USMNT in 2017 for Christmas. If this offends you, then consider it my 10 things I want for Hanukkah, Kwanza, Festivus, or other celebratory/religious holiday. It doesn't really matter to me. I hope you'll all comment on this list and/or type out your own lists. What I want: 10. We move on from the idea that Landon Donovan is going to come back from retirement and save us. He's not going to take us to the 2018 World Cup title. 9. A left back. Which leads us to 8. A permanent spot for Fabian Johnson. Personally, I don't think he's as good for the USMNT as everyone else. Go back and watch the last 2 USMNT WCQs and you'll see a guy who looks tired, confused, and out of place. I feel like he does that too often. But I also haven't been impressed by anyone who is even close to American and has tried to play left back. So I guess this means I want FJ at left back. Can we just move one of the talented kids to left back so he will be ready 5-7 years from now and we can finally put and end to this on-going saga? 7. A center midfielder to take the reigns and be the creator we need. If this is a box to box midfielder, or more of an attacker, I don't really care. I just want someone who is better in possession and creates some goals 6. Pulisic to find chemistry with said central midfielder. Oh, and for him to earn a starting spot now that Bruce has taken over. 5. Michael Bradley to play well. For MB supporters, you can't deny that he has a habit of passing the ball to the wrong team. Personally, I would love to see someone take his place, but it doesn't seem like that's going to happen. So for the sake of the team, let's hope he plays better and they work around his weaknesses (i.e. Don't ask him to pass the ball forward) 4. To move on from Jermaine Jones. I realize a lot of people like him, but I don't. You can't have 2 guys in your starting XI who don't know what jersey they are wearing. Plus, he looks every bit of his 35 years now. He's late to every challenge and tries to make up for it with dirty challenges or ill-disciplined antics. Also, if you watch him in games against better opponents, he stands in the defensive third next to MB almost the entire game. He just doesn't move or hustle enough for all 90 to be a starting cm at this point. 3. Clint Dempsey recovers and is back to 100%. Soon. I don't mean to the point where he's on the national team and contributing, I just mean playing and in the conversation. He's one of the best players the US has ever had and he doesn't deserve to go out like this 2. This new crop of kids to be every bit as good as we hope. I know not every one can be as good as Pulisic, but if they are as good as they've looked so far, the talent pool will take a huge leap forward 2-6 years from now and, with the right coaching, I think we could actually be legitimately good enough at soccer to make a serious World Cup run. 1. No surprise here... #1 is I hope Christian Pulisic is as good as we hope he is. Actually, I hope he's better. I know he made the "champions league team to watch" or whatever but I want it to not be a question of whether or not he should start for Dortmund or the US. And I hope Dembele starts passing him the ball at some point
1) More 16-20 year old Americans starting every week in MLS. 2) Duece has a healthy and speedy recovery.
I wish more would stay and fight it out in MLS than what appears to be the easier signing for a Mexican team where they get swallowed up in the system and disappear.
I want the euro academy guys like haji, EPB and the like to burst through...that's right, burst through and not look back. Take a spot in the lineup and make an impact. I know they can and will. They are American. We succeed. Sometimes it's not their fault. After all they are in a forgiven land. It has taken time, but we have lots of kids in the pipeline. They still get the best trai ing overseas. That is my next wish, become world class at training. Enough from me.