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13 Shares
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Roldan’s play for the Sounders has never been an issue. He’s a rock for them.
He’s just as consistent for the USMNT, consistently mediocre and unremarkable. He’s given lie to the idea that the best American players play for the USMNT.
Give the man “serious consideration” ? In 5 years he’s had 31 caps, yet has never risen above the level of garbage time guy. That’s plenty of time and chances to prove he deserves more than garbage time chances.
When we recently played El Salvador he wasn’t even the best Roldan on the field.
The best you can say about him is that he is not as egregiously and brutally ineffective and out of place as Ariolla or Lletget.
Got to qualify the criticism of Arriola and Lletget because both have had good games with the USMNT to go along with the bad games. Lletget had an entire year when he was one of the most consistent performers, and then had a bad run more recently, coinciding with some personal issues if what I read is accurate. Arriola has looked good with the USMNT recently, is one of the only experienced players on the roster, and seems to be a guy the other players and coaches root for, not a bad addition to a really young team. As for Roldan, he is obviously a better player than he has shown with the USMNT. I don’t know if any of these three make a World Cup team, but they do deserve consideration.
While it is fashionable to discount Roldan for the national team, he was probably the Sounders’ best player on the road to winning the CONCACAF championship. And he seems to keep getting better. I think he should be given serious consideration for the WC roster.
I don’t think- there’s ever been any indication of any danger of GB not calling him up. There’s a case to be made either way. For not- an enormous sample of call ups with mostly mediocre to poor results- his club play has never quite translated to international play. Roldan is one of those good players that live right on the boundary- just above for most CONCACAF teams, and under the critical line where the skill, speed and intensity of a World Cup game will nullify what they normally do for club. I’m rather ok either way, but ultimately it’s down to who you leave off to bring him? Anyway- he’s looked brilliant with Seattle, he’s a GB mainstay… I’d be absolutely shocked if this was the point we don’t see him on the roster.
As “rico po” alluded to some players just can’t seem to translate excellent club form to the international level. Wondo was a similar type….bagging goals consistently with his club, but outside a couple games against crap CONCACAF teams (Cuba) was unable to replicate that type of form with the USMNT. Chandler was another, excellent club play…mediocure international play.
If FIFA holds to the traditional squad size of 23 players than in order to bring Roldan players like Busio, Mihailovic, Sonora, Williamson, Poymkal, would have to be left off the roster. Right now I’d take any of these 5 players before I’d take Roldan…..as I just don’t have any confidence in his play against decent opponents nor do I think his on-field chemistry is very good with the rest of the US players.