Pre-match: Hex Match 1: Feb 6 USA @ Honduras

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Big Chil in Denver, Nov 15, 2012.

  1. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He's good, just not enough to unseat Johnson.
     
  2. mike4066

    mike4066 Member+

    Jun 30, 2007
    Chula Vista, CA
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    True but he could provide us flexibility to move FJ up to LW
     
  3. Clenbuterol

    Clenbuterol Red Card

    Aug 25, 2011
    Club:
    --other--
    I kind of want to see what EJ and Altidore can do up front together. But I do like Gomez so there is a conundrum.
     
  4. braun

    braun Red Card

    Feb 22, 2001
    metro Boston
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Boca out 6 weeks; Whitbread always iffy; Donovan less than enthusiastic to continue with the USMNT, this is is my starting XI vs Honduras:

    HOWARD
    DOLO
    CAMERON
    GONZALEZ
    CASTILLO
    JONES
    WILLIAMS
    BRADLEY
    CHANDLER
    DEMPSEY
    FABIAN
     
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  5. INKRO

    INKRO Member+

    Jul 28, 2011
    Or the other way around really.
     
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  6. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I like Castillo going forward, but the Toluca goal shows why Castillo is a liability at LB, dude has to improve his defending a lot to be a World cup caliber LB (then again we once took Boringstein).

    IMO Castillo is better suited for a 5 back line (3 with 2 wingers), he is a better LWB than LB.
     
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  7. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    The problem with FJ at left wing is that he is not a goal scorer (yet).
     
  8. keller4president

    Jan 5, 2006
    Goodson not on the roster for Brondby today...is he in the doghouse? Puts more pressure on Klinsmann to find a replacement CB. Gonzalez and Whitbread are leading candidates. Daniel Williams also started at CB today for Hoffenheim, but they let in 4 goals.
     
  9. Clenbuterol

    Clenbuterol Red Card

    Aug 25, 2011
    Club:
    --other--

    I am probably going to take a lot of flack for this but I think Orozco could be an option for Honduras too.
     
  10. deuteronomy

    deuteronomy Member+

    Angkor Siem Reap FC
    United States
    Aug 12, 2008
    at the pitch
    Club:
    Siem Reap Angkor FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  11. sXeWesley

    sXeWesley Member+

    Jun 18, 2007
    Club:
    Portland Timbers
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We need a goal creator up front. We have plenty of guys that finish chances, we have a dearth of players capable of creating them, FJ is as good or better than anyone else at that particular skill.
     
  12. MLSFan123

    MLSFan123 Member+

    Mar 21, 2011
    Boston Area
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He has 2 goals from his LB spot in the Bundesliga so far this year(15 games).

    Brek Shea had 3 goals from his LW spot this year(17 games).

    I think Fab could create at that spot as much as anyone we have but I still think it is nuts to move him from LB.
     
  13. Foolishness

    Foolishness Member+

    Aug 15, 2012
    He has at least 3 goals this year at LB but I think it's 4. He has a few assists too.

    I don't mind if we move him to LM or he stays at LB. He's great either way. I think we'd be better off putting him at LM and having Castillo at LB.
     
  14. morange92

    morange92 Member+

    Jan 30, 2012
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    to be fair, brek shea had been dealing with turf toe and never really got into rhythm this season. In general i'd really like to see shea win that left midfield spot. I think he has what it takes. Eddie Johnson didn't look so bad, but then again we have no idea if he will disappear again like he used to when he played better competition.
     
  15. BimmerBenz95

    BimmerBenz95 Member+

    Feb 24, 2012
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't think Whitbread is one of the leading candidates tbh, it's probably Gonzalez and Besler.
     
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  16. Dignan

    Dignan Member+

    Nov 29, 1999
    Granada
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes you will and should.
     
  17. Martin Fischer

    Martin Fischer Member+

    Feb 23, 1999
    Kampala. Uganda
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Brilliant - a lineup with six defenders and one player with proven attacking abilities. Who knows, maybe we are reduced to praying for a tie on the road in Central America?:eek:
     
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  18. az2004

    az2004 Member

    Jun 5, 2012
    martin has a good point...

    pick the best defensive left back

    i'd go with gonzolaez with cameron in the middle

    dolo at right

    jozy with dempsey up top

    mids williams jones gomez and gatt

    donovan, sub for gatt at 60 minute

    does landon really care for the game anymore>> if not, get him out asap
     
  19. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A lot can change in two months.
     
  20. az2004

    az2004 Member

    Jun 5, 2012
    the big question is how much landon wants it

    he's been at high level for quite a while, and age and top form are key, along with hunger

    i'd hope to have a gatt emerge, and donovan be a suprsub

    90 minutes for 10 hex matches, id thik not, bu 20-30 munutes as a game changers, possibly
     
  21. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Posters are finally catching up to the idea of Castillo starting at left back. If Donovan retires and Gonzales gets a training stint/transfer somewhere:

    --------------------------Herc
    --------FJohnson------Dempsey-----Altidore
    ------------------Jones---------Bradley
    ---Castillo----------------------------------Chandler
    ------------------Gonzalez---Cameron
    -------------------------Howard

    But probably Goodson starts. Altidore's fitness improvement has been impressive, and his game is further from goal. Let Herc and Boyd do the dirty work up top.
     
  22. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Versatility is a key factor when playing quals away from home against strong rivals. You need guys who can play 3-4 different roles, so that you can start defensive and switch to attack once they tire, or the opposite: attack like mad at the start until a goal is scored within the first 20, and after defend tooth and nail.

    Either plan, with only 3 subs allowed, means you need players comfortable in diverse roles. The name of the modern game is adaptability.

    The players who learned their trade in Germany are good at it. Fabian can be both, an attacking winger and a fullback. Jones can be a destroyer or a connecting CM. Williams can play on the right (mid or defending), or as the DM. Some of the ex-MLSer can do it too: Cameron can play CB or RB, and also DM/CM. Zusi can be a central distributor or a wide attacking mid. And Kljestan can be a lateral attacking mid (left or right), a CAM with scoring duties, or a CM to spread the ball wide. Dempsey and Donovan are, also, multifunctional.

    In this particular case, players who can switch from mainly-attacking to mainly-defensive are a huge asset. That's why I think using Johnson as a winger and switching him to a more defensive role after scoring could be interesting. Similarly, Cameron could save a sub, starting as a CM and switched later to CB. However, I don't see JK doing things so clearly, so I expect him to switch roles more than positions (which is also widely used).

    So, a starting lineup similar to the one that started the away game at Guatemala should be expected. Trying to score early, for the first 20-30 minutes. And after, hopefully with a 1-0 lead, defend. Honduras is a team that grows stronger as the game goes on.

    Starting:
    -----------------------Howard-----------------------
    Cherundolo---Gonzalez---Cameron----Johnson
    ----------------------Williams----------------------
    ------------Jones---------------Bradley-----------
    -----Zusi------------------------------Dempsey---
    ----------------------Altidore-----------------------

    which in attack would be more like:

    -----------------------Howard-------------------------
    Cherundolo------Gonzalez------Cameron----------
    -------------------------------Williams----------------
    -------Jones---------Bradley--------------Johnson
    -----Zusi----------Altidore-----Dempsey------------

    Almost a 4-3-3, since Williams will be dropping to cover and act as a 4th defender when needed. At times even a 4-2-4, with Johnson on the same line with the forwards.

    In defense, after (hopefully) scoring:

    ----------------------Howard-----------------------
    Cherundolo---Gonzalez---Cameron---Johnson
    ----------------Jones-----Williams----------------
    --------Kljestan---Bradley---Dempsey-----------
    ----------------------Gomez------------------------

    with Bradley dropping to a more DM role, and Jones/Williams helping on the sides. Last sub could be a more defensive player in for Dempsey, someone to help a counter. With Edu out of the picture, I wouldn't be too surprised to see Beckerman do another appearance, to end defending with a 4-3-2-1.
     
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  23. Excellency

    Excellency Member+

    LA Galaxy
    United States
    Nov 4, 2011
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    The starting line up must be very close to what JK is thinking with, I believe, one exception: EJ will be given the start at LW with Dempsey in the cf role and Jozy on the bench with Herc and Boyd and Mix and Kljestan, waiting to be subbed in. I would be happy with that, with the exception that I think we have to look for a 6 (I don't know who) and use Williams more like we used Edu in the old days, as a defensive sub.
     
  24. Pl@ymaker

    Pl@ymaker Member+

    Feb 8, 2010
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    --------------------Herc------------
    ---FJohnson------Dempsey---------Gatt
    -------------Jones---------Bradley-------
    --Castillo------------------------------Chandler
    -------------Cameron---Gonzalez------
    ---------------------Howard--------------


    My starting lineup
     
  25. az2004

    az2004 Member

    Jun 5, 2012
    gomez isn't the physical pure presence up top, the guy who can hold the ball..

    jozy with gomez, dempsey and zusi underneath fits what i see...

    bringing on gatt midway in the 2nd half for a zusi brings his pace

    once jozy is out of gas, boyd can still fill that role..

    i'd still have fabian at left back, it's a road match and williams with jones would be my preference

    we do not need landon, but if he wants to be a team player, 15-20 minutes, fine

    but i'm not depending on him
     

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