USA goalkeeper discussion thread - Episode IV: No Hope

^ USMNT coulda maybe used that vs Panama idk

Nuestro XI de hoy 🤝 📰 pic.twitter.com/VqlwvJ8DJg

— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) March 29, 2025

Seems like Callendar isn't #3 but he is down to #2...

 

He had mental health issues, and given he was about to start against Canada but felt "ill", I suspect he still has them. Physically, he has everything to be a success

 

Callendar gets in the game due to an injury, his first minutes of 2025

Celentano:

HOW?!

Another stellar save from Celentano! pic.twitter.com/WJFYNQAbFG

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 30, 2025

 

I don't think there's anything odd at all about the Steffen situation.

Last cycle he totally lost form for club and country. Confidence? Health? Both? Who knows?

Could Steffen have sat on the bench as 3rd string at WC22 as Sean Johnson was? Sure. I guess so. But he hadn't done anything to WIN that spot either.

Now, he's back on form. He's 100% worthy of not just inclusion, but a chance to prove himself as the starter.

What's happened? Hell if I know.
But we know that he had a series of significant knee and back injuries.

My theory, without evidence, is that he's as healthy as he's been in a long time.
He had significant surgery on his knee in the summer of 2023 that kept him out into 2024. Then he had a slow start in Colorado, and statistically 2024 wasn't good for him.

Maybe.......................he's just now fully healthy. We can just look at that highlight.
He's back to making those really athletic saves that were his trademark pre-injuries.
I don't see evidence of knee problems there.

The guy is still only 29 years old. For a keeper, he's in his prime NOW.

[Right now, one year out from the World Cup its Turner that's in the position Steffen was in the 2022 cycle. Not doing anything to keep his spot. Same, actually, with Horvath. Neither of those two are doing things that FORCE themselves into the starting lineup or rosters.]

 

Horvath got the start for Cardiff City today. Its 0-0 late in the 2nd half.

🇺🇸 Ethan Horvath starts for Cardiff City today against QPR 🇺🇸 https://t.co/uBAX3l4q4K

— American Ultras Talk (@usmntaut) April 5, 2025

 

Scouting Freese

🇺🇸 USMNT GK coach Toni Jimenez was in attendance at Yankee Stadium yesterday to watch NYCFC standout GK Matt Freese

Freese was one of MLS's best GKs last year & is continuing that form in 2025

Received first senior call-up in January. USMNT assistant Jesus Perez was at game too pic.twitter.com/ElFZRaWQ4W

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) April 7, 2025

 

Who had a greater career in the Premier League, Guzan or Hahnemann?

 

Beavers starts for Brondby

Big day for 19 year old Gavin Beavers, who gets his first start for Brøndby in their Danish Superliga playoff match against Nordsjælland 🇩🇰

Brøndby are very much still alive for the Danish title, so this is not a meaningless start. Very excited to see how he does. pic.twitter.com/ElDlOr7QIv

— USMNT Source (@usmntsource) April 18, 2025

 

Gavin Beavers ('05) in his first Brøndby start:

◉ Clean sheet kept 🛡️
◉ 7.9 FotMob rating ✅
◉ 2 saves 🧤
◉ 30/33 (91%) accurate passes 💥
◉ 9/12 (75%) accurate long balls 🎯#usmnt pic.twitter.com/gBWVVmb2G5

— USMNT Report 🇺🇸🇹🇷 (@USMNTReport) April 18, 2025

Gavin Beavers ('05) in his first Brøndby start:

◉ Clean sheet kept ️
◉ 7.9 FotMob rating ✅
◉ 2 saves
◉ 30/33 (91%) accurate passes
◉ 9/12 (75%) accurate long balls

 

Eyestone

Growing up in Dallas 🇺🇸
Duke University 🎓
First team experience 🐝#BrentfordB goalkeeper Julian Eyestone discusses his childhood, what got him involved in football and his time so far in west London 🧤

Full story ➡️ https://t.co/orEBIpEBCr#BrentfordFC pic.twitter.com/ek1qauOfec

— Brentford Academy (@BrentfordFCPDP) April 19, 2025

 

I know win % is far from the thing but Celentano should at least be on the January camp short list

With @fccincinnati's victory this afternoon, Roman Celentano improved his winning percentage to 66.5% which is tied for the highest winning percentage by a goalkeeper in @MLS history in his first 100 regular season starts. pic.twitter.com/Y88o5pErKr

— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) April 26, 2025

 

Would have been nice if the listed who he was tied with. Might make it more relevant for us to determine if it means anything or is just a byproduct of being on a good team.

 

Just based on this weekend Chris Brady shouldn't even be in the conversation for a USMNT call up... yikes those two late goals especially (no that's not a replay)

 

You know things are bad when the best American GK so far this MLS season is... 36 year old Sean Johnson for 25th place Toronto FC

MLS GK leaders in post shot xG minus goals conceded:

Carlos Coronel, +4.7
Sean Johnson, +4.2
Daniel, +3.6

Bottom three:

Earl Edwards, -3.3
John McCarthy, -3.1
Andrew Thomas, -2.5

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 17, 2025

 

I'm convinced we could conjure up a stat to make any keeper in the league look good. Brad Guzan is the best in the league at xB90. What does that mean? Nobody knows. All I know is that TFC blew the socks off of Montreal last night. They could have had Margot Robbie in goal.

I wonder if Philly might think about trading or selling Andre Blake after this season. Cuz every time Andrew Rick plays, he looks like he's up to the challenge. They could cash in on Blake and free up space to upgrade another part of the squad. Anyway, Rick is a really nice #2 to have at the moment.

Another week, another Andrew Rick masterclass https://t.co/v06XI43v6e

— American Ultras Talk (@usmntaut) May 18, 2025

 

Notably the American Soccer Analysis stats have Steffen first in the league, Celentano second, Freese fourth, and Dos Santos 5th in their shot stopping metrics.

 

Congrats to @Brady00Chris on making his 100th pro appearance (all starts) in @ChicagoFire victory over Charlotte tonight. Not a bad career so far for the 21 year old:

2x Chicago Fire Defensive MVP (2023 & 2024)
2x Top GK in MLS Under Age of 22 (2023 & 2024)
Top Overall Prospect… pic.twitter.com/rVCTmWdnZl

— Mag Mile Sport (@MagMileSport) May 18, 2025

 

Doesn’t seem serious as far as I can tell, but Steffen missed the most recent game for Colorado with an injury.

 

USMNT's Pochettino: Turner risks being replaced as 1st-choice GK

Speaking to reporters on a zoom call during the Concacaf Gold Cup media day, Pochettino indicated he was well aware of the situation and spoken with Turner about it.

"I think it's true that [Turner is] not playing and we were talking with him and we translate the idea that for the future, in one year's time, I think he needs to find the way to compete every week," said Pochettino.

The U.S. coach added that otherwise, Turner could see himself falling behind his teammates.

"It's open now in our mind, it's open for another player maybe to challenge in between [the goalkeepers] and maybe to try to give the possibility to play [to] another player."

 

I expect he'll find a better club situation in the summer, but I would not bring him to the WC if he's not starting regularly. It's common sense.

 

We got 1 year to go and our options are so limited and depressing. Somebody needs to step up pronto!

 

“Common sense is an uncommon virtue.”

 

Turner to Wrexham?