Kolek planning to go pro
Possession is uncorrelated with results. It is mostly an indicator of style. Despite losing on overall shots, the US put 83% of their shots on target, as opposed to 33% for Honduras. And they finished 40% of their shots, compared to 33% for Honduras. (I've been playing around with soccer analytics lately)
Didn't Like-They have got to find someone to pair with Dempsey up front. Altidore is just not the answer and I saw that as someone who was a huge fan. Wondo definitely isn't the answer either.
Aron Johannsson?
I think it was a middling performance, but I do think there were things to like, just not quite as many as not to likeLike-Didn't think it would but Yedlin at right wing was very positive, made a lot of great runs and had a lot of great pace. You could tell he's a converted back though because he didn't have quite the killer instinct in the area you'd want but that will come with time.-Gyasi will be a very good player and I thought he tracked back really well defensively. I wonder if he isn't an eventual replacement for Beckerman and let Mix play the left side winger-Bradley and Dempsey continue to be a great combination going forward.-Brooks looks like he is there to stay as center back and I think that's great-Fabian Johnson should be the starting LB for quite a whileDidn't Like-They have got to find someone to pair with Dempsey up front. Altidore is just not the answer and I saw that as someone who was a huge fan. Wondo definitely isn't the answer either.-Chandler is just not the RB of choice. If Yedlin continues to be the answer at right wing, we're going to have to figure something else out-Guzan has got to get his back line organized, far too many mistakes from them(I know its a new center back pairing but thats not an excuse). Honduras had all(or mostly all) of their opportunities because of US mistakes-Beckerman, and I'm a fan, is just not going to get it done as DCM, need to find a different answer there-The whole team looked 2 steps behind on the 50/50 balls. IMHO, we should never get out hustled or out paced. Possession isn't a big deal for me but losing 50/50 balls drives me nuts.We'll see how the next couple of games go
It amazes me how we can play with the likes of Italy, Netherlands, Germany and then struggle to put away Honduras.
Defensive mids: Where is Danny Williams? He is our best defensive mid. Better than Beckerman, who has declined massively in the past 12 months. Well, actually this should be Bradley's position, but JK is set on him being the #10. Like to see more of Kitchen, Trapp, and Hyndmann to see if any are worth a ticket to Russia in 2018.Right mid: So...Yedlin then Zusi, I guess. Yedlin is our best weapon currently being deployed on the wing. I'd like to see him at the back, but then who takes that spot? Zusi I've never really liked, though at least he tracks back well. Need to see more options there.Central/Attacking mids: Bradley is miscast here. Diskerud is a better choice, yet more often he's playing in front of the defense. Who else could play here? Nguyen? Corona? JK never wants to give anyone else a chance.Left mid: Zardes is terrible over there. Horribly misused. Bedoya should start. Johnson is next best. Need to see more options.
Here's my thoughts by position:Goalkeeper: We're okay here. Howard is still good, and Guzan is a great deputy. Lots of young names coming through to watch.AgreeRight back: Chandler is terrible. The problem is we need the best option (Johnson) on the left where our other options are even worse, and Yedlin is clearly being groomed for a more offensive role. Honestly, I'd rather see them just keep Yedlin back. Chandler is a poor defender and not strong enough. Couldn't stay with Najar to save his life. Evans is also better. Wouldn't mind Cameron in that role either, though he's aging.I think Yedlin is best used as a winger. He'll play there in Europe, which I think will help develop those skills more. I'm not sure who will play RB though for 2018. Chandler is the most likely. The other option is to play Fabian here as he and Yedlin would make a dynamic right side with both able to play back and attack.Center backs: Brooks looks like the bedrock of our defense for the next decade. After him, lots of questions. Alvarado is making a lot of mistakes. Maybe that will improve with time. Ream and Gonzalez also have issues. Could use Besler back in there. Probably my first choice to pair with Brooks right now. Either that or start blooding some young kids.I think there's a lot of youth here to be explored before 2018. As of now, Gonzalez, Brooks, Besler are the top 3. Gonzalez seems to still be recovering a bit from injury. Alvardo is a distant 4.Left back: Johnson is clearly first choice. Beasley is ancient, Garza is okay but not great, Shea is a work in progress. One of the few positions that seems locked down.I prefer Fabian at RB. So, who at Left? Good question. Garza seems to be #1 with FJ on the right. Shea is a work in progress, but it seems like Orlando has given up on him here. Youth or Garza for 2018.Note: I actually prefer the US in a 4-3-3 for 2018. But i'll address your formation. If a 4-3-3, the middle 3 would be Mix - Bradley - Yedlin, the front 3 would be some combo of Gyasi/Wood/Morris/Bedoya/Dempsey/Altidore/Aron/GreenDefensive mids: Where is Danny Williams? He is our best defensive mid. Better than Beckerman, who has declined massively in the past 12 months. Well, actually this should be Bradley's position, but JK is set on him being the #10. Like to see more of Kitchen, Trapp, and Hyndmann to see if any are worth a ticket to Russia in 2018.Danny Williams would be my pick here. Slowly work in Trapp or Hyndmann. Beckerman has seen better days and I think Kitchen has maxed out.Right mid: So...Yedlin then Zusi, I guess. Yedlin is our best weapon currently being deployed on the wing. I'd like to see him at the back, but then who takes that spot? Zusi I've never really liked, though at least he tracks back well. Need to see more options there.Yedlin here. Could also use GreenCentral/Attacking mids: Bradley is miscast here. Diskerud is a better choice, yet more often he's playing in front of the defense. Who else could play here? Nguyen? Corona? JK never wants to give anyone else a chance.Bradley here. But not pushed up, he plays more even with the outside mids.Left mid: Zardes is terrible over there. Horribly misused. Bedoya should start. Johnson is next best. Need to see more options.Bedoya here. Could also use GreenForwards: Personally, I think Dempsey and Zardes should start. Altidore just doesn't impress. He has a couple good moments per game but that's it. He's not a constant threat. Johannsson deserves a spot on the bench as well with Altidore. Wondo I'm ready to see the back of. With youngsters like Green, Wood, Morris, and Rubin, I'd rather see someone that had some pace for the late sub than a guy who's just kind of there.Some combo of Dempsey, Zardes, Aron, Wood, Morris, Rubin, Altidore. If looking at 2018, go less with Dempsey.
Beckerman is one of the best technical players in the US pool. If not for age, he'd be in a top European league.Gyasi is a forward, not a winger or CM.The problem with Fabian is that he's our best option at LB, RB and LM. And he probably is most effective at LM, personally. So lots to think about there.Yedlin has been playing wing over seas, so hoping that helps his development.I have no clue why aron doesn't play more.It amazes me how we can play with the likes of Italy, Netherlands, Germany and then struggle to put away Honduras.
Your post history research of my anti-Americanism has been awfully quiet. I was looking forward to it.
Considering chitown said it was him and you said it wasn't you, led me to decide I didn't need to search.
Cool. I'll just wait until you forget again who writes what on this forum.
Meh. Probably won't have to wait too long. This isn't my singular focus in life.
That was clear from your dunce act last week. I hope you at least enjoy an adult beverage when you lurk on Scoop at 02.19 AM.
Two poor performances and we still won the group. Go figure.JK changed the entire backline and not surprisingly they weren't in sync. Put Zusi and Altidore on the wings and they produced little. I have no idea what the plan was but I sure hope it failed. The one goal was created, not surprisingly, when again miscast winger Gyasi Zardes cut inside to a central forward role and found Dempsey with a cut back.Here's the formation I think makes sense: GuzanEvans --- Gonzalez --- Brooks --- GarzaBradleyYedlin --- JohnsonDiskerudDempsey --- ZardesOur backline is a shambles regardless, so get our best attackers on the wings, put Bradley and Diskerud in natural positions, and let our best creator and scorer do their job in the box.
-- USMNT is clearly following the USWNT plan of being poor in the group only for the sake of fooling everyone and then gain momentum in the late rounds
I think this comment was made as sort of tounge-in-cheek, but I do think this is worth realizing. These first two games were poor performances for the USMNT, but that doesn't mean this team can't flip the switch.