Chandler didn't get called in because he was set to miss the Honduras match for cards, and per multiple media sources, you don't normally make a guy fly from Europe for one qualifier. So not sure that is an indictment on Arena or his views on our German-American players.
"Normally" went out the window when Yedlin got dinged. For what were critical qualifiers, the idea that "normally" dictated the roster selection is asinine.
Once Yedlin's injury was determined to be serious enough that he could not be called up, the logical, smart thing was to call up the 2nd string RB in the pool - convention and "normal" be damned. Unless Chandler rejected the call (possible?) this is indefensible. Arena omitted the best option in his pool, and instead brought along a retired binkie, a washed up warhorse with nothing left to give, and Graham "I'm a RIGHT WING" Zusi.
Instead, Arena's plan was to play Cameron - himself recently off an injury - at RB and ... pray like hell he didn't get hurt? Because without another professional RB on the roster, they were left shorthanded for a game that could have been (and still might be) absolutely necessary for qualification. Had the USMNT somehow lost the Honduras game, and then went into the Panama tilt with zero competent RBs on the roster, it would have been a disaster.
As it turned out, it was only terrible roster mismanagement. Zusi should be nowhere near the USMNT roster. Zusi is not, nor has he ever been a right back. He has about as much experience playing there as I do. But if you HAVE TO have him on the roster, then leave Jones home and instead explore the options in central midfield - McCarthy, Acosta, etc. Bringing Jones and Beasley and then calling up Zusi (again, instead of Chandler - an actual RB) is roster mismanagement. And playing him out of position (and desperation) is shoddy roster construction and Klinsmann-esque tactical mismanagement. For years, JK was killed by critics for just this sort of poor decision making. But Arena's an American! He's the anti-Klinsmann.... right?!
Arena not calling in Chandler - for whatever reason - is a egregious mistake. Playing Zusi, and then playing him out of position because he had no other options, is an egregious mistake. Had Klinsmann done that, and then fumbled away a winnable road game in qualification - he'd have been (rightly) roasted. Arena - again, whatever his reasons - deserves the same.
Chandler has played in two qualifiers in Central America and really shat the bed both times. I don't have a problem with him being left out, as his history in road WCQs is a level of performance that is worse than what we saw from Zusi last night.
That said, I hope we don't have to use Zusi in WCQs again.
Last things first - I hope the same thing.
That said, I fail to see what Chandler's history of poor performances in Central American road games has to do with the fact that he's the only healthy USMNT quality RB in the pool. Even had he shit the bed twice as bad as his last CA appearance, he'd still have been a better option than a 30+ year old winger with barely any experience as a RB.
For years, we were told that JK playing guys out of position was an egregious offense. For years, we've been told that JK's roster choices were dubious because of favoritism and a bias against domestic players. And for years, we've been told that JK's reliance on foreign based players was hurting American soccer (Bruce's words). And in a MUST WIN scenario, Arena neglected to call in the best possible players (because "normal"?), played guys out of position, in unfamiliar roles, and - instead of prioritizing a WIN - instead chose to placate his nearly 40 year old GK and other "American" players by forgoing the chance to call in (TWICE!) the best remaining RB in the pool.
That's worthy of criticism. It was worthy of criticism for the entirety of JK's tenure, and it sure as hell is worthy of being criticized when done by Arena (again, whatever his reasons).