Pre-match: USA vs. South Korea - February 1st, 2014 (Carson, CA)

Rimando
Evans Goodson Besler Klute
Zusi Mix Beckerman Davis
Magee
EJ
Note, assuming LD is still recovering from his ankle injury.

 

Here's the link to the camp article:
http://www.ussoccer.com/news/mens-national-team/2014/01/140103-mnt-january-roster.aspx

26 called in.
GK: Rimando; S. Johnson, Hamid, Hall.
D: Evans, Gonzalez, Besler, Klute; Yedlin, Goodson, O'Neill, Sinovic; Myers, Harrington
M: Zusi, Beckerman, Diskerud, Davis; Gil, McCarty, Alexander, Feilhaber
M/F: Donovan, Magee, EJ
F: Wondolowski

-----------------Rimando----------------
Evans---Gonzalez---Besler---Klute
-----------Zusi----Beckerman----------
Donovan-------Diskerud--------Magee
-------------------EJ--------------------

No way JK goes in that direction, but it would be fun to watch.

 

I wonder who plays out of position in this camp. I would like to see Yedlin moved out of the defending line. We need some offensive width

--Evans(myers)---gonzo(o'neill)---besler(goodson)--sinovic(klute, harrington)

---------------------------beckerman(mccarty)

-----------------zusi (gil, alexander)-----mix(davis, feilhaber)

--------dono(yedlin)---------Magee(EJ, Wondo)----------?......

Now would be a good time to revive the myth that the fullbacks will bomb up and down the wings for offense because we have a boatload.

 

Switch Zusi and Mixx.

 

I expect to see us maximize the number of players with a real shot at the WC roster, leaning a bit on guys who have NT experience. So I'm expecting something like:

-----------------EJ----------------
Donovan-----Feilhaber------Zusi--
--------Beckerman---Mix---------
-Evans---Besler----Gonz-----???--
-------------Rimando--------------

And then maybe we use more 'prospect' type guys as subs.

The LB position is still a question mark, because there isn't anyone on this roster with experience at that position. That's the one where we might pull a guy who looks more like a 2018 candidate than a 2014, like Klute.

 

magee --- donovan --- zusi
--------mix ----- feilhaber
--------- beckerman
klute - besler - omar - evans

4-1-2-3

 

Tripolis, tough town. Your team not so tough but it would be fun to watch.

I would put Yedlin in Zusi's spot and Zusi in Feilhaber's spot.

 

Asteras Tripolis, is from Tripoli Greece.
southern region of Greece

too high for Yedlin, imo.

no toughness needed. the creativity from the top 5 should get us plenty of chances

 

I know. Been there. Metal shops. Peloponisi. Geia sas.

We dont have wide players on offense. I like Yedlin's movement on the ball and pass in the final third. I prefer his on the ground pass to his cross. His experience defending means he should understand his defensive responsibilities on the wing.

 

So....this will be my first ever US game.

Beyond hyped for it. Has anybody heard if there is any possibility that Bradley is added to the squad for this game?

 

This will be interesting to find out: I think Bradley probably sits, as he will be sorting out his move, he doesn't need to prove himself, and it's a friendly. It would be cool if he played though.

 

It isn't about proving himself its about fitness and his move back to the mls means more time off when JK wants them playing year round.

 

So anyone know much about the South Korean side? How many guys they called up are likely to make the World Cup?

 

Bradley said it had been discussed with Jurgen but a decision hadn't been made yet. So I'd say you've got a 50/50 chance of him playing.

 

I don't think I've watched a South Korea match since South Africa so I don't know a ton about the team. Just looking at some of their players and if Wikipedia can be trusted, this is a little of what I can gauge...

Jung Sung-Ryong appears to be their main keeper, he played every minute of the 2011 Asian Cup, every minute of the Olympics and was starting in all the match reports for World Cup Qualifying that I read

On defense their most capped player is Kang Min-Soo who has 34, however looking at the games he's appeared in he hasn't actually played for South Korea since 2010. Their second most capped defender is a fullback named Lee Yong, who only has 7. He's started in 2 of the last 3 qualifiers and was on the bench in most of the match reports I looked at. Kim Jin Su is a youngster who didn't receive a single cap in qualifying however he has played in every single match since qualifying wrapped up. They have another guy with 4 caps who from what I can tell hasn't played very much recently, and the rest are all uncapped players in their mid to late 20's

Their mid seems to have a bit more experience. They only have one guy who's uncapped and 2 others with less than 2. Their most capped mid is Yeom Ki-Hun, he has 48 caps and made the 2010 World Cup however it doesn't seem like he's played very much lately. He was on the bench in a couple match reports I saw, but he wasn't playing and he wasn't even on the bench in most. He only has 9 caps in the past 3 years. Lee Ho is the 2nd most capped player at 24 who also appears to have fallen out of the squad. He started every match for South Korea in the 2006 World Cup as a 21 year old but only has 4 caps in the last 7 years. Ha Dae-Sung has 11 caps and Li Seung-Gi has 9 caps. Both appear to be a regular bench players for them, and both have 9 caps in the past 2 years. Paj Jong-Woo is a 25 year old who has played a bit recently and was seemingly a pretty big part of their Bronze Medal run in London. Additionally they have a guy who hasn't played for them in 4 years and no one else who really stands out

As for forwards, Lee Keun-Ho was South Korea's leading goal scorer in the last qualifying round. He's the most capped of any of the South Korean players and has 18 goals for the national team. By the look of things he'll be headed to Brazil and could very well start. Additionally at forward there's Kim Shin-Wook who appears to be a fairly regular call up for them this cycle. He scored Korea's lone goal in their last match which was a 2-1 loss to Russia.

Again this is a scouting report from a guy who's knows next to nothing about the team he's scouting so take it all with a grain of salt. From what I can see this looks like a team with a few players who will make the squad or at least have a chance to make Brazil, a few falling out of the picture players who may be using this as a last chance and then quite a bit of filler. Their defense seems to be the least experienced of the bunch which could be a good match-up for our attack that includes several regular players. However their 2 forwards look to be regular players which could cause issues if Jurgen let's some of our very inexperienced defenders close out the game. One thing to also note is that they're playing Costa Rica at The Coliseum a week before this and then Mexico at The Alamodome 2 days before this. They could be a bit tired, but then again those 2 games may help their uncapped or rarely capped players. Like all camp cupcake matches I really don't know what to expect.

 

We are sending you guys a B / C squad.

We are trying to find out who our best bench players are going to be. Plus, test out some new Kleauge players

Lee keun Ho should definitely make the bench for our 2014 WC squad unless something crazy happens like Park ji sung returning. Kim Shin wook is a maybe. If your familiar with Peter Crouch then... he's the Korean remix.

THere is a small chance our main keeper might sit on the bench for one of these games. He was really poor against Russia.

Between 2 to 4 of these players will make it to the final WC squad. (The keeper, lee keun ho, kim shin wook and one of the defenders).

 

Do you have a full squad list available?

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea_national_football_team#Current_squad

 

Not sure if this was posted yet, but the game will be televised on ESPN2 - 5pm EST.

 

If Bradley is available, I would not mind seeing him paired with Zusi in CM in front of 3 cb's. Something like this to start

-------magee----ej------dono--
--klute--bradley--zusi---yedlin
------besler--o'neill----gonzo--
---------------rimando-------

It would be interesting to see how well Bradley and Zusi can get into the attack.

We could take Donovan off early, move Yedlin into right wing and bring on Myers, or move Zusi wide and bring on Mixx, etc., there are many ways to go with this roster

 

When was Bradley's last game and training session?

 

If Bradley plays, I say we go full bore:

----------------------E.Johnson----------------------
----------------------Diskerud------------------------
Donovan-----------------------------------------Zusi
--------------Bradley*---------Feilhaber-------------
Klute-------------------------------------------Yedlin
---------------Besler------------Gonzalez------------


*Bradley plays instead of Beckerman
Subs (4 at the half, and three more subs as the game sees fit)
Out Bradley/Beckerman in Beckerman/O'neill
Out Diskerud In Magee
Out Yedlin In Evans
Out Gonzalez in Sinovic

Donovan gets subbed out in minute 60

 

I don't know about training session, but I'm pretty sure his last game was against Catania on the 22nd of last month, where he went the full 90. In other words, he hasn't kicked a ball in anger in a month now. It probably wouldn't be a waste if he trained with the team after the return from Brazil and played some in this match.

 

Doubt yedlin gets the start over Evans and mix would play deeper than Benny or beckerman starts where Benny is.

 

I'm going to call it. Wondo gets the start. He does really well and he goes to Ukraine. He won't start in that match, but will come in late in the second half.