An Early Call on the Central Defense Pairing in 2014

demerit, gooch, and cherundolo are all very pretty athletic.

also mexico will have difficulty working the ball through the US midfield into dangerous positions. dempsey, donovan, jones, holden, and bradley will be tough to go through.

 

Yer talking about GC, right?

I'm pretty confident in Jonny B & Stevie C. Also, as Koko said, Bob will force everything wide.

Lastly, if Mex goes w/ that alignment, that gives Vela & Gio initial responsibility for Dempsey & Donovan, right?


It could be that by the time the GC rolls around this doesn't look like a bad match up for us

Cherundolo-----Gooch-----Boca-------Bornstein
------------------Hernandez
--Vela-----------------------------------Gio
-------------Jones---------Bradley
---------------------M
---Dempsey---------------------------Donovan
----------M-----------------M
-------------Davies----Agudelo
--M----------M----------M----------M

I mean, Bornstein is a year off of what I'd call a very good performance in the WC. And Cherundolo is a year off of what I'd call a great performance in the WC. The little pea scares me. But, If I was Mex, I wouldn't play him by himself in the middle like that.

I expect that Mex will win the GC. But, Davies & Agudelo could really be game changers by this July.

 

Brek Shea making the move to central defense now, after what apparantly was an extremely successful showing while with the Generation Addidas squad. Atletico Madrid wanted to buy him on the spot, allegedly.

As for the lineup against Mexico, I think whoever we have on our right flank will be just fine against the Mexican team, it's the left side that I am most worried about. Jonny is generally solid but recently he hasn't been playing much in Mexico. Jones and Bradley will be called upon early and often in that match to help the defense. I would like to see this:

Cherundolo---Gooch---Goodson---Bocanegra
----------------Hernandez--------------------
Vela---------------------------------Dos Santos
-----------Jones---------Bradley----------

we would fair at least ok with this lineup, and maybe even better if you add Edu. But this is strictly defensively speaking.

Don't forget Gooch has been playing LEFT BACK at Twente

 

Having Gooch and Goodman in the middle would be imposing presence but a bit too slow specially if playing against CHICH. BB usually uses a big with a smaller distributor CB. Ream is even slower but I good distributor, I just don't think DeMeritt is that good anymore, hence, he is back in MLS. But what scares me the most is our LB position, JB is prone to mistakes and his WC showing was average, Ghana never really exposed him because all of their attack was from the right side. I like Loyd, he has the pace and can distribute very well, he just got an assist in his first game of the season. I'm very high on Chandler, I saw him play a few times last year before his injuries and he looks fast and strong, one day he may be our RM.

 

You watch Nurenberg's youth games? Or are you confusing Chandler with Daniel Williams?

 

I stand corrected, i did confused him with Williams.

 

I think CD in 2014 will be Gooch and Ream with Gale and kitchen being not far behind. I just don't see Boca being able to do it at 35 and if he does it would be at left back where we have nothing rite now.

 

If Ream starts for us in 2014 we are in trouble...and everyone is underrating Goodson right now.

Ream and 32 yo Gooch would be way to slow.

 

central defense is the absolute hardest position to predict come 2014 and is the most unsettled.

My personal speculation? Tim Ream and Omar Gonzalez don't make the roster. i just don't think they have natural raw ability to make the team unless we are in dire need of a CB. they are good young options now, but hopefully, some other young upstart will step up between here and then...think of the difference between Kyle Martino/Clint Dempsey and Justin Mapp/Stuart Holden.

Also, Zak Whitbread won't be there. he might have some time in the premiership and might get a cap here or there, but that guy stays hurt. i would be shocked if he stayed healthy enough to make him a mainstay,

Finally, there's always the chance of what happened in 2010, happen again in 2014 where we have CB locked down then run into a bad string of injuries which makes us rely on defenders with hardly any experience.


but i hate sounding like a debbie downer & i can't fall asleep; so here is my crop of central defenders and how i rank them going into the 2014 cycle: (note i include the 2014 ages) RIGHT NOW

the Geezers (over the age of 30):
Frontrunner:
1. Oguchi Onyewu (32)-[FC Twente]
2. Clarence Goodson (32)-[Brondby]

Contender:
1. Carlos Bocanegra* (35)-[St. Etienne]

Servicable:
1. Jay DeMerit (34)-[Vancouver Whitecaps]
2. Nat Borchers (33)-[Real Salt Lake]

The Prime Aged Defenders: (27-30)
Frontrunner:
None currently

Contender:
1. Zak Whitbread (30)-[Norwich City]
2. Michael Parkhurst (30)-[FC Nordjaelland]
3. George John (27)-[FC Dallas]

Keep an Eye On:
1. Geoff Cameron* (28)-[Houston Dynamo]
2. Chad Marshall (29)-[Columbus Crew]
3. Marvell Wynne* (27)-[Colorado Rapids]
4. Drew Moor* (30)-[Colorado Rapids]
5. Ryan Miller (29)-[Halmstad]
6. Darrius Barnes (27)-[New England Revolution]
7. Brandon McDonald* (28)-[San Jose Earthquakes]

The Young Guns (26 and under)
Frontrunners:
1. Tim Ream (26)-[New York Red Bulls]
2. Omar Gonzalez (26)-[Los Angeles Galaxy]

Contenders:
1. Ike Opara (25)-[San Jose Earthquakes]
2. Brek Shea* (24)-[FC Dallas]
3. Gale Agbossoumonde (22)-[Djurgarden IF]

Promising:
1. Perry Kitchen*(22)-[DC United]
2. Jalil Anibaba (25)-[Chicago Fire]
3. AJ Soares (25)-[New England Revolution]
4. Rich Balchan (25)-[Columbus Crew]
5. Chris Schuler (26)-[Real Salt Lake]
6. Amobi Okugo* (23)-[Philadelphia Union]

U-20 Central defenders:
Moises Hernandez* (is he a CB or FB? I haven't seen him play), & Sacir Hot, Sebastian Ibeagha

*Players with asterisk may occupy a different position.

Note: i want to mention these players even though they're likely to occupy a different position:
Sean Franklin (RB), Jonathan Spector (RB, LB, RM, CDM), AJ De la Garza (LB), Zach Loyd (LB), Nathan Sturgis (LB, CM), and Maurice Edu (CM) because they are likely to play a different position with the national team.

 

There's a college football saying that if you have two good quarterbacks, you have no good quarterbacks.

When it comes to MLS central defending I propose something similar - I would rather have one Ryan Nelsen than three Tim Reams. By that, I mean I would rather one guy in whom we're confident in his ability to play in a major top-flight than three guys of similar ability who might or might not be able to do it.

If we can't distinguish clearly among Opara, Ream, and Gonzalez, then we have the choice of believing they are all Ryan Nelsen or none of them are Ryan Nelsen. Given MLS' record with central defenders, it's unlikely we have three guys who could play at that high of a level. So until one of those guys, or someone else, stands clearly above the others, I'm afraid it's unlikely we have the player that we really need.

Nonetheless, I think it might be Brek Shea. If he can learn the position, he will certainly stand out, IMO. Maybe I have my FCD goggles on, but a Loyd-Shea-Goodson-Chandler backline is not unthinkable to me.

 

Given the piss poor defensive shape and questionable tactics and low pass completion percentage of the last 4 years it matters. A lot.

I'd gladly take a Demerit and Gooch over a slower less athletic but more cultured centerback given the circumstances.

 

Well stated. Your last paragraph states my only material concern about Ream. I have a lesser concern about him going in the air for 50/50 balls. Otherwise, based on what I have seen, Ream is more well rounded than any other prospect we have, including Gonzalez.

It's somewhat comical to see Opara and Boss continually hyped on here (and I have nothing against either since I have seen very little of them), yet those two have never featured for the USMNT and have had some club issues (injuries and/or finding the right club). I'd like to see both in camp for the USMNT before I start claiming they are the future.

 

Fair point. "hype" may not have been the right word.

 

I have seen BOSS play and has good distribution like Ream, he is stronger and way faster than Ream. All I'm saying is don't be surprise if you see them in our next january camp. Opara is another CB in the same mold as BOSS just a bit smaller.

 

I agree at this point, think Ream and Boss will be the guys in 2014 unless Brek Shea can improve.

 

don't sleep on Perry Kitchen. It's way too early to tell because of all the promising players coming through the ranks. Ream is the closest thing to a finished product we have as far as guys who will be younger than 30 by 2014

 

Deleted all but the ones I believe have a realistic chance. We've seen the best of Gooch, JayD, and Boca...and it wasn't that great.

From prime, John also will be a long shot and is prone to injury.

I think Ream has a shot but haven't been too impressed with Gonzalez other than his size and being somewhat athletic...for his size. But I like all of the contenders, especially Shea making the transition and the potential for finally having some composure and vision in the back...to, you know, start the attack instead of kicking it as hard as possible. Any of those contenders would be great if they continue to grow.

 

BB prefers a 6'4 CB with a 6'1 pairing CB. Gooch is 6'4 DeMerit (6'1).
Ream (6'1) Goodson (6'4) Gonzalez (6'4) BOSS (6'2) Opara (6'0)

I'm not sure if we have another Towering CB in the pipes.

I would like to see Ream and Goodson start at the GC. Lets see how things pan out during the next camp.