Thursday, August 4, 2011

Klinsmann's US Men's National MLS Team

A quick look at the MLS players getting a call up from Jurgen Klinsmann. Two players for each position (save for GK) from our domestic league. Even with the coaching change, same as the last couple 'call up' events for the USMNT. Interesting. USSF thing I guess.

As for the players below: Higher the Helltown Player score the better. It's like grades on a 10 pt. scale. 80+ is a player performing well. 70 and below is a player falling into the dreaded mediocre territory.

I'm really happy with the midfield that Klinsmann selected. Best two MF in Major League Soccer this year.

1st # is MLS Helltown Player Score : 2nd # is rank at that position.

Midfield:
100:01 Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
094:02 Kyle Beckerman (RSL)

GoalKeeper:
077:10 Bill Hamid (D.C.United)

Defenders:
082:13 Heath Pearce (Chivas USA)
068:23 Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls)

Forwards:
084:03 Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
058:13 Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls)

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Ream and Donovan missed some time because of the Gold Cup, but to be honest their overall minutes are up there with the rest of the players in the MLS so I'm not going to give them excuses for lower scores. Ream's Red Bulls can't stop a nosebleed. I can't tell if he is good or just hype. Also, and just maybe, I'm still a little put off by Chad Marshall not getting a call up today. He's proven. It's just a friendly and maybe JK wants a look at Ream. Who knows.

Agudelo is stuck behind Henry and Rodgers on his club but looking at his goal scoring proficiency I can see that he is scoring 0.47 goals p/90 minutes. 2nd only to Landon Donovan for players that have over 900 minutes this season and born in the USA. Pretty good.

Had Conor Casey been healthy (and not look like a member of Hell's Angels) maybe he would get a nod? His goals p/90 is at 0.57, or best among US born players in MLS. His 5 goals during the run of play matches Agudelo but he has done it in 150 less minutes.

Final goal scoring efficiency tid-bit; Bunbury is right on the heals of Agudelo. 5 goals (run of play) in 1007 mins to Agudelo's - 5 in 954.

It's always nice to get a new middle manager in there to bring in some new guys and fresh thinking. I don't know enough about the men playing overseas to really say if this is a great team selection or not (I know six of them are playing in the Bundesliga, comfortable). It is just an exhibition after all. But I do know that JK did an okay job with the MLS players. Better then Bradley's last group, at least.

We'll see where this all goes leading up to more competitive tournaments. Excited and looking forward to seeing Shea and Beckerman more on the 'world stage' for sure.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

in light of duece being tied up, shea and beckerman will do very fine...

Larry W Johnson II said...

and now more support with robbie rogers!!! (hmmmm. tried to sell that with 3 exclamation points)