Watching through the replay, I don't understand how people seem to be so dissatisfied with Bell these days, he was really solid apart from one errant pass in a dangerous position almost leading to a goal, and he plays vertically all the time, he isn't just a sideways pass merchant. Rufer wasn't even that close to his best today, but we need two proper 6s against teams like USA (and the teams we will play at the World Cup), and he added a lot.
Meanwhile Stamenic had a bit of a shocker in the first half but all you see is endless praise for him on this forum. He is very classy and still very young and could yet be very very good, but I think right now that Bell and Rufer are both better at 6, and Singh is a better 10. And we were playing 4-2-3-1 today, so where should we put him? The same question could be made about Garbett, he is a great attacking threat, but he isn't a 6 either, and while I wanted to see him in the sort of role he played in today, he was very quiet... Maybe he just needs one more chance in that position? If we didn't have Wood I'd want to see him tried as a 9, but we can forget about that.
After this game, and after seeing him do it successfully several times for the Nix last season, I think we should always keep Old as a impact player for the last 30 minutes. Allow him to build his club career by not overloading him in international windows, and give ourselves a gamechanger should we ever need it. He hasn't impressed as a starter in white.
Maybe Stamenic, Garbett, Old & Waine, all 22 or 23, may be too young to be relied upon as starters at World Cup '26? We were very successful with a team of veterans in 2010... Winston & Tommy the only young lads starting, and they were alongside the imperious Nelsen.
Though to contradict myself a bit, one thing I think we did learn from this tour is that Boxall, Smith & Kosta should all be phased out, we don't want to see them starting at the World Cup. Surman, Bindon & Pijnaker probably will be our best CBs, and Kosta hasn't done anything good outside Oceania in a very long time.
My best XI with the World Cup in mind (subject to Marco regaining top form:
Crocombe
Payne Surman Bindon Cacace
Rufer Bell
Rojas Singh McCowatt
Wood
Meanwhile Stamenic had a bit of a shocker in the first half but all you see is endless praise for him on this forum. He is very classy and still very young and could yet be very very good, but I think right now that Bell and Rufer are both better at 6, and Singh is a better 10. And we were playing 4-2-3-1 today, so where should we put him? The same question could be made about Garbett, he is a great attacking threat, but he isn't a 6 either, and while I wanted to see him in the sort of role he played in today, he was very quiet... Maybe he just needs one more chance in that position? If we didn't have Wood I'd want to see him tried as a 9, but we can forget about that.
After this game, and after seeing him do it successfully several times for the Nix last season, I think we should always keep Old as a impact player for the last 30 minutes. Allow him to build his club career by not overloading him in international windows, and give ourselves a gamechanger should we ever need it. He hasn't impressed as a starter in white.
Maybe Stamenic, Garbett, Old & Waine, all 22 or 23, may be too young to be relied upon as starters at World Cup '26? We were very successful with a team of veterans in 2010... Winston & Tommy the only young lads starting, and they were alongside the imperious Nelsen.
Though to contradict myself a bit, one thing I think we did learn from this tour is that Boxall, Smith & Kosta should all be phased out, we don't want to see them starting at the World Cup. Surman, Bindon & Pijnaker probably will be our best CBs, and Kosta hasn't done anything good outside Oceania in a very long time.
My best XI with the World Cup in mind (subject to Marco regaining top form:
Crocombe
Payne Surman Bindon Cacace
Rufer Bell
Rojas Singh McCowatt
Wood
Agree with alot of what you say. Think Old is for the moment better off the bench for the AWs, than a starter. Remember these were the first games of football he had ever played with Wood. Will take time to work each other out. Bell is not playing at the level we would have hoped for him 2-3 years ago, but still deserves to be an AWs starter in my book. I liked his combo with Rufer yesterday. We gave the Americans alot less space than the Mexicans. Though yes easier to keep the hard pressing going, in sub 37 degree heat.
But Stamenic is a locked in starter. He plays at a higher level than any of our other midfielders (discounting Thomas), and Marko's ceiling well we just don't know where it will be. That pass to put Just through on goal yesterday, a gem of a ball. As someone else said, for Stamenic to now kick on, and maybe yes play in the EPL one day, he needs to be playing those type of high quality balls regularly in Greece & Europa League.
The question now is where does Singh play for the AWs? Centrally, or out wide like he did almost all of his time in the Bundesliga 2. You feel he wants to play as a 10, and that's where he's crucial to the AWs. Maybe that's why he's signed for a Portuguese 2nd tier club. Because they have promised that if he's half decent when he arrives, he'll be given the main play maker role. Better for now to be happy & playing well in a lower tier, than not playing your favourite position and a bit miserable higher up??
Seems like this wasn't a great window for Boxy, his lower quality passing game found out against Mexico, and maybe a back 4 not suiting him these days. He plays central with 3 CBs at Minnesota. It might be the 3 younger guys Surman, Pijnaker & Bindon now vying for the starter roles.
Anyway a bit to be optimstic about, based off yesterday's game. These 2 matches, are the fixtures where you learn what may work, and what likely won't at a World Cup. Shame won't be playing anyone meaningful again until June next year, by which time these games will have faded into the memory somewhat.
But hopefully exciting youngish talents like Waine, Singh, Garbett, Old, Stamenic, Bindon etc will better players in 12 months when we get to start the serious buildup to 2026. Plus 2-3 ALM guys from LVH, Sheridan, Randall, Gillion, OVH, Champness, Rogerson, Bayliss have had breakout club seasons, and so are knocking on the door.
And AP was right, the Americans were without a few first choice players. But my point still stands that overall they still had far better players than us, so Bazeley's plan to go a bit more defensive with Rufer in for Old, and then looking to counter was pretty sound. They got it wrong against Mexico and made changes.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/usmnt-roster-september-usa-soccer-varas-canada-new-zealand/973bef44a23ff6f9a60ec07a
Two players are missing for the USMNT due to injury. Sergino Dest continues to recover from his ACL tear just before the summer, and Tyler Adams is still down with a back issue as his Bournemouth tenure remains bereft with fitness problems. Tim Weah is also absent thanks to a hamstring injury suffered in the Juventus season opener.
The roster is also missing a few key players who aren't struggling with fitness. Left-back star Antonee Robinson is not included, but his first-choice position can be considered secure, and as a key player for Fulham playing heavy minutes at the club level, it's almost certain that he has been excluded to get some well-earned rest. The same can not be said for Weston McKennie, who has been stuck on the bench at Juventus under new head coach Thiago Silva despite recently signing a new contract with the Italian club. Also missing is defender Cameron Carter-Vickers despite his status as a regular starter at Celtic, as is Miles Robinson who has had a spotty first season with FC Cincinnati.