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Adams, McKennie, Pulisic headline USMNT roster for March friendlies

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Gregg Berhalter’s second camp in charge of the U.S. Men’s National Team will see the team face tougher competition than this past January.

25 players have been included for the pair of friendlies, starting with a showdown against Ecuador on March 21st in Orlando.

After January camp saw only MLS players chosen, March will see numerous European based players get their first look under Berhalter. 14 players who were a part of the January camp return to the squad this time around.

Bundesliga midfielder Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisic, and Weston McKennie all were called in while Tim Ream and DeAndre Yedlin headline the England-based selections.

It is an All-MLS attacking front with Jordan Morris, Gyasi Zardes, and Paul Arriola headlining the forwards chosen. European players like Bobby Wood and Andrija Novakovich missed out.

“Our goal is to keep making progress. Building on the themes of last camp, building on the style of play of last camp, but also now evaluating a new group of players,” Berhalter said in a press release. “We made progress in the first camp and it’s now asking if we can take it to another level. When we are done with this camp, it’s important that we have a good idea of our strongest group of players heading into the Gold Cup.”

Following the USMNT’s showdown with Los Amarillos, it will face another Conmebol side in Chile on the 26th in Houston.

Here’s the entire 25-man roster for the USMNT:

Goalkeepers: Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge), Sean Johnson (New York City FC), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC)

Defenders: John Brooks (Wolfsburg), Omar Gonzalez (Atlas), Nick Lima (San Jose Earthquakes), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Daniel Lovitz (Montreal Impact), Matt Miazga (Reading), Tim Ream (Fulham), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United)

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Weston McKennie (Schalke), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew)

Forwards: Paul Arriola (D.C. United), Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake), Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders 25/5), Christian Ramirez (LAFC), Gyasi Zardes (Columbus Crew)

Comments

  1. Feels like this site is dying. I seem to remember there being way more discussion in the comments section here in years past. Maybe NT fans have lost interest?

    Reply
    • It is dying just like US soccer is dying at least the men’s program. Our results have been unacceptable for some time. Instead of a radical change to get us moving forward we’re dipping in the past hiring in MLS coach who favors MLS players especially those of his own team sound familiar? Hate to say it but I’ve got real concerns about Berhalter. Willing to give him a chance but giving us some BS about guys like Weah and Saergent needed seasoning when you call Corey Baird up rings hollow. Shit I’d rather even see Bobby Wood younger than Zardes and plays in much tougher league. I like Tim Ream but let’s be honest he’s going to be 32 this for a guy like CCV is only 21 he doesn’t need seasoning he needs to be thrust into the spotlight soon like other nations do putting the best youth they have on the pitch. What experience does rain really bring failing to get to the 2018 World Cup? Shit the women’s team gives their young girls chances to prove themselves they push ahead. Speaking of which if there’s enough money then freaking pay them the same exit as far as I’m concerned are used to watch every men’s game now I’m hardly able to turn on if I’ve got something else I don’t make the time show me that you’re willing to build the program and I’ll put the time in to following it.

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    • Agreed 100%, another BS coach. Actually, USSoccer are getting worse and worse on both MNT and WNT. All f. coaches have serious mental illness, both WNT and MNT, coaches keep calling many failed, unproductive, lazy, no passion players. Why those f.ng coaches have been hired.

      Hey coaches and USSoccer staff, don’t talk but look at the attendances from last couple years. I am stop attending all US games in LA and live TV, only highlight
      So f..king disappointed on both WNT and MNT; all BS

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      • Speaking of lazy someone should teach Larry Henry Junior how to fucking count I see 24 players listed why does the article mention 25 players. Sorry but journalism or whatever the fuck you call it now is really pathetic, with a lack of effort in researching, poor spelling and grammatical errors. Trying to get some information Is difficult maybe I should’ve gotten a degree in journalism too late for that now.

  2. To tie a bow on it as done on the other thread, I am trying to sort out whether there is an upcoming U23 camp he hasn’t finalized and hasn’t confirmed their availability for, or is this camp going to be this summer, when GC takes place? Sorry, when we’re talking about leaving Weah and Sargent off the team like they aren’t proven and integrated, with some half cooked idea of a U23 camp at a date he hasn’t announced, when their appearance is not secured with the clubs, I mean, what are you doing?

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    • I mean, you aren’t getting these two from their clubs now, period. Celtic only has Weah on loan a few more months. And if the camp isn’t now, so he can get them, then he’s making the illogical or fake argument that a summer U23 camp — that might conflict with GC — explains why people didn’t make a March roster. I’d buy it more if he said these people might be tired, and I will give them a look this summer instead.

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    • I completely agree. The whole U23 thing sounds like a sham to me to try to explain why he didn’t call his some of the young studs. Having chosen all MLS forwards is a bit much. I feel like we’re throwing away this window for some reason. This was supposed to be the first glimpse we see how Berhalter rated the pool and players and he gives us this and tells us its because of u23s? I don’t buy it for one minute.

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  3. As an ATL fan I hope MLS ‘one day’ becomes a top world league where top players come to compete against the best in the world. That ‘one day’ is still a long way off. MLS just got blitz by LigaMX teams in the quarters of CCL. Say you all you want about preseason but results on the field matter and MLS is not a very competitive league at the moment internationally and we need to be calling up players who are challenging themselves every day against the worlds best if we are ever going to compete on that level internationally.

    I’m guardedly optimistic about GB tactics/style based on what I saw in the Panama and CR games and will reserve judgement on the tactics for the moment. In those games I could see we are at least doing something different tactically and style wise but the touch and passing quality and positional awareness was very pretty bad and did I mention the first touch was really lacking in those games just in case you missed it. So I said to myself back then, okay here’s his system this could work much better once we get the right players who are more technical and tactically aware and compete against a game speed much faster than what is seen in MLS. It was a January camp and it wasn’t a FIFA window and you know how those go. This was his first camp and really only camp before GC to bring the whole roster in and have a look and see who fits his system amongst the players competing in Euro leagues.

    I think GB is doing himself a disservice by calling in soo many MLS players some of whom don’t even get much playing time in MLS either. Your touch has too be on a different level to play in a top Euro league otherwise you stick out and throw off the whole passing rhythm team. I like that he gave chance to MLS guys in camp cupcake but to call in such a MLS heavy roster for this window given its importance going into GC is extremely disappointing and setting off all my alarm bells that nothing within USSF has changed.

    I could pick out 10 MLS players on this roster who don’t in any way deserve to be called in based on their past and current performance. There are about 5-6 high quality Euro based players not currently injured who have done far more past and present to deserve a call up and watching them in far better leagues with better first touch and play making makes me sick to see some of the MLS guys get calls over them. What must those guys be thinking? What does a Pulisic or McKennie think when they see guys being ignored starting in their same league? This U23 thing is just a sham too, no one cares about U23 we don’t even have coach hired yet.

    We have a defined tendency and history of calling up players from MLS over player in top 5 leagues at this point. This is equivalent to a NBA team calling up players from the D league or a MLB team calling in AA/AAA players for a major series. Sure those guys might play out and show they belong but your doing it at the expense of ignoring more talent players. If they’re 18-20 and showing they’re the best player on the field in MLS then we might have something and that deserves a call up, but calling up mid 20 year olds who have played most of their careers in either NCAA and MLS is just a joke if you want to ever get our NT to compete with the best.

    No other nation whose domestic league is inferior to top Euro leagues does this. Instead they always prioritize players playing in top leagues and not just the starters either. In any sport the competition you play against matters. It makes you better or it makes you worse. I’m an MLS fan but we have to take off the MLS rose colored glasses when calling up players to our NT. I’ve said it over and over success in MLS has a low correlation to succes on the international level. You can get away with a poor first touch or a pass thats a little behind in MLS but at higher levels you get exposed and burned. The sad part is we have the players to make GB system more fluid and more beautiful and effective but he’s not calling them in.

    I’m still going to give GB one more window before giving a real hot take like ya’ll all know me for and I’m still cautiously optimistic about the tactics and style so far but these call ups are a joke and it wasn’t a couple friendlies I’d be livid.

    I do have a fear though too. That fear is that we have seen with this roster the core of the players GB sees as his group that make up the GC squad and by extension the WCQ squad as we move into 2020/21. At this point he is already developing his ‘favorites’ as all managers do and if that is the case I’m terrified by his judgement of player skill beyond all belief.

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  4. 1) For those saying that some players were left off to enable them to be part of the U-23 camp; that’s a cop out & Bull Shxt. The bulk of the European players who are age eligible to be on the U-23 roster won’t be released for the Olympic Qualification Tournament this fall. Guys like Sargent, Robinson, EPB, CCV, Amon, and the rest won’t be playing for the Olympic team unless it’s in the actual Olympics. Therefore if they have the skill/ability to contribute to the Sr. National Team they should have been called into this camp to prove their worth and possibly make the Gold Cup team this summer.
    2) There are too many WTH call-ups. Omar (30) proved last cycle that he wasn’t able to compete at this level. Ream (30) has spent a good portion of the season riding the bench. Lovitz proved in January he’s not up to the international game by being eaten alive by sub-par Panama & CR squads. I wasn’t impressed with Baird during January Camp, there have to be others who could have been tried during this camp.
    3) I thought GB was going to go with a predominantly European squad based on his recent interviews. He was going to give a closer look at some new faces. Yet were getting more of the lackluster MLS players than European players.

    Would have preferred to see guys like: Wood, Sargent, Robinson, CCV, EPB, Saief, Holmes, Green, Gooch. I’d even go so far as to include guys like Morales & Alvarado over Omar/Ream & Trapp.

    Overall disappointed in the lack of turn-over from what we saw in failed the 2018 cycle and lackluster players from the January Camp.

    Reply
    • Lost you’ve missed the point. If say, Weah, Sargent, EPB, and CCV do go with the U23s it is not to necessarily prepare them for qualification. It is so they can get 90 minutes of work in. Neither Weah or Sargent has played big minutes in the last month Berhalter is saying they do not figure to start for the full team so he’s giving them a chance to play a full match and keep their club happy that they aren’t flying halfway around the word for 15-minute cameos. Amon
      would be similar, Amon barely can get off the bench for the 9th best team in Denmark this season, he’s going to start for the USA?
      ———————————————————————————————-
      You can argue that’s a waste of a chance to develop the U23s but that roster is likely to have a number of U20 WC members on it who are already playing together (and more likely to be released this fall). It is more the dream of some on here (several who cried about these selections throughout the day) to have two full national teams that can be competing at the same time.
      ———————————————————————————————–
      Lovitz to me was the biggest head-scratcher (even more than Omar). However, let’s see if he plays? It looks to me to lineup for Ream to play LB with 4 other CBs called in. In Berhalter’s system of the hybrid RB, the LB often operates more as the third CB anyway. Berhalter knows Lovitz well from MLS, (no one is said to study more film than Berhalter) so either he knows Lovitz brings more than he shows or Lovitz is their to show the ropes to Ream or perhaps Lima rotating to LB.
      ————————————————————————————————

      Reply
      • A U23 camp is not a U23 game. A U23 game is not a senior team game. This is a young senior team already in flux, few earned starting spots, so there is no reason to herd young prospects into a second tier camp. Message it sends to me is “I trust you Omar” (no good reason), but “you U23 player are a risk so we will put Omar in place and work you through a lengthy U23 apprenticeship to establish your bona fides.” Some of the so called U23s will then not be released for actual qualifying. So to me it’s somewhere between wishing for U23 and perseverating at the senior level. Herding younger players through a full YNT battery including U20 and U23 is what teams do that already have quality. We are under construction. In an open situation like we should be in, like MLB spring training, players should get a senior look before then being sent off to the minors. Whether they play U23 this fall should then be a function of availability. Like I said, we should spend more time on the sort of player whom we will be able to access, not on age group development independent of actual availability, which has been a running U23 pitfalll, that the better players essentially escape the team because their success removes them from club release.

      • Lovitz to me shows this is being done on some sort of “idea in my head” gestalt, perhaps including practice, as opposed to evaluating a player on whether they function in games. You watch the games and you cut Lovitz in 5 seconds. He was being picked on by regional B and C squads. The idea this will get better in a full international is laughable optimism.

        You only get so many camps and games like this so perseveration is a waste. Move on to some other player not demonstrably bad.

  5. I think we might be reading some of Berhalter’s comments incorrectly. When talking about young European players he seems to be indicating that their Euro clubs didn’t want them called in unless they are playing big minutes for the US not that his concern was they aren’t playing for their clubs. RonnieT seems to believe the camp for U23s is in Spain so the clubs would be ok with the shorter travel and likelihood of bigger minutes in those matches.
    ———————————————————————————————————————–
    Malmo may have asked that Gall remain with the club as they finish up final prep to the Allvensken which begins league play the week after the window, they have several club friendlies scheduled during the window.
    ————————————————————————————————————————-
    .

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  6. The whining about the roster is ridiculous. Here are your only must-have selections: Pulisic, Brooks, Adams, McKennie, Yedlin. Those are the only guys starting and making impacts for 1st division clubs in Europe. After that, there is a drop off in talent and that must be compensated for by other factors such as 1) the ability to fit in a role in the managers system, 2) desire/mentality/toughness, 3) leadership/experience, etc. As stated in other (rational) comments, we do not have the talent to compete with the best teams, and must build a team that is better together than the individuals. Fans need to give the manager a chance to do this over the next couple of years. Knee-jerk reactions are never helpful in building teams/businesses.

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    • I don’t mind it’s not all the A team players, I mind it’s like they went back to the old folk’s home to full it out, left off younger talent, and in some ways failed to address need areas. I also don’t mind if some of these camps are adjusted to herd U23s to another place. But then call up interesting players in their place, not 30 year olds who basically cost us Russia. It’s not necessarily the broader idea of a senior and a U23 camp, it’s the execution, it’s specifically who we then called for the senior team. And I stand behind my U23 comments, if you are putting together a qualifying team, hunt for players we will be able to get for that. If you call in people for that who will not be released, with our recent U23 qualifying history, it’s a glorified B senior team camp, with no real excuse for having them there and Omar here.

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    • In general I agree with your take, but you’re leaving out one guy that is making an impact in first division European football and that’s Alfredo Morales. Dusseldorf was bottom of the table just before the break and is now mid table with Morales starting most of the games since the break. It is insane to me that the guy can’t at least get into a camp.

      I was also surprised that Duane Holmes isn’t going to get a look, but the rest of the guys that everybody is screaming for need to do a lot more to be considered locks in my book. I can’t understand the love so many seem to have for Novakovich. He couldn’t get off the bench for Sarachan and it’s not like he’s tearing up the Eredivisie. I’m willing to trust GB through the Gold Cup.

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    • Few head scratchers w/ selections- but we are not operating with anything close to a full picture- nearly enough information. I was pretty P’Oed at the hiring process, a damaging delay in hiring someone but…. early as it is in his tenure- so far so good w/ Berhalter.

      Reply
  7. Arriola–Zardes–Baird
    Pulisic—-McKennie
    ———Bradley———
    Ream-Brooks-Miazga-Adams
    ————Steffen———
    ——————————————————————-
    From Berhalter’s quotes to Jeff Carlise at ESPN, it sounds like we’ll see Pulisic as the #10 McKennie as the #8 and Adams in the Lima role. I could see Lletget in the 10 role at some point and rotate Pulisic to the wing at some point as well.
    ——————————————————————-
    Please let the rantings about playing Adams out of his “natural position” begin.

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  8. This was such a great day to watch all the Berhalter haters fall all over themselves with self righteousness. The same people screamed and wailed when he called in his squad for January and yet we went 2-0. Do I want to see Omar on the field, heck no but I’m going to trust the seventeen year professional with more professional managing experience than I am willing to be bet anyone on here. Are we going to go 0-2 this window, maybe but they are meaningless friendlies anyway. Trust the process.

    Reply
    • You’re so in the tank you just basically said “if you discount the old results, well, I can’t even guarantee the results this time.” I am ok with a developing process but it’s a results business. And I find it hard to believe 3-4 players who will be too old for Qatar, plus a pile of Berhalter’s Little Camp Cupcake Achievers, deserve in an A team camp. It doesn’t feel picky, it doesn’t feel experimental, it doesn’t even feel like he is in touch with why it all went wrong, when he starts to repeat Arena Mistakes. I at least want new mistakes. And I keep thinking back to how lletget, the star of the second game in charge, was a bench player both games. I don’t think he has a handle on who has value and who doesn’t. Setting aside my belief we should be turning over every rock looking for talent, which that plus dual nationals we seem to have forgotten about or relegated to U23 teams like we are some established power and not basically a team of 23 year olds already.

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  9. Y’all are such babies. Let the guy do his job and see what happens this summer at Gold Cup. This level of outrage over roster selection for a couple friendlies is ridiculous. Pent up energy from 2017 still coming out….

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  10. Don’t we already know what Zardes is? He’s definitely not an international. This has got to be the most embarrassing group of forwards that I’ve ever seen called in during an international break.

    How I’d rate this roster:

    Pulisic/Adams/McKennie>>>Brooks/Yedlin>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nearly everyone else>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Zardes>>Gonzales

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  11. Not a fan of the Omar, Ream or Trapp call-ups. Each arguably are no better than other. younger choices and the midfield is already crowded. Bradley I get, he is really the only senior guy in the sense of being a team leader, though another player must step into that role. McKennie, Adams, maybe Brooks will step up to that in time. (I don’t think Zardes, Yedlin and Ream are really team-leader kind of guys).
    The attacking power of this squad is light. Pulisic still seems to operate best when he is out wide, though in his last game he did make a strong statement in front of the goal and Morris has speed. We have seen so little of Morris save the last 2 games, I haven’t been able to see if he has really learned anything other than the full-speed ahead mode he relied on a couple years ago.

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  12. This is what you get when you hire a MLS coach. If I were playing in Europe with a great club I would probably pass on March camp / friendlies, especially since the entire last WC qualifying disaster. The only thing missing is naming MB the Captain again. If MB starts I am routing for a slaughter, Equador 3 MLS 0, Chile 5 MLS 0

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  13. Save the u 23 excuse. Awful roster selection. Chile will be dragging us by our hair the whole match. Omar Gonzalez ???⚽. I will def tune in to this comedy USA means nats performance smh. Glad I got Liverpool vs Bayern to look at tomorrow.

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  14. I never want to see Omar Gonzalez in a US shirt again. As soon as I saw that, it tainted everything. There are other things not to like. I can see calling in Zardes and Morris at striker since both have considerable international experience and both started the MLS season well, but the other MLS choices? What’s with that? I’d rather see Wood and Novakovich instead of Baird and Lewis. And Arriola is more of an attacking mid or a winger than a striker. The honeymoon with Berhalter is over.

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  15. I got to say I am confused by these choices. They seem overloaded with Center mids and center backs unless he plans on playing people out of position, like Ream or Adams at outside back. And we know Pulisic can be an effect wide player, so I would have thought that the point of some friendlies like this is to test him out as a number 10. And honestly having all the attacking guys come from MLS is a head shaker and can’t be just a coincidence. There are European based players who likely have better technique and tactical aptitude so to not consider any is strange when the point should be to test out some new guys as well. The scariest part for me will be if he builds a starting lineup around Bradley and plays Adams out of position to do so. Or if he does it around Trapp, but at least Trapp is a young guy who has a long, potential future with the Nats, so it sortof makes sense.

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  16. The U23 team plays at the same time, so some of the younger guys why are going to be eligible for the Olympics are going to play with that team, as per Berhalter. Presumably CCV, Sargent and Weah at least.

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    • First, they care so much about U23 there still is no coach. Second, the team hasn’t played since it was eliminated by Colombia. Third, there are no men’s U23 games listed on the official schedule at all, only women’s U23 friendlies. Fourth, while I assume the star U23s should be with the senior team, explain Lewis. Fifth, a young European player can be compelled to show for the Nats on an international date but his team may be able to turn down a U23 friendly. Last, I think it’s dumb strategy to call in senior NT level talent for the U23s to gel, when what those teams typically struggle with is scouting players to fill out a lineup and a roster. What we struggle with is x, y, and z are elite talent at big clubs, unavailable unless we make the Olympics, and then not enough work goes into picking out a, b, and c to replace them. And then, sorry, but the idea that you are sending some U23s to that camp doesn’t explain calling in an embattled 30 year old scrub instead. I can’t believe our choices were like Omar or a U23 and that’s it.

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  17. It seems like GB got a little too big on the camp he had in and beat a C panama team, and a B costa rica team. There’s no reason to take more of a look at guys like baird, zardes, Ramirez, etc…when you leave weah, sargent and holmes at home. Also not sure why you’re calling up omar at this point, clearly mistake prone and I would take CCV or Zimmerman over him. And for the love of god lovitz is not an international level LB, it’s not like we have a ton there but at least bring in FJ, lichaj, someone else to play that spot.

    Reply
    • Again, CCV, Weah, Sargent and others will be with the U-23’s in a camp in Spain preparing for friendlies that’ll get that team on track to qualify for the Olympics. This seems like a prudent move and in no way means those players won’t be with the senior team again down the line!

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      • I don’t think any of those 3 guys will be released by their clubs for Olympic qualifying in the fall so I’m not sure I get the point when the next tournament is gold cup and they should be there

  18. No wonder so many American players are moving back from Europe and signing contracts with MLS. Seems that is their best shot at making the US roster. Ridiculous…

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    • The most stunning, to me, is actually Omar, who at 30 would be 34 end of the cycle, has never been any good to be brought in to mentor, and basically cost us the pivotal game of the 2018 qualifying, as well as a few friendlies, by being a shakerific dribbling cone. Roughly when you do that I shut down and think you might just be an idiot. That and the several other Arena scrubs he brought back — most of whom are ageing out of any use — blares dingbat.

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  19. Yeah, I am officially saying Berhalter has problems identifying talent or seeing a mistake for what it is. Johnson? Omar/Lovitz/Ream? Trapp/Bradley? Zardes? Not spending any picks to try some new players or lock in dual nationals? I sense the idea is give obvious forwards a rest to look at options, but you’re just calling domestic frontline players? Not optimized, and also not creative where we find new people. Kind of stubbornly fighting some of the old fights that should be settled with frustrations sent off to pasture.

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    • People were trying to label him as a change agent but this is really go back to the last cycle players plus some new ones, and then change the formation. Basically put Arena’s guys plus a few in a 433.

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      • The problem with Arena and Klinsmann’s groups wasn’t talent. They had more talent than anyone in the region not named Mexico (even CR with the exception of their GK), The problem was getting the pieces to play together and understand how to best utilize their talents. Likewise, we are not going to out-talent top-level sides even with our youngsters, we are going to need to work not just harder (old school Bradley way) but also smarter.

    • I agree, willing to give him a chance, but Trapp is the most permanent fixture and always captain. He doesn’t start in my lineup and is a borderline player fighting for a spot with a bunch of others.
      Forward is the weakest spot and he only calls in Zardes as a guy that makes my lineup. In terms of true forward, I don’t think I am alone there. I don’t mean any disrespect to the people I am talking about, they play hard and are good players.
      I was on an island supporting Gonzo and his mistakes. I guess it was a big island because turns out, I wasn’t alone. Berhalter is alone now.

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      • Agreed, please quit supporting USSoccer as well. Give all f..king coaches all chances as they want and they will failed definitely. Then we continue give the next f.king coaches more, and more chances to be failed. USsoccer is big shit, they can not produce anything else except shit.

    • Amen,The Imperative Voice.
      For starters, I’m disappointed Duane Holmes or Romain Gall weren’t called up when they would likely be an upgrade over Corey Baird. Then you have CCV who is starting every weekend for Swansea but then you bring Omar who has already proven to choke in big time matches.
      * shakes head in disbelief.

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