(01-10-2018 10:29 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-10-2018 09:46 AM)aTxTIGER Wrote:  

(01-09-2018 10:31 AM)BearcatMan Wrote:  

(01-08-2018 10:15 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  Interesting, FC Dallas refused to release players to the USMNT for the January Camp and Friendly.

Their best player would've been called in and they've got CCL to worry about, so that's not too crazy. Kind of bad form considering the other 3 teams allowed their players to play, but it is what it is...a meaningless game.

Still can't believe we bungled the Johnathon Gonzalez thing now too. He'll come back to bite us in the ass numerous times just like losing Nevin Subotic has.

At least he isnt a creative, offensive player. If we had lost that to Mexico I'd be even more pissed. Since he is more of a destroyer/def mid I can at least reason in my mind that we can produce something similar.

Is losing Gonzalez a result of the US failing to qualify for the world cup?

That's probably a part of it...but I think once he got into the Liga MX ranks and the management started sinking their teeth into him about not being a "mexican" like they have done in the past with dual nationals, he was done. The older guys can shrug that off, but an 18 year old probably handles that much differently.

Luckily, as Tiger said, holding midfield isn't going to be a huge issue with McKennie, Adams, and Goslin looking a varying level of stability in that position. We're missing offensive firepower in the 19-24 rank outside of Pulisic though, so losing one of the few in that area would've been devastating.