Jamaican me crazy.... Roster Watch and Speculation

Hey that sort of rhymes...

chandler also played on the left for us a lot didnt he but he is more a RB.

with fabian on the left and chandler on the right (donovan on the right helps too) we could be very very good.

Klinsmann has been playing Torres out of position for most of the games so far, he is naturally a CM. But with Klisnmann playing him everywhere shows that he trusts in Torres' ability and also he doesn't really do bad when he has to fill in at random positions. When he was playing in the match against Antigua & Barbuda, he was playing sufficiently at LB except that he was playing farther up the field than a typical LB does.

The formation that Jurgen is trying to run is a new type of formation that is emerging in Europe. It's a warped 4-3-3 where the LB is an attacking threat who focuses more on attack than defense. This allows another CM to tuck into the center to create more chances while the field still gets stretched because of the fullback. It becomes more of a 3-4-3

If Jurgen plays Edu again after Guatemala I have lost all respect for him as a judge of talent.
With our fullbacks attacking so much one dubious pass from Mo could cost us.

My projected jamaica roster:

GK- Howard, Guzan
DF- CHANDLER, Lichaj, Johnson, Dolo, Boca, Gonzo, Cameron, Goodson, Ream or Gooch
MF- Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Jones, Williams, Torres, Edu, Pontius, Gyau
FWD- Altidore, Gomez, Boyd

yes please x 100000

just no Gooch...i'll never forget him letting up that goal to Trinidad and Tobago

Updated post Mexico match:

GK: Howard, Guzan, Johnson
DF: Cherundolo, Chandler/Lichaj, Castillo, Johnson, Bocanegra, Goodson, Cameron, Edu
MF: Beckerman, Bradley, Zusi, Jones, Williams
FW: Donovan, Dempsey, Shea, Beasley, Altidore, Gomez, Boyd
Alternates: Rimando, Orozco, Beitashour, Besler, Parkhurst, Lichaj, Corona, Torres, Pontius, Wondolowski, Gordon
Notes: Pontius and Lichaj are the only new faces that even have a remote chance to sneak on the 23 roster. That even includes guys like Ream and Kljestan. Guys like Gatt and Brooks will have to wait until we've qualified from this round of qualification.

Round 1 @ Jamaica:
-----------------Gomez-------------------
-----Dempsey--------------Donovan-----
-----------Bradley-----Jones--------------
---------------Beckerman-----------------
Johnson--------------------------Cherundolo
----------Bocanegra----Cameron----------
-------------------Howard-------------------

Bench: Guzan, Edu, Chandler/Castillo, Zusi, Shea, Beasley, Altidore

Round 2 v Jamaica:
-------------------Altidore--------------------
Gomez----------Dempsey------------Donovan
------------Bradley-------Jones---------------
Johnson-----------------------------Chandler/Lichaj
--------------Cameron---Edu------------------
---------------------Howard--------------------

Bench: Guzan, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Williams, Shea, Beasley, Boyd

How do you feel now?

Edu is quite under-rated around here. He does fail passes, but not defensive passes. He may kill the chances of attacking, but with him in front of the CBs there's always a sense of security.

Start Lichaj and Chandler (IF he gets his head right and is called in) as fullbacks then bump Fabian up to midfield where he plays for Hoffenheim and is better suited like we did vs. Slovenia as well. Rest of your roster/lineup looks great.

Guess its that time again...

GK: Tim Howard, Nick Rimando, Sean Johnson

DEF: Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron, Timothy Chandler, Clarence Goodson, Steve Cherundolo, Tim Ream, Edgar Castillo

MID: Michael Bradley, Jermaine Jones, Kyle Beckerman, Danny Williams, Jose Torres, Graham Zusi

FWD: Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Brek Shea, Damarcus Beasley, Terrence Boyd

Notes: Beasley, Shea, Zusi, Castillo earn spots off the fringe from Mexico performance. Bocanegra hopefully told retire from the nats or move from Rangers if he isnt by then. Edu, honestly mixed with his position moves & club situation I didnt know what to do with him. I want to see what happens with him & where his new club decides to use him. If he doesnt move by the 31st, I dont think he should be called because he isnt playing for rangers atm. If he's called, he hasnt played in 3 weeks. His situation is too different atm to name him in my squad yet. I dont see the point of Wondolowski with Altidore. Corona maybe called but I hope if he does, he is atleast captied. Then theres Lichaj who for now I leave out because he didnt see time for AV this last weekend. If he gets back in the line-up next weekend, ill add him in.

Great lineup, but your logic behind Lichaj kind of confuses me. The fact that he's on an EPL team like Villa (mid-pack) and didn't start one game eliminates him from making this roster? Kind of harsh esp. given his proven track record with USMNT. Lot's of the players you included play on a much lower level; for instance even Ream (who you included) is playing second divison football right now.

As of right now, he's not a starter. I expect him to start next weekend after Lowton & Baker's performances but until it actually happens he wont be in my squad. Its kind of just leaving him out assuming he does not get back into the squad. I will add him when he get his spot back. No matter what level you're at, the most important thing is to be getting valuable minutes.

Very true

With less than a year to go before the next Gold Cup, which will be the test of fire for the team before the World Cup, I'd say the time to add/subtract people from the roster is almost over. At this point, we'll be seeing (almost exclusively) those who have played in the NT under Klinsmann.

Remember that when he calls a camp for friendlies or for quals, he has a chance to see them in action playing each other. From that process, he selects the combinations and players who seem to work better with each other. So many permutations we've never seen on the field have already been tried.

Someone who's got significant minuted with JK is VERY likely to be in the 23. And that regardless of their current club situation. In that sense, I think it's more likely we'll see Castillo at LB, Dolo at RB and Fabian at LW, than seeing Lichaj or Chandler at RB.

The pool remains open, of course, but getting in the camp gets harder as time goes by. Can't keep experimenting forever, this is the time to start building chemistry.

What? You know Dolo is probably not going to be the starter come Rio, he'll be 35. Let's see what happens/who gets called up these qualifiers...Lichaj/Chandler >>>>>>> Dolo/Castillo

You don't play qualifiers with the intention to solidifying your roster 2 years away... You play your best XI. Friendlies are when you start to play games to figure out the future roster.

-------------------Altidore-----------------
---Dempsey--------------------Donovan--
------------Torres--------Bradley---------
--------------------Jones-------------------
-Johnson-Cameron--Gonzalez--Lichaj--
------------------Howard------------------

Subs: Boyd, Gomez, Shea, Williams, Edu, Ream, Guzan

Perfect opportunity to try out a new CB combination in my opinion. Cameron-Gonzalez are probably the best CBs we currently have who arent over 30.

Torres was poor against Mexico but I think that had to do with the formation. I think we should give him one more chance pretty much just because we dont have many other options right now.

??? what is it with you people who think Torres should be in the starting lineup but Edu should be benched? Edu played great against Mexico despite the adversity of his unfamiliar position and his preseason situation at Rangers. Torres however played slightly worse than his usual level of mediocrity. because of "the formation"
i think Edu definitely earned another chance at centerback, his speed will be needed against Jamaica. hopefully he's got a new club by then.
as for Torres, have people already forgotten the World Cup in South Africa when we were gettin' ass-whipped by Slovenia and Torres was playin' like his usual overrated self, and Bradley subbed him out at halftime to be replaced by...

Maurice Edu! who helped win back the midfield battle as the Yanks came back from two goals down to win in dramatic fashion 3-2 with the triumphant Edu goal. or that's what should have happened anyway. Torres was worse than Edu then and he still is now...

i'm goin' with

-------------Altidore------------------
-Shea------Dempsey-----Donovan-
--------Jones-------Bradley---------
-Johnson-----------------Chandler--
----------Cameron--Edu------------
--------------Howard-----------------

take Cherundolo if Chandler flakes. take Herculez if Dempsey is still without a club. Boyd as offensive sub. Williams as defensive sub. i think Boyd and Shea are due their first goals for the national team. i wouldn't be surprised to see one or both of them score against Jamaica...

-------------Altidore------------
Johnson--Dempsey--Donovan
----------Bradley-Jones---------
Chandler--------------------Dolo
----------Cameron-Edu-----------
-------------Howard--------------

Bench: Guzan, Boyd, Gomez, Beckerman, Torres, Boca, Lichaj

I'm usually a big Torres fan, but overall I think I'd rather have Johnson in the midfield these days given Dolo, Lichaj and hopefully Chandler at FB. I was hoping Torres would have a breakout with the NT, but it just seems like other players have progressed faster than he has.

I think Eleven Bravo has very likely lineups for the two matches in post #58.

If Chandler is willing, JK will call him up in a heartbeat. I'd also love to see Lichaj and have been calling for the guy for months, but for these two Jamaica matches I doubt it. JK hasn't called him in recently, so I doubt he will now in what are two crucial matches. JK is calling in known quanties, period.

Skevin is usually a very logical poster, so I'm a bit dumbfounded in his lineup with Gonzo starting vs Jamaica (post #69). No way JK starts Gonzo on a whim having basically never seen him before. Even his odds of making the roster are well below 50-50. The Jamaica matches are not the perfect opportunity to try Gonzo or any new CBs. Hopefully we get 4 or 6 points in September, and THEN the Antigua and Guatemala matches will become a great time to call up Gonzo.

Those of you dropping Boca are being silly. The guy is the US Captain and was a regular for the US back in May/June. None of the other CB's has distinguished himself. The Rangers turmoil won't outweigh his years of fine contributions and his very recent US starting role. Boca has a 99% chance of being called in and probably an 85% chance of starting. If Boca doesn't start next to Cameron, it will be Goodson (10% chance) and maybe Edu (5% chance).

I think there can be reasonable debate about whether Gomez or Altidore starts these matches. It's a close call.

I think Torres has lost any chance of starting (except maybe as an emergency LB!). But there is still a fine chance that JK will call him up for sub duty.

Those of you pushing Johnson into midfield are not reading the tea leaves very well. I totally understand the interest in getting his skills into midfield, but it's not happening short-term. JK hasn't played Johnson in midfield since the Slovenia game some 9 months ago. And Johnson is a starting LEFT BACK for his club. You can book Johnson as an outside back for the two Jamaica matches. If the US gets 6 points and if Chandler and Lichaj are called in soon, then maybe you'll see some future trials of Johnson in midfield. Until then, it's wishful thinking only.

The reason i'd sit Edu is because realistically he isn't our starting CB. If Jurgen puts him at CM then that means Bradley and Jones will be given the playmaking roles which we already have proven just doesnt work. Bradley is a box to box mid and Jones is a defending mid. Then if you put another defending mid in the mix, you get no scoring chances. Torres needs to be starting unless we play a 4-4-2. As for citing the world cup, that is a whole different scenario. Torres and Bradley were both in their early twenties and those two paired together is terrible defensively. Bob expected Slovenia to bunker so he put Torres on to break apart their defense but when Slovenia came out attacking, we got screwed. Torres back then was terrible at defending so Slovenia had an easy time attacking. Plus that was Torres' 3rd or 4th cap ever and first in the world cup.

I believe Johnson only made a single appearance in midfield for Hoffenheim since mid-December 2011, and that was in a DFB Pokal match. All of his Bundesliga starts afterwards were at left back.