Comments on: USMNT Player Power Rankings

By: Doug Beard

Doug Beard — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:12:02 +0000

I don’t think there’s much doubt: Davies pairs with Jozy in the starting XI if he’s ready.
Sacha needs to head to Europe (Eredivisie works for me) to prove he’s ready to see the game at pace. He was horrible at the Confed Cup because he’s not used to playing at that speed. He does have a silky touch but I would love to see his situational/tactical awareness developed to allow his creativity to really show. He won’t get that unless he leaves the MLS. Huge potential, it’s time for him to go after it.
Torres was misused against the Dutch and I still maintain that the change of shape of the mid when Edu entered allowed Edu/Beas/Bedoya to shine.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:12:18 +0000

Should have put an asterisk at then end with a bit about davies. Interested to see how you guys think he ranks.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:44:31 +0000

Yes, I think the Bedoya fascination is similar to the 3 year old with the shiny new toy—- once Daddy brings the next toy home– we won’t care too much anymore. Note how Bedoya is all the buzz now, especially after Torres performed so-so against the Dutch. Who will be next on the shiny toy list — the young guy from the Philly Union ?

By: Raf Crowley

Raf Crowley — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:17:52 +0000

it’s not like MB90 really did much to warrant a “lock” spot. after the olympics, he was just kind of put in and he was never taken out. what’s up with that? he didn’t do anything spectacular. for sacha to break in, not only can he not mess up, but he has to perform SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER than everyone else, not just on-par or somewhat better – the guy has to be a donk to get a look. meanwhile, MB90 can be serivcable and average; and what is this fascination that everyone has with Bedoya. He’s OK like Robbie Rogers is ok. Is it just cuz he has a cool name and that he’s kind of new, everyone is stoked?

By: Raf Crowley

Raf Crowley — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:14:54 +0000

mark it down right now. Sacha Kljestan will have in the next 4 years a better career than MB90, Ricardo Clark, and maybe even Mo Edu. the only reason that he’s not a “lock” yet is that Bobbo hasn’t given him the opportunities that MB90 has had. MB90 never has to worry about being subbed out, he never has to worry about getting benched, and he knows that he will always be in the game. Imagine what that could do with someone who has a skillset like Sacha? he wouldn’t be afraid of messing up every 30 seconds, and he could just go for it. he’s a great player and he needs to be included on this roster b/c he will be a FIXTURE on the 2014 squad.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:57:23 +0000

Haha Justin you make an interesting connection there. A little jealous perhaps?
And if Bornstein and Kljestan were left off the final roster, I would have no problem with that. None at all.

By: Justin Churchill

Justin Churchill — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:40:33 +0000

Im not feeling a couple people….Like bornstein should be riding the pine for sure. Kljestan I feel should not make the team (bedoya could take that spot). I guess it depends on how holden recovers but im not a fan of Kljestan. On another note I was watching fox football phone in last night and they were just saying how horrible our back four is. Honestly they get no credit they say gooch is already going to be horrible when he gets back. How are they suppose to know that? I feel like the people who give the USMNT the most shit are former players (harkes, wyanalda, lalas,etc) and this is easily the best national team we have ever had.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:20:46 +0000

Oh, I see your point there. Holding onto a precious lead down the home stretch only to watch the defense lapse and give away some soft goals… Happened with Brazil. I understand.

By: Doug Beard

Doug Beard — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:59:42 +0000

Dan:
heh, yeah no need to stick up for Gooch… I’ll take him in our starting XI anyday. The Confed Cup was such a strange happening and it was hard to take anything away from it other than the Spanish should have learned something by watching Italy and Brazil dismantle us. Then Brazil spotted us 2 and did it all over again.
Newcastle was indeed too long ago to gauge him by and he was more recently good enough for no less than AC Milan.
But for some reason dude makes me nervous and I can totally see Guy’s point… only I hope it happens after we’re up 3-0 in the 90th minute

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:45:54 +0000

Doug–

I really feel the need to stick up for Gooch here. There is more recent and more valid data about Gooch’s average caliber of defense against top-tier competiton than his stint with Newcastle two eyars ago–namely the Confed Cup. In the semifinal against Spain, Onyewu was absolutely instrumental in stifling Torres and Villa, who are the kind of players that will punish the smallest defensive mistake, especially from a nervous player with slow pace and a gross first touch. I’d say that we could not have won that game if Onyewu were that player, but I guess it’s down to personal opinion about which performance is more emblematic of Gooch’s average caliber of defense, the semi-final vs. Spain or the final vs. Brazil.

I think the negative aspects of his physicality that you point out are things that he’s actively working on with Milan–and no better mentor for classy, non-fouling defense than Nesta.

@ Guy:

I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison. England are stacked for intelligent, gritty centerbacks and not so stacked for athletic, instinctual goalkeepers. Would Onyewu start for England? Probably not. Would he register on their depth chart? Absolutely.

I don’t even think we could say that Donovan would start on England’s squad. Lennon, Walcott, A. Young–what does Donovan offer that these players don’t? Leadership, maybe, but what’s leadership next to Lampard, Gerrard, or Beckham? Hell, the field gets even deeper and Donovan gets even further from the starting XI if you want to talk about playing Lampard or Rooney or Milner or Barry out wide.