Pre-match: USA vs Costa Rica, September 6th 2013

Looks like Shea could be getting some game time for Stoke next week if he keeps doing what he's doing in practice...Hughes with some nice comments today. We know Klinsy likes Shea as well. Will be interesting to see if he sneeks on.

I'll go with:

Howard, Guzan, Rimando
Evans, Lichaj, Cameron, Brooks, Gonzalez, Besler, Beasley
Jones, Bradley, Diskerud, Kljestan, Corona, Zusi, Fabian, Shea
Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan, Johannsson, EJ

 

GK.3. Howard, Guzan, Rimando
RB.2. Evans, Parkhurst,
CB.4. Brooks, Gonzalez, Besler, Goodson
LB.2. Beasley, Castillo
DM.2. Cameron, Beckerman
CM.2. Jones, Bradley,
AM.2. Diskerud, Kljestan
W.4. Fabian, Corona, Bedoya, Shea,
F.5. Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan, Johannsson, Eddie

26 total
3 too many
probably from these guys : Beckerman, Kljestan, Shea, Corona, Bedoya, Johannsson, Brooks

-i did NOT include Zusi, cause of his recent injury

how are Kljestan, Shea, doing so far in their club seasons ?
getting starts ? pt ?

i add Johannsson, Brooks on the questionable list, because thats alot of travel (for bench guys), and,
IF, we dont have plans to cap them, then thats alot of time spent, with no cap or pt
if thats the case, i hope its made clear from the beginning, cap/pt is not guaranteed, but hope to get them in at the end of the game

*

another Question ?
IF, Dempsey and Donovan start, and we need a goal late in the game, do either of them get subbed out ?


i would go with 3 CMs, control the game, avoid goals early in the game
then, go for the win or tie, by replacing 1 of them with a striker

 

Johannsson noted he wants to be part of these WCQ's...he will be in the US, he's too good to leave off. Also he's already cap tied now with his one time switch.

Shea, as Hughes noted today, could be getting game minutes next week for Stoke

Zusi is off the injury report and is expected to return and play tonight vs. the Chicago fire.

 

Might make sense for Brooks but not Johannsson as he is already cap tied to us and thus might as well show up.

Plus I'm pretty sure he will get playing time in one, if not both matches.

 

Unless you count the CAM as a CM, I think we are done with that for the most part, we might pull it out and dust it off against a Spain or Germany or Brazil in the WC, but I do not see us using it very much if at all.

I think you are close here, I like what you have minus Becks, eddie and corona. From a minutes comparison it looks to me that Bedoya is slightly ahead of Corona in JK's eyes. I think IF shea is healthy he gets called in, I think the guys that needs to worry about his spots are the Rasta man EJ and possibly evn Graham. I like Graham, but I think he is near his ceiling and some of the other guys that are close to him now seem to have more ceiling. I think EJ has shown he is of limited usefulness and with AJ and CD we already have guys who can back up JA. So I leave him out unless I one of AJ CD and JA are not avail.

 

Agree with you on Bedoya...I think JK favors him slightly over Corona/Torres and a big year in France with Nantes could push him over. I'd like to see Brooks called in though.

 

I will be stunned if Brooks is healthy and not called up. I would not mind if OG had to sit aadn Besler got slid to the right with JAB aat the left. I onl moved Besler cause the new kid does not need aas much to think about and i think Besler can handle it. I don't despise OG but have seen enough now that he stays in MLS to think he is not an optimal as a CB.

I had hoped for a trasnfer that would force him to correct his love of ball watching. That stuff will bite you in the WC I think. Being a Dp I think makes his issue terminal, fine for a back up but I would like a bit more out our starter.

 

Nantes play PSG tom. I think it is on tv according to Yanks Abroad : Flavor of the Week on N&A. (BeIN)

Its on same time as Roma game tho with replay later so my tavern will likely show Roma. I have no tv at mom

 

Yeah lots of good matches this weekend with Americans. However Beodya picked up a knock to his calf this past weekend and as of Wednesday is questionable vs. PSG o nSunday...doesn't seem to be anything to really worry about though...I'll try and find an update

http://translate.google.com/transla...69984-fc-nantes-bedoya-incertain-face-au-psg/

 

I like this 23. I'd also call in Lichaj so Klinsmann can directly compare him to Evans and Parkhurst, but honestly I don't see it happening. If I had to drop a player it'd be Kljestan because there are 5 other CMs on that list in Jones, Bradley, Cameron, Mix and Beckerman.

 

thanks for all the responses, much appreciated.

Zusi is on the team, IMO, nobody bumps him off the team.
he has the best crosses on the team.
he is versatile.
even though we play him wide, he can also play centrally
i really want Fabian to play L.FB with Donovan in front of him and Zusi on the right.
mostly because i cant stand Beasley starting

if his (Z) injury is not a concern, then Corona or Bedoya get bumped off
and if, Shea is ready to go, the other ^ C/B, gets bumped off

with the info posted, and some good facts and thoughts
here is my revised 23, the bold, get bumped off

GK.3. Howard, Guzan, Rimando
RB.2. Evans, Parkhurst,
CB.4. Brooks, Gonzalez, Besler, Goodson
LB.2. Beasley, Castillo
DM.1. Cameron, Beckerman
CM.2. Jones, Bradley,
AM.1. Diskerud, Kljestan
W.3. Fabian, Shea, Zusi, Corona, Bedoya
F.5. Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan, Johannsson, Eddie

also, i like when we play with 3 mids

 

The plan where we sub out our best creator and best goal scorer and captain because we need a goal late is a really bad plan.

 

Zusi went 90 tonight. Should be fine for a game in 3 weeks.

I think JK will call in more that 23 players, as we have 2 games and 9 guys on yellows. I'd expect 25-26.

GK: Howard; Guzan, Rimando.
FB: Evans, Beasley; Parkhurst, Castillo
CB: Gonzalez, Besler; Goodson, Brooks
M/D: F. Johnson; Cameron
DM/CM: Bradley, Jones; Beckerman, Kljestan
OM/AM: Zusi, Bedoya, Diskerud, Corona
F/M: Donovan, Dempsey, Johannsson, E. Johnson
F: Altidore

Last 3 in: Kljestan, Corona, Beckerman.

 

Here is the 23 that I would call in for the qualifiers.
GK: Howard, Guzan, Rimando
Def: Cameron, Gonzalez, Besler, Goodson, Brooks, Evans, F. Johnson, Beasley
Mids: Bradley, Jones, Kljestan, Diskerud
Wings: Donovan, Zuzi, Bedoya, Corona
Fwds: Altidore, Dempsey, Johannsson, E.Johnson

Bubble players that could work there way in:

Castillo, Parkhurst, Chandler
Williams, Torres, Beckerman, Shea, Agudelo

 

Hmmm... Michael Parkhurst is playing less for Augsburg than Adu for Bahia. While Freddy has played like 85 minutes so far this year(!), in July/August, Mike has played one game and a half for Augsburg this year, back in February, and since then nothing.

 

If Parkhurst wants any future with the USMNT he needs to step down to Bundesliga II or head to a different country altogether.

 

I forgot about Torres in my earlier post. Also I didn't think Shea would be ready, but if he's healthy and has seen some time for Stoke, he probably goes as well.

With all the guys we have with card issues (Howard, Evans, Besler, Cameron, F. Johnson, Bradley, Jones, Dempsey, Altidore) I could see JK calling in more than 23 guys. 25-26 at least.

 

I feel bad for Torres. He's the one guy played consistently out of position, on the left. At least Kljestan was given a couple of chances to play his B2B role, though the center. All in all, JFT has done well, used as an utility player to keep things rolling until the other team is understood.

 

Don't feel too bad for him. He had his chance at WC 2010 and blew it.

 

JFT was a terrible fit in BB's system. He's more geared to a JK-like possession game. BB's defend-and-counter (aka "fast transition") was never going to work for him.

 

Really hoping we get this roster on Monday.

 

Argh. I completely forgot we have another weekend in there. You're right.

Sigh.

 

No way we see a roster this week. Other countries are already announcing theirs for the upcoming qualifiers though. Saw Ireland named a 29-man squad. With all the potential yellow card issues I think we'll be bringing more than 23 along for the ride.