We are in all hands on deck mode, and anyone who thinks that’s alarmist isn’t a realist. If we don’t get results, we stand the possibility of a 2018 redux. So that means anything that can be done to mitigate that. 1). Call in Hoppe, look at him at the 9. He just has something our current forward crop doesn’t have; confidence. Let Hoppe cook. 2). Busio against Mexico in the 6. If we are saving Adams for Panama, that is. Kids got fight, kid wants the ball, kid has good set piece ability. 3). Scally as number one alternative for either dest or Jedi. No more ducking around, this kid is better than the depth. Let him eat. 4). Greg, for the love of god, snow some versatility. There are maybe a dozen coaches in the world that can justify playing the same tactics over and over and over again without adapting. You are not one of them. In case of emergency, break glass 5). DLT, get this guy on the field. He belongs. Healthy rotation guy next three games what other X factors are we looking for
Logic Check here: We're in a window where we need 4 points to clinch, or even just the right three points with likely other outcomes. While the schedule isn't easy, your strategy for this is to play a bunch of players who have barely played for the US and some who haven't even played for their club in close to a year? Including a small, soft CM as a CDM in Azteca? What?
If Zach Steffen's back is ok, we could try him at center forward. We won't be needing his services at goalie anymore cuz ya know Slonina.
I don't know if by next window he'll be ready. He needs an MLS Best XI type season. Which has historically been the standard for getting transferred for Europe for American keepers (Howard, Guzan, Steffen, and Turner) and generally means they are good enough to start for the national team.
Busio has already improved In the defensive aggression department. And Mexico will be the least physical and most finesse of our opponents. Obviously if Tyler is a go he starts but busio for me is a nice flex. Busio at the 6 is a nice option. For a toothless Mexico, and a toothless Mexico only
If steffen and Turner are in the bench and slonina is starting and a top 5 mls keeper by end of the season, slonina is our starting Qatar keeper
Acosta versus Mexico. He is annoying shittalking bitch driving Mexicans crazy. His performance delaying that PK for at least 5 minutes at the Nations Cup final was a state of the art one fully deserving Oscar for the best villain.
I mean it's a massive risk to take to start an 18 year old keeper who has started for the end of one season and one full season after that the starter in the World Cup. I think he has tremendous potential, but I don't think it's enough for him just to be a top 5 MLS keeper. He's got to be the best goalie in the league (a place that Steffen and Turner both reached) and playing at historic levels for an MLS goalkeeper. There's only one Donnarumma and he and Casillas are the only two goalies I can think of who broke through with their national team at that young an age.
He's like 104 pounds, slower than our other options, and this is Mexico at the Azteca. If we put him at the 6, he might leave in an ambulance.
its I’m his hands, no pun intended. He has that trajectory. Let’s give him the opportunity to be a Casillas or Donna
you are giving wayyy too much credit to the Mexico team I watched yesterday. Describing them as toothless is being generous. They have no belief. No hope. No trust in each other. Nothing. Even a finesse player like Busio would rattle them
I think he's got a ton of potential Donnarumma was the starting goalie for AC Milan and Casillas was the starting goalie for Real Madrid when they broke through. The Chicago Fire aren't quite those teams. If he's going to start before Steffen and Turner then I'd like to see him play at a higher level in MLS then either of them did. I don't think that's too crazy a standard.