***Official USMNT Thread***
- Thread starter ianoconnor
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The problem is Benny has taken a step back each of the last couple years. I'm ok with bringing in a few veterans like Beasley and Wondo as long as it's just for leadership, not playing time.
If Beasley can play a serviceable left back, it frees Fabian to move up to midfield which is fine with me. I'd love to see the US consistently run with Fabian and Pulisic on the wings instead of always having to go with one of our workmanlike, effort guys (Bedoya, Zardes, Zusi, etc) all the time
Cameron Carter-Vickers in the starting 11 for Spurs today for their FA Cup match against Aston Villa. It's on FS1 right now.
January camp has wrapped and now we get two friendlies with the MLS crew representing the Stars and Stripes. The first match is against Serbia this afternoon on ESPN2.
Zusi played RB a couple of times for SKC this past season and was actually pretty good. I think it's worth a look during January camp and these couple of friendlies. I think his skillset translates well.
How about you tell us those stories again of guys you know, that know people close to US Soccer and they say Benny sucks.
How'd Benny look tonight? If the goal he set up tonight is not the best and most cutting edge play from a mid you have seen in a USMNT match the last 5 yrs, then you are doing it wrong.
Landon Donovan said tonight that Arena is looking for players that can make special plays and Benny has been that guy for a while. Play Bradley at the 6 and Benny as attacking mid and see what happens
Arena announced his roster for the qualifiers that are coming up next week:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas)
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Bobby Wood (Hamburg)
Right back is going to be an issue for these matches. It looks like both Timmy Chandler and Lichaj were unavailable due to injuries.
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas)
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Bobby Wood (Hamburg)
Right back is going to be an issue for these matches. It looks like both Timmy Chandler and Lichaj were unavailable due to injuries.
Sorting out the back 4 is going to be the biggest question mark with this roster. Arena's comments indicate that he sees Fabian as a midfielder which I'm fine with. If you want to keep Cameron and Brooks as the CB pair, then you've got to roll with some combination of Villafana/Beasley on the left and Orozco? on the right. Not exactly exciting. You could always go with Omar and Brooks in the middle and push Cameron out to RB. He's played there often enough for both the US and Stoke City.
Fabian Johnson left Monchengladbach's Europa League match with a hammy injury. Awful timing for the USMNT.
Also, Dom Dwyer is officially a US citizen. I don't know that he cracks the depth chart at forward, but more options in the player pool are never a bad thing.
Also, Dom Dwyer is officially a US citizen. I don't know that he cracks the depth chart at forward, but more options in the player pool are never a bad thing.
As a Sporting KC and USMNT fan, I'll cheer for Dwyer if he's out there representing the US, but I doubt I'll ever like the guy.
Bobby Wood is out for the upcoming qualifiers with an injury. Kljestan, Besler, and Wondo have been added.
US vs. Honduras tonight on FS1. Qualifying matches usually aren't considered must wins this early in the process, but tonight just might fit that description. The US needs points in a hurry to get back in the Hex.
Are you prepared to jump off a taco truck to get ready for tonight's match? Landon Donovan is.
http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/20...don-donovan-american-outlaws-party-taco-truck
http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/20...don-donovan-american-outlaws-party-taco-truck
Man, I wish I was famous enough to not fear for my life while jumping into a crowd of people
T&T up 1-0 on Panama in the 74th minute. If it holds, that's definitely not a bad result for the US.
