Pre-match: U.S. MNT Oct. 10 vs Ecuador

This is probably exactly why they should get called in. MLS does not need to change the season but at least have FIFA match date windows.

Also, Jurgen needs to work on 2018, reasonably unobstructed.

 

Good question, but he was where he should have been. Didn't do anything extraordinary to get into the position that he was in. Credit him for being in the right position, but I think most strikers would have been in that position.

 

It's still just 2014, and January is not far away. There are plenty of other good players to choose from in Europe and the MLS teams out of contention

 

Sure. But you still don't plan for it. Keep him around to help with Copa America. Maybe he's a good guy to help transition to the next generation. And keep him on the radar in case he ages unusually well. But never plan around anyone that will be 30+ in the next WC. Always be looking for young guys to replace the old guys. Especially this early in the cycle. You hope that you find someone better than a 30+ GCam before then. Hopefully much better (and I have nothing against GCam).

 

He hits that sitter and we win instead of lose, how is that not costing us the game? I'm not gonna crucify the guy but thems the facts.

 

But why limit what the NT can or would be able to do on these dates?

Why let the NT manager be hamstrung and have to pick "others" that he may not primarily what, just because his first choice guys (or some of them) are busy with clubs on these dates in a league that has a hand-shake agreement (or whatever) in place not to gut those specific club line-ups.

MLS is being selfish jerks with their schedule and business needs. And US Soccer (in part understandably) letting or helping MLS get away with it. And I can certainly understand why MLS does what they do.

But the times may be a-changing (slowly) at US Soccer, in terms of what they want and will accept from that dynamic of how they see and use and work with MLS (in some ways).

 

Sometimes I wonder if MLS is run by NFL/NBA/MLB execs who do just enough to scare the soccer competition away while making sure they dont succeed enough to hurt football.

If the Nat Team brings customers to the MLS why would you not want to market the Nat games and hope to produce marquee names for a particular MLS team?

Cue the response that amounts to "we cant improve the product because it would hurt our bottom line".

 

It's a two-way street. MLS lets JK have players longer at certain times of the year than he is entitled to. The question is whether the current arrangement is fair. Only an egotist would think that his need for players in a a pair of friendlies in the heart of the MLS season 3.5 years before the World Cup finals trumps any reasonable arrangement with MLS.

 

What world do you live in? The growth of MLS and soccer in the US has been very impressive, and certainly scares these groups at least a lettle.

What makes you think they don't want to do this?

You mean time to cue reality after your little romp in your angry fantasyland?

 

Jurgen said that he wants to bring the best including MLS players..

GK-Guzan, Rimando, Hamid
RB- Fabian, Yedlin
CB- Besler, Gonzalez, Brooks, Cameron
LB- Beasley, Chandler
MF- Bradley, Mix, Jones, Zusi, Bedoya, Beckerman
FW- Jozy, Dempsey, Donovan, Johannsonn, Gyau, Green

------------------Jozy-------------------
Green---------Dempsey--------Donovan?
-----------Jones--------Bradley------
Beasley----Besler---Gonzo----Fabian
-------------------Guzan---------------

Honestly I think we are a better team without Dempsey because he hurts us tactically, but in a best XI I dont see him being benched

If Donovan comes off the bench I would start Yedlin on the right

 

Lets just say I'm not surprised it just happened to be Wondo who gets on the end of the golden opportunity of the game within like 10 minutes of being subbed in. But I'm also not surprised he missed

 

He's such a tantalizing player...

 

Your "new" half looks pretty good but 1/ Irwin hasnt been in good form recently 2/I would bring Wenger and Serna for width which i think you lack in your list and we really need to find some.

Edit I wud not mind seeing Mullins if Bruin and McInerney dont make it.

 

So no love for Wondo after that missed chance...?

 

More like "tough love".

 

More like "the overwhelming preponderance of evidence is that, during games that matter against halfway decent or better opposition, Chris Wondolowski is a terrible finisher. This and the fact that there are plenty of other forward options who are younger, available and need a look means he can stay in San Jose".

 

He's supposed to play 20, 30 minutes at most. He has a real game 2 days later vs. Dallas.

 

Vital game for the Supporters' Shield that one.

Yep, hope LD only plays 30 minutes max.

 

My group:

GOALKEEPERS:
Brad Guzan, Nick Rimando, Bill Hamid
Omitted Sean Johnson

FULLBACKS:
Fabian Johnson, DeAndre Yedlin, Greg Garza, Timmy Chandler
Omitted: Eric Lichaj, Edgar Castillo, Andrew Farrell

DEFENDERS:
Tim Ream, John Brooks, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler
Omitted: Matt Hedges, Chris Schuler, Amobi Okugo

MIDFIELDERS:
Michael Bradley, Perry Kitchen, Mikkel Diskerud, Alfredo Morales, Alejandro Bedoya
Omitted: Maurice Edu, Dillon Powers, Dax McCarty, Jose Torres, Geoff Cameron, Emerson Hyndman, Danny Williams

ATTACKERS:
Graham Zusi, Joe Corona, Luis Silva, Lee Nguyen
Omitted: Kelyn Rowe, Eric Alexander, Harry Shipp, Julian Green, Joe Gyau, Luis Gil, Brek Shea, Dillon Serna, Paul Arriola, Andrew Wenger

FORWARDS:
Gyasi Zardes, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore
Omitted: Jordan Morris, Rubio Rubin, Will Bruin, Jack McInerney, Juan Agudelo, Tommy Thompson


vs Ecuador

-----------------------Altidore--------------------------
-----------Dempsey------------------Zusi-------------
------------------------Bradley-------------------------
------------Diskerud-------------Bedoya--------------
Johnson------------------------------------------Chandler
------------Brooks----------------Besler---------------
--------------------------Guzan--------------------------

Bench: Rimando, Ream, Garza, Morales, Corona, Silva, Zardes


vs Honduras

------------------------Altidore------------------------------
-----------Dempsey-------------------Zusi------------------
-------------------------Bradley------------------------------
--------------Diskerud-----------Bedoya--------------------
Johnson----------------------------------------------Yedlin
-----------------Gonzalez---------Besler--------------------
----------------------------Guzan-----------------------------

Bench: Rimando, Ream, Garza, Kitchen, Corona, Nguyen, Zardes

 

I wonder how long Klinsmann waits to retire Beasley, Jones and Beckerman

 

At present, JJ is playing better than MB yet you have him out.

 

I think it would be wise to start searching for a replacement D-mid at the moment rather than continue using him. I'd bring him back in March if nobody rises in the remaining friendlies this year.

Who's better of Wil Trapp, Alfredo Morales and Mo Edu ?

 

I'd like to see more of Morales. Perry Kitchen might be next in the pecking order though. And there's Geoff Cameron who started at CM against Belgium