Centerback Emergency

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by keller4president, Mar 2, 2013.

  1. keller4president Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 5, 2006
    Location:
    New York, NY
    With our two most critical qualifiers coming up, we are facing a serious centerback emergency. Basically our top 10 options for centerback are either riding the bench, out of season, or playing a different position for their club team. This is very, very troubling. A breakdown:

    1. Bocanegra - Hasn't played last 3 games for Santander. Last start: Feb 2.
    2. Goodson - Been out of season for last two months, and recently gave up captainship of Brondby after being demoted to the bench.
    3. Gooch - Hasn't really played at all for Malaga since last fall.
    4. Cameron - Has been on the bench last few games for Stoke - and hasn't played CB for them at all this season. Last start: Feb 23 (pulled after 51 minutes).
    5. Ream - Nowhere to be seen at Bolton. Last start: Feb 2.
    6. Whitbread - Still coming back from injury. Last start: Dec. 26. (Has never played for USMNT.)
    7. Omar Gonzalez - Still in preseason, made plenty of mistakes last qualifier.
    8. Besler - Still in preseason, had never started a WC qualifier.
    9. Maurice Edu - been playing well at CM in Turkey - last time he played CB was probably last summer at Azteca friendly.
    10. Michael Orozco - been playing mostly right-back for Puebla, but at least he's getting minutes.

    Who's left?
    If we don't have enough confidence in two of any of the above players, I figure our only option is to bring back Jay Demerit.
          
  2. Marko72 Member+

    Member Since:
    Aug 30, 2005
    Location:
    New York
    Well there goes your back-up option. Demerit just went out of the Whitecaps match in the 7th minute with a non-contact injury, maybe his Achilles.
  3. keller4president Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 5, 2006
    Location:
    New York, NY
    Well my next back-ups are Heath Pearce, George John and Chad Marshall.
  4. Excellency Member

    Member Since:
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Oh.
  5. Editor In Chimp Member+

    Member Since:
    Sep 7, 2008
    4 of those guys suck.
  6. Excellency Member

    Member Since:
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Just watched KC vs. Philly.

    For you Okugo fans, Okugo played fb.

    As for Besler, I have always felt his real position at KC should be at the 6. Nothing I saw tonight convinced me otherwise.

    Look forward to seeing John and Hedges at cb for Dallas at 8:30 tonight against Rapids.

    Expect them to do fine and I would love to see them play at the Gold Cup with Rimando in goal,because I want to win the darn thing.

    Actually, Dallas drafted Zimmerman fm SC with their high #1 pick so I wonder if they will play, eventually, with John and Zim and Hedges at the back. Would not mind seeing that.
  7. ImaPuppy Member+

    Member Since:
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    Houston Dynamo
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    ******** it, I'll do it.

    PUT ME IN COACH!
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  8. StrikerX4 Member

    Member Since:
    Jun 16, 2011
    Location:
    Ithaca, NY
    Country:
    United States
    I agree with your overall theme, but is this your actual depth chart? How do you have Goodson, Gooch, Whitbread, and Ream ahead of Besler and Omar?

    The top 3 right now is clearly Boca, Omar, Cameron. Not sure the order, but 2 of those will be starting together in the next round of the hex. It's unclear about #4, I would imagine Besler, Edu, and then Goodson are next in the pecking order. Edu is still a DM, but I'm sure JK is viewing him as a 4th string CB on a gameday roster.

    Whitbread, Ream, and Gooch won't be anywhere near this team anytime soon. It's more likely that Brooks gets a call (it'd be nice if he accepts!).

    Personally, I think that a starting tandem of Omar and Geoff will mesh and end up being reasonably sound. Of course, we're thin there, and depth is a major issue.
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  9. Editor In Chimp Member+

    Member Since:
    Sep 7, 2008
    Inverting the pyramid indeed
  10. SweetLife Red Card

    Member Since:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Country:
    United States
    We're done!! The sky is falling!!!:eek:

    Time for JK to dump his no bench-warmers policy and call Adu back also!
  11. dlokteff Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 22, 2002
    Location:
    San Francisco, CA
    Put your old avatar back up!!!!!!!!!!

    Or go way back and put the Jessica Alba one back up.
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  12. Marko72 Member+

    Member Since:
    Aug 30, 2005
    Location:
    New York
    Re: Demerit, it's a calf strain.
  13. CShine Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 13, 2009
    Location:
    Huntsville, AL
    Club:
    Rocket City United
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    United States
    The answer is Jozy & Deuce plus 8 German d-mids.
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  14. Excellency Member

    Member Since:
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I'm curious why u rate Boca as our top cb. Based on what? Just asking.
    Tom Collingsworth repped this.
  15. SweetLife Red Card

    Member Since:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Country:
    United States
    Experience I would guess!!
  16. Excellency Member

    Member Since:
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Why not put Pele in, right?
  17. ielag Member+

    Member Since:
    Jul 20, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    No, Okugo played CB
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  18. cleansheetbsc Member+

    Member Since:
    Mar 17, 2004
    Location:
    Albany, NY
    Club:
    --other--
    [IMG]
    What? No love for Danny Califf?
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  19. MarioKempes Member

    Member Since:
    Aug 3, 2000
    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    Goodson is a starting CB on Brondby. His club opens the season tomorrow at home against Randers FC. He is definitely an option for Klinsmann.
  20. jond Member+

    Member Since:
    Sep 28, 2010
    Location:
    Sky Diving
    Country:
    United States
    Clearly is a concern. Didn't Edu recently play CB in Turkey? If so, I might try a Cameron/Edu pairing but that is far from ideal.

    Add to the CB problem that Landon is still beach combing in Cambodia and Clint is out injured and most likely won't be fully fit and in form even if he can play on 3/22, we've got problems.

    You can't throw an MLS CB into a WCQer without having had an introduction to international play. The speed/pace is just far too different. While I like Besler and John as prospects, you can't throw them out there without having faced a pace significantly faster than MLS.

    Omar would make me pretty damn nervous if we put him out there in Den. Edu has played CB and plays at a faster pace weekly and is in form. He's also much quicker than Omar so has more of an ability to recover from mistakes with his speed. And his experience in reading international level attacks isn't comparable to Omar as he's an international veteran, even if he doesn't play CB. Personally, I'd go with Cameron/Edu.
  21. StrikerX4 Member

    Member Since:
    Jun 16, 2011
    Location:
    Ithaca, NY
    Country:
    United States
    Sorry that my post wasn't clear. Boca, Omar, and Cameron are the top 3. As in, those are the CBs likely to be on the roster. No particular order - it seems like Cam is #1 if anyone is.

    I'm unsure of whether JK might plug Boca back in after Cameron-Omar struggled a bit. I'd personally stay the course with that pair.
  22. comoesa Member+

    Member Since:
    Aug 13, 2010
    Location:
    A place with a beautiful duwang
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    United States
    Boca can't get off the bench for a 2nd division club in Spain and is getting even slower and losing strength. Besler and Cameron are definitely better than him at this point.
  23. ielag Member+

    Member Since:
    Jul 20, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Both also have quite a bit of experience against Saborio
  24. soccerusa517 Member+

    Member Since:
    Jun 23, 2009
    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Country:
    United States
    Cameron was bench today as well.

    Help.
  25. SweetLife Red Card

    Member Since:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Country:
    United States
    We've become a team of Bench-warmers. Time to build our team around the MLS and not rely on Europe! Oh wait, the Canada match:cautious:
    Time to beg.
    PLEASE give our guys more minutes in Europe:alien:

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