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Retired US Soccer / World Cup Thread (RIP)

Tyler Boyd?

he has had a tough 2020 but looked good for a bit when he came in out of nowhere a couple years back
 
Not bad. I think that's pretty close on what we know today. Obviously some kids could come out of nowhere like the last 18 months and blow that chart up.

I do think Jozy and Ream get left at home. Jozy is hurt again and not producing in MLS. In the past, he's consistently produced despite injury. He's on the outside looking in IMO. Also, I see no point in taking Ream if our goal is building for 2026. He'll be 35 I think, bring a 20 year old like that Kobe Fernandez kid who will be a key player in 2026.

Sargent, Morris, Weah, ?????, ??????
Pulisic, Reyna, Adams, McKennie, Yueill, Pomykal, Aaronson, Cardoso?
Dest, Cannon, Robinson, Brooks, Richards, McKenzie, ??????
Steffan, Turner, Johnson/Horvath

I'm sure I forgot an obvious player or two. Biggest hole is obviously FWD. If no youngster steps up the Zardes is getting the call.

Agreed on Jozy, I've actually been out on him for awhile. But he's absolutely perfect for that false nine role, and I think Gregg will roll him out next summer if he can. Sargent is also pretty good at hold up play, Zardes is not. He's better running in behind, but I agree that he takes Jozy's spot if he's not healthy.

We really need Ebobisse, Gianocchini or someone else to emerge and put pressure on Sargent. I really like Ebobisse (7 goals, 2 assists this season) but he gets shuffled all around the front three with Portland because they have two other high priced strikers that they try to play along with him. I believe he was born in Paris so he could possibly move to Ligue 1 or some other league with a EU passport, where he strictly can play the #9. That would be big for us this year. Everything I read about Gianocchini is that he's really raw (20 year old I believe) but doing well in the Ligue 2, with Sampdoria and other Italian clubs hovering as he has Italian citizenship through dad. Mother is of Jamaican descent and he was born in Kansas City, grew up in the DC area playing youth soccer.

A name I forgot to include was Johnny Cardozo, who is an 18/19 year old CM starting in Brazil's first division for Internacional. New Jersey born to Brazilian parents, but moved to Brazil with his family in his teens. Berhalter is really high on him and is trying to call him in for November friendlies. He could push for backup CM/CDM minutes.
 
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I would hope Alex Mendez would be in the forwards mix sooner rather than later coming through Ajax and having played well on the youth sides.

Edit: thought he’d been playing as a winger at Ajax, but it looks as though he’s playing full on mid.
 
I don't want to say it, but Zardes is still the best all around forward option we have based on form. Aaron Johanson probably deserves another look now that's he healthy and scoring.
I'd love one of the younger guys to get a shot, but I think you need a proven commodity as well.
 
Honestly I'd rather play guys like Sargent and Akinola over Zardes. Sargent isn't in as good a form, but starts and plays in a much tougher league and brings a lot to the table. Akinola has really had a solid season. Both of those guys have a long-term future with the USMNT. Zardes does not.
 
I feel like we are due for a 6’3 forward who can enter late in matches to try to nick a set piece goal. That’s always a good player to have.
 
Speaking of forwards, Kevin Bacon Jr can't stop scoring in Sweden. Poached a ball keeper should have help onto and tapped it in, but still.... Now has nine goals this season and 12 in 2020 for Hammarby.
 
I feel like we are due for a 6’3 forward who can enter late in matches to try to nick a set piece goal. That’s always a good player to have.

There's that Novakovich kid who used to be at Reading and I think is playing in Serie B. He's a big target forward.
 
After being benched from the staring XI, Chicharito comes on and nets a wondergoal for the Galaxy

 
to quote the FIFA video game from sophomore year: you could put a goal on top of a goal and it still wouldn't have gone in
 
There's that Novakovich kid who used to be at Reading and I think is playing in Serie B. He's a big target forward.

Yeah, he appears to be coming off the bench atm. Saw he scored one goal previously, but not sure he's getting enough playing time to warrant serious consideration at this point. But he does have size for sure. Just hasn't looked real comfortable the few times we've seen him in a USMNT uniform.

Outside of that we really don't have very tall prospects up top. But then again, the better players we've ever had as target forwards -- McBride, Dempsey, Altidore, etc -- were around 6' or 6'1". I went back and looked and the tallest forward we've ever had that scored any meaningful amount of goals was Bruce Murray at 6'2".
 
Conor Casey was 6'2" as well. Not sure he counts but he did score two massive goals one game. Maybe the worst USMNT forward of all time?
 
Conor Casey was 6'2" as well. Not sure he counts but he did score two massive goals one game. Maybe the worst USMNT forward of all time?

He did score for Dortmund before Pulisic though...

I would go with Edson Buddle, who somehow played in the World Cup - actually thanks to Conor Casey's two goals against Honduras.
 
He did score for Dortmund before Pulisic though...

I would go with Edson Buddle, who somehow played in the World Cup - actually thanks to Conor Casey's two goals against Honduras.

Alright then, how about Robbie Findley, who started that World Cup match before coming off for Edson Buddle...

11 appearances for the USMNT at forward - 0 goals
5 appearances for the U23s at forward - 0 goals
 
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Alright then, how about Robbie Findley, who started that World Cup match before coming off for Edson Buddle...

11 appearances for the USMNT at forward - 0 goals
5 appearances for the U23s at forward - 0 goals

I think you've won this contest. The best part is he only had one season in his entire career with double digit goals and he still played three WC matches as a forward.
 
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