He can't put himself back there but he should be. GK is messed up probably Howard first for me because for goal keeper shot blocking is #1, #2 and #3 priority for me, if not Tim then Keller.
Having followed the USMNT since the mid 80's I've watched the development of the US players over he decades. IMO Lalas has again shown how delusional and biased he is with some of his selections. While all the players mentioned were great players in their era some have no business in an all time Best XI. 1) There is no chance that Meola would have been ahead of Howard or Friedel. Both were significantly better shot stoppers and their distribution was not significantly worse than Tony's. 2) Jeff Agoos was a good player, but I wouldn't have him as one of the best 23 let alone the best XI. I'd go with DMB as the LB. 3) As much as I loved watching Balboa play I don't believe he's a better player than Pope was. 4) Lalas's XI cry's for either a formational change or at the very least a CDM. Jones is by far our best CDM to date. I'd therefore insert Jones...push Reyna to the top of the Diamond and leave Donovan & Tab on the right as a coin toss. Lastly our current crop of players are going to be pushing their way into the all time best XI in the not too distant future. Reyna Jr. has the talent to overtake his father. The same for Dest overtaking Dolo and I could see Weston challenge for Jones spot and Richards challenge Pope in the future. The only position(s) our current team does not have a challenger for the best XI is Keeper, Striker, and LB. But even that may change if by the 2026 cycle with Slovina & Gomez.
Some these players couldn't even play at the current level of World Football, half of my team would come from the current squad. Hysterical Llalas talks about ball possession considering the teams he was on had almost none. Howard was absolutely the best keeper the US has had.
Feedback for producers: Could you please turn up the volume of voice recording? May not be an issue for everyone, but the voice audio comes through very quite on my setup vs. other videos. That being said, enjoying the content. Keep up the good work!
While I don't agree with everything Alexi Lalas says, he is a tremendous broadcaster. He's great here and was outstanding at the '22 World Cup. And I like that he's not afraid to take an unpopular stance and say what he thinks. There's too little of that on TV.
Respectfully Meola would not make my top 3, like everyone else has commented, Keller, Friedel, and Howard in some order. Meola makes the next USMNT goalkeeper cluster with Guzan and Hahnemann.
In a 4-4-2, I go with: Howard Cherundolo Pope Bocanegra Beasley Donovan Reyna J. Jones Pulisic Dempsey McBride. In my actual best 11, I’d be going 4-3-3 and pushing Donovan and Pulisic up to LW and RW, and Drop Jermaine Jones to a holding midfielder and have Dempsey and Reyna be the attacking mids. Then Obviously we’d still have McBride as the central forward flanked by two wingers.
I like this but young Reyna wouldn't be there yet over say Jones or other midfielders right now. USA wouldn't run 3 up top against quality teams either.
I won't argue with Meola as the all-time greatest U.S. keeper. But the greatest GAME by a U.S. goalkeeper in an international tournament happened in the 1950 World Cup: The 'Miracle on Turf,' when the USA defeated tournament favorites England one-nil. On that day, American goalie Frank Borghi played out of his mind, stealing the ball from crowds of English attackers, grabbing it in the air before they could complete headers... you get the picture. (Here's video from that day: th-cam.com/video/U4ESTvxyqsI/w-d-xo.html). And, 73 years later, England remains winless against the U.S. in a World Cup. Why no-one has ever made a blockbuster movie about that event is a mystery.
Pulisic? What has he done for the national team? Didnt get us qualified for 2018 and qualified on goal differential for 2022 and now a bench player at 24.
This list stinks. Howard, Pope, Beasley GLARING omissions. After that you can make the case for other guys but those 3 specifically over Meola, Balboa and Agoos is a 100% lock
Please talk about the awful usmnt jersey leaks in the next episode. I can't believe that's what we're sending the guys to Qatar in. If that ends up being the final design, Nike should be embarrassed.
My USA WC 1990-2014. Howard Cherundolo-Lalas-Bocanegra- Berhalter J.Jones. Bradley Reyna (c) Donovan. Beasley Dempsey. Friedel,Keller (Meola...uff)- Sanneh-Pope-Balboa-Caligiuri Ramos-Mastroeni-O'Brian-Lewis Wynalda. McBride.
I would have went Meola (gk), Clavijo (rb), Balboa (cb), Lalas(cb), Beasly (lb), Ramos(rm), Bradley(cdm) Reyna sr (cam), Donovan (LM), Dempsey (st), Winalda (st).
Pretty much all of these guys are long retired. Everyone is saying that this team “is close” but maybe that’s being a bit optimistic. They need to spend more time playing higher quality teams between WC’s to see how good they are. Doing it every four years is not going to cut it.
Terrible list. With a few exceptions, our current players are a complete step up in quality from Lalas’s era. Meola was overhyped and bad. Agoos? Come on.
Alexis Lalas never fails to miss
Not having Tim Howard in net is a disgrace !!
Picking Meola over Howard isn’t justifiable.
@@richardwarren2024i know he was a beast
Meola should be no higher than 4th keeper.
That’s a hard call honestly , the USA has had some great goalkeepers man! Keller , friedel, meola and Howard just to start
Didn't Meola get left off USMNT because he wanted to try and be a kicker in the NFL?
The logical reason for not having Tim Howard in goal is to get engaging saying how wrong he is. And I’m commenting so Ig it worked
Without even n watching I'm going to guess most of the players come from his 94 World Cup team with a couple of 2002 and 2010 players.
He can't put himself back there but he should be. GK is messed up probably Howard first for me because for goal keeper shot blocking is #1, #2 and #3 priority for me, if not Tim then Keller.
Having followed the USMNT since the mid 80's I've watched the development of the US players over he decades. IMO Lalas has again shown how delusional and biased he is with some of his selections. While all the players mentioned were great players in their era some have no business in an all time Best XI.
1) There is no chance that Meola would have been ahead of Howard or Friedel. Both were significantly better shot stoppers and their distribution was not significantly worse than Tony's.
2) Jeff Agoos was a good player, but I wouldn't have him as one of the best 23 let alone the best XI. I'd go with DMB as the LB.
3) As much as I loved watching Balboa play I don't believe he's a better player than Pope was.
4) Lalas's XI cry's for either a formational change or at the very least a CDM. Jones is by far our best CDM to date. I'd therefore insert Jones...push Reyna to the top of the Diamond and leave Donovan & Tab on the right as a coin toss.
Lastly our current crop of players are going to be pushing their way into the all time best XI in the not too distant future. Reyna Jr. has the talent to overtake his father. The same for Dest overtaking Dolo and I could see Weston challenge for Jones spot and Richards challenge Pope in the future.
The only position(s) our current team does not have a challenger for the best XI is Keeper, Striker, and LB. But even that may change if by the 2026 cycle with Slovina & Gomez.
LW???
@@luckymark571 Pulisic
Some these players couldn't even play at the current level of World Football, half of my team would come from the current squad. Hysterical Llalas talks about ball possession considering the teams he was on had almost none. Howard was absolutely the best keeper the US has had.
He has turned Meola into Jorge Compos....
Feedback for producers: Could you please turn up the volume of voice recording?
May not be an issue for everyone, but the voice audio comes through very quite on my setup vs. other videos.
That being said, enjoying the content. Keep up the good work!
When Jozy Altidore is getting an honorable mention, you know you lack depth at the Striker position.
The voice audio is way too low compared to the outro. Blasts your ears at the end of every clip please fix
This segment should be at least 5mins longer
While I don't agree with everything Alexi Lalas says, he is a tremendous broadcaster. He's great here and was outstanding at the '22 World Cup. And I like that he's not afraid to take an unpopular stance and say what he thinks. There's too little of that on TV.
But overall he did aight. I'm good with Reyna, Bocanegra, Pulisic, Donovan, Dempsey and McBride.
First time I don’t disagree with Lalas. First time I see him humble. Notable mentions not mentioned were Caliguiri, Harkes, Hugo Perez
Jeff Agoos? Are you serious….
Respectfully Meola would not make my top 3, like everyone else has commented, Keller, Friedel, and Howard in some order. Meola makes the next USMNT goalkeeper cluster with Guzan and Hahnemann.
Freddy Adu?
🤣
Lol nice
Would you swap anyone in Alexi Lalas' all-time starting 11?
Probably Tim Howard at goal
Add hugo perez?
Hard to argue against keller...good goalie
Rick Davis, yes this was before WC talent but he was stellar!
Keller, or Howard @Keeper,
(LB) Beasley Cherundolo (RB)
(CB) Lalas Pope
(CDM) Bradley
(LM) Pulisic. Ramos. (RM)
(CAM) Donavan
(STR) Dempsey McBride
Admittedly, I have a bias towards more recent players due to my age, but starting with Meola is an insta-trigger.
You lost me right at your very first pick. I'd have three keepers before Meola. Sheeesh.
Tim Howard is a national treasure there sonny
Man John harkes was a baller
That's probably what Wynalda's wife said too.
Eddie Pope and John O'Brien both need to be included.
Pope was huge. I’d also say Brian McBride.
Too biased in favor of his era but it's his opinion.
A healthy Stu Holden is in that midfield for me, and I’d honestly take guys like Gio Reyna and McKennie before some of Alexi’s picks.
In a 4-4-2, I go with:
Howard
Cherundolo Pope Bocanegra Beasley
Donovan Reyna J. Jones Pulisic
Dempsey McBride.
In my actual best 11, I’d be going 4-3-3 and pushing Donovan and Pulisic up to LW and RW, and Drop Jermaine Jones to a holding midfielder and have Dempsey and Reyna be the attacking mids. Then Obviously we’d still have McBride as the central forward flanked by two wingers.
Kasey Keller should be the GK
Hercules Gomez! He went to the World Cup!!
Eddie Pope!!
Howard
Beasley-Boca-Pope-Cherundolo
Bradley-Reyna-Reyna
Pulisic-Dempsey-Donovan
I like this but young Reyna wouldn't be there yet over say Jones or other midfielders right now. USA wouldn't run 3 up top against quality teams either.
I won't argue with Meola as the all-time greatest U.S. keeper. But the greatest GAME by a U.S. goalkeeper in an international tournament happened in the 1950 World Cup: The 'Miracle on Turf,' when the USA defeated tournament favorites England one-nil. On that day, American goalie Frank Borghi played out of his mind, stealing the ball from crowds of English attackers, grabbing it in the air before they could complete headers... you get the picture. (Here's video from that day: th-cam.com/video/U4ESTvxyqsI/w-d-xo.html). And, 73 years later, England remains winless against the U.S. in a World Cup. Why no-one has ever made a blockbuster movie about that event is a mystery.
Beasley 💪
Freddy Adu, all day, erday. LOL
Brad friedel was the best hands down not even close.. At least Tim Howard cmon man. But you can tell he has emotional ties with Toni
Pulisic? What has he done for the national team? Didnt get us qualified for 2018 and qualified on goal differential for 2022 and now a bench player at 24.
Pulisic would shine in this team.
Tim Howard is THE keeper for the USA.
This list stinks. Howard, Pope, Beasley GLARING omissions. After that you can make the case for other guys but those 3 specifically over Meola, Balboa and Agoos is a 100% lock
To me Kacey Keller is the man
Friedel was miles ahead of Meola, as a fan of Mexici I didn't like the guy because he was fantastic with team USA
I could not even watch the whole segment. Stopped after Agoos
Please talk about the awful usmnt jersey leaks in the next episode. I can't believe that's what we're sending the guys to Qatar in. If that ends up being the final design, Nike should be embarrassed.
I love Lexi, but I was out on Tony Meola.
My USA WC 1990-2014.
Howard
Cherundolo-Lalas-Bocanegra- Berhalter
J.Jones. Bradley
Reyna (c) Donovan. Beasley
Dempsey.
Friedel,Keller (Meola...uff)-
Sanneh-Pope-Balboa-Caligiuri
Ramos-Mastroeni-O'Brian-Lewis
Wynalda. McBride.
I would have went Meola (gk), Clavijo (rb), Balboa (cb), Lalas(cb), Beasly (lb), Ramos(rm), Bradley(cdm) Reyna sr (cam), Donovan (LM), Dempsey (st), Winalda (st).
Howard for Meola, Beasley for Agoos, Bradley for Ramos and then swap Bradley and Reyna pos. I could live with that but not this.
Meola sucks. Remember how he wouldn't catch the ball in that 94 World Cup. He kept batting it down.
This is mostly a team he played with
Not bad except for GK
Watch the game vs Brazil, even Romario said Keller was one of best goalkeepers he faced. Reyna and Tab Ramos two best players ever..
No Wondolowski, Will Trapp, and Zardes?
😂😂
I should be on that list
Jeff Agoos? 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Jeff agoos foh. Cultured left foot for own goal. Also eddie pope rest I agree with it
Alexis you are in that team...so is wynalda and coby jones.. that's it.
Pretty much all of these guys are long retired. Everyone is saying that this team “is close” but maybe that’s being a bit optimistic. They need to spend more time playing higher quality teams between WC’s to see how good they are. Doing it every four years is not going to cut it.
Dempsey even in his prime still flopped a lot and was never consistent.
The problem with this lineup is that they would lose to our current team.
Idk man, Howard, Beasley, Pope not here.... I'm sensing some racial bias
Terrible list. With a few exceptions, our current players are a complete step up in quality from Lalas’s era. Meola was overhyped and bad. Agoos? Come on.
seems about white
Sergino Dest over Cherundulo
Right out the gate with the bs
Agoos was the worst player ever. Totally clueless.
What an awful 11. Balboa? Meola? Agoos!?!? 😂
Very Bias
Kinda surprised he didn't put himself in there somewhere with that massive ego of his and his typical delusional takes.
Freddie Adu
What a horrible 11
No Pope, Beasley and Howard/Friedel is a joke
Jeff Agoos? Tony Meola over Tim Howard? Alexis smokes a lot of dope.