News about Gyasi Zardes

Exclusive BY KIERAN GILL: Plans to invite fans to watch the debate between referees and VARs after games in the hopes of determining how and why decisions were reached. Since taking office in December, PGMOL boss Howard Webb has been pushing for this, hoping to give customers a glimpse behind the curtain and reduce the confusion that currently surrounds controversial calls. Fans are likely to gain a fresh appreciation for the match officials if they could hear the reasoning behind their decisions, such as why Liverpool's penalty stood in their 1-0 victory over Fulham on Wednesday.

Robin van Persie's third and final season with Manchester United had just concluded, and the Stars and Stripes' 21-year-old John Brooks was viewed as the future at center back for the Stars and Stripes. It's been a while. But even though the US' squad in Qatar has just two holdovers (DeAndre Yedlin and Jordan Morris) from last year, there are still plenty of inspiration and lessons to learn from the team's recent 4-3 victory.

USA Soccer has announced a training camp in Texas for players on MLS teams that aren't in the Cup Playoffs in order to stay healthy. It's being seen as an opportunity for players on the fringes of the squad to prove themselves with one last chance to fly to Qatar. The USSF said in a tweet that it is "important to bridge the gap between players finishing their seasons and future participation in the World Cup."

The fact that the US men's national team trained with Saudi Arabia is not enough. They did it in a less humid environment than a flat can of Coke, but it's not enough. They were not able to get the invite to what was effectively the Green Falcons' B-team, but it wasn't enough. It's because they did it while being offensively bankrupt, tactically disorganized, and as lost as a child is distracted by a shiny object at a county fair. In their last tune-up match in Murcia, which serves as home for a Spanish third division team, the United States appeared woefully unprepared on this stage.