Striker analysis @ ESPNSoccernet

[lmorin]

Haven't seen this mentioned: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=337012&cc=5901 . It is an interesting analysis concerning how other teams will target Donovan and Beasley, possibly to physically take them out of games.
One thing that is happening to the U.S. is that Beasley and Donovan are becoming increasingly targeted by the opposition. Defensive midfielders can be expected to continue to take some hard shots at them.
The article uses that analysis to argue that Dempsey is needed on the field to relieve that pressure from those two guys.
The next World Cup will be staged in Germany, [...] and Beasley and Donovan could well be subjected to some special treatment. So, the U.S. should be working on developing other game-breakers, and that appears to be what Arena is doing with Dempsey.
How it's going to happen is the problem, much discussed on these boards already.

[United20]

Dempsey is one of the few up-n-comers that have made an impact for the US and likely will see some serious playing time in the final leg of the Hex qualifiers. But, there is also EJ and McBride that this article is not factoring, and if Reyna does come back his passing will give these guys more room. Finally, this is a long shot, and not really counting on him but JOB would be huge if he is healthy for the next year. Huge, probably the most important piece to finalize a worthy offense going into WC 2006.

[JRNoblin]

Thanks for the link to the interesting article, but when I read this passage:

DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan and, possibly, Clint Dempsey and Steve Ralston, are the only players who can be expected to produce offensively at key times among Gold Cup players. When Eddie Johnson, Eddie Lewis, and Brian McBride return, the team will be more dynamic.

I had to chuckle. Ralston as a guy who can be expected to produce offensively? I wish. I like Ralston's attitude and he has some definite strengths, but I hardly think, "Oh yes, Ralston's in the lineup. Goals are sure to follow."

[mathiaslg]

Once again, Dempsey is not a forward.

[mathiaslg]

The issue really is this, you can't make a goalscorer, a player either has it or he doesn't. You can improve the players you do have, but the truth of the matter is that up front, the U.S. is in an odd position; we just don't really have a classic goalscorer. EJ may develop into such a player, but at the highest level (i.e. the WC), I don't think he is there just yet.

Now, we do have Donovan and Beasley (as the article rightly speaks to) who are dangerous in their own right. They are, nonetheless, naturally more withdrawn players. The same is true of Dempsey, though he isn't quite ready yet either. And, until we finally start to really integrate the Justin Mapp/Eddie Gaven generation into the Full Nat's, I don't think we will see our creativity issues ultimately resolved.

[Ghost]

I'm really getting fed up with the homer attitude over there at ESPN. Dell'Apa writes about Dempsey and elevates Ralston, Ives writes about nothing but Metrostars ... Are these national correspondents or are they going to have to get contributions from a columnist in every MLS city?

[the Next Level]

Thanks for the link to the interesting article, but when I read this passage:



I had to chuckle. Ralston as a guy who can be expected to produce offensively? I wish. I like Ralston's attitude and he has some definite strengths, but I hardly think, "Oh yes, Ralston's in the lineup. Goals are sure to follow."

He said "On the GOLD CUP ROSTER" and he's right, but only regarding this GOLD CUP roster.

[Asprilla9]

I had to chuckle. Ralston as a guy who can be expected to produce offensively? I wish. I like Ralston's attitude and he has some definite strengths, but I hardly think, "Oh yes, Ralston's in the lineup. Goals are sure to follow."yeah, the sad thing is he COULD be that guy for us ... if he was about 1 1/2 speeds faster. i really like what he can bring to the USMNT and he seems to fit in with BA's system. but his agonizing lack of speed just KILLS attacks. and with LD, DMB, EJ, etc ... we just can't have a guy out there that singlehandedly slows down attacks. just can't have it.

our guys already have a speed-shock in store for them at the WC (happens every time) ... you can't put a winger out there that's already at a speed deficit even moreso than the others.

[SambaJ]

Once again, Dempsey is not a forward.

Maybe, Maybe not. Time will tell; or Bruce, rather.

[Liviu]

Once again, Dempsey is not a forward.

I agree he's not a forward. It's evident on the field. He's always bringing the ball out from deep into midfield and has a tendency to drop back all the time. Perhaps he'll learn how to play as a true forward in the future but right now we end up playing with 1 forward when Dempsey's fielded as a forward.

[Elninho]

So far in the Gold Cup, Dempsey's managed to put himself in great positions to score on a very regular basis. Only thing is, he's not finishing any of his chances. These are the same kind of chances he buries in MLS. Is it a confidence issue?

[auf Amerika]

maybe it's because he's never played forward for the MNT and doesn't play it regularly for his club team.

god we have all these wants and desires for the u.s. to be the ******** and expect some kind of play from certain positions when ain't that easy nor should ever be expected.

every good forward in the world does not score every game.

let's not have the, "dempsey didn't score - he sucks" balderdash comments.

[lmorin]

What's the difference between an "attacking midfielder" and a "withdrawn forward?" Probably only 5-10 yds in average position throughout a game. Not much. It doesn't matter one bit what you label Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan or DaMarcus Beasley. If they are on the field, they will create chances. Nor does it matter much what you tell them to do. They will all circulate in and out of the attack, and through the midfield, covering each other as they go. It only takes one player to keep the defenders honest. Right now, that would be EJ or McBride, most likely. Right now, I see things shaping up as JOB (fingers crossed), Mastroeni, LD and DMB alternating with Lewis according to game circumstance in the midfield, with EJ and Dempsey labeled as forwards. Reyna has to prove he brings more to the table than any of those, unless BA decides to run JOB at left back. Then there is room for Reyna.

[Ray Luca]

Thanks for the link to the interesting article, but when I read this passage:



I had to chuckle. Ralston as a guy who can be expected to produce offensively? I wish. I like Ralston's attitude and he has some definite strengths, but I hardly think, "Oh yes, Ralston's in the lineup. Goals are sure to follow."

He will slow down our quick strike attack which we will have when we get to Germany.

[Ray Luca]

So far in the Gold Cup, Dempsey's managed to put himself in great positions to score on a very regular basis. Only thing is, he's not finishing any of his chances. These are the same kind of chances he buries in MLS. Is it a confidence issue?

Demsey is no striker.

[Dr Jay]

I agree he's not a forward. It's evident on the field. He's always bringing the ball out from deep into midfield and has a tendency to drop back all the time. Perhaps he'll learn how to play as a true forward in the future but right now we end up playing with 1 forward when Dempsey's fielded as a forward.

The main skill he has to show is the ability to play back-to-goal. As far as I can recall in all the games I have seen him play, this is not a body position he naturally assumes. He likes to face the goal and take people on.

I am skeptical he changes his tendencies enough in the next 11 months to have an impact in Germany as a forward. Barring injury, I think he makes the team and may even start if we play 3-5-2.

[Heathens '87]

What's the difference between an "attacking midfielder" and a "withdrawn forward?" Probably only 5-10 yds in average position throughout a game. Not much. It doesn't matter one bit what you label Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan or DaMarcus Beasley.


In terms of positioning, you're right, it matters little. The only difference is that, in an ideal situation, the attacking midfielder has more options as forwards are coming in as well at the same time. The withdrawn forward would tend to move into the attack selectively, and very well could be in front of any other strikers. That might set itself up 2-3 times a game, so it's not even much of a difference.

Many successful teams look to their attacking midfielders for the bulk of their scoring, and while I don't believe we'd need to do that if EJ and McBride are on the field, we will have some of our most dangerous weapons lining up in the midfield.

After reading this piece, all it makes me realize is how different a team we are when Johnson is in the line-up. He's a classic speed forward, and most important, he's been finishing his opportunities. He'll draw attention away from LD and DMB in a way that Wolff never will, and McBride is also a player that will have to be marked, and he's quite effective at drawing the defense when he moves into the box.

If teams want to take Landon and Beasley out, that's their choice. It's up to the US to punish that approach by moving the ball through a Lewis or Cherundolo, and taking advantage of a speed-and-air combo in BMB and EJ. Or get Dempsey on the pitch at the same time and help him to realize that he has room to create in those situations.

There's no concern here that isn't addressed with the full roster available....

[sidefootsitter]

IMO, Dempsey is a slightly withdrawn forward who, as Voros aptly put it, is a "play taker and not a play maker". And the US has to have both. The problem then becomes in having Donovan playing a similar, though not an exactly the same, style to Clint's. They both like to slash to the goal - Donovan without the ball, Dempsey in any way imaginable - which means that they'll need someone to be setting them up from the midfield.

If you play with 2 central forwards (BMB/Ching + Eddie Johnson) and both Dempsey and Donovan, you'll need a lot of creative help from your midfield, which means that you can't have Armas/ Olsen/ Zavagnin there and that makes for a very offensively minded line-up, something that isn't Arena's forte.

The remaining options are the Christmas Tree (1-2-3-4) where Eddie is an alone striker with Donovan and Dempsey behind him and the midfield of Beasley-O'Brien - Ralston/Reyna.

Or some version of 3-2-3-2.

Or you can choose to sit either Donovan or Dempsey. Landon is still a better player on his good days but Clint refuses to have bad days.

I would play LD against the top 10 teams because he is more athletic there but may consider leaving him against the rosters where US matches up well and instead putting him in as a sub where his fresh legs seem to make the difference.

[Heathens '87]

I would play LD against the top 10 teams because he is more athletic there but may consider leaving him against the rosters where US matches up well and instead putting him in as a sub where his fresh legs seem to make the difference.


Any discussion of formations and line-ups should begin with the assumption that Landon, if healthy, plays 90 minutes in every game we play during the World Cup.

Arena isn't going to sit our most dangerous offensive weapon based on match-ups, and Dempsey certainly hasn't done enough to justify his starting over Donovan. Regardless of the logic of your post, and I'm in the Donovan starts every game in Germany camp, this just isn't going to happen.....

[sidefootsitter]

Any discussion of formations and line-ups should begin with the assumption that Landon, if healthy, plays 90 minutes in every game we play during the World Cup.

Arena isn't going to sit our most dangerous offensive weapon based on match-ups, and Dempsey certainly hasn't done enough to justify his starting over Donovan. Regardless of the logic of your post, and I'm in the Donovan starts every game in Germany camp, this just isn't going to happen..... I think that a probable Euro tour in the spring of 2,006 will decide how much PT Landon gets. If he disappears for a half of those games, that's too much of a risk to take, IMO. Sometimes a bird in the hand is a preferable option...