This thread is for the 12 USA Mens 2014 Draft teams to post their lineups for everyone to see and review. @Harper916 will gather up seeding info from everyone and then set up the "group phase" team voting threads. For reference, the 2014 Draft thread was: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/official-2014-usa-mens-draft-picks-thread.2000124/ The 2014 Draft Discussion thread was: https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/official-2014-usa-mens-draft-discussion-thread.2000125/ Could a moderator such as @bungadiri kindly sticky this thread? The other two Draft threads probably don't need to be stickied any longer. Thanks!
--------------------------------Davies---------------------------------------- -------Arriola-------------------Wood-------------------------Evans---------- ----------------------Avila----------------------------Sturgis---------------------------- -------Beasley--------Besler-----------Orozco-----------------Beltran--------- ----------------------------------Clark---------------------------------------------- Bench: Villafana Garza McBean Lletget Flores Venter Bornstein Ocegueda Magana
subs: Gyasi Zardes, Scott Caldwell, Tony Cascio, Raymon Gaddis, Stephen Mccarthy, Harrison Shipp, Devon Sandoval, Erik Hurtado, David Bingham
Find your football tactics app at this11.com Subs: Pickens (GK), Eric Miller (RB), Steve Cherundolo (RB), Chris Tierney (LB/LM), JJ Koval (DM/CM), Michael Stephens (CM/AM/RM/LM), Davy Arnaud (AM), Patrick Mullins (RM/CF), Teal Bunbury (CF/RM) If Cherundolo gets healthy or Miller does well, one of them gets inserted into the starting 11 and Moor goes central with Boswell to the bench. Rimando is my team captain, my left side is quick and strong, even on the bench, and I will have a lot of ball movement coming out of Feilhaber and O'Brien. My right side is weak and unexciting unless Cherundolo comes back, but Moor is adequate as RB and Rogers should show flashes of his old self this year. Mullins will be fighting for playing time with New England but has been put on the right flank a lot this preseason. Teal Bunbury seems to be over his injuries and looks in good form. Wondolowski will be depended on to do what he does best, put the ball int he back of the net. I have a solid team that will give most other teams fits somewhere on the field. My bench is mixed with veterans and some exciting youth. All that said, I really need something magical to happen on my right flank.
Here's what soccersubjectively(Real Soccer FC) sent me: ---------Dempsey---------Magee-------------- Duka------------McCarty--------------Farfan -----------------D. Williams-------------------- Morrow----Marshall---DeMerit----S. Williams ------------------Yarbrough------------------------ Bench: K. Sarkodie (RB/RW), T. Taylor (ST/W), C. Alvarez (CAM), C. Stanko (CDM/CB/OB), J. Gyau (W/ST), B. Carroll (CDM), A. Jahn (ST), B. Friedel (GK), E. White (CB)
And here's what Balerion(Team Balerion) sent me: ------------------Jóhannsson--------- ------------Davis-----Gil-----Salinas ---------------Clark-------Jones----- Harrington --- Parke --- Farrell --- Myers ---------------------Hamid--------------- Bench: Kronberg, Harvey, Anibaba, Hall, Warner, Allen, Pineda, Garcia, Gordon
East Bay United: ---------------------JackMac-----Cooper------------------------ -----------------------------Luis Silva----------------------------- --------------------Bradley------Jacobson----------------------- Castillo--------------------------------------------------Jewsbury -----------George John---Goodson---Parkhurst--------------- ------------------------------Johnson------------------------------ Bench ST- Findley ST- Buddle CAM/Winger- Thompson CAM/Winger- Span CM- Caskey CM- Paladini LB/RB- Loyd CB- McDonald GK- MacMath
Deportivo Vejete's starting XI in a 4-4-2 with a "Y" shaped midfield. We see Pontius providing left-sided width but also attacking the box a lot, combining with our forwards Altidore and Wooten. Nguyen is free to move and create along the right wing or cutting inside. Kljestan is the central midfield workhorse #8 and Beckerman is the veteran #6 who keeps things tight and under control. Boca is the veteran leader of the back teaching the younger talent Hedges the ropes. Brovsky flies up and down the left flank and DeLaGarza plays smart and composed along the right. Kennedy is our ace keeper in his prime. Boca is the Captain and Beckerman the Vice Captain. And we feel we have a super bench: Perkins is our experienced MLS starting keeper in reserve and for Cup games. Cronin sees a ton of action as our 12th man in central midfield, our most valuable sub and a rotational starter. Horst and Williams are starting-quality backs in the prime of their careers, with Williams able to play both RB or CB. Remick is our speedy young LB prospect pushing Brovsky for game time. Rolfe is our late game mobile, versatile and experienced attacking sub, sort of the way Klinsi used Oliver Neuville for Germany in 2006. Wenger is our gifted young striker sub who will push for starting minutes. Cruz is our right/left wing midfield worker-bee against tired opponents late in a game. McNamara is another skilled offensive prospect as an attacking midfielder for a change of pace. Our average age is 27 years. Half our team has experience internationally with the Senior team or US youth teams. All 20 players are on 1st team professional rosters. We have a great blend of talent, experience, and prime-age professional players, and the deepest bench in the league.
------------Sapong----------Boyd------------------ ---------------------Donovan----------------------- -----------Torres----------------Alexander--------- ----------------------Morales------------------------ Sinovic---------------------------------------Spector -----------------Opara-----Onyewu----------------- ----------------------Howard------------------------ Bench: Bendik, Zimmermann, Delgado, Barson, Barklage, Holden, Zizzo, Ariyibi, Kiesewetter 1st Captain: Donovan; 2nd Captain: Howard; 3rd Captain: Onyewu STARTING XI: GOALKEEPER: Tim Howard, Age: 35, Club: Everton, 97 Caps, #1 Keeper for USMNT and has often worn arm-band. Last call up: vs Ukraine 03/2014 RIGHT BACK: Jonathan Spector, Age 28; Club: Birmingham City, 34 Caps. Versatile defender/midfielder with wealth of experience. He gets a lot of criticism for being injury prone. But I want to point out that while he is injury prone, he is healthy now, and the reason why people focus so much on his injuries is because he has the ability to be such a key player for the USMNT. Note that he is healthy and playing again. Last call up: vs 03/Ukraine 2014 CENTER BACK: Oguchi Onyewu, Age: 31; Club: Sheffield Wednesday, 69 Caps, 6 goals. Granted, he is getting old and he is not the player who attracted AC Milan’s interest, but I’d only rank Besler, Gonzalez, Goodson, Brooks, Cameron, and maybe Orozco Fiscal higher. Last call up: vs Ukraine 03/2014. CENTER BACK: Ike Opara, Age: 25, Club: Sporting Kansas City, 0 Caps. So, Opara is the weakest link in my chain. But, mind you… Opara is an emerging player with enormous potential. Of note, Opara was a youth national star, but due to injuries, he struggled to take his game to the next level. In Besler’s absence, I expect and believe fully that Opara could have a breakout year in 2014. No call-ups. LEFT BACK: Seth Sinovic, Age: 27, Club: Sporting Kansas City, 0 Caps. Sinovic is arguably the best left back in MLS. Moreover, considering the desire to possibly put Fabian Johnson in the midfield, I believe that Sinovic could rival Beasley and Castillo for one of the best LB in the draft. Last call-up: vs South Korea 02/2014 HOLDING MIDFIELDER: Alfredo Morales, Age: 23; Club: Ingolstadt, 1 Cap. Morales is a very talented and promising player who can play anywhere across the backline but is probably most known for his play as a CDM. I think I should point out that Klinsmann really likes Morales as he has been called into numerous camps. Last call-up: vs Ukraine 03/2014 LEFT MIDFIELDER: Jose Francisco Torres, Age 26, Club: Tigres UANL, 26 Caps. Say what you will about JFT, but Klinsmann was ready to build his whole entire team around Torres. That said, JFT is entering his prime years and he is one of the most technical players in the pool. Last call-up: vs Mexico 09/2013. RIGHT MIDFIELDER: Eric Alexander, Age 25, Club: New York Red Bulls, 2 Caps. Alexander may not ever be on a box of Wheaties. But when you look at the facts, he was not only called in by Klinsmann for the January Camp, but he also received a cap. Last call-up: vs South Korea 02/2014 #10 PLAYMAKER: Landon Donovan, Age 32, Club: Los Angeles Galaxy, 155 Caps, 57 goals. When you look at my team. Do not look past Landon Donovan. Donovan’s influence on the game is critical, and there is no one who can match his creativity and production on the field. Also, besides Michael Bradley, there is no one else on the team that can make everyone else better like Landon Donovan. Last call-up: vs South Korea 02/2014. Served as Captain. FORWARD: Terrence Boyd, Age 23, Club: Rapid Vienna, 12 Caps. Boyd reminds me of a young Charlie Davies. A forward with all the intangibles and with the ability to really break onto the scene. Now, that he is tearing up the scoring charts in Europe, I hope to see him do the same for the national team. Last call-up: vs Ukraine 03/2014. FORWARD: CJ Sapong, Age 25, Club: Sporting Kansas City, 2 Caps. Sapong had a terrible 2013, and because of that, I’m not surprised to see why he fell so low in the draft. However, what people don’t realize is that Sapong was turning a corner at the end of the season and reports are that he has been in excellent form in preseason. I believe that at such a ripe age that Sapong his primed for a breakout year as he plays for arguably the best club in MLS. Last call-up: 01/2012 SUBS: MIDFIELDER: Sal Zizzo, Age 26, Club: Sporting Kansas City, 1 Cap. Zizzo was a youth prodigy until he tore his ACL. As a result, he became a journeyman for some years. Now, that he has at Sporting Kansas City under the reigns of Vermes, and with the task of filling Zusi’s shoes during the World Cup, I expect Zizzo to be the epitome of a comeback/breakout player of the year. MIDFIELDER: Stuart Holden, Age 28, Club: Bolton Wanders, 25 Caps, 3 goals. Ah! My heart breaks for Stu, but I don’t regret taking the risk on Holden. If Klinsmann and Bolton still hold out hope for Holden, I will too. I am rooting for him regardless of the draft… But if Holden were to come back, I believe it would be undisputable that I may have one of the best teams in draft history. Last call-up: 07/2013 DEFENDER: Brandon Barklage, Age 27. Club: San Jose Earthquakes. Entering his prime years, and with big shoes to fill. If he plays like he is capable of, he will have plenty of forward options to boost his stats with San Jose. DEFENDER: Chad Barson, Age 23, Club: Columbus Crew. Barson is a young, up and comer in MLS. He never won many headlines, but he was consistently considered among the top rookie candidates last year. DEFENDER: Walker Zimmermann, Age 20, Club: FC Dallas. This young stud looks to be one of our most promising center backs. When he steps on the field, he looks way older than he is and it’s no wonder why he wins accolades. While John and Hedges are the de facto starters for Dallas, John is so frequently injured that Walker may force Dallas’ hand. FORWARD: Jerome Kiesewetter, Age 21. Club: Hertha Berlin II on loan from VfB Stuttgart. Jerome has been a youth stud for so long. I would not be surprised if he did not start to push for first team minutes either with Hertha or somewhere else this year. DEFENDER/MIDFIELDER: Marco Delgado, Age 18, Club: Chivas USA. An 18 year old who is a returning and expected starter in MLS (even if it is Chivas) and also very versatile should get some headlines. FORWARD: Gboly Ariyibi, Age 18. Club: Leeds United. If a starting 18 year old in MLS, what about an emerging 18 year old starter for Leeds United? This could be my one big bust, but it could also be a homerun as he has already been earning minutes for the first team. GOALKEEPER: Joe Bendik. Age 24. Club: Toronto FC. Fell because of Julio Cesar coming. But Julio Cesar is only coming for a couple of months, and that will also give Bendik some mentorship. I could see Bendik surpassing a lot of the keepers taken before him.
Bear Flag FC Starting XI (4-4-2) We'll employ a 4-4-2 that emphasizes strong and diverse wing play, offering both crosses into the middle and slashing runs across the top of the box. Johnson will be a target forward up top where he'll provide hold-up play and be a target for crosses. Bruin will run underneath, connecting with midfield. Shea and Zusi will provide box-to-box wing play, doubling back on defense and getting forward to deliver service or run into the box. Larentowicz and Jeffry will patrol the midfield, winning balls and making passes to start the attack. The outside backs will push forward during build-up, with the other defenders sliding over to provide coverage. Bench: J. Corona J. Villareal M. Hairston H. Jimenez J. Riley S. Birnbaum G. Agbossamounde B. Perk B. Smith The bench is stacked with attacking talent that allows some tactical flexibility. In more possession-oriented formations, Corona will replace Shea as a LAM, and Villareal will replace Bruin underneath Johnson with Zusi playing as a RAM in a 4-2-3-1.
So just to expand on this... ---------Dempsey---------Magee-------------- Duka------------McCarty--------------Farfan -----------------D. Williams-------------------- Morrow----Marshall---DeMerit----S. Williams ------------------Yarbrough------------------------ Bench: K. Sarkodie (RB/RW), T. Taylor (ST/W), C. Alvarez (CAM), C. Stanko (CDM/CB/OB), J. Gyau (W/ST), B. Carroll (CDM), A. Jahn (ST), B. Friedel (GK), E. White (CB) Dempsey and Magee are obviously the proven scorers here. This team is probably not as wide as other teams are as Duka and Farfan don't cross as much as other true wingers do. However Duka, McCarty, and Farfan are all technically and creatively gifted enough to move the ball around the pitch without aimlessly chunking it into the box. Williams is our 6. Solid enough. Justin Morrow is one of the best LBs in MLS atm while Chad Marshall and World Cup vet DeMerit are trusted CBs. Sheannon Williams on the right is a great asset as well. The most unknown player would be William Yarbrough who is playing in Mexico. Very quick goalkeeper who should break on the scene after the World Cup. Dude is fast. Coming off the bench we have lots of options. Caleb Stanko and Joe Gyau are young so their minutes will be limited. Sarkodie gives us depth ont he right and Tony Taylor is a late sub up top. Alvarez is an up and coming CAM and Carroll is a responsible vet. Jahn is okay but not going to really try to sell anyone on him because there's a reason I picked him in the 18th round. Friedel as our backup who is still playing Europa games and is better than half of the other teams' starters.
Tactics are pretty simple... Spector and Sinovic are overlapping fullbacks. Alexander and Torres are working as box-to-box mids. Where morales plugs in the holding mid spot. Onyewu and Opara are two strong center backs that will dominate everything in the air. Note, I'll keep either Morales closer back or the fullbacks closer backs depending on need. Donovan has a free attacking role like he did for the Gold Cup. Boyd and Sapong both will play as high pressing forwards with their size, strength, and powert like the old combo of Anelka/Drogba. Zizzo is first option off bench. From there, depending on form Ariyibi/Kiesewetter is the forward sub. Also, Delgado will provide cover for the midfielders but also fullbacks. Barklage is cover for Spector, or Sinovic and push Spector left. Barson can play all along the back line. And would be a good late sub for a defender or player for depth. Zimmerman and Holden will push for starting roles. Zimmerman needs to beat out Opara or onyewu... While Holden just has to get healthy.
Mix Diskerud Omar Gonzalez Brad Guzan DeAndre Yedlin Shane O'Neill Freddy Adu Benji Joya Chris Schuler Ned Grabavoy Conor Doyle Rubio Rubin Erik Palmer-Brown Cole Grossman Mikey Lopez Matt Miazga Romain Gall Cody Cropper Mario Rodriguez Joe Gallardo Joel Soñora Doyle — Rodriguez Gall Grabavoy — Diskerud — Joya — Yedlin Gonzalez — O'Neill — Schuler Guzan Subs: Cropper, Palmer-Brown, Rubin, Adu, Grossman, Lopez, Miazga, Gallardo, Señora This tactic forsees both defensive and offensive capablities, one of the biggest is box-to-box and interchanging wing play, Grabavoy and Yedlin have the freedom to roam while at the same time keeping their defensive priorities at a maximum, this protects the backline from pending crosses, if any. Diskerud and Gall spark most of the attack while Joya remains back at midfield collecting any hospital balls that are cleared out from the offensive half, Rodriguez and Doyle offer much of the technical talent and service either from the flanks, from midfield or each other, on the bench is even more attacking talent, Soñora can come of the bench and play in a 4-3-2-1 with Gall and Soñora combining while keeping the backline protected with Cole Grossman when he comes on the replace Joya. The formation with this personnel can flex between a 5-3-2 when defending to a 3-5-2 or in rare cases a 4-2-4 when on a counter. Doyle — Gall — Rodriguez — Adu Diskerud — O'Neill Grabavoy — Gonzalez — Schuler — Yedlin Guzan
--------------Gomez----------------- Convey------Bedoya--------Holmes ----------Trapp-----Cameron-------- Klute--Borchers--Ogunbiyi--Lichaj ------------------Hall------------------ Subs: Steve Lenhart Zarek Valentin Steve Neumann Nick LaBrocca Eric Brunner Ben Speas Marc Pelosi Gabriel Farfan Andy Gruenebaum My team should have a strong defense especially with Cameron and Trapp helping to shield the back line. Going forward Convey week bring a good left foot and there will be overlapping runs by Klute. On the right Holmes is extremely quick and will cause problems for defenses. Lichaj will stay back a little more to help cover for Holmes rising. Bedoya gets to play a role more similar to what he plays at Nantes tucked in behind Gomez were his workrate will be a nightmare for defenses. Coming off the bench Lenhart will be tough for tired defenses to handle. I have a lot of versatility with multiple players that play various positions up top and across the midfield.
Cant decide whether I would start Velasquez, Cascio, or Zardes out wide got my rankings in though, felt like there was clearly a bottom 2, but the rest was tight. 3-5 was the hardest to rank for me
So far I have rankings from 7 teams. I still need rankings from @truefan420, @AutoPenalti, @Balerion, @joe cleats and @MPNumber9.
Just posted all of the groups. For those of you that weren't able to get your rankings in, sorry but if I wouldn't have posted these tonight, I wouldn't have been able to work on it until next Monday or Tuesday night. Because I didn't get everyone's rankings, and everyone ranked all teams but theirs, teams that did not send in rankings basically had extra points. So to keep it fair, I added up their ranking points, divided it by how many teams ranked them and subtracted that from their total. And as I lay here past midnight on a Friday night listening to a mix of Johnny Cash, Yanni and Pearl Jam, working on groups for voting on a fantasy soccer draft, I think I understand now why my wife shakes her head at me and says that I'm obsessed with soccer and that I'm a nerd/dork.