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.
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
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.
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.
I am probably going to take a lot of flack for this but I think Orozco could be an option for Honduras too.
Well, the good news is that he now has a team . . . http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/11/30/american-exprts-orozco-fiscal-move-puebla
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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
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
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.
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.
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.
--------------------Herc------------ ---FJohnson------Dempsey---------Gatt -------------Jones---------Bradley------- --Castillo------------------------------Chandler -------------Cameron---Gonzalez------ ---------------------Howard-------------- My starting lineup
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