Top Stories

Williams sent home, Jones could still face Panama as Klinsmann provides USMNT injury update

USMNTvsJamaica2013 (ISIPhotos.com)

By FRANCO PANIZO

SEATTLE – The U.S. Men’s National Team is likely to be without Herculez Gomez for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Panama, but don’t rule out Jermaine Jones just yet.

Speaking to reporters in an interview at halftime of the Seattle Sounders-Vancouver Whitecaps game on Saturday night, U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann provided some insight into the status of some of the team’s injury question marks.

Klinsmann all but ruled Gomez out for Tuesday’s clash vs. Panama at CenturyLink Field because of the knee injury that has hampered him since the start of camp. Klinsmann did leave some room for optimism for Jones, whose availability was put into question after suffering a concussion in the U.S. team’s 2-1 road win in qualifying vs. Jamaica on Friday night.

“Herc is one step at a time,” said Klinsmann. “It’s going to be probably too early Tuesday night. Jermaine, he will get probably a couple of tests on Monday morning, so we take it slow on him.”

Even if Jones dresses against Panama, the U.S. will still be without one of their central midfielders for the match at CenturyLink Field. Danny Williams left the team after arriving in Seattle with the squad after their lengthy trip from Jamaica to the Pacific Northwest.

“With Danny Williams, it was the case that we tried every day, catching up, catching up, and then we looked at him and I took the decision, together with the coach at Hoffenheim, to release him and let him go on vacation and kind of get some rest and start the next season on a fresh foot basically,” said Klinsmann. “He came with us to Seattle today and from here he left us and went on vacation.”

Klinsmann also touched on the status of midfielder Brek Shea, who was originally included on the U.S. roster but released to recover from a nagging calf knock sustained while with Stoke City.

Klinsmann said Shea’s health would be gauged this week but made it seem as if Shea was more likely to play in the Gold Cup in July than in next week’s World Cup qualifier vs. Honduras at Rio Tinto Stadium if he was deemed fit enough.

“‘We’re going to test him in the upcoming week,” said Klinsmann. “He did a lot, a lot of work in Dallas and we have another place there with Athlete’s Performance in Dallas so we will run him through a testing battery we call it and see where he’s at. There’s no rush for him coming back into the group. He’s going to be also available for the Gold Cup.

“Right now, we feel like we are covered everywhere so no hurry on Brek but we are pleased that he has no complaints right now anymore on his calf so every day is a good day for him to catch up.”

—–

Optimistic that Jones will play vs. Panama? Bummed to hear Gomez is unlikely to dress?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I’m pretty sure the Docs won’t let Jones play, no matter how bad he wants to be on the field…even if he wants to wear the sponge beanie… it would only be 4 days after getting the concussion. He’s still vulnerable.

    Reply
  2. if Jones is out, i think Cameron takes his spot and will play a true #6 allowing Bradley to play like a #8. i also think it’s guaranteed we see Corona on the right. so, same lineup but Cameron for Jones and Corona for Zusi.

    Reply
    • I hope you are right. I really want to see bradley further up the field. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who watches games objectively… Jones and Bradley do not play well together. Period. I like Johnson in the midfield, but Johnson Jones and bradley were all but absent for massive chunks of vs Jamaica.
      I think if we are truly objective there isn’t anyone who should be a guaranteed starter in midfield right now. Yes that includes bradley
      Surprisingly I’m far more confident in the defense than the midfield

      Reply
      • well, i do disagree with regarding Jones/Bradley, but either way, it’ll be cool to see how we look with a few different people.

    • I would be fine with that among the available options. It’s time to see what Corona is made of. He’s waited his turn long enough.

      Reply
  3. i actually thought Williams would made good rightback.

    Hmm….Kjestan could replace Jones, but Johnson could help with the pressure in the midfield and recover balls.

    Reply
  4. This team is rounding into a pretty sharp unit..

    As mentioned quite a few times, the player pool is versatile and increasingly experienced to trying to do what JK is asking..

    The leaders are emerging. JK put to heavy stuff of Jones’ shoulders by publicly stating that he ‘taught’ guys exactly who they were in camp/practice.

    The guy has been solid.

    Love that fact that Jozy, Dempsey and a couple of other guys are mixing well right now

    They trust each other.

    This is going to be pretty solid unit when the hype and build-up of the ’14 Cup begins in earnest

    Reply
  5. I had a handful of concussions a bit back, and while it didn’t do anything to my cognitive or physical abilities, it did give me a lot of problems with short term memory.

    Reply
  6. For Jones sake I hope they don’t let him play on Tuesday, players in all sports are being cleared too early to return. I hope they let him have a proper recovery over the next 2 weeks.

    Reply
  7. I had a handful of concussions a bit back, and while it didn’t do anything to my cognitive or physical abilities, it did give me a lot of problems with short term memory.

    Reply
    • I’m sorry for u that really sucks.

      Hopefully, with the spotlight being shown on how pro athletes in America have been plagued by this sort of stuff for decades and the long term results are coming to light, we can faze this ridiculous epidemic.

      Reply
      • Mine were pretty severe and I was knocked out twice, so they were significantly bigger than his. I also just got a BA with honors while simultaneously working at a very respectable job so it’s not like I’m incapacitated, I am just terrible with remembering names, faces, insignificant past events, and driving routes.

        Having said that, it’s better for Jones to miss the game and potentially lose than have him make the injury worse and talk like Muhamad Ali when he gets older.

  8. ————jozy———
    ——–deuce———–
    dmb—-mb—-f johnson
    ——–cameron——–
    homie-besler-og-evans
    pato howard

    Reply
    • good too! Bradley is looking like a very composed and dangerous attacker these days maybe puting Cameron behind him might give MB a little more freedom..

      Reply
  9. Jusst read that “Blas Pérez, Panama’s best player, did not travel to Seattle due to gastroenteritis. USA-PAN here Tuesday” So another good reason to sit Jones and get ready for Honduras.

    Reply
  10. Looking at this team objectively has anyone realized this team is still not playing all that well? Yes JK has tried different players at different positions and some have worked while others haven’t. But this team is really not playing well. Despite the goals against a German B team, the win against C.R. in the snow, and the two goals against Jamaica this team is not creating a lot of goal scoring opportunities, and for the most part are not finishing the chances they are creating. The midfield sometimes plays well other times just can’t win the ball or get the ball to the forwards or they give up the ball too much. And the defense is still struggling. While Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler may be the two best center back pairings so far they both struggle, and while they are improving they are still making their share of mistakes. Demarcus Beasely is as doing as good a job as could be expected of him at left back and I truly hope he makes the World Cup team, but he’s not a true left back and at times it really shows. And Brad Evans is really good player who I think really adds something to this team, but he’s not really a true right back and he’s slow. His goal to win the game in Jamaica was very good, but the truth is the U.S. almost dropped two points but for that goal.

    I want the U.S. win every game it plays, but this team is not playing well. Winning ugly is still winning I know but a good team is going to hurt this squad. Yes they tied Mexico in Azteca, but remember Mexico is not playing well either.

    It’s great to heap praise on teams and individuals when they deserve it, but it’s prudent to be objective and fairly look at those individuals and teams. And in my opinion looking at this team impartially they are just not playing that good. Not as good as they should be playing.

    I can’t offer any informed suggestions, only those of a fan. But at least defensively I think a good place to start would be to make Carlos Bocanegra a coach so he can use his experience to train the defenders and especially the central defenders. I think there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from a person with his experience.

    Not sure what to do about the rest of the team. Bradley and Jones seem to have a lockk at central midfield.Maybe Zusi on the right and if LD is playing well he can play him on the left. Keep Dempsey and Altidore up top. Not really sure. I think the play of some players during the Gold Cup and the rest of qualifying should help to answer some questions and hopefully improve the squad.

    Reply
    • I believe, simply, that your expectations are unrealistic.
      This is the US Men’s National Team we are talking about here. Our squads have never won a game in Jamaica until Friday.
      This team is doing as well as any US team in history at this point, not worse.

      Reply
      • Actually I think his comments, for the most part, are more than fair…..your comments on the other hand are accepting of the status quo and that is the problem….we will never grow as a soccer nation as long as we keep expounding views like ‘well we won in Jamaica’ for the first time….on the other hand, we also lost in Jamaica for the first time too in the previous round….which you conveniently forgot to mention ….I think a real argument could be made that no this team is not doing as well as any team in US history at this point….and for what we are paying this head coach…. BIG TIME money….frankly you would be hard pressed to argue that we have made progress and that he has earned his $2.5M a year…and I could go on…

        Bottom line is Javier made some fair points that are a good start to a discussion we should be having. as a soccer nation…I’m with him I want to win….but honestly I never have a feeling when this team takes the field under this coach that we are the overwhelming favorite in any game….

      • Right, because my opinion about the team, Javier’s opinion, and your opinion, are what makes the team perform better. /sarcasm

        I’m guessing you are relatively young to 1) expect more than this nation is capable of with this sport and 2) expect that your demanding something means it is going to change.

        The US squad is winning games it never did before. That is a step forward – maybe not as big of a step as you want – but it’s the step you are getting.

    • Javier,

      Playing “well” is one thing.

      Getting results is another thing .

      You can do one without doing the other.

      JK has been in charge for 28 games a little less than one full MLS season. These guys comes from several different systems and many of them are pretty new to the National team. Last night’s team played one full game together before last night and even the “core” has not had that much time together.

      The fact that they can get a result is important because it means they can stay together long enough learn how to play” well”.

      Reply
      • And yet I think few on here could argue that this team could advance out of the Group Stage in Brazil…results are great in CONCACAF and everyone expects us to qualify even when we don’t play well….perhaps I expect too much….but just qualifying for the World Cup is no longer what it once was….I want to see us as a soccer nation start to advance deep into the knockout rounds and yes someday win a World Cup….to do so you have to play good AND get results…..

        We hired a coach who we are paying top dollar to and frankly for that much money I expect a lot more….not struggling to get results with last minute miracles….but that’s me….

      • Shark,

        If this team does not qualify then it most likely be unable to develop into the team you want to see. To develop further they need meaningful, games, competitive pressure and a more of it than they get now.

        National teams are short term propositions for most countries. JK and his staff can lay a foundation for this group, maximizing what skill they have to allow them to win.

        But JK and his staff can’t do anything about the skill level of the raw material and this group is going to need a little time to learn how to play together well enough to where they can risk playing in a more attractive fashion.

    • I read your comments twice because there is some truth to it but you looking at it as the glass being half empty. True we are still not firing on all cylinders but with the players we have right now, we are doing a good job. I just don’t think this current team roster will be the same if and when we make the WC.

      Reply
    • Criticism is great…

      Break down a game film from any championship-level major sports team and you’ll find your share of mistakes..

      Truth be told there is an absolute ton of ‘mistakes’ from blown assignments to whatever; readily apparent when evaluating this team.

      In fact, the mass of criticism hurled in the direction of Gonzalez and others has often stemmed from this sort of talk.

      Slowly but surely the template is being ‘installed.’ The how we play that allows us to go into Mexico, Italy, Russia or wherever and come out with a result.

      IT IS early in the process. These guys need to mesh/build trust. Sure, that sounds like a lot of JK mind-mess but is it really?

      What the big difference between how JK approaches this and how Coach K over at Duke University approaches preparing his team prior to a season

      Yes, the obvious applies (different sport, Coach K has won a ton etc.) but this truly preparation for a tournament. THE TOURNAMENT.

      The mentality must be there. Bob Bradley approached this slightly when he took over.

      He saw Italy win the ’06 Cup and understood that it took a certain cohesion and indicated that he wanted a ‘Band of Brothers’ mentality from the team.

      The beginnings of the this thing were established then. Klinnsmann has come in and basically stated that he wants this group to be able to compete with the proven sides
      without simply relying on dink and counter.

      To be able to face off with teams and beat them head up.

      That being said, the results matter. Road wins, team cohesion so on and so on

      Sure, mistakes have happened and will continue to happen. But will his team realistically challenge for a Cup in the near future? Sure it will.

      It has to start somewhere.

      Reply
  11. I don’t necessarily think we need a replacement for jones against panama at home. Panama will most likely be bunkering and waiting for the counter. I wouldnt mind see something like this…

    Fabian—–jozy—–Johnson

    ——deuce–Corona

    ———Bradley

    Those three middies can control possession and try to find the seams. The Johnson’s can stretch the D with their speed. Fullbacks should have an opportunity to get forward and get some crosses in.

    Reply
    • The only team that comes out an attack as a visitor is Mexico. Panama will want to keep it close and try to steal one in the last 20 minutes.

      Reply
      • US@Jamaica started the game going right at Jamaica.. Mexico was playing very conservatively for the first 60 something minutes a few day prior in Kingston… just saying..

  12. And Yes, I do think he did a good job Friday, but asking him to man that spot from the beginning is not a good idea.

    Reply
    • I think his first cap under Bob was at CM and I don’t remember hearing negatives about it.

      I Could be wrong

      Reply
  13. I think playing Cameron at CM is a mistake, playing spot RB duty for Stoke does not a good CM make. It seems silly to not allow him to play CB because he is not getting regular reps there but then play him at CM where he gets even less burn. Also we are more thin at CB then CM so we should not be playing Cameron at CM. Of all the position CM is one where the player needs to have a good feel for the position and that with comes with time.

    I would prefer the second tier CMs over Cameron (yes that includes Beckerman). Is Jose Torres on the roster?

    Reply
  14. Glad to see comments about Coach Bradley. What an amazing story – especially in light of continued politic unrest in Egypt. Amazing that their officials have kept anyone in that job throughout all of this (even being in first place in the group) – but even more remarkable with an American coach. Full time: 4-2 Egypt. Egypt looked really fluid on offense.

    Reply
  15. And Egypt has locked up the group. Two games left to fine tune before the final matchup in the fall. Good times and good job by Coach B.

    Reply
  16. No one can say whether Jones should or shouldn’t play until we know more details on whether he is having symptoms. If so, you have to hold him out. If he hasn’t had any, then there is no reason he shouldn’t be available.

    The replacement at right wing will tell us something about JK thought process. Does he stay with the formation that has been working and bring on the next guy on the depth chart (sounds like Corona). Or does he change multiple positions in order to play the guys that have been playing the most, such as move F Johnson to right wing, have Castillo/Beasley on left.

    Reply
  17. Guess we’ll find out what kind of adult Klinsmann is. Jones has a brain injury. He shouldn’t play for some time. Cameron and Sasha are decent enough replacements and maybe Holden can give us 20 minutes each game.

    Reply
  18. Off Topic but Egypt up 2-1 at halftime in Zimbabwe. A win guarantees that Egypt goes to the final stage for a two-legged tie vs another group winner.

    Bob trotted out a lineup with 3 defenders and no striker. They went ahead in the 6th minute, Zimbabwe tied it and in the 40th or so Egypt broke the offside trap and scored the go ahead goal.

    Go Bob!

    Reply
  19. I think the lineup will be the same its been, with zusi out he will move fabian to the right and have davis start on the left, jones is tough and I bet he does everything he can to get on the field on tuesday, if not it will be cameron.

    Reply
    • I posted it earlier but again I don’t like Beas being backed by Davis on the left. Not enough speed to cover for Beas when he’s beat.

      Again Castillo

      Reply
      • Right. But hopefully based on him opting to insert Castillo instead of Davis this last game I really hope he opts for the former

      • But we are looking at a new JK these days, Castillo came in for speed instead of Davis. I don’t see that changing against a fast Panamanian side.

    • Ed,

      That might not be appropriate for Panama. They don’t present the same challenge as the Italians.
      Against Italy Williams was highly effective in countering the Italians flooding the midfield. He also gave the US another pressure relief valve for the defense to pass to.
      That way the defenders would not have to constantly hit long clearances. This helped the US to retain a little possession. This played a big part in the US win.

      Reply
      • I was being facetious, but you’re correct there. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kljestan was asked to man that role.

  20. My thought is to try to bring the best available player off the bench and get them in the lineup without juggling positions too much. I think that will work in this way:
    Altidore is up top with Dempsey behind him. Any combination of Beasley, Johnson and Castillo on the left. Whichever of those left-sided players is left out of the starting XI will come off the bench and play significant minutes, anyway. Here is the major lineup change I haven’t seen suggested yet; start Sacha Klejstan in the middle of the park with Bradley. To me, Cameron is more useful in these circumstances at the right back position he played most frequently in the EPL. This pushes Brad Evans forward to his more familiar spot on the right. Gonzalez and Besler stay at centerback with Howard in goal.

    Reply
    • your suggestion has legs, it may happen. JK is known for keeping us off balance with his starting lineups although he has been more consistent these last couple of games.

      Reply
    • a couple of games ago this would be lineup I would have expected given the situation we are in right now; but with the unexpected developments that have occurred (Kljestan dropping stock, Evans our new RB, Cameron?) idk what we are going to see. my guess is Jurgen wants to keep everything going with as much continuity as possible.

      Reply
  21. Why on earth does anyone want Jermaine Jones to start? He is absolutely awful. Put in Holden for Jones and put Cameron in for Evans or Beasley, preferably the later. I would be more then happy if Jermaine Jones never played again for the US.

    Reply
      • @Miami Rich. Do you watch the USMNT games or was that just a troll comment? I like Stu, but no way he does a better job than Triple J. He’s currently one of the best players on the team.

    • Wow. So many nonsensical things I don’t know where to start.

      1.) Jones has been one of the best US players on the pitch in pretty much every game for the last year and a half.

      2.) I love Cameron, but he’s much better at CB or DM than RB.

      3.) Evans just put in 2 solid shifts at RB, despite a rough 1st half against Jamaica.

      4.) Holden? Seriously? His late minutes against Belgium were symbolic. He’s probably not even ready for 20 minutes against top tier competition. He’s only on the roster to prep for the Gold Cup.

      Reply
    • just when one thinks everyone is in the same page, someone comes with these type of comments. JJ as been playing his best for our team.

      Reply
  22. I hope that F Johnson is fully fit by Tuesday. Did not look like he had that explosive first couple of steps that he normally does Friday night. If fit, still think he is best choice for LB. If not fully fit, need to play Davis on the left I guess.

    In middle, Cameron for Jones with maybe Holden as a sub if ready to play. Don’t think Cameron can go 90 in the middle.

    Corona out right for me, but we will see if he gets the call or if it is EJ.

    Reply
    • Davis is too slow and can’t track back quick enough to cover for Beas.

      I think Castillo’s our man

      Reply
      • I wouldn’t be surprised, and then It wouldn’t surprise me to see Fabian get a look at the right wing spot… all our other options are just slow, unless he rolls the dice and gives Corona a shot

      • We’ll Corona isn’t here to sit and look pretty on the bench that’s for sure

      • he was a bench option, so yes, he would have been if Zusi hadn’t got a yellow. he will play a major part in the Gold Cup. he’s here for depth at the moment.

    • You don’t think Geoff can go 90 in the middle?

      He regularly did so for Houston at DM, playing if 100F high humidity Houston summers.

      Reply
    • I think FJ did his normal thing for the first 25 minutes, then he started to wilt in the sun.
      If we are using JK current subs, there is a good chance that FJ goes to the RM and Castillo starts in the LM or maybe even switch places with Beas.

      Reply
  23. At this point we call in Landon Donovan and Lamar Neagle (who is in excellent form as of late). Or Klinsmann could make my year by calling in Freddy Adu (yup I’ll keep dreaming)…….

    Reply
  24. I didn’t hear optimism about Jones. Klinsman: “Jermaine, he will get probably a couple of tests on Monday morning, so we take it slow on him.”
    Sounds like he’s taking it slow with Jones. That could mean a lot of things but optimism doesn’t sound like one of them.
    I bet Cameron comes in, Jones doesn’t dress.

    Reply
    • I think it means he is likely to play but they are just going to be cautious with him and cover all their medical bases

      Reply
  25. I won’t be surprised at all if Jones starts. He’s Klinsmann’s type of a player — the one who’s not afraid to get “nasty” and “grind” opponents.

    Reply
  26. Should’ve called in Bedoya from the beginning for the spot he gave to Williams, that guy hasn’t seen the pitch in months

    Reply
    • Why call in a player who hasn’t seen the pitch in months? Bedoya never really fit in, never really got the job done at this level.

      Reply
      • Think you misunderstood the comment. Bedoya is currently tearing it up in Sweden. I think he has five goals this season, and it’s early.

      • Thank you for helping to clarify my comment…
        To review:
        Bedoya: playing well, scoring goals, providing asists, lot’s of positive coverage in the media
        Williams: hasn’t seen pitch in months, usually not even in the 18, on a team that went to relegation play-off …and now being sent on vacation….

        With JJ probably out and MB carrying yellow with 2 games left in this round, would be nice to have Bedoya as an option

      • Bedoya and Williams play two different roles.

        Bedoya might be a good replacement for Zusi not Danny.

      • GW, it depends. Normally that’s true, but Klinnsman plays guys all over the place. Besides that, whether they have the same role or not has little to do with a player’s fitness. Why players who are unfit are called in for the very few spots availble as fit players are left off is something to question whether you get that or not

      • beachbum,

        What I “get” is that JK has Danny W. higher in his pecking order than Alejandro.

        Calling in Williams was about seeing just how fit he really was.

        Bedoya has as far as I remember, has never been called in. My guess is he is behind Zusi, LD, EJ , Herc, and Shea.

        For Panama Davis could play left wing and Fabian could shift to right . Or EJ could replace Zusi
        If LD gets in form, Shea comes back to it and EJ and Herc stay in form, Ale may be out of luck.

      • not much in your reply imo. We all know what options remain already GW. Considering the limited number of spots on a roster, it’s worthy of questioning when unfit players are called in nonetheless while other fit players are not

      • beachbum.

        “Very few spots available as fit players are left off”?

        As I recall that camp roster JK assembled prior to this 5 game run had no limits.

        Calling in Holden, Shea, and Williams as far as I can tell did not “displace” any healthy players.

        So anyone who was not called in, well JK obviously did not think they were worth it at this time.

        I like Ale but JK does not rate him and Sweden’s league is arguably less competitive than MLS.

      • GW, what are you talking about?

        Fabian on the right, when he couldn’t exploit the teenager on the left where he’s more comfortable? Look, that may work, but it’s not because of some amazing plan Klinnsman is executing on this

        I do hope it works, but your never-ending belief that it’s all by some master design? Fabian on the right and davis on the left? our best options? come on dude
        those not called in were obviously not rated by JK at this time…really? Thanks.

        and yet

      • My bad. I just meant he’s never been stellar for the US. Plus, he’s not a natural replacement for JJ. Tell me if I’m wrong, I’m no expert here.

      • He’s only 26 and is a natural left footer. Lets judge wether or not he’ll ever have it in him to produce at this level when he’s had more looks, I think

      • Well if he isn’t he sure looks like with the scores he’s been scoring of late with it!

      • He’s a righty. I saw in a recent interview he was laughing about how many goals he’s been scoring with his left this year. Said hes only scored like 2 his whole career then this year he’s already doubled that…

    • people need to stop asking about bedoya. he is being saved for the Gold Cup. his club is still playing right now. so just relax, we’ll see him next month and he’ll make his case.

      Reply
  27. no way Jones should play. Concussions are horrible. Don’t risk Jones’s health. publicly it will look terrible – and the message to kids – oh no. it’s the wrong thing to do in every way. i dont care if it’s mexico and world cup finals and he’s dying to play. he shouldnt. period.

    Reply
      • Twellman wouldn’t have to say anything in particular. Just hearing him talk reminds me of his concussion problems

      • He kills me! Especially sitting next to Ian Darke. Lol, the man has to dumb himself down to get through to Twellman. I mean come on!

      • Wouldn’t necessarily agree with that. But I will say he’s better then Alejandro Moreno

      • If you don’t like him as a commentator that’s your business, but don’t make fun about concussions!

      • If Jones plays, Twellman will lambast Klinsmann for jeopardizing his health. If Jones doesn’t play, Twellman will say that this is the meat of the qualifying process and everyone should play.

      • No, I doubt Twellman would say that. Twellman would probably say that no sporting accolade is worth what he’s been through and I agree with Leonardo that this shouldn’t even be remotely considered until the Honduras game next week.

      • You guys gotta stop taking yourselves so seriously. Kingly’s comment was funny. Period. And Jake was stating a fact. If you don’t enjoy humor go hang out at BigSoccer.com.

    • If the doctors clear him to play I have no problem with him playing because that means he has no symptoms. They won’t play him if he can’t pass concussion tests.

      Reply
      • What is adiquate recovery time for a concussion? I always thought it was more of a long term issue once you have had multiple ones

      • It depends on the severity. Jones played through halftime stitches in his ankle but was subbed immediately for the concussion so I am guessing it wasn’t a light one.

      • Severity of concussions are difficult to gauge. Part of the assessment is about how zoned out and disoriented was the player immediately after the knock, and was there a loss of consciousness (LOC). A concussion is a brain bruise – anyone who has bruised / sprained an ankle or a knee knows the injury can certainly look and feel a lot worse several days later. The break down of blood products, micro-hemorrhages, cell death in the affected brain tissue, often two bruises on the brain – one at point of impact, one opposite – the brain is jelly-like and bounces and rebounds when knocked – that are then very susceptible to re-injury . I agree with posters who say, err on the side of caution – go slowly with Jones. There are cognitive tests that the neurologists and physical trainers can do to assess how well he is with his attention – but they can’t see into the brain – even a CT scan or an MRI won’t show much detail as far as the structural damage to the brain. It is a very serious injury, and one that should be given time to heal.

  28. Cameron slotted in pretty well and allowed Bradley to get forward vs. Jamaica. It’ll be interesting to see if he can track Panama’s shifty players for 90.

    Reply
  29. Time to take the wraps off Corona at RM…I thought Cameron was good at DM…not worried if JJ isn’t cleared to play. JK is definitely expanding the pool with versatile players. I really enjoy the mindset and initiative in trying players in multiple positions…gives us much more flexibility.

    Reply
    • “ JK is definitely expanding the pool with versatile players. I really enjoy the mindset and initiative in trying players in multiple positions…gives us much more flexibility”.

      A week ago JK was some kind of incompetent nut job for playing so many players out of their “natural positions”.

      Reply
      • Ed,

        That JK has long taken a ton of flak for often playing guys out of their “natural” positions.Only now that Evans is doing well suddenly it’s okay.

        I’m not a great believer in confining players to their “natural” positions. Some guys are clearly center backs or keepers but short of that most talented soccer players should be skilled enough to play a number of different places. And the fact that a player plays left back, for example, for his club simply means that is the case in the club’s situation. The situation could be very different once the player gets to the National team.

        Also if you are talking about evaluating players, something JK has had to do a lot off, playing them “out of position” is one way to learn an awful lot about them in a short time.

        You learn how good their basic skills and fitness really are, you learn a lot about how well they adapt and how smart they are about the game. And you learn a ton about their confidence and attitude.

      • It was one of the things that we had the potential to do under Bradley, but we never tried…it drove me crazy…Bob was so static. I didn’t have a beef about JK doing it at all. With some of our players , you’ll never know what they’re capable of in other positions if you don’t take the step to see if they can handle it. Evans is a well rounded player, we’ll see if he holds up…so far so good. I really don’t like Beas at LB against non-concacaf competition, but we’ll see where is goes. I’m just happy JK is taking an open minded creative approach.

      • He did, we had a lot of guys that weren’t International caliber and Dmids stacked like cord wood. Just my opinion, I never felt we had our most well rounded 11 on the field. Given the same situation, I think JK gives half the guys in the entire player pool a look at LB.

        I’ve always thought that if you had, for instance, a Dmid who reads the game well and has a well rounded skill set, with a fundamentally good soccer brain and good speed, you could plug them in just about anywhere, except maybe CB if there were height issues. Smooth them out with additional training – the nuances of the position, and see if it’s a net positive for the team. Exactly the case we’re seeing now with Evans. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t…i.e. Williams on the flank.

    • Depends on the player. Cameron, Evans & Beasley have proven to be useful and versatile, so those gambles paid off. Eddie Johnson and Danny Williams as wingers has not paid off.

      Reply
      • EJ has been pretty good for nats in his revival. Remember @A&B and few games off the bench.. Hope to see him play up top with jozy or off the bench for jozy

      • Excellent points.

        Without saying Klinsi is the OMG BEST COACH EVAR or ragging on Bob Bradley, you have to acknowledge that he has brought (or recalled) key players in that Bradley didn’t (or never got the chance to), including…

        Fabian Johnson, Graham Zusi, Brad Evans, Eddie Johnson, Herculez Gomez

      • From that list Zusi & EJ are potentially correct. FJ had not had paperwork to complete and had started it, but not completed it. EJ was lost in Europe. Evans was ‘only tried at RB’ by Bradley, per Evans himself.
        and Herc? he was on the WC team…so how was it that Bradley did not give him a chance?

        Playing Beasely at LB is the biggest revelation….and yes that too Bradley tried with nowhere near the level of success.

        Kudos to JK and the boys, with the ’empty bucket’ offense…things seem to be going much better.

      • EJ and Herc got called and played by Bradley. Evans and Zusi should have been called in back then?

    • Really curious to see Corona too. Think he is a more complete, imaginative, dynamic player than Zusi on the offensive side. Has the ability to tuck inside, shoot, distribute as well as make runs and crosses from the outside. Realistically probably take a few games to blend well and wouldn’t take shape in first game though. Question I have is if his help tracking back on defense would be as effective as Zusi who has been very good in that regard.

      Reply
  30. I’m bored in Seattle so I thought I would reveal the lineup (if Jermaine cannot play) early for SBI.
    ———Jozy———–EJ———-
    —————————————-
    ————-Dempsey————–
    –F.Johnson————-Corona—
    ————–Bradley—————-
    Beasley———————–Evans
    ———–Besler—Omar———–
    —————————————-
    —————Howard—————-

    Get an early first half goal or two feeding off a raucous Seattle crowd then put in Cameron, withdraw a forward, and secure the win.

    Reply
      • Kljestan would be a mistake and Cameron is overrated as a CM. Cameron IMO is a RM or a CB. Long strides long dribbles not big on short passing. Not a DM motor guy.

        No, you need a specialist, so either Bradley or Edu, or you call in Clark or Beckerman. If you try and fudge DM you might be exposing the CBs no one is too sure about.

        And with how athletic and fast Panama is, even if they bunkered you have to be capable of handling a quick counter. Or are we just going to forget lessons about lineup cuteness taught us by this very team last Gold Cup? That we can’t assume we can out-technique them even on home soil?

      • Isn’t an RM in klinsmans setup then based on ur logic.

        I respectfully disagree Cameron is a CM and if I recall correctly when he got his first cap that’s where he played and I don’t remember any negative reviews.

        He did wellin Jamaica and I think he’ll be handle playing there if called upon.

        But I do see him as a player who can play anywhere in the back and in the middle. I just think its a matter of him settling in now that klinsy’s finally decided on who he’s going forward with, it’s just a matter of building chemistry.

        If this isn’t the case then whats the point of him even being on the roster if nobody will trust him to play RB, CB or CM

      • Cameron isn’t* concerning his speed or lack thereof and why he isn’t suited for RM

    • If he goes with the 4-4-2, I’d bet he puts Fabian on the right and Davis on the left.

      While Davis hasn’t been amazing for the Nats, he’s improved each appearance. Against Belgium, he looked hesitant at times when he clearly had the chance and possibly the ability to take players on or go to goal. It’s clear that Klinsmann rates him, and increasingly (if only slightly) positive performances shouldn’t change that.

      If he stays with the 4-5-1, we’ll see Cameron in place of Jones. He’s relatively fresh (only logged ~40 minutes) and the midfield functioned well enough when he came in.

      That said, I’d like to see Corona get some minutes one of these days.

      Reply
    • Love MB as the 6. Great attacking line up for a home game against a team we should match up well against. Going forward if we get LD back and add Zusi, given the same level of opponent, I’d like to see

      ……………………………..Jozy…………………….
      ……………Deuce…………………………………….
      FJ……………………….Zusi………………….LD….

      Push Deuce up top under Jozy, and play Zusi as the ACM with FAB and LD on the flanks.I’d love to see Zusi’s workrate and ball movement in the middle.

      Reply
      • What!!!….no.. I meant to say down the road…somewhere in the future…if LD ever gets out of the doghouse. And I’ll edit my line up to put LD on the left and FJ on the right. I like LD on the left more than the right. For the game in Seattle, I agree, I really want to see Corona at RM.

    • Respectfully disagree. I think our lack of wing depth is much greater than CM. Cam can fill in nicely there. Zusi’s service is the Code that has unlocked Jozy’s beast mode.

      Reply
    • People are forgetting that Cameron’s best position after CB is DMid. Prior to his time at Stoke, he’d never been used in a professional capacity in any significant capacity as a fullback.

      All of Cameron’s subpar outings have been from the FB spot, despite the fact that he’s played there a lot for Stoke.

      He should be adequate coverage against Panama’s midfield, none of whom are world-beaters.

      Reply
    • I for one hope Jones does NOT start on Tuesday. I’m his biggest fan, and for that, I don’t want us to rush him. Concussions are a deadly beast that can appear to be gone, but can rise its ugly head and ruin a player. In MLS we have seen this far too many times. Let him rest, let his brain rest, let him recover.

      I’ll take the tie against Panama if we know Jones will be back at 100%. No need to risk him.

      Reply
      • +1. Sit him out of Honduras if need be. We should be able to handle Panama and Honduras at home.

      • Amen!

        What a beast though, that JJ is. There are always a lot of critical people here when it comes to evaluating players. I’m happy to say that I knew Jermaine Jones would be one of the best midfielders ever for the Nats if he got his chances. He was to good with Shalke for many years including the last CL run.

Leave a Comment