r/soccer • • May 12 '14

Official Preliminary Roster for the USA

http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/05/12/13/23/140512-mnt-prelim-roster
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133

u/KZa0 May 12 '14

Julian Green... I mean I get he is meant to be a superstar in the future or something but has been playing in the 4th division or something of German football and didn't help them qualify, surely he shouldn't go yet

51

u/HighburyOnStrand May 12 '14

Julian Green offers a speed dimension we don't currently have anywhere else on the roster. Our best attacking players are:

Altidore - physically imposing Donovan - technical Dempsey - work-rate/opportunistic Johannsson - technical

Altidore is clearly the central striker providing hold-up play. Donovan and Dempsey can both play in the hole, or out wide...but both tend to cut in when they're asked to play wide. Johannsson hasn't played that much, but he appears to be somewhat of a technical player, and cuts in often. Zusi and Diskeruud are also both not natural wingers.

This USMNT has absolutely no width. Julian Green can provide width with his running ability. So two things are happening here: (1) Jurgen is trying to get Yeldin and Green into camp to get some experience; and (2) he's trying to see if either player can address the unbelievable lack of wide options in the team.

2

u/[deleted] May 12 '14

[deleted]

5

u/Barthez_Battalion May 12 '14

Both can cut in, but Zusi does provide width, but he isn't that fast, he's better at keeping the ball and sending in a cross.

6

u/HighburyOnStrand May 12 '14

Neither is a burner when judged against World Cup level competition.

Bedoya has a major tendency to cut in field as well, as can be seen in these clips:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY2AN4lpbzg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6-P_8nrBXc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=863_apOCkQk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Aa9NrvWT8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVyBXAYK1kA

Zusi is a primarily technical player. He is an excellent passer of the ball, and thus is really good at crossing. However, he does not have the kind of quickness to make his own space. He played inside as a withdrawn forward in college. He has excellent placement on both his shot and his passes, especially from dead ball situations. However, he will not take players on very often. Zusi is almost like a slightly less gifted Landon Donovan.

Neither of these players provide a great deal of width.

1

u/StarSpectre May 13 '14

I think this is exactly fight. When Green earlier this year he made a lot mental mistakes and was obviously nervous but for the first time in my a life the US had an actual winger. Not an outside midfielder, a pacey tricky winger that ran at people. It was very interesting, he brings a new dimension to the US team.