OT - Initial USMNT WC Qualifying Camp Roster
http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2012/05/Jurgen-Klinsmann-Discusses-Roster.aspx
Very strange first 16. We have a ton of holding middies and the real issue is no timmy chandler. As John Infante puts it, he is like a college commit who is still taking other visits because this is his second chance not getting cap-tied to the US. Very scary.
Up to 13 more will be called in and are just being given rest (landon, gooch, altidore etc).
The truth is the world cup starts now, 3 friendlies and then our first 2 qualifiers.
Chandler and Shea should be on the squad if not the Starting XI when the World Cup rolls around.
I hate that Fabian Johnson and Danny Williams keep getting shots. Bradley, Torres, Feilhaber are all better. And hopefully Stewie Holden can get up to 100%.
The thing is with qualifying is that there will be a lot of different guys that get called up. Two years is a lifetime in soccer. A 30-year-old Landon Donovan might be vastly different than a 32-year-old Landon Donovan.
you lose all the points for suggesting that Benny Feilhaber is better than Fabian Johnson.
I agree. We should take all of his points.
Feilhaber is clearly a tier below Johnson and Torres.
Chandler basically decided not to come for rest. This is the second time he has done this right before we could cap-tie him to the US. I am very worried he will pull a rossi.
According to his Wikipedia page, he has been capped 8 times for the US. That would make it too late to switch unless I'm missing something.
The first time was actually more a factor with his club FC Nuremberg. During that time his club was trying to get a spot in the Europa League and he wanted to fulfill his club duties first.
I'm not too sure what is going on now, but his situation is different from Rossi. Rossi had a legitimate chance to start for Italy, Chandler is not at that level for Germany.
BTW, can we talk about how god awful the new National Team jersey's look?
...what leagues the USMNT pool plays in.
The trend to the Bundesliga and Mexican 1st Division seems strong.
|
Steve Cherundolo |
Hannover |
Bundesliga |
|
Alfredo Morales |
Hertha Berlin |
Bundesliga |
|
Fabian Johnson |
Hoffenheim |
Bundesliga |
|
Jermaine Jones |
Schalke 04 |
Bundesliga |
|
Danny Williams |
Hoffenheim |
Bundesliga |
|
Brad Guzan |
Aston Villa |
EPL |
|
Tim Howard |
Everton |
EPL |
|
Clint Dempsey |
Fulham |
EPL |
|
Nick Rimando |
Real Salt Lake |
MLS |
|
Kyle Beckerman |
Real Salt Lake |
MLS |
|
Edgar Castillo |
Club Tijuana |
Primera División de México |
|
Michael Bradley |
Chievo Verona |
Primera División de México |
|
Joe Corona |
Club Tijuana |
Primera División de México |
|
Jose Torres |
Pachuca |
Primera División de México |
|
Carlos Bocanegra |
Rangers |
SPL |
|
Maurice Edu |
Rangers |
SPL |
Evidence of Klinsmann's stated goal to add a Latin influence to the team I'm sure. Also, i wonder if the German connection has anything to do with him? Or just coincidence?
I think the German connection certainly has been influenced by Klinsmann's presence. His style of play calls upon being calculating, technical, and making quick decisions with the ball, especially coming out of the back (Chandler, for instance) things at which Germans tend to be very skilled. What better place to pick these players from than where that style of play is the norm?
I also think the emphasis on more Latino Americans is huge in terms of the creativity of the midfield. Instead of knocking the ball down the field, and forcing a guy like Jozy to hold it up, we need our own version of Xavi, a guy who can pick out the most ridiculous passes.
Xavi's a tall order. He's probably the best passer of the ball in the world.
We could use more skill in the midfield, but I think the mid-field's fine in general. What we need are more skilled CBs, so we can distribute the ball out of the back on the ground rather than bypassing the midfield with long balls whenever our CBs get pressured in the least..
This. I would +1000000000000 if I could.
There is nothing more I hated than seeing Jay Demerit hoof the ball down the field only to be headed away to the opposing team. I loved the way Demerit was a fighter and he played very tough, but he was just very tactically and technically deficient when it comes to possession soccer.
Having guys like Torres and Corona will help us with possession, but we need that initial link to the MF. The sad things is I'm not sure if we have those CB players. Hopefully Tim Ream's progression continues because he looks like our best passer out the back at this moment.
I have heard good things about Alfredo Morales who plays in Germany, but he even doesn't see regular time at this club yet.
For so long, "strong in the air" has been the primary component for CBs in the US system. I think a lot of this owes to the way that soccer gets played on the youth level even by elite teams: lots of old school route 1 stuff (because a lot of the coaches seem to come from England/Scotland) along with an emphasis on pushing it wide and crossing. I know that's how all my teams played (not that I was ever at an elite level, but I've watched elite games and recognized the tactics). Skill on the ball is really deemphasized for those players targeted to CB.
Ream is a hope, and I'm not sure how Bolton's relegation will affect his development. On the one hand, the Championship is still a lot of Route 1, blood and thunder, stuff. On the other, Bolton will likely be one of the top teams, meaning he won't spend as much time under siege as he would in the Premiership and maybe he can continue to refine his abilities to distribute the ball.
I had hoped Gooch would be the first real refined American CV, as he moved inside after playing on the wing at the youth levels, and he showed a bit of ability, but I think the knee troubles have robbed him of that potential
That is the main reason why I kind of stopped watching the EPL.
I only played soccer as a kid, so I have learned more and more about the game as I became more of a fan. Initially I was blinded by the glamour of large EPL clubs, but soon found myself watching clubs like Bilbao and the Dutch league over the big EPL clubs.
It would be nice if Tim Ream can find another home in the EPL where he can get time as a regular starter. If it were up to me, West Ham will beat Blackpool to move back up to the EPL and sign Ream.
I don't honestly mind asking Jozy to hold up the ball like that though. I mean if he's not using his frame for hold up play, he has no other real reason to be ot there. Not a knock on Jozy, it's just his game.
I guess that's true, but my point was more along the lines of needing a different style of play, not necessarily asking Jozy to do something different.
Right i just don't know if we have the personell to adopt to a new style. We could put Clint alone up top, but that's not exactly the solution of the future.
*personnel
Bradley should be listed as Serie A, Chievo's in Italy, not Mexico.
What are the transfer rumors ("rumours") about Clint. Here in the US I haven't seen much about that. There were the rumors about the Gunners at the start of the season, but nothing recently. I love what he's doing at Fulham but would prefer to see him in Champions, or at least Europa, competition.
Recently read (forgive me for not having the link now) that he feels like he belongs on a Champions League team roster. It's tough to argue with his production in the EPL this season, so will be interesting to see how much money someone is willing to invest in him. I personally hope he stays at Fulham, he has really been the center piece of thier climb up the EPL table.
Maybe Arsenal if RvP gets poached by Manchester CIty?
Rule 1 of soccer fandom: Never read ESPN's take on anything related to soccer.
Dempsey is a bad fit at Arsenal either way. He'd be better off at Gladbach or Schalke (both German teams that will be in the Champions League and could benefit from Dempsey's physical game up top.
They are recycling stories from UK papers. These can be worse than ESPN regarding accuracy. BTW Dempsey has repeatedly stated his preference for the EPL.
Here's the original article from the Daily Mirror;
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/arsenal-striker-robin-van-persie-833012
$40 mil rumored transfer for RvP to City. Also rumored $45 mil transfer for Eden Hazard to City (wtf).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/15/roberto-mancini-manchester-city?newsfeed=true
I'm so glad that Joe Corona is being called up. I fully expect him to start for us since nobody has the technical or tactical skills he possesss.
Other I want to see called up:
Amobi Okugo
Sebastian Lletget
Would reeeeeally like to see Mix Diskerud included on this roster. He is a guy who can be the target man anywhere on the pitch. Dude can pass better than most of the guys on the roster.
Dude needs to stop getting DNP-CDs from his club team though. I agree he brings some skills a lot of the other guys don't have but if he can't start in Scandinavia then he shouldn't be ahead of guys getting regular minutes in top flight or even similar leagues.
At this point he runs the risk of being the next generation's Feilhaber... which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The guy has had great moments in his career even if he's out of favor, lost a step.