Post-match: USMNT v Saudi Arabia (Gold Cup)

I didn't take that as a racial thing, more that most of them had fathers who were stationed in Germany for around 3 years and then had varying degrees of relationships with their son after PCSing back to the US (in some cases they married the mother and all moved, in other cases they basically had no more contact at all). Yes most of our German-American players have been half black on their dad's side but not all (Maloney).

 

Whenever you make negative generalizations and conclusions about any group of people and then apply those dubious conclusion to a specific individual will always result in a problem.

A significant percentage of pro athletes come from single parent households. IIRC Donovan and Howard come from the general circumstances you describe, so does Tyler Adams. If we do a deep dive there are others I am sure. You don't have to go to German-Americans to find that phenomenon.

Ask yourself why was the German-American family background brought up out of the blue in this KSA post match thread?

 

I think McKennie is at risk because he's not exactly consistent on effort level. I think Weah is at risk, at least at winger, because Poch may want a set up more like the GC here -- it's pretty common for him to want more of a playmaker there.

Pulisic and Adams do seem safe. Pulisic is simply better than basically anyone else, and he's versatile enough to fit in a number of roles. Adams is just too good at defense, especially in transition D, and that's where Poch's teams usually get killed -- it's hard to see him dropped when he's going to allow Poch to be more aggressive tactically.

But that just leaves 2 wingers, CAM, CM/CDM and basically RB / RWB as options for Pulisic, Weah, McKennie, Dest, Reyna, Tillman, Luna, Musah, Johnny, Aaronson, etc.

Pick any 5.

 

I can see that I guess. The thing about McKennie, imo, is that he is one of those players that tends to rise to the occasion. That being said, I agree that he has at times...especially more recently, played below his level

 

Exactly like Bobby Woods who might have been liked for being the first Hawaiian or something.

 

Poch is falling for Malik.

Malik, it's difficult to define him because what a player, no?" he said. "What a player that is showing this, all his talent and capacity. Because this type of player, the talent that he has shown with every single game and then with the capacity without ball, the work ethic in the way that he really is aggressive, he recovered a lot of balls. He's always trying to help the deep press, chasing back, playing in different positions.

"He can appear like a No. 10 in training, between the lines, using the half space, but can be in the right or left side, wide. Or he can drop and play like a No. 8, No. 6. I think, 'What a talented player.' So pleased with him."

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45565233/usa-pochettino-gold-cup-win-group-d

 

Hopefully this MLS infatuation will pass as it did for GGG. It would absolutely suck to see players whose talent level keeps them in MLS fail predictably in the WC.

 

At this point, the United States is panning for gold.

Most would suggest all options need to be considered.

many of the European players are unavailable for various reasons.

Ignoring one’s domestic league would not only be a mistake, it would alienate a lot of folks.

Despite Brazilian players dominating in Europe, Brazilian clubs have performed exceedingly well in the club World Cup. assuredly, they include a number of domestic players on their World Cup rosters.

As has the United States, since the beginning of MLS.

Goalkeepers
• Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids)
• Matt Freese (New York City FC)

Right back
• Alex Freeman (Orlando City)

Center Back
• Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)
• Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
. Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati,) can also play right back

Attacking midfielders
• Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake)
Strikers
• Patrick Agyemang, (Charlotte, FC) curious

I believe you are overstating your case, just a bit.