The Soccer Thread (Version 8)

Yep. This roster screams "preparation for 2018." It's not the best 23 players in the pool, period. He dropped proven (if old in some cases and unspectacular in others) contributors for totally unproven, if not unready, players. Brooks over Goodson and Green over Donovan are 2018 choices.

He's got the right group for it. The tough draw gives him a built-in excuse for poor results in Brazil while blooding younger players for Russia.

 

Maybe I'm just a soccer layman, but wow, it's not to me. And I do realize the MLS has improved vastly. But I'd still much rather see us with a good number of EPL players.

 

That was part marketing move by USSF, right? Show America how strong the quality is with the local MLS team, and give every team a recognizable "star."

Unfortunately it's going to blow up because of the Group of Death.

 

I hate the prep for 2018 mentality. The thing happens every four years.....and beating Ghana and playing for a draw in the other two and getting through on a tie break isn't THAT impossible. Certainly not so impossible as to justify not taking the the best possible team. It's not as if they're going to be in position to win the darn thing in '18 either way; All you're looking at is trying to get out of group either way.

 

There is no tomorrow in a World Cup. You have to get the best 23 for now

 

Every other WC cycle is crap. This is that cycle.

 

Not a chance. With everything Gulati did to get Klinsmann, the only way Klinsi gets sacked is if Gulati follows him out the door. This is the same USSF chief who gave Klinsmann a four-year contract extension before his team had even qualified for the World Cup.

Including Chandler and Yedlin is questionable but far from outlandish, given the need at that position, but taking Green while leaving Donovan at home is nothing short of scandalous. This World Cup is going to suck-diddly-uck, and Klinsmann will sail right on through because all his excuses have already been made for him.

 

Regarding Donovan: How much of the fuss is being generated by the MSM who may not know any of the players who made the team, except for those from their hometown or local MLS squad? Looking through some of the stories on the wire, that was the impression I got.

 

How could they drop Donavan. This would be like The Yankees dumping Jeter before season ends.
My interest in The World Cup is now nil.

 

Bad move in not including Landon Donovan on the US team. He's a good player who has a lot of international experience.

 

How in the world can you take a "build for the future" outlook in a four-year cycle? That makes no sense to me.

 

I have a feeling Klinsmann arrived in the job with the feeling, shared by most of Europe (especially Germany), that Donovan is a delicate flower who has run back to MLS at the first sign of trouble instead of embracing opportunities in the higher leagues. That reputation formed early, and even though he has done better in his more recent short stints on loan, and the perception remains.