USA goalkeeper discussion thread - Episode IV: No Hope

Not sure what to learn. A good keeper wil "tell" you everything you need to know during a short camp. Someone like Friedel, Keller, or Howard will do it so convincingly that you will remember it till the death. Alzheimer's or not. Not even mentioning Neuer or Peter Schmeichel. Turner btw is very bad at that, lack of confidence is what prevented him from becoming top keeper.

 

We would be a world power in only all of our baseball players played soccer. Imagine John Kruk in midfield!

 

To me it comes down to what Poch is thinking now.

If he has already made up his mind, then just start Freese (assuming he's the one) the rest of the time (only 6 or 7 matches). If it's still an open issue to him, then he really should play Turner to see if his play is good enough to still consider him.

Personally, I think you play Turner tonight, if for no other reason, then to see if he's still capable to be a starter for the NT.

 

Seems prudent, even if Poch has settled on Freese - to get Turner (or whoever is your #2) some games before the WC. The idea that no one every breaks has ruined more than one soccer campaign.

 

You're going to need to give Freese the run. He still needs it.

Therefore, you go with experience as the backups. Guys you trust to do a standard job for you without a ton of preparation in games with the group. Turner and Steffen are such guys in our pool. Chris Brady is not.

 

The argument against this idea is simple: his yuck is based on when he wasn't getting regular starts and now he is.

It may or may not be true, but it's certainly logical that his downturn in national team form is a result of lack of play and confidence at club, and if that turns around ...

 

Freese it is …

 

Guzan announced his retirement.

 

Guzan had one helluva nice career. Good for him.

We could argue around in circles about the ranking. In terms of impact for the USMNT, he'd probably be 5 or 6. Turner may not be done collecting wins. Guzan never played a World Cup game, while Turner was really good at the World Cup in 2022. Guzan did play in plenty of important games and events, though.

Older posters will remember when we talked about Guzan as the next goalkeeping star for the USMNT in the Friedel, Keller, Howard mold. It just didn't turn out that way. He still played more than 200 games in England (the majority of which were in the Premier League). Still had a long and accomplished career.

USMNT goalkeeper wins (as starter).

Howard 62
Keller 53
Meola 37
Friedel 35
Guzan 34
Turner 29

Shutouts

Keller 47
Howard 42
Meola 32
Turner 27
Friedel 24
Guzan 20

 

I have to believe that Poch has settled in on Freese and it's now his job to lose.

 

Hell what we wouldn't do for Horvath or Steffen or Turner to have had a career ala Guzan.

 

Yes.

If he was still interested in evaluating other options, he'd be doing so.

He's given Freese the run of 10 straight starts in a row. Its his job to lose.

Is that a good or a bad thing? Meh. Hard to say. Matt Freese isn't Tim Howard.

What's good is that Poch has seemingly made his choice of GK and going with it. A decision had to be made.

 

Keepers and defenders need time to gel. He's getting to work with all of the contenders. If he gets hurt then it was a bad idea.

 

You go with backups that have experience.

If Freese gets hurt late in the process, Matt Turner can do the job with limited games in the run-up to the event.

Its like....................Tim Ream at WC22.

 

Caveat is that Turner could step back in between the pipes with limited notice should Poch decide he gives the team the best chance to win, especially now that he's playing regularly for his club again. Building up Freese's international experience now is the best way to give the team multiple quality options next summer, I don't think it necessarily means he has the job won.

 

So no way back for Schulte as a back up option? I see some naming Steffen but with the harsh likelihood of an injury, doesn't seem a wise bet to back him and Horvath seems shut out. I figure must be some 20-25 year old MLS keeper to serve as no.3

 

Patrick was just at October camp. He's got a shot. He's one of a small group of keepers to actually start a game under Poch. [Since his debut, Patrick only has 3 caps. Never in a game that's mattered. Two January camp games. The friendly against Canada for which Mikey Varas was coach. That's it.]

One expects a free-for-all at the GK position for January camp.
Turner, Steffen, Freese, Schulte, Brady.

The ones left out of camp will tell us a lot.

Horvath hasn't played under Poch. He was at Poch's first camp against Panama/Mexico a year ago, and hasn't been back with the group. His performance level in club soccer also hasn't been good enough. I could be totally wrong, but my guess is that he's already been eliminated from contention.

 

Is the keeper for Wake Forest US eligible? Go get him. Holy cow that sequence starting with stopping a penalty is crazy good.

 

Mednard? He's US-eligible, but is provisionally cap-tied to Haiti due to youth caps.

 

Freese column

'It's obviously been a whirlwind' - USMNT and NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese embraces the chaos, refuses to look too far ahead - even with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon | Goal.com US

 

I am the world biggest Friedel fan but he wasn't very skilled on the ball. Keepers didnt have to be then.

 

He was good in the box.

 

That is pretty much the opposite of what was touted as his strength. He was said to be better with his feet that the other major 'keeper, Keller, of the time. Of course being "better" with his feet than 'Keller is no great accomplishment as the best thing 'Keller ever did with his feet was play an almost perfect bank shot off a Mexican player directly into the USA goal.

We simply do not have a good 'keeper or even an adequate one and it looks unlikely we will find one hidden under some rock somewhere.

 

Friedel was OK, not Nicky Rimando, but OK. We don't have anyone significantly better now, but have plenty of significantly worse.