Pre-match: 2024 Friendly: Colombia vs. USA (6/8/24, Saturday - 5:30 PM EST)

I respect that. I am not bashing anyone saying that they would start him. Just like I am not bashing anyone who would say they would start Cuesta or Mina over Davinson.
Or Cordoba over Santos Borre.
We all want to see different things and have difference preferences.

 

I think it is difficult for me personally to say he is absolutely the best when we have not seen someone like JuanFer get a chance mostly due to injuries.
But yes, due to the circumstances and the context we have played the best with James. Discarding him is not a realistic option this month. Going forward though it may be.

 

I love JuanFer and appreciate his game, he's not at James level and ability especially not for 70 minutes. James performances have been a throwback to the Real Madrid Ancelotti James, a step slower and without the same athletic burst but the brain and passing have been that good.

 

And as long as James' performances are good he will start.
But as I said, in the future if we do not rely on him I think we will be okay.

 

Sure but that's not the same as saying:

"The whole we have played the best with James argument does not hold much water for me personally."

We need other options and they'll play more as we go forward, but it's simply not accurate to say that we haven't played our best with James. Hell all of the last cycle when James was removed from the team we played about the worst we've played in what 15 years?

 

It does not hold water for me meaning it should not be the main reason going forward to rely on him or not give the other players a chance.
There is still a conversation that can be had and not shut down just cause he played brilliantly 7 months ago.

 

And we've had this same conversation over and over again for the last 5-6 years and every time James comes back and takes the position on merit and the team is much better with him.

 

Just cause something happened in the past does not mean it will happen in the future.
And we have played well without him too. It is not like we are always losing when he does not start.
I would just like to see other players get a chance. Including a young player who has scored two goals in three games when he has been given a rare chance.

 

Who is this young player? Carrascal? He started against and Spain

it wasn’t good

 

Yaser.

 

I want Yaser to get a chance, but he should be getting Carrascal's minutes first. Would be nice to see him get a start and maybe give Arias a break against Bolivia, Yaser is the only guy who can play the same role Arias does, and then behind James should be JFQ/Yaser, Yaser if we need more defense.

 

James has the best vision, long pass, free kicks, corners, long shot of all our players. Outside of Diaz our most recognizable player and one that has the most respect

His sub 20 years old, other sub even slower/lazier/less stamina than him then Carrascal who think is the worst of the 4.

James being the problem is hilarious

 

No one said James is a problem per se.
Just that we can be okay without him.

Posters around here ask why I have to repeat myself a lot and this is exhibit "A" why I have to.

 

I'd like to see us play without him but if we do its 2 striker system. Benching him to Put Quintero or Carrascal is stupid.

a 4-2-2-2 seems like our best system tho we aren't doing it because of James.

Now some of you think it makes more sense to play Yaser in than having 2 strikers and well... I will wait and see and hope he gets that shot against Bolivia

 

Do we really need to see Arias or Diaz though? I mean, I guess it would be great for the fans at the stadium but I say wrap them up in bubble wrap and send them straight to Houston.

The last thing we need now is for one of them to pull something or get injured by some clumsy Bolivian trunco.

 

I say the starters play 45 mins

copa starts like 10 days later so they could get use a bit of a burn

 

Why would 4-2-2-2 be our best system when we've played amazingly with a 4-2-3-1 exclusively? We have a winning set up for pressing and creating, we need multiple guys in and around the ball and breaking from midfield to do what we do and that shouldn't change. We need more guys comfortable in the likely system above all else, so getting more guys reps should be our goal if we're rotating/experimenting. Duran/Yaser/Castano/Rios/Sinni the guys who probably need some time to see if they're ready to play more minutes imo.

 

exactly how can this team do without its 2 engines. Also for a weaker team we should be much more offensive in our line up. As much as I want a 3 man defense (our LBs have been shit since Armero and he wasnt that great just had 9 sets of lungs) we need to play with 2 strikers up top.

as for Diaz playing the James 2014 role. I just dont think he that type of player. Also him running from the left kind of frees the whole right of the field to score.

 

This guy was ********ing serious...

 

Oh my

Americans have entered the Mexican realm of cluelessness when it comes to the NT

 

Honestly he's the first/only American that has made this claim; I tended to see just about every American online recognizing Colombia as one of the toughest around and that they were hoping to get a win rather than expect it. Losing to us 1-5 was what really irritates the fans.

 

USA barely ever play good teams and they have a huge media apparatus that needs to churn content to make money. There is a reason all the leagues and teams want to play in the USA, it's a lucrative market and team USA is the built in benefactor of all of that. They've had some good performances historically in the World Cup playing defensively and counter attacking soccer, but if you want to step up to the next level you need to be able to play good teams on the front foot. I actually appreciate they are trying to do that, the last 3 good teams they've played with A squads were:

England 0:0
Netherlands 3:1
Germany 3:1
Colombia 5:1

There is an argument that they were marginally the better team and went right at England, I think they played well. They got beat easily by the Netherlands who counter attacked them fairly easily and exposed their weaknesses in defending. I think USA is in an identity crisis where they feel they want to take the next step and be more assertive against good teams and not defend and counter, but they are far from being able to do it effectively. Berhalter isn't a good manager, they likely need a top manager to help them get to another level, but for now they're not a very good side and don't do anything well enough or have a clear effective identity to compete with top teams.

 

The U.S were better when they played the underdog ride or die style. They made runs in world cups playing that style, they were always a tough out, and they were easy to root for.

now they have scrubs all over Europe and try to play more like they actually have talent but they don’t. They have a bunch of very limited players and it shows on the field.

I miss the old team

 

Many USA fans and ex -players would agree with this. The team used to punch above its weight and played scrappy and gritty.

I think beating up on Mexico like a punching bag all these recent years and winning trophies does give a false sense of security. Or at least makes things less urgent to progress.

The Keeper situation and back line have been the main issues I have seen. They are good enough to dominate minnow competition from the Caribbean and Central America for the most part. But obviously just cannot cut it against solid competition.
Maybe some tactical changes and strategies can help but the personnel are either not good enough or not playing at big clubs.
It will be a problem that will not be easily solved in one friendly.