Considering that the October qualifiers are going to be down to business and there won't be much experimentation... the November friendlies will be an important time for a transitioning USMNT. A lot will depend on the October call-ups, who will be available two months from now, and the whole Chandler situation, but an early look at the line-up... My line-up: GOL Guzan, Johnson, Rimando (Hamid) RWB Parkhurst, Beitashour (Myers) RCB Cameron, Gonzalez (Besler) LCB Edu, Ream (Orozco) LWB Lichaj, Spector (Castillo) CDM Williams, Kljestan (Morales) RCM Zusi, Diskerud (McCarty) LCM Corona, O' Brien (Bedoya) RFW Gatt, DeLeon (Adu) LFW Pontius, Shea (Gyau) CFW Altidore, Boyd (Agudelo) Starting XI: ------------------Altidore--------------------- -----Shea------------------------Gatt--------- -----------Corona---------Zusi----------------- ------------------Williams--------------------- Lichaj-------------------------------Parkhurst -------------Edu----------Cameron------------ --------------------Guzan---------------------- Bench: Johnson, Gonzalez, Spector, Kljestan, Diskerud, Pontius, Boyd Omit: Howard, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Goodson, Jones, Torres, Holden, Beckerman, Bradley, Beasley, Donovan, Dempsey, Gomez
--------------------------------------------------------Boyd-------------------------------------------------------- -----Corona----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gatt----- -----------------------------Bradley-----------------------------------------------Zusi--------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------Williams----------------------------------------------------- Johnson------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chandler ---------------------------Gonzalez----------------------------------------Cameron----------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------Guzan------------------------------------------------------- Speed, Talent, Talent, Speed, Speed.
Here is my 23: Keepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Dan Kennedy (Chivas USA) Defenders: Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City), Edgar Castillo (Tijuana), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Seb Hines (Middlesborough), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaelland), Steve Beitashour (SJ Earthquakes). Midfielders: Graham Zusi (Sporting KC), Mix Diskerud (Rosenberg), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim), Maurice Edu (Stoke City), Joe Corona (Tijuana). Forwards: Josh Gatt (Molde), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Wien), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (DC United), Chris Wondolowski (SJ Earthquakes), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar). My only logic for calling in Altidore is so that he can impress with the National team because at this moment he has been playing second fiddle to Gomez for awhile... he has the talent to be our number one striker but he needs to put in the work.
I'd LOVE to see something like this. I know the odds on it are below 0% but still. It'd be interesting ----------Altidore-------Boyd----------------- --Johnson--------Adu--------Gatt----------- ------------------Williams---------------------- --Castillo--Cameron--Goodson--Parkhurst-- ------------------Whoever--------------------- I really want to see if Altidore and Boyd can play together because I think they'd make an awesome pair up front. Johnson and Gatt on the wings opens up the field and gives Adu an amazing run of talent to distribute to. I picked Parkhurst because I doubt Timothy Chandler will be around. I think it's a balanced team with a lot of threat going forward. Here's what I'm expecting though... -----------Gomez------------------- --------------Dempsey------------- --Zusi-------Bradley------Donovan ---------------Jones----------------- Johnson--Cameron--Boca--Dolo-- ---------------Howard--------------
I'm going to assume JK gives the "big time players" who featured in the October qualifying this match off... aka Dempsey, Donovan, Howard, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Jones and Bradley.
Gatt's team, Molde, are tied atop the table in their league which is a summer league. Not sure they will be finished. Their website has them playing last game November 18. Not sure if the November USMNT friendlies are fixed date yet. Probably shouldn't count on Gatt unless camp starts after Nov 18
I can't make anything of Autopenalti's lineup. Corona as a withdrawn striker? Gatt on the right? Chandler as a CB and Cameron as a RB? Use this. http://www.footballuser.com/ Please.
Thoughts: I don't see JK just swapping in a bunch of new players. Think he'll wait until Jan. I also think he'll want some veteran presence out there. I think it's a good time to bring in Lichaj and give the older Chero some time off, as well as bring in Omar who keeps getting better and should have a good end of season run and playoff run. If LAG are still playing then Omar probably doesn't get called. I hope in Oct we see a MB/Williams pairing, but if not for whatever reason this would be a good time to try it, or give it another chance to build chemistry and it's probably easier to tell Jones to stay home given it's a friendly. Wouldn't mind jones on the bench though. I'd also like to see a Jozy/Boyd pairing with some service for once, which MB would provide, and this might be the best opportunity since both are Euro based and it's easier to leave Gomez in Mex given it's a friendly. I also like Howard in goal if bringing in two new members of the back four. Think both the left and the right would be potent attack wise, with Zusi being able to cut in with Lichaj overlapping and crossing, and Shea staying wide opening up the preferred central runs for Fabian.
You would think this but its really his team that makes him look bad. He's a very talented player who everyone seems to just be exiling.
Doubt there will be much change in the extended 29 this year. Next year is when you will see some roster expansion. JK: "We are building a bigger roster for 2013 – we’ve got to get the job done now first – but it’ll be a very busy year with qualifiers and Gold Cup" http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2012/09/MNT-v-JAM-Post-Game-Quote-Sheet.aspx
Subs: Nick Rimando Kevin Hartman Terrence Boyd Josh Gatt Brek Shea Chris Pontius Kyle Beckerman Michael Orozco Joe Corona Jonathan Spector George John
1. MLS playoffs will have some say on roster selection. 2. JK has shown little inclination to 'experiment' with his roster. He will only take the best players available (and run them into the ground). There will be very few new/experimental players.
i think at russia will tend for a mostly euro roster, while camp cupcake mostly mls russia is a very solid team, should beat any 2nd line team usa sends
No, especially since he has been picked up by a Champions league team. He was playing great at the tail end of last season.
No. He showed last fall that given a good number of games he can regain form. We are not good enough to write off any player. That is why DMB's and Robbie Rogers are never out of the conversation.