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

-----------------------Altidore--------------------------
-----------Dempsey----------------Johnson-------------
------------------------Mix-------------------------
------------Bradley-------------Bedoya--------------
Chandler------------------------------------------Yedlin
------------Brooks----------------Besler---------------
--------------------------Guzan--------------------------

This is the Xl klinsmann should be trying... smh

Rest of roster: Rimando, Hamid, Ream, Garza/Rogers, Chandler, Zusi, Nguyen, Powers, Zardes, Gyau, Green, Gonzalez

 

Williams will be in the mix too once he is healthy again.

 

I would give Morales more time but when JJ is playing better than MB... kinda hard to let go of JJ.

 

put chandler twice. Oops fixed

 

Too old

 

I always thought age shouldn't be a factor if a player is playing better than a younger one. Same thing should be for Beasley and Dempsey. If all things are equal, then yes, age should come in to the equation.

 

The problem is that in competitive athletics, players plateau as they age. Then they hit an age where their athletic abilities fall off quickly. In soccer (and many other aerobic sports) that tends to be sometime in their early 30s. JJ might be good until 37 and beyond, but it would really suck to have one of the guys you build a team around fall off of that age cliff six months before the WC.

 

Shortly before a major tournament, I think you have to take the best current players, regardless of age.

But 3.5 years before the next World Cup, with a series of meaningless friendlies on tap, a coach should be looking at younger faces that project to be in peak form 3.5 years from now. THIS is exactly the right time to broaden the pool. The older vets are still playing club ball and still available for an important match, and if such an older player is still in good form 3.5 years from now, then he deserves a shot at the Cup team. But right now I'd favor more younger players for these friendlies and fewer older vets, even if they are not quite as good as the current older vets.

 

It will be interesting to see if Klinsmann does what makes sense.

 

But there is always capping players who look good on paper but are not good enough in actual play. Our youth teams since 09 seem to be stocked with these kids.

Everyone remembers Agudelo debut in '10 but who else remembers the other u-20 capped that game.

It was Gale Agbossoumonde.

Yedlin, Green, Brooks, Johannson, and Chandler barely participated pre WC. They had roles at the WC and played them.

Hell Germany had 8 players with 10 or less caps and won the WC.

 

good point.

 

It's tricky too, because a good player can be dismissed after one bad camp, due to lack of time to give him a proper run.

Personally, I want a team based on the MLS because of the ease of monitoring local players. I think nowadays we can make it far, as far as a QF in Europe, using mostly local players, more than counting on Europe-based players used to playing a different rhythm with more technical guys around.

It they're all on the same page, things are made easier, and missing a good guy after one bad show is less likely.

 

21 second mark, brilliance --

 

My 23:
Gk: Guzan, Rimando, Hamid

Def: Johnson, Brooks, Chandler, Gonzalez, Besler, Yedlin, Orozco, Lichaj, Castillo

Mids: Bradley, Jones, Bedoya, Mix, Zusi, Edu, Green, Feilhaber

Fwds: Altidore, Gyau, Donovan Dempsey

Starting XI
Guzan
Yedlin Gonzalez Brooks Johnson
Bradley Jones
Bedoya Donovan Zusi
Dempsey

 

Might we see Wooten? Or would he get the call in Nov?

 

I wonder how many people know who Wooten is. I do and definitely deserves a look.

 

Feel kinda bad for Clint there actually. Though these are sure the "funnier" responses, it would've been cool to see if anyone recognized him or freaked out getting to meet him.

 

I wish they did this in San Diego and I ran into him....total "crazed schoolgirl" moment from me would have been had

 

So how long till we hear about players chosen? a week? week and a half?

 

I'd say we know about the roster by the 1 or the 3rd (camp starts the 6th I believe).

 

I am sure there were people that recognized him and we are just shown this.

 

Saw an espn fc article saying it will most likely be a 30 man roster..enough spots to get a good look at new guys and mix them in with the vets as a measuring stick.

 

Link would be nice to share/have.

With a big Oct camp roster, I'd imagine the 10/10 and 10/14 friendly matches would be a good time for JK and staff to get a look as some fairly dissimilar XI's.

 

Found it.

http://www.espnfc.us/team/united-st...ler-risingfabian-johnson-slipping-us-hot-list

 

GK-Guzan, Rimando, Hamid
RB- Yedlin, Fabian
CB- Besler, Brooks, Gonzalez, Ream, Orozco, Hedges
LB- Beasley, Chandler, Garza, Rogers
MF- Bradley, Mix, Jones, Beckerman, Zusi, Bedoya, Gyau, Green, Morales, Corona, Hyndman, Nguyen, Trapp, Kitchen
FW- Dempsey, Donovan, Jozy, Zardes

assuming Cameron, Aron and Boyd are out.