Comments

1. Cole Campbell comes off the bench today in Bundesliga play. Seems safe to say Dortmund did not/would not have released him.

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2. Grayson Dettoni started for Bayern Munich in a friendly yesterday. Don’t know much about him, but I hear he is a very promising CB.

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   • 6’5″ tall 19 year old CB for BM2. born here but dad worked in germany so he’s spent years in the munich age group systems of 1860 and bayern. guys that tall the concern would be is he a stick figure with no foot speed but if BM is bringing him along he’s probably at least decent and maybe good. has been compared by some to sule.

     despite the connection i don’t see US YNT caps, apparently could also play for italy, if he’s been in germany a decade maybe there too.

     my theory on all these big club prospects is cap early then sort out what you have. US soccer seems to have the opposite approach where you wait for it to be so obvious a non-soccer fan knows their name.

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     • You didn’t look up any pictures of him apparently. Husky would be a closer description than stick. One report I read is closest comparison would be Maloney. Quickness does appear to be a bit of an issue from some highlights, but is thinning out as he ages. Bayern doesn’t typically promote many players from Bayern II. Like Richards, the Tillman’s, Booth, and Green they’ll give them a few token performances and then sell them with a buyback. Josh Zirkzee and Mats Hummels some non-Americans that started for Bayern II but were sold off before being given a real run with the first team. They buy first teamers with experience they don’t develop them.
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       Bayern also just signed Bajung Darboe from LAFC II. He’s an AM/W who had 0g 0a in 30 MLS Next Pro matches between LAFC and Phil. Union so I’m not sure what’s going on with that. He must have a had a heck of a trial because Bayern allegedly paying 1.5 million for a guy with no MLS experience.

     • “my theory on all these big club prospects is cap early then sort out what you have. ”

       Right. Exploit their youth, their naivete’ and comparative ignorance. No sense in letting them develop a mind of their own so that they can make a more informed, irreversible, once in a lifetime decision. Or in giving yourself a chance to see how they develop. After all every single promising 19 year old has gone on to be an international level star player. Every single one.

       “US soccer seems to have the opposite approach where you wait for it to be so obvious a non-soccer fan knows their name.”

       There’s a pretty solid reason for that approach.

     • V: oh, dear god, of all the mopey crap. if they never get another cap again UNITED STATES MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM is not some horrifying stain on their resume. most of us would dream of a single cap then never get called again. spare me.

       i mean, AJ from iceland got basically forgotten after klinsi, and he recruited campbell over from iceland. that’s how screwed over he feels. come off the bs rhetoric.

       if you listen to the stories of folks like ochoa, it actually tends to be the opposite narrative on people who leave. they wanted more US attention, not less.

       i swear it’s like they are stuck playing for antigua or something the way you talk. it’s you get your US citizenship sorted, and you play for a top 20 team and maybe see a world cup. unless you were destined for france or argentina most career pro soccer players would be just fine with an outcome where they get a punter’s chance at integrating with that kind of team.

       i mean, do you think about what you write or is it just TIV posted white so i have to quickly throw up something in black.

     • V: re “naive kids,” again, spare me, and maybe check the actual roster list. this bunch has 1 — count it — 1 — teenager. we have more O-30s on this roster — ream and Z in back. most are mid-20s. the whole point is we generally don’t call the age group/B team campbells of the world i suggest, at least not until they become first team productive.

       the kids have agents. the kids sign multi-million dollar deals. the kids have cars and houses. the kids aren’t minors. only in terms of NT do we seem to want to treat the prospects as babies. their club teams stick them on the field and expect to see adult production in exchange for a hefty check.

       you’re also treating it like the signed up for a student loan or joined the marines, and end up in debt or dead or something. this is an honor. this is most people’s dream. the mere question is which team do they pursue that dream with.

       sorry but i think a team seeking motivated players should encourage aggressive kids seeking an early cap and commitment. i think it’s lame passivity to sit around and let mexico take our kids to prove some point about how passive and ethical we think we are. and if you look at the results these few years we’ve lost more contested players than ever before. it used to be rossi or subotic was rare and usually down to they were never in the system or got in a fight with the US leadership. we lost a U20 type once in a blue moon. now we lose about a half dozen in a few years.

       it’s less effective strategy, and bluntly it represents the US’ standard turn back towards status quo personnel work once it gets decent. which is why this usually stalls out where it does, eg, round of 16 level. we get complacent on system and personnel. you have to keep pushing.

       but anyhow, i’d get if your argument was some 16 year old is edging young to make such decisions. you’re really saying some kid making 20 million dollar transfers cannot be trusted to decide soccer nationality without being passively allowed to kick all available tires and no pushing or sales allowed.

       that’s not even wise as loyalty or motivation, much less kid autonomy. i want ones who eagerly want the US. the system should encourage and reward those decisions, not view them as rash. what kind of self loathing person thinks picking the US soccer team is rash and will b regretted for life.

     • re dettoni, we have done fine by plenty of bayern discards, eg, landon, green, richards. what they view as surplus might be an above average pro elsewhere.

       however, they sometimes pick and develop kids based on looking like they will be uniquely built, say, tall, but then they just turn out gawky. i grew up with a tall youth juggle champ who turned into a slow motion player who couldn’t stay with the speed of older age group or adult play, and was no longer that special ball at feet. and as we see with gonzo or brooks, tall is nice for headers played right to you, but can you move laterally or stay with a runner.

       sorry, but when V gives me crap for saying cap people. and in this case even just U20. a 19 year old 6’5″ CB from bayern’s system would not normally be sitting on 0 caps or even no U20 appearances. weah and dest were not uncommitted people 6 years ago. we come across to me kind of passive right now. the one bit of aggression is not after a star prospect but instead a bench-malcontent.

       it shouldn’t be, hmmm, i wonder what he’s about. he should be in one or the other camp and we know.

     • IV:
       – first off to cap tie someone now takes 5 caps if they are under 20. Designed specifically to stop predatory capping like you are suggesting. And your “moral cap tie” doesn’t exist, Esmir, Obed Vargas, Julian Araujo, even Zendajas all in recent years.
       -Ochoa, actually disproves your theory. He got brought in before he was ready. Got annoyed he wasn’t playing and switched locking him to Mexico. Why because he’s not ready he hasn’t played him one minute. Why, because he couldn’t play in Liga Mx (33 min for St. Luis) or MLS (O mins since switch only made the bench 4 times for LAFC)
       -Aron Johansson was basically hurt from 2017-2019. He’d come back for a bit then get hurt again for months. He finally was healthy in 2020 post pandemic but then went on to the Icelandic League (ranked 33rd best in Europe).
       – I watched a little Detonni, doesn’t look close to ready. If you watch he’s not slow getting to balls, he’s slow to recognize the ball is coming. Bayern II is in the fourth division currently if he’s slow playing DJK Vilzang, I don’t need to see him against Canada. Let him play more and improve then call him up when he won’t stink. Comparing what I’ve seen of him to Richards at 19 they aren’t close. Not saying he can’t get there but not there now.

     • “i mean, do you think about what you write or is it just TIV posted white so i have to quickly throw up something in black.”

       Talking in the third person now? You very often post gobbledygook that is easily ignored. But this latest is an easy mark and I’m lazy.

       “V: oh, dear god, of all the mopey crap. if they never get another cap again UNITED STATES MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM is not some horrifying stain on their resume. most of us would dream of a single cap then never get called again. spare me.”

       You have it Bassackward.

       If the only heart’s desire of a dual is just one USMNT cap, then go for it.
       Where his heart is, the dream of a lifetime, all that shit. Great. I can get behind that 100%. Great copy for the media.

       However, I find it hard to believe than any of these teenage prospects thinks they want to make that kind of commitment for ONE cap.
       And If I’m Pochettino that is a lot of effort for a player who is only going to play in one or two games.

       Who grows up telling everyone “When I grow up, I’m going to be the 26th man on a 26 man roster for the USMNT and maybe eke out one or two caps when we play in CONCACAF.”
       We’re talking highly motivated, confident (maybe overconfident) young players. They have to believe they are going to be a big deal because if they don’t , they won’t last long.

       But committing to it means he forever misses out on maybe a more meaningful career with another country like Canada, Mexico, Iceland, etc. That risk is just part of the deal.
       A sincere advisor to a dual would know that, objectively, the best thing to do is to try and figure out what your true ceiling is, something that is probably impossible.
       So really, as an outsider all you can do is gather as much data and advice as you can and make your decision at the last possible moment.
       A lot of these kids are , as you point out surrounded by “people” some caring and useful and some bloodsucking parasites.

       But after all that, it is still the kid’s call. My personal experience is that some teenagers make great decisions and some make awful, stupid decisions.
       You want to bully these kids into bending to your will.
       Going back to Bob, the USSF has tried to give them as much data as they needed and then tried to give them space. I think they long felt that that makes for fewer regrets all around. There is not as much of a rush as you may think.

       After all the odds are that even if all these duals do get a cap or two, chances are most of them won’t go much beyond that.

       These players a like a crazy puzzle with a lot of moving parts.

       If it doesn’t come together in just the right way then you have a broken toy.

       But if it does, then you might have a work of art.

       It would be very efficient if the USMNT could put out some kind of blanket contract, sign everyone, and, after a year or two, throw out those who don’t work out and keep the best for ourselves. When you figure out how to make that happen let us know.

3. in terms of specific names, GK/defense, i am fine with schulte, i think if callender is going to get all these camps he needs to play some and sing for his supper, freese doesn’t stand out, and steffen is a weird poch thing. i am ok with some of the backs, think miles needs to get a game and prove he still has “it,” but think ream/zimmermann/neal were a waste. that position badly needs a refresh and it’s the one place he shows up a bunch of veterans.

   on offense, i think he badly understaffed mid, even if some count as slashes. i think we need some 10s and 6s in the approved part of the pool and he barely picked any. eg, sullivan signed back to MLS, where is he? he should be in this as much as luna, and really they should be competing. we need some snarling 6 options and all i see is enali.

   ferreira is a good choice, as are white and agyemang. though i think white was fairly anonymous last cap so he needs to do something or disappear. vazquez just transferred back to MLS, where is he? a lot of the mids and Fs are kind of underwhelming “who?” we shall see.

   i take miljevic to be an argentine reclamation project for the argentine coach. i think calling underused players is ok when it’s like reyna, a stud on a good team who everyone thinks is talented. this is a stretch. maybe they are going off analytics where some of the less used years he’s ok on per minute numbers. i don’t get him as attacker. i would be intrigued if they took an underwhelming frontline jerk and tried to make a 6 from the snarl.

   campbell has been demoted back to UCL and age group ball. he has been productive again back in age groups. given the quality of some of this mess, i’d have made a go for that one and made them tell me no.

   likewise would have been a good window to look at U20s, kochen, and such. this roster can’t quite decide if it’s experience, keeper, CB (where they haven’t actually played well) or experiment. to me punt some of the older choices, call in more kids, and actually play them.

   i mean, if it’s clark vs. campbell, dude, you call campbell.

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   • I don’t think we know they didn’t ask for Campbell or Kochen. Kochen has been starting for Barca B, which is 3rd Div. Campbell, it sounds like Malen is for sure moving to Aston Villa so Dortmund will likely move Cole back to first team bench. Some other BvB players also in the rumor mill.
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     There was a rumor over the weekend that there were 28 players on the roster so perhaps some others opted out for other reasons ie… fitness, impending transfers, not released. There is a lot of talk that Harriel, Q. Sullivan and Jackson Raegan were not released. I haven’t seen why McGlynn was released but not the other Union players unless maybe McGlynn is moving? I heard Ferreira was only released because FCD had already given permission before the trade and Seattle didn’t want to block it since it had been agreed to. All just rumor so who knows.
     Vazquez has a new team/manager, most clubs begin camp this weekend so it makes sense that they would say no if asked.

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     • dude, MLS starts precisely one month after the last january camp game. and in MLS preseason games this early on, they maybe play a 30 minute stint. you are truly “needed” in camp when they start playing 60-90 last scrimmage or two.

       releasing one player but not the others doesn’t make much sense. isn’t this usually done on more of a principled basis, eg, boca not letting atlanta guys play?

       also, the argument strikes me as a red herring. surely you weren’t just interested in those 28, but also others. if you wanted 28 in camp you call 4 more guys if 4 people/teams say no. we only have so many chances to look and if we want motivated hard working players then one way to do it is have a cut to even see a game.

     • IV: it doesn’t really matter what you or I think about preseason matches. If Colorado or Seattle say no, that’s it. I can see letting Steffen go but not say Mihailovic because does a GK need a lot of conditioning? But training at altitude is beneficial to your field players. The Ferreira was reported but not finalized until camp had started so maybe that’s the reason he’s there. We’ll see if he stays I guess. As you pointed out above there’s some real stretches in the roster if you try to grab players 29-32 to further load your roster you are getting even deeper in the “average pool at best pool”.
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       Which Sullivan? Cavan who is 16 with like 20 pro minutes, or Quinn who had a good season at Philly? Again Philadelphia may have blocked everyone but McGlynn who is rumored to be transferring.

4. i would like to see more than 24 people to play 23 or 24 slots. what happened to calling extras then cutting people? people chat up roster competition and “the coach watches practice” but to me the way to give that teeth is call in a few more than you need and keep the motivated/performing ones.

   the allocation among positions is odd. 4 (GK)-9 (D)-4 (M)-7 (F). i know some are technically slashes who might be used in hybrid ways, but i count 5 center backs, maybe 2 of them are relatively new (neal and campbell), and done this way, the fresh faces likely get limited or no time at a position where like GK they can’t “double” elsewhere on the field. particularly in a swashbuckling wide back system like poch’s.

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5. For my money DeJaun Jones and Diego Luna – and, sorry folks, I’ll argue this until I’m blue in the face – Jesus Ferreira as a 10/winger are the picks of this camp. (Everybody likes to blame Ferreira for being miscast as a 9…which he frankly never was, Berhalter just didn’t have anyone else.) I do like John Tolkin and I think he might factor if he can get to Europe and break in – the other three are ready as-is, IMHO – and Jalen Neil’s got some intriguing tools and could eventually be the pick of the bunch if he develops as he might, though he’s nowhere near ready now and development is never assured with anyone.

   Like JR, Milijevic’s inclusion surprises me. He’s no-doubt talented but it’s hard to imagine someone with his temperament is going to make a USMNT roster, keep his ego in check, and then contribute. And I would have liked to see Cole Bassett myself. You can tell he’s a big Christiano Ronaldo fan, that upright dribbling style (and that eyebrow-raising turn of pace he’s got) are both highly reminiscent of CR7, though of course there’s miles to go before Basset establishes he’s even a poor-man’s version of that. (Still, the fact that he keeps popping up on Dortmund’s roster at his age is certainly encouraging.)

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   • Q: you are confusing Cole Campbell with Cole Bassett. Campbell=Dortmund (probably not released) Bassett=Colorado

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     • Whoops. Yup, I absolutely was. The one I personally wanted to see was Campbell…I don’t hate Bassett but I certainly don’t see an International-caliber player in him either, whereas I think if he’s what he looks like, Campbell’s without a doubt a USMNT contender all the way, and probably sooner rather than later…if he breaks into the Dortmund rotation this upcoming calendar year (and he might) I could literally see him at the ’26 World Cup.

     • Q: There’s international level and there’s international camp cupcake level. I doubt Campbell would be released Malen sounds like he’ll be gone by the weekend pushing Cole back into the edges of the BvB roster.
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       Bassett isn’t the best, but 9g 6a last season pretty similar to Luna and McGlynn. Mihailovic also not there so maybe Colorado said no. They have Beaudry(u20s) as a replacement for Steffen that they want to experience for. The Rapids are training in Mexico from the 14th thru Feb 5 with 3 friendlies so maybe they weren’t released.

   • With Ferreira going to Seattle and Schmetzer shifting to a more of a 3-5-2 formation it seems likely Morris and Ferriera will be the two strikers.

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     • He’d fit a 3-5-2 pretty well too…as the second striker, playing off a bruiser. Jordan Morris might be short but he’s also a pure hoss and is pretty much impossible to knock off the ball, so you can use Morris to hold the ball up while Ferreira plays off of him, which he’s well-suited to do. To me that looks like a very good pairing. Where Ferreira always became a liability was a near-total inability to play with his back to goal, combined with zero physical presence in the box…and, oh yeah, he’s more than a bit streaky and nervy as a finisher to boot. But play Ferreira correctly and he has some truly extraordinary strengths, too – he’s blazing fast, goes 0 to 60 in about two steps, and has a unique ability to become invisible and get off a guy’s back shoulder and get himself so wide open he looks like the first guy out to practice; I’ve lost track of how many bogus offsides calls I’ve seen called on him because he’s so open he must have been offsides, right? (Only, he often wasn’t!) And he’s got a set of iron lungs that’s probably the best in our pool…the dude can literally run for 90 in 90-degree heat and then turn right around and do it again in three days. And Ferreira is also extremely technical, has a fantastic first touch, and can combine and play in very tight spaces…that’s a whole lot of top-tier qualities people always seem to overlook with him. To me, anyhow, it’s fairly obvious exactly why Brian Schmetzer so coveted him: Ferreira’s a big-time difference-maker at the MLS level and put him in the right scheme and role in Europe he’d do just fine there too.

   • quozzel,

     “and, sorry folks, I’ll argue this until I’m blue in the face – Jesus Ferreira as a 10/winger are the picks of this camp. (Everybody likes to blame Ferreira for being miscast as a 9…which he frankly never was, Berhalter just didn’t have anyone else.)”

     Who are you arguing with? No sense getting all het up over nothing.

     I’m pretty sure everyone realized early on that Ferreira was miscast as a #9 at least in Gregg’s system. It was Gregg who capped him 22 times and never figured it out. Argue with him..

     No other options?? Gregg chose not use other options.

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     • Wright, Pefok, Sargent, Pepi, Ramirez, White, Zardes, Dike, Hoppe. I wouldn’t say Gregg didn’t try other options.

     • “I wouldn’t say Gregg didn’t try other options.”

       Not to the same level of commitment. You got the feeling that Gregg was going to make Ferreira work one way or another.

     • Ok I see that. A big part of that though is pretty much every guy I named had significant injuries, Ferreira stayed healthy throughout that period.

     • “every guy I named had significant injuries, Ferreira stayed healthy”

       Showing up matters. But above a certain level Ferreira was just embarrassing.

       Hopefully, Pochettino has a specific use in mind for him.

     • V: other than against Van Dijk when did Ferreira look bad? Ferreira made 10 starts under Berhalter, 3 during MLS only camps. He only played in four qualifiers (we went 3-1 he had 1g 1a) and only played 45 minutes at WC. This idea Berhalter just kept shoving him out there is selective memory, not saying just from you either.

     • “other than against Van Dijk when did Ferreira look bad? Ferreira made 10 starts under Berhalter, 3 during MLS only camps. He only played in four qualifiers (we went 3-1 he had 1g 1a) and only played 45 minutes at WC.”

       He looked bad when he was not on fire. Because when didn’t he just disappeared.

       Perhaps the worst thing that ever happened was when he had 2 goals and 3 assists vs TNT and then 5 goals vs Grenada. Then after Qatar he had a pair of hat tricks in the Gold Cup and finished up with 7 goals. A striker has no control over who he plays against so good for him for taking his chances but it raised the bar for him dramatically and the expectations became unrealistic.

       ” This idea Berhalter just kept shoving him out there is selective memory, not saying just from you either.”

       Not really. 22 Caps is a lot of caps. Quozzle waxes lyrical about his “blazing ” speed and “fantastic first touch”. I saw none of that vs the Netherlands in the game that was the only legit test I can think of for Ferreira.

       It is not his fault that Greg had no defining games before Qatar.
       Nevertheless, if you’re a top player, the Netherlands game was his chance to pick up his tired teammates. He did nothing, when the team really needed him to do something, anything. He failed his most important test and got subbed by the kid who would ruin Gregg’s USMNT tenure. How’s that for irony?

       For me it’s not about looking bad. It’s about not looking particularly good. You bring a guy like Ferreira to a World Cup to fire up your offense. Looking back would you rather have had Jesus or Ricardo? That’s where I think Gregg erred.

       I have no problem with bringing him back. He may have learned a thing or two and you can never have too many good players

     • V is talking out of his hat on ferreira. dude has 15 G 4 A in 23 caps. he had a goal and an assist in limited 2022 WCQ appearances. ferreira was the one with the volley that kept the B team in the gold cup game with panama. he had 7 goals that gold cup. that is not his fault. most teams that would make you a cult hero if not a god.

       the few games one might beef about were the pre WC friendlies. but he wasn’t playing 90 those games, he was sharing time.

       let’s be real, within this roster he is what passes for “proven NT scorer.”

       personally i think he should be around for the A team as a swiss army player who can sub 10, wide, or false 9. i also think the team under poch showed signs of being willing to make One More Pass which starts to make false 9 attributes more fitting. before they couldn’t find the 9 and then, yeah, what’s the point to a connecting false 9 you can’t even find.

       but i don’t think it’s that intellectualized. i think in the absence of the starting 3-4 guys, as well as vazquez, he’s the next guy up who can score NT goals. after that it’s basically unproven trialists., eg, white which i would be fine with but seem to scare most fans and the US brass.

     • IV,

       “ferreira. dude has 15 G 4 A in 23 caps. he had a goal and an assist in limited 2022 WCQ appearances. ferreira was the one with the volley that kept the B team in the gold cup game with panama. he had 7 goals that gold cup. that is not his fault. most teams that would make you a cult hero if not a god.”

       They did make the “Pirate of the Caribbean” a cult hero. You missed it.

       It’s not his fault but all those games you mentioned amounted to blowouts by the varsity over intramural teams. Clearly, you’ve never watched a Gold Cup match. And the whole idea of Jesus’ run was to prep him for the real show, the World Cup.

       Gregg gave him his chance to show his alleged talents, his speed, his touch, his goal scoring, in the one game, the Netherlands, where the team desperately needed him. They were all tired and you’d think a so called athletic beast like Ferreira could have at least given them a lift.

       You grade on USMNT performance? OK.
       In 2010 Green finally gets in late in the last WC game and scores, giving the team a chance to tie. That’s what he was brought to Brazil to do, give the team a boost with some late, instant offense. So Green? Success. He did his job.

       In comparison, Ferreira brought to Qatar for probably the same reason and he did nothing, crickets. failed under pressure. It’s one thing to smear the floor with Grenada’s or St Kitts and Nevis’ semi pros. It’s another thing to score on the Netherlands in the World Cup.

       If Pochettino wants to give him another go round that’s fine with me. Things take time.
       But just because he has 15 USMNT goals against some of the weakest CONCACAF teams we have seen in a while doesn’t mean Jesus belongs in the same conversation as , for example, Pepi who has only 13 goals for the USMNT. You have to go down a list of players who merit playing time before you get to Jesus, 15 goals and all..

6. The lack of comments seems to indicate the lack of interest in this camp.
   – glad to see Luna
   – surprised to see Miljevic given his being kicked off three teams
   – interested to see which keeper steps up as they’d be the likely #2 behind Turner at least until Kochen gets some more games against adults.
   – thought we’d see Cole Bassett

   Reply

   • JR

     What can you tell us about Arfsten? I thought he was more of an attacking player but he’s listed as a defender. I know that means nothing but still.

     Indy Vassilev and Caden Clark? wow, two blasts from the past.

     The lack of comments? Since this is Walker’s first Pochettino camp I’ll be curious to see what Pochettino thinks of him. Pochettino was a very similar player to Zimmerman. Otherwise, with the keepers and the old guard, Ream ,Shaq, Zimmerman, Ferreira, etc. there’s nothing new to say about any of them.

     As for the new kids, they are so new none of them have screwed up enough yet.

     Thank God for Miljevic who is bringing some light and color into this camp. I know nothing about him but if he’s talented enough he can be the new Cletus Mathis. The USMNT could use a bad boy besides Gio.

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     • Arfsten: started his career as attacking winger, at San Jose II. Once he came to Columbus he took on the role of a WB in Nancy’s 3-4-2-1. The Crew use their WBs for width for the three strikers (Rossi, Cucho, Ramirez/Russell-Rowe). So it’s almost like a 3-2-4-1. Since Columbus has the ball 60+% of the time Arfsten and Farsi don’t have to do a lot of defending. As a fan he’s not my favorite player but he did have some big goals and assists for us this season. He’s not great when he has to defend like a FB. Interesting that he and Jones trading off the second half of the season one would start and go 60-65 minutes and the other would sub in. Now here both are on the roster. The Crew play similar to what Poch seems to want to do, with quick play, push numbers quickly forward. Max can do that, but if you want to get stuck in and spend his day holding hands with his CB with his feet on the 20 yard box never getting any farther than that from goal he’s not the guy.
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       I’m not sure Miljevic, he’s been kicked off three teams for bad behavior either by himself or his entourage. Which ok if your Clint Mathis fine. Mathis 66 career mls goals, 5 Bundesliga goals in just 20 appearances. Miljevic 2 MLS goals in 27 appearances 3 Liga goals 32 appearances. Not sure the juice is worth that squeeze.

     • it could be tolkin and arfsten as the LB and in poch’s system the formation warps forward left side on offense. might also be a wing option. i am underwhelmed by some of the attacking options wide or AM.

     • IV: yes Jones can play either side. Max played on the right as a wing, but most only the left as a WB but could do either I suppose too. Of the 4 “FBs” I see Tolkin as the one most likely to play in the “tucked in” role Jedi played at home against Jamaica. If Poch brings that out. As a traditional FB I don’t know that I’d use Arfsten.

     • i don’t see him putting jones in a risk taking slot. he’d be the more stay at home right side guy in the asymmetry. i think people have it backwards why jedi is out there. he’s out there to push up and deliver service. whether he defends his position — which some are suggesting he’s getting better at, and i’m on the fence on — is secondary. it’s a winger slot.

       arfsten, over the balance of his career, is a semi productive winger who has left side experience. to me when they drop a guy who should be listed as M or F as a D, in this scheme, that wing slot is what they are thinking of.

       i think there is more focus on can the right side guy defend.

     • IV: only one game but did you see the Jamaica match. Jedi slid inside to a DM and didn’t push up. You also have to figure Dest isn’t going to be held back like Scally is so I don’t think Poch is set on the LB pushes up and RB stays home. I think it will change based on players available and the opponent.

     • “You also have to figure Dest isn’t going to be held back like Scally is so I don’t think Poch is set on the LB pushes up and RB stays home. I think it will change based on players available and the opponent.”

       It’s not at all clear how Pochettino will use his players or what tactical scheme they will play in.

       I’m taking Pochettino at his word so I’m sure he had/has a very specific plan for this window. But as we all know, getting the players you want for this camp has always been hit or miss.

       All this talk about right back, left back is besides the point. This is not high school, college or select team ball anymore. We’re talking professional soccer.

       The bulk of the USMNT’s best players are positionally agnostic.

       Dest and Scally play LB, RB and wingback. Jedi is a left back and some sort of left sided midfielder. CP can play almost anywhere. Same with Musah, Weston and Weah. With 26 man rosters (I think) and 5 subs, chances are we will be using the full roster more than before.

       We can nitpick each players level of versatility but the fact remains Pochettino may have the flexibility to play anything from a 5-6-0 to a 3-5-2 and anything in between.

     • Me: “ I think it will change based on players available and the opponent.”
       Vacq: “ It’s not at all clear how Pochettino will use his players or what tactical scheme they will play in.”
       Aren’t we saying the same thing?

     • re jedi’s usage, if you remember how the jamaica games went, they kind of needed all the defensive help they could get. with no adams and a leaky defense you maybe need to try things with jedi or the RB some weeks. a better long term solution would be mix up the CB pool but this is a very conservative personnel approach we do. so we’re patching system instead of swapping players.

       i think the system is set up — thank god for evolution — where players can do different things different weeks. the LB can sit back. can tuck in. or can push high.

       i personally think the intended use of jedi is push high. if you remember, we didn’t call a bunch of wide back subs. and no adams. so i think that was poch’s way of trying to keep a lead in an unsettled 2 legger. which to me is growth from GB wanting to just go end to end with holland and if they tear up our wingbacks then so be it.

       some of this is just common sense. arfsten is listed as a back. arfsten is really a wing. logic connects the dots. he’s in camp to push high as a LB. now if we try LB as DM maybe it’s someone else.

       but to me it would be pointless — as many GB january camps or gold cups were — if the A and B teams play completely different. the dynamo have historically had this issue. the first team was so personalized to the unique attributes of, say, the speedy alberth elis and manotas, that the B team didn’t even look like they played soccer the same or were useful to the A team as subs or prospects.

       i mean, i want to see the prospects play, but ideally it should be in the same scheme played similarly so i can evaluate if you can do the “jedi role” in his absence.

     • “Me: “ I think it will change based on players available and the opponent.”
       Vacq: “ It’s not at all clear how Pochettino will use his players or what tactical scheme they will play in.”
       Aren’t we saying the same thing?”

       Yes and no. Let me put it this way:

       Four of our probable starters CP, Musah, Weston and Timo are playing more or less regularly for Milan and Juve. You’ve probably noticed that their managers seem comfortable with our players’ flexibility and versatility in a variety of situations. I assume that means Pochettino can be as well. SBI had a cow over Musah as some form of right back/right wingback but Milan love him there.

       But besides CP and maybe Jedi, I really don’t think he views any of the players right now as being indispensable. He’s not overly worried about who we will be facing since basically, we have to prepare as if we’re going to be playing Argentina or some of that level in every game. And of course there are tactical nuances to every team but it’s a little early for that yet.

       I don’t think he has settled on a particular scheme and I doubt he’s overly concerned about it. I think he is more concerned with trying to get to know these players and “set their mentality”.

       Granted this roster doesn’t have anyone who is likely to be there in 2026, but , collectively, they can still give him an insight into the “USMNT mentality”

       Don’t forget Pochettino and his staff can use the game practice too.

7. Pretty sure Miljevic is with Newells old boys.

   Interesting looking squad. Miljevic, Luna, Clark, and Gutirrez are all AM’s who can play out wide.

   Like the CB picks.

   Galaxy traded Neal to Montreal? Good for Neal the Galaxy are horrible with homegrown talent.

   Reply

   • Miljevic got released by Newell’s Old Boy for arguing with the manager after being subbed off on two occasions. Apparently they had an option to extend his contract but they opted to decline the option after he started screaming at the manager during the halftime team talk. That’s the clubs side anyway.

     Reply

     • Goff says he’s going to sign with Huracan.

   • or you could look at it as LAG despite a high seed and championship had more regular season GA than 10th place austin and neal got shed to a non-playoff montreal team so bad on defense (64 allowed, almost 2 a game) he might still be an upgrade. one normally is not eager to “get out of” the reigning champion.

     Reply

     • IV: Montreal’s manager is Laurent Courtois who was The Crew II manager under Nancy. He wants to play a very similar style to The Crew so Neal who is very good with his feet fits in there more. I do think both you and 2tone might be right though. LAG is bad with homegrowns and Neal isn’t ready to be a regular starter for them.