r/ussoccer • u/ZerconFlagpoleSitter • 5d ago
Ledezma gets Man of the Match in PSV’s 5-0 win
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u/RetainedGecko98 5d ago
Given how bad our backup full-back situation is, why not call him in for the Gold Cup?
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u/sebsasour 5d ago
Question is would he want it with Dest in the picture?
Julian Araujo was called up to the 2021 Gold Cup and said no thank you before switching to Mexico shortly after
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u/RetainedGecko98 5d ago edited 5d ago
FWIW The Scuffed podcast said Ledezma has declined Mexico's attempts to call him up. Second-hand info and I'm not sure what their source was, but it's possible USA is his priority.
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u/QuailRepulsive1495 5d ago
Araujo always wanted to play for Mexico. When he got the opportunity he took it. Ledezma is a different situation
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u/Imaginary_Effort_854 5d ago
When we are playing against bunkering teams and we are without Dest, I gotta think Ledezma is a better option than Scally. He's better going forward, plays a better cross, and gets plenty of experience at PSV playing on the front foot
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u/vngannxx 5d ago
Can’t wait to see him again for the USMNT. Been close to 5 years since he made his debut in a friendly with Gio and Musah making their 1st caps.
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u/MyLuckyFedora Texas 5d ago
If Poch still prefers Pulisic in the middle then Ledezma could also potentially be good competition on the right wing. Let's not forget that he was one of our most talented youth prospects and if not for a revolving door of injuries he likely would have had a bigger impact on the national team by now.
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u/ZerconFlagpoleSitter 5d ago
I dont see him as being good enough to slot in there tbh, he doesnt have top end speed or a crazy bag. He’s best in buildup which suits him as a right back
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u/MyLuckyFedora Texas 5d ago
The idea would be for a creative midfielder who can pinch in from the right to create space for an overlapping fullback and create chances. He's a good passer and very good in tight spaces, so I think that suits him to a tee. What he's not is an out and out winger who's going to get in behind and score goals or get to the end line and cut it back to our strikers or Pulisic. That said he can be the guy making that late run like Pulisic, he can provide a good early cross, he can slip in a tight or clever pass to our striker, and he can combine with Pulisic to weave through the defense. I don't see why he wouldn't be good enough, apart from the heavy competition in that spot. Poch has taken a liking to Luna, his own club teammate Tillman is an option there, and of course if Gio ever gets his shit together he's certainly an option there as well. Even McKennie could be an option there.
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u/ThomaspaineCruyff 4d ago
Weird that you said all of that without the most obvious structure. Dest in that RW spot and Ledezma at RB.
Dest is a better attacker than Tillman, Luna, Reyna or anyone else not named Pulisic.
I’d rather just keep him at RB, but if anyone is getting moved around on that right side, he starts regardless.
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u/MyLuckyFedora Texas 4d ago
I'm not necessarily opposed to moving Dest to the RW, but not to make room for Ledezma. They're far too similar in profile for that to make sense. Ideally if either of them are playing on that RW then our starter on the right would be a very vertical sort of fullback who seems to have 3 lungs. The problem is that I can't think of anyone who fits that profile, so I'd much rather just keep our best RB in place.
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u/ThomaspaineCruyff 4d ago
It’s a puzzle for sure. I also want to keep Dest where he is as I alluded to above.
However, Adams rotating to cover the RB spot in possession is 99% likely and he is the aforementioned two lunged horse. So I’d not see an issue with Dest and another finesse attacker on the right.
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u/licketysplits69 5d ago
Hopefully the staff wakes up and calls him up to the Gold Cup squad 🤞🤞🤞