USMNT Roster for March qualifiers released...

[ZooCougar]

I expected a lot to remain the same, since he is not going to experiment during the hex. However, I expected Wondo to stop. I don't understand how any qualified national team coach could say to themselves, "Yup...we need ourselves some Wondo!"

Unfortunately, we've had 2 coaches in a row who have thought that it actually makes sense...

Yeah, the problem is that everyone wanted to scapegoat Jurgen and pay no mind to the state of the player pool.

Jurgen definitely didn't help his cause BUT he stuck with players like Bobby Wood and John Brooks when the MLS Bubble was up in arms over it. And now they are doing fantastic. This program got hijacked by a bunch of clowns who are trying to promote MLS; not win at the National level. The USMNT is their only penetration into the mainstream.

I almost want to see a catastrophic failure so that we can flush the toilet with some of these guys. I'm still not sure why people still think Michael Bradley is all that. Altidore is done developing.

Before Wood was hurt, the MLS Bubble media was actually saying Altidore should start over Wood. Wood is scoring in the Bundesliga, unf-ing believable.

 

[businesslawyer]

There was a Bundesliga expert on Grumpy Pundits this morning who said that Green was doing fantastic at Stuttgart. He's actually a winger and he would have been a better midfield option than Graham Zusi.

He's scored a goal and had five appearances since the winter break.


https://www.whoscored.com/Players/132316

I probably would called in another attacking midfielder. I don't see why we are anchoring on 4 forwards. We could go with a one striker formation and have some better possession and creativity as opposed to Arena's Gladiator Counterattacking 4-4-2.

I'd love to see Green succeed, and I wouldn't have an issue with him having been added instead of Wondo. But a guy scores 1 goal in the second tier and you want to make a case that you can't not take him? Seriously? When Stuttgart is promoted and he is contributing, or when he is tearing the Bundesliga 2 up, give me a call.

The point remains that, with all the injuries, criticizing him for taking Wondo is just not fair. Even though I would be happy never seeing Wondo in a national team kit every bit as much as you.

 

[UConnDan97]

Out of curiosity, if you assume that Wood and Morris are out, and he's not sure Dempsey is a 90 minute player, whom did you want called up that is a better choice for this weekend? All I have is guys sitting on benches in Germany that aren't playing. Like Johanson, or Boyd, or Green. Do you have a single forward who was an obviously better choice? Or we should just forfeit because we hate Wondo?

It's not about hating Wondo just for hating him, Biz. And there are a bunch of forwards that I would have rather used, even ones that don't start for their teams. Without looking at which of the following are currently healthy, we could have gone with Agudelo perhaps, or Johannson, or Charlie Davies, or even Alan Gordon or possibly even Patrick Mullins. And if they were healthy, we would be better off. We could have even gone with a modified attacking midfielder up there like Pontius. Those are just choices off the top of my head. I'm not trying to hate on Wondo just to be "that guy". He's a net poacher, which is not bad in and of itself, but it's not what this team needs, especially when considering Jozy's style and the fact that I think we need more speed and ballhandling than what Wondo provides...

 

[UConnDan97]

Yeah, the problem is that everyone wanted to scapegoat Jurgen and pay no mind to the state of the player pool.

Jurgen definitely didn't help his cause BUT he stuck with players like Bobby Wood and John Brooks when the MLS Bubble was up in arms over it. And now they are doing fantastic. This program got hijacked by a bunch of clowns who are trying to promote MLS; not win at the National level. The USMNT is their only penetration into the mainstream.

I almost want to see a catastrophic failure so that we can flush the toilet with some of these guys. I'm still not sure why people still think Michael Bradley is all that. Altidore is done developing.

Before Wood was hurt, the MLS Bubble media was actually saying Altidore should start over Wood. Wood is scoring in the Bundesliga, unf-ing believable.

I hear some of what you're saying. But there is also an over-reaction on the other side of it that I would hope you also appreciate as well. That is to say; just because someone plays in MLS doesn't automatically make them crap, and just because someone plays abroad doesn't automatically make them better. Yes, there's a strain in American soccer that seems to prefer the MLS guy. There's also a strain that prefers the foreign guy. And Klinsmann was a new strain that seemed to prefer the German guy specifically. For instance, how many national team games did or do we need to see that Chandler wasn't working in the back four, even if his club form abroad was pretty good? Or conversely, did Dempsey suck all of the sudden because he was playing for Seattle and not Fulham or Tottenham?

So for me, it's a double-edged sword. What I'm hoping for is a coach to come along without pre-bias as to where the player comes from and more of an eye as to how to fit the best 11 on the field, even if that means to make moves that might appear head-scratching on their surface...

 

[meyers7]

Aaaaaaaand Wondo is back on the roster. Uggh. The guy works hard, but my goodness. He is the answer to a question that no one is asking...

 

[UConnDan97]

I should put it on record that I hope Wondo really shuts me up by scoring a couple of goals, making Arena look like a genius. Nothing would make me happier...

 

[businesslawyer]

It's not about hating Wondo just for hating him, Biz. And there are a bunch of forwards that I would have rather used, even ones that don't start for their teams. Without looking at which of the following are currently healthy, we could have gone with Agudelo perhaps, or Johannson, or Charlie Davies, or even Alan Gordon or possibly even Patrick Mullins. And if they were healthy, we would be better off. We could have even gone with a modified attacking midfielder up there like Pontius. Those are just choices off the top of my head. I'm not trying to hate on Wondo just to be "that guy". He's a net poacher, which is not bad in and of itself, but it's not what this team needs, especially when considering Jozy's style and the fact that I think we need more speed and ballhandling than what Wondo provides...

Look, I didn't want to have Wondo here either , but there is a difference between wondering if any of the guys you listed might be better and actually being able to say you know they are better. You simply don't/can't know any of them are better choices for this weekend, because none of them has proven anything that let's you know that.

Arena has made a perfectly reasonable call based on who is hurt and who is playing. Period. I don't expect anyone to like it, but there is a different between saying you would have gone another way and actually criticizing the pick. The pick was reasonable. None of Gordon or Agudelo or Davies has done anything between league play and any capped appearances where you can demand them on the field.

I'm surprised that we haven't heard posts acting for Perez. He's played at least 45 minutes for Florence this season.

 

[UConnDan97]

Look, I didn't want to have Wondo here either , but there is a difference between wondering if any of the guys you listed might be better and actually being able to say you know they are better. You simply don't/can't know any of them are better choices for this weekend, because none of them has proven anything that let's you know that.

Arena has made a perfectly reasonable call based on who is hurt and who is playing. Period. I don't expect anyone to like it, but there is a different between saying you would have gone another way and actually criticizing the pick. The pick was reasonable. None of Gordon or Agudelo or Davies has done anything between league play and any capped appearances where you can demand them on the field.

I'm surprised that we haven't heard posts acting for Perez. He's played at least 45 minutes for Florence this season.

Well, let's take this from your approach of saying that neither Agudelo, Gordon, Davies, nor Pontius have demonstrated that their selection would be better than Wondo's during their national team caps, which is a reasonable way of looking at things I would add. However, I would counter that by saying that when you are comparing a player of 35 national team caps vs. players with 2 to 4 caps under their belt on average, that you DON'T know that they aren't better. All you can safely say in that scenario is what Wondo is. Not what the others aren't.

And in my estimation, what Wondo is is "not enough". And from a soccer style perspective, he doesn't fit the current roster in my view (for whatever that's worth). I'd much rather take the chance that Agudelo or Pontius would give you more when combined with this specific roster. And I think that difference would show itself especially with more caps under their belt. And those two names would be who I would go to in this type of situation...

 

[SAMCRO]

We are one injury away form Landon Donovan coming out of retirement.

 

[businesslawyer]

We are one injury away form Landon Donovan coming out of retirement.

1. That wouldn't, for two games, be a bad thing.

2. Even if it was a bad thing, I'd buy everyone in the sports bar a beer if Wisky was there and I got to watch him watch it happening.

3. Why not bash Donovan in a thread bashing Wondo. What are they -- 1 and 4 all time in MLS goals scored? Why, there must be hundreds of strikers who have accomplished that.

 

[UConnDan97]

We are one injury away form Landon Donovan coming out of retirement.

I'd take Donovan right now over Wondo, and I wouldn't think twice about it...

 

[UConnDan97]

1. That wouldn't, for two games, be a bad thing.

2. Even if it was a bad thing, I'd buy everyone in the sports bar a beer if Wisky was there and I got to watch him watch it happening.

3. Why not bash Donovan in a thread bashing Wondo. What are they -- 1 and 4 all time in MLS goals scored? Why, there must be hundreds of strikers who have accomplished that.

Agreed with #1 and #2. With #3, they may only be separated by a couple of positions on the all time MLS goals list, but those two are in two completely separate classes of talent. It isn't even close. The only question would be how fit Landon is, and how quickly could he become fit to join the team...

 

[SAMCRO]

1. That wouldn't, for two games, be a bad thing.

2. Even if it was a bad thing, I'd buy everyone in the sports bar a beer if Wisky was there and I got to watch him watch it happening.

3. Why not bash Donovan in a thread bashing Wondo. What are they -- 1 and 4 all time in MLS goals scored? Why, there must be hundreds of strikers who have accomplished that.

On point 1 respectfully disagree, as UConnDan97 pointed out earlier, I think there were a number of other options Arena could have brought in, but odds are whoever it is is not getting meaningful minutes barring an injury.
On point 2, well done. I laughed out loud, and I'd pay a cover charge to see/hear Wisky watch that happen.
On point 3, my post was more of a commentary on how bad the USMNT has been bitten by the injury bug and less of a bashing of Donovan. I was a fan when he was playing, and he is one of the best all time USMNT players. I just don't think he exited gracefully (but that horse of an argument was beaten enough years ago).

Reality is the only way Wondo sees the field is if (a) we have a solid lead on Honduras and/or Panama and Arena wants to rest a Forward, or (b) one of the Forwards get injured. I don't foresee a scenario where Arena subs him in a close match.

 

[ZooCougar]

1. That wouldn't, for two games, be a bad thing.

2. Even if it was a bad thing, I'd buy everyone in the sports bar a beer if Wisky was there and I got to watch him watch it happening.

3. Why not bash Donovan in a thread bashing Wondo. What are they -- 1 and 4 all time in MLS goals scored? Why, there must be hundreds of strikers who have accomplished that.

He's not in match shape so don't kid yourself.

I mean, why don't we call up Eric Wynalda while were at it. That would only be slightly less valid. I don't care how many goals you score in a league not particularly known for good defense.

Wondo is lucky we let him back in the country after Brazil.

 

[SAMCRO]

The forecast for San Jose tonight is temps in the mid-50's with rain early, tapering off around start time. Was hoping it would have been a little bit colder, but oh well. I still don't get why all qualifying matches v. Mexico and Central American teams aren't played exclusively in KC, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake, Columbus, and maybe Denver. Save California for the likes of T&T or whichever Caribbean nation we play in qualifying. The good thing is that San Jose only seats 18,000, so the US fans should be able to get the heavy majority of the tickets, and give it more of a home field feel.

 

[ZooCougar]

The forecast for San Jose tonight is temps in the mid-50's with rain early, tapering off around start time. Was hoping it would have been a little bit colder, but oh well. I still don't get why all qualifying matches v. Mexico and Central American teams aren't played exclusively in KC, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake, Columbus, and maybe Denver. Save California for the likes of T&T or whichever Caribbean nation we play in qualifying. The good thing is that San Jose only seats 18,000, so the US fans should be able to get the heavy majority of the tickets, and give it more of a home field feel.

How about Anchorage?

 

[SAMCRO]

How about Anchorage?

even better. you just made me think of the movie Mystery, Alaska...

what a great cast.
Russell Crowe
Hank Azaria
Mary McCormack
Burt Reynolds
Colm Meaney
Ron Eldard
Michael McKeanan
Beth Littleford
Mike Myers
Phil Esposito
Little Richard
Steve Levy
Barry Melrose
Tie Domi

 

[Waquoit]

Wando

 

[SAMCRO]

Wow!!!!
Dempsey, Pulisic, everybody.... just wow!!

Now, please sub off Dempsey now that he's got his hat trick. Save him for Panama.

 

[shizzle787]

Gotta beat Panama.

 

[LIuconn]

Hey guys, Honduras, yes, but where did CP play?

 

[UCFBfan]

Missed the game but saw the highlights on SC (see ESPN does have some small purpose still! ). Looked like it was a complete rout. Good to see considering how much we were all concerned by the amount of injuries.

Anyone know why Lletget was subbed off at the 18'? Seems like an early exit and that's usually due to injury. The last thing this team needs is more injuries.

 

[Excalibur]

Missed the game but saw the highlights on SC (see ESPN does have some small purpose still! ). Looked like it was a complete rout. Good to see considering how much we were all concerned by the amount of injuries.

Anyone know why Lletget was subbed off at the 18'? Seems like an early exit and that's usually due to injury. The last thing this team needs is more injuries.

It was an ankle injury. No word yet how serious.

 

[UCFBfan]

It was an ankle injury. No word yet how serious.

Thx. Don't know much about him as a player. Saw his first goal but that's about it. Is he a big loss? I feel like at this point any injury is bad for this team

 

[ZooCougar]

Hey guys, Honduras, yes, but where did CP play?

Everywhere, he's still not a true 10 though. But what he does is pretty awesome. Donovan said Tenacious P is miles ahead of where he was at that age.