USMNT news 2018

Another batch of youngsters are set to suit up against Bolivia on Monday - live on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET. I'm looking forward to watching the defense (as long as Villafana doesn't take a starting spot from one of the youngsters). It will also be interesting to see how we line up up front with only two attackers on the roster.

U.S. roster to face Bolivia
Goalkeepers: Alex Bono (Toronto FC), Bill Hamid (Midtjylland), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge)

Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham, on loan at Ipswich Town), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest), Matt Miazga (Chelsea, on loan at Vitesse Arnhem), Matthew Olosunde (Manchester United), Erik Palmer-Brown (Manchester City, on loan at KV Kortrijk), Antonee Robinson (Bolton Wanderers), Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (LAFC)

Midfielders: Joe Corona (Club America), Julian Green (Stuttgart, on loan at Greuther Furth), Alejandro Guido (Club Tijuana), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Weston McKennie (Schalke), Keaton Parks (Benfica), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain)

Forwards: Andrija Novakovich (Telstar), Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen)

 

Four teenagers and Josh Sargent as the lone attacker. I’m not expecting a win but hopefully the US plays solidly and keeps it close.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/united-s...ic-one-of-four-teenagers-in-usmnt-starting-xi

 

I'm not sure what the point is here without the MLS'ers. Pulisic will be in Qatar (because I'll start the 2nd American revolution if we don't make it) and, maybe, Sargent and one or two others from this group. After that? Your guess is as good (or probably better) than mine. If anything, it points out the glaring disadvantage of not being on the same FIFA schedule as the rest of the planet.

 

And here's the revamped lineup for the European swing.

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...calls-25-players-to-europe-for-ireland-france

 

Well... I vastly overestimated Bolivia. I didn't catch much of the commentary last night with the 5 year-old in the same room, so I'm not sure if they put out an inexperienced team as well or if they are just that bad. I thought the entire back line did well (though they didn't face much of a challenge). Bono didn't impress me with his distribution (but maybe I'm spoiled by Fulham). Pulisic was done. I felt like he faded down the stretch at Dortmund and this game was just one too many. I know they wanted him out there for the hometown(ish) crowd, but he needs a break. The other teens played well. As usual, things got a bit jumbled up after introducing so many subs, but it was nice to put a face to some of these names that I've heard here and there.

 

Only watched last 30-35 minutes and thought one of the more interesting players was 6’4” Keaton Parks. Usually someone that tall raised in the US is a GK, CB, or target man, not a midfielder. However, apparently he was 5’5” until well into HS, and he possesses a good touch. Interesting story on how a kid raised in Texas ended up w/Benfica

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/uni...ited-states-debut-through-dallas-and-portugal

 

And...they're headed to Lyon to play the French Saturday for the latter's final World Cup tuneup. Which means we'll likely see Didier's opening game lineup for Australia come the 16th. Could get ugly.
I am also puzzled by the lack of a new manager. It would seem to suggest that nothing much has changed at US Soccer since the election of the new president, Carlos Cordeiro. And, truthfully, I think it's kind of hard to know who'll be prime candidates for Qatar. But first things first. Who's most likely to be prime candidates when 2022 qualification starts, probably in late 2020? Example: 30 year old Tim Ream. He'll likely still be playing when Qatar rolls around, but he'll be 34. And he'll be 32 when qualification starts. Will he be playing at the same level he is now? Or will whatever level he's playing at be enough to invest in calling him up after he's rested from our season?
I don't know.
But we need a manager.
Now.
And we need to be playing some veterans, whether or not they'll be in the picture for 2022. We've got to get there first.

 

I dunno, I personally don't see the rush to get a new manager just yet.

Any international manager worth their salt is too busy with WC preparations. Sure, Italy recently got Mancini but the UEFA Nations League (which I think feeds into Euro 2020 qualifying? I think?!?) begins in September and Mancini was never going to manage us.

Considering the peculiarities of our region, there's not much on the calendar in the next 6-8 months. We're already in the Gold Cup, and WC 2022 qualifying format hasn't even been announced yet. Any MLS manager could easily see out their current season before taking over, and not really miss much.

This is a lost period because of so many people's inability to get a point in Trinidad 8 months ago. It's incredibly frustrating but there is still time to be patient.

 

Upon further review...it's also troubling that the youngsters we invested in for Brazil in 2014 are MIA. John Brooks. Julian Green. DeAndre Yedlin (although he joined this round for the European leg). Timmy Chandler. Aron Johannsson. How likely is it that any of these guys will factor in either getting us to Qatar or playing there? And then there's the shocking regression of Michael Bradley. He's gotten worse at every subsequent WC we've made since his inclusion. He's now 30. And what of Omar Gonzalez? Fabian Johnson? Geoff Cameron? Too old/washed up by 2022, or still viable options to help get us there? Lots of questions, no answers, no coach, no apparent plan. Yet.

 

As I have stated before, I'm not putting too much emphasis on the camps and caps that have been gained under Sarachan. My understanding regarding the coach position though is that US Soccer wanted to first hire a GM and then have the GM spearhead the search for the next coach. Well now that Earnie Stewart has been hired as GM or has he? I can't find an official announcement.

 

Just announced today actually! https://t.co/eukjXVOA6t

Good luck gathering anything specific about duties or KPIs or the like from the job description page. Reads like a boilerplate upper/mid level management gig!

 

The kids put in a good shift against vastly superior opposition. They deserved a W, but I agree with Don. Gotta get some of the veterans hooked up with them. Oh, and a manager would be nice.

 

Well that went smoothly

http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/uni...long-search-what-does-this-mean-for-the-usmnt

 

Like clockwork.

The tireless process resulted in a little-known candidate taking the job. I am happy the head-coach has been selected. Now, let's see where things go from here.

https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/12/03/gregg-berhalter-questions-us-soccer-usmnt