Lineup v Jamaica (Gold Cup Q-finals)

[galaxyfan03]

Now that group play is over, it's time to get down to serious business...winning the Gold Cup!!!

With that in mind, we MUST field our best lineup. Here's MY choice:

--------------------------------Keller----------------------------
----------------Pope----------Onyewu-----------Conrad---------
----------------Mastroeni-----------------O'Brien----------------
--Ralston-----------------------------------------------Beasley--
-------------------------------Donovan--------------------------
---------------Quaranta-------------------------Wolff------------

Subs: Dempsey, Cherundolo & Noonan, if behind or tied. Olsen, Vanney & Armas, if ahead.

I'd like to start Cherundolo but going with a 3-5-2 means having JOB & Beasley start at the same time, in midfield, which makes us that much stronger IMHO. Conrad has been pretty solid & not looked out of place, so far IMHO. Beasley has, truthfully, not had an overwhelming tournament but I think he's due to break out & he's too good to leave out of the lineup. I'm really surprised that Quaranta has not seen action since the Cuba game. He was our best player IMHO, before Landon came on. I think Quaranta & Wolff could cause some problems for Jamaica's defense with their speed.

Jamaica will be tough, as always, but we should come out on top!!

GO, USA!!!

[Ringo]

pope and jimmy on the outside?
gee, I sure hope jamiaca has two cripples playing as wingers since that's the only way those two will be able to keep up.

'dolo's starting. as he should, by the way.

[mickhayafe]

well the only thing that impressed me tonight in the MEX-JAM game was Jamaica's dribbling, their finnishing is lacking, and their passing in dangerous situations was practically non-existant. It was afew times i saw guys go 1 on 3, when they could have passed, and just lost the ball.

[Liviu]

---------------------Keller---------------------

--Cherundolo---Onyewu----Conrad-----Vanney--

-------------------Mastroeni-------------------

----Dempsey-------Donovan----------Beasley--

-------------Noonan-----Quaranta-------------



There's no way Sanneh's playing LB this game. The Jamaican forwards are very fast, skillful and physical. I like Dempsey and Beasley on the wings because they'll do a great job squashing Jamaica's counter attacks and they're fast enough to support the offense very well. Middle is covered by Mastroeni. And Dempsey, Donovan, Beasley, Noonan and Quaranta upfront would overwhelm Jamaica's defense. No doubt.

[Ringo]

brad davis in central defense?????????




you know he plays wide midfield?
:)

[voros]

brad davis in central defense?????????
It's an interesting theory. You know all those aimless long balls we play out of the back? Well think of the increased accuracy with Davis back there. :)

[ursula]

Some of the players are exhausted by now; some have only played one game. I expect to see the "one gamers" to play this time:


---------------Hahnemann
Cherundolo------Onyewu------Vanney
----------------Mastroeni
Quaranta-------Olsen-------Davis
--------------Donovan
--------Wolff-------------Dempsey

Yeah it's a total guess.

[Liviu]

brad davis in central defense?????????




you know he plays wide midfield?
:)

lol. I meant Conrad next to Onyewu. Revised below.

---------------------Keller---------------------

--Cherundolo---Onyewu----Conrad-----Vanney--

-------------------Mastroeni-------------------

----Dempsey-------Donovan----------Beasley--

-------------Noonan-----Quaranta-------------

[voros]

Based on what he's done so far, I'm guessing it will be:

-----------Donovan----Dempsey------------
----------------O'Brien------------------
Beasley---------------------------Ralston
---------------Mastroeni-----------------
Vanney----Onyewu------Pope-----Cherundolo
-----------------Keller------------------

The possible variations would be Wolff for Ralston, with Donovan moving to AM, O'Brien to LM and Beasley to RM. And Conrad for Pope.

It doesn't look like Arena is planning on using O'Brien as a left back so that pretty much leaves Vanney.

I'm guessing Dempsey remains at forward as Bruce loves the 'target guy' and Dempsey's the only thing we have right now even slightly resembling one.

[Liviu]

Edited my first post too. :o

[Ringo]

Some of the players are exhausted by now; some have only played one game. I expect to see the "one gamers" to play this time:


---------------Hahnemann
Cherundolo------Onyewu------Vanney
----------------Mastroeni
Quaranta-------Olsen-------Davis
--------------Donovan
--------Wolff-------------Dempsey

Yeah it's a total guess.


I think this is a very good lineup. has wolff started yet or has he been a sub every time? I would feel keller gets the start ... it's not like he's tired from standing around back there.

of course you have to wonder if DMB and Landon each start this time.

[galaxyfan03]

Here's my 4-4-2 "hope":

-------------------------------Keller-------------------------
Cherundolo-----------Pope-------------Onyewu--------Vanney
-----------------------------Mastroeni-----------------------
--Beasley-----------------------------------------------JOB--
------------------------------Donovan------------------------
---------------Quaranta-----------------------Noonan--------

Subs: Dempsey, Wolff & Davis, if behind or tied. Conrad & Olsen, if ahead.

Our options are really limited, thanks to the roster Bruce put together but I'm still hopeful that this group has it's best performances ahead!! I just hope to NEVER see Sanneh again in a USMNT jersey!!!

[freisland]

---------------------Keller---------------------

--Cherundolo---Onyewu----Conrad-----Vanney--

-------------------Mastroeni-------------------

----Dempsey-------Donovan----------Beasley--

-------------Noonan-----Quaranta-------------



There's no way Sanneh's playing LB this game. The Jamaican forwards are very fast, skillful and physical. I like Dempsey and Beasley on the wings because they'll do a great job squashing Jamaica's counter attacks and they're fast enough to support the offense very well. Middle is covered by Mastroeni. And Dempsey, Donovan, Beasley, Noonan and Quaranta upfront would overwhelm Jamaica's defense. No doubt.

Not to nit-pick, but do you really mean to imply that Vanney is faster than Sanneh? I don't love Sanneh on the off wing, but the reason to not put him there is not because of speed. Vanney is perhaps the only back we have that could still lose to Jeff Agoos in a footrace.

That's why Bruce was so pissed at Frankie. With Heydude we had a Mach I driven by a drunk blind guy in the mud. Vanney's more like a Nova driven by my grandmother in the fog.

[freisland]

Here's my 4-4-2 "hope":

-------------------------------Keller-------------------------
Cherundolo-----------Pope-------------Onyewu--------Vanney
-----------------------------Mastroeni-----------------------
--Beasley-----------------------------------------------JOB--
------------------------------Donovan------------------------
---------------Quaranta-----------------------Noonan--------

Subs: Dempsey, Wolff & Davis, if behind or tied. Conrad & Olsen, if ahead.

Our options are really limited, thanks to the roster Bruce put together but I'm still hopeful that this group has it's best performances ahead!! I just hope to NEVER see Sanneh again in a USMNT jersey!!!

yeah, we'd hate to actually shut out CR again... But get Noonan in there - he really lit up the Costa Rican go... oh, nevermind.

That said, I'd rather see Dolo than Sanneh (he's playing much better right now.) Sanneh v. Vanney on the left is a pick 'em. Sanneh is a better outside back, but he is out of place on the left. This is probably the 4 back you'll see.

[Liviu]

Not to nit-pick, but do you really mean to imply that Vanney is faster than Sanneh?

Yes. I'm not talking about a foot race though. I'm talking about 1 on 1 situations and defending the dribbles, short passing, etc... We don't need our LB to come up and down the wing. We just need him to defend very well.

[Blue Eyed Soul]

My line-up:


----------KK--------

--Dolo---Pope---Gooch--

---------Mastro----------

--Ralston--------JOB-------Beasley--

-----Donovan-----

Quaranta-------Dempsey

If Pope can't go, then Conrad.

[freisland]

Yes. I'm not talking about a foot race though. I'm talking about 1 on 1 situations and defending the dribbles, short passing, etc... We don't need our LB to come up and down the wing. We just need him to defend very well.

Well, you mentioned that the Jamaican forwards were fast. I'd assume maybe there would be some marking going on - or do you mean that Vanney would beat them going forward when they were tracking back?

Sanneh is much faster and more physical than Vanney. Vanney is a fairly solid, well rounded defender with a hammer shot when he hits it right and a decent cross who also happens to be a natural left sider, but footspeed and physicality go to Sanneh every time.

[arnoldle21]

Keller

Cherundolo Onyewu Conrad Vanney




Ralston O'Brien Donovan Beasely


Wolff Dempsey

[UxSxAxfooty]

-----------------------Wolff-----------------------
----------------Beasley----Donovan--------------
---------------------Dempsey---------------------
----------------O'Brien-----Mastroeni-------------
Vanney------Onyewu-------Pope-----Cherundolo
-----------------------Keller-----------------------

Best formation I can figure for our best XI. Donovan and Beasley in free roles.

Could move O'Brien to left wing and Beasley to right wing for more traditional 4-5-1. Advantage of the formation would be the ability to switch to a back 3 if Cherundolo pushes up to right midfield, O'Brien shifts left and Mastroeni takes the reigns at defensive midfield.

Problem is the lack of a quality option up top. Wolff is less than exciting, but a better option than Noonan, who showed little in his last outing, as a lone forward. I don't think Quaranta could fill the role either, much less Donovan and Dempsey is better running in center midfield.

[luvdagame]

we have no striker!!

we have no left back!!! (no, not him)

one of our central defenders is green!!!

the right wing is a gaping hole!!!! (altho i do like quaranta)

jamaica is playing well!!!!!

we'll lose!!!!!!!!

hey, hey, just the way i feel, man. bruce has gone as far as this crew will take him.

by the way, isn't pope injured? i see a lot of you listing him on your starting 11.