USA vs Honduras Gold Cup Semi Final Pre Game Post

[CrazyF.C.]

Thanks for clearing my mistake up. I just headed over here to correct myself after spanish speaking friend of mine corrected me. First post in months turns out to be worthless. oops.

[NoSix]

Here's the line-up I'd like to see:

----------Keller--------
Onyewu--Pope---Conrad
---Mastroeni---O'Brien
Ralston---Dempsey---Beasley
---Noonan-----Donovan---

Score early and often, and sub out Pope, Mastroeni, and O'Brien after 60 minutes.

[mickhayafe]

Here's the line-up I'd like to see:

----------Keller--------
Onyewu--Pope---Conrad
---Mastroeni---O'Brien
Ralston---Dempsey---Beasley
---Noonan-----Donovan---

Score early and often, and sub out Pope, Mastroeni, and O'Brien after 60 minutes.

Noonan didn't really impress me in the first few games, do you think he would be better with better players around him? (like Beas)

[fillmorejive]

By the way, sorry if I missed something from earlier in the tournament, but can someone tell me why the heck Guevara is not playing for Honduras?

In this article, Guevara basically says he wants to spend his time with the Metros and not suffer the wear and tear of playing in the Gold Cup.

http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20050715&content_id=36759&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp

[bltleo]

I don't know why everyone is so happy about this. I was looking forward to the eventual trainwreck that would have been US-Mexico in the final. That is a classic game, regardless who is in there. Now it will be a final with either Panama (yipee) or Colombia (more likely), a team we are unfamiliar with, therefore, lack any reasonable rivalry with.

Unless we are happy because we are afraid of Mexico, well then I guess it is understood.[I]

hm..so it looks like semifinale will be against columbia....
USA team is really strong...I think they will win the finale..
you don´t have to be afraid of mexico.....mexico is great team..
i saw them play in germany during confed cup....so if mexico lost
against colombia...and usa won against colombia....then i think
USA will win the cup....

of course it is always a bit "risk" to play against countries you are not
familar with.....maybe you are more familiar with your biggest rival
mexico...so maybe finale mexico - usa would have been easier....
just my prediction....i only know from experience from german national
team that they have more problems to play against "small" countries
with that we are not familiar than with biggest rival...it is maybe
because in training you always try to "learn" how to put up with
tactics of biggest rivals....

well i really think you will have no problem with Hunduras....
donovan and beasley will make some nice scores....
they both work good together...

bltleo
germany

[Dom. FC]

"But both teams seemed to think that the sod was less than ideal after the Metro/ Rapids match."

After? It looked so freshly laid *before* the match that they hadn't even been able to mow it. Rolling prairie soccer.

[luvdagame]

---------------------keller---------------------

heydude--------conrad--------gooch-------vanney

--------------------mastro-----------------------

--ralston-------------landon-----------------job---

--------------wolff------------dmb--------------

[NoSix]

Noonan didn't really impress me in the first few games, do you think he would be better with better players around him? (like Beas)

Yes, I do think he would be better playing with NE teammates Ralston and Dempsey behind him in the midfield.

[smock7]

Yes, I do think he would be better playing in front of NE teammates Ralston and Dempsey in the midfield.


I haven't seen much out of these or any of his previous caps to convince me that Noonan needs a serious look next summer. He can get to the right places sometimes and flashes some skill, but his inconsistency is too apparent.

I say bench him and let him get to know Brad Davis. They can discuss dreams that could have been.

[braun]

---------------------keller---------------------

heydude--------conrad--------gooch-------vanney

--------------------mastro-----------------------

--ralston-------------landon-----------------job---

--------------wolff------------dmb--------------

If Pope is truly back, then pencil him in instead of Conrad (probably him) or Onyewu.

Also, consider a 3-back line with both Armas and Mastroeni in Dm. That will provide more defense than Vanney at LB!

Dempsey and Noonan will most likely be subbed in 2nd half.

Maybe Davis as well.

[IUtwins]

I haven't seen much out of these or any of his previous caps to convince me that Noonan needs a serious look next summer. He can get to the right places sometimes and flashes some skill, but his inconsistency is too apparent.

I say bench him and let him get to know Brad Davis. They can discuss dreams that could have been.

I think you are watching him with the wrong expectations. Noonan is best suited on the Nats as an assist man. In every game he has played in he has played many dangerous passes that could have easily been goals. He is exceptional with his head balls (even if he did miss the easy one 2 games ago). I want to see him in an attacking midfield role again. I like his size and his ability to read the game. I hope he gets some more time with a quality team behind him so we can see him perform. Honestly, who could do well with Olson distributing to them?

[mickhayafe]

I say bench him and let him get to know Brad Davis. They can discuss dreams that could have been.

that's just brutal

[swedust]

Stick with the overall player management strategy of varying the starting XI in order to maintain fitness. We'll field a tougher line-up for the final.


Hejduk --- Pope --- Conrad

-------- Maestro ------- Armas ----

Ralston ------- LD --------- Davis

---------- Dempsey ----- Wolff -----


Don't know if Pope is back from injury? If less experienced CB starts (Gooch) then maybe Vanney at LB for veteran leadership. Preserve DMB against traditional Hondo whacking unless we're down in the second half; if Davis totally craps out, JOB in at the half. LD will also get subbed out if we're up by more than one with less than a half-hour, but this is a semifinal and you can't not start your leader. Keeper of the day.

Want to echo Nutmeg's confession: when line-up came out before the tournament, the best I was hoping for was to see JOB come back, but now I definitely want to hoist the cup in victory. Go U-S-A.

[hakko ace]

i don't have a problem with a usa-colombia final in metroland. they're a good side with lots of fans and compatriots up there in humidityville. and it's conmebol-concacaf as well, just to add a little more interest. having said that, i'm rooting for panama. [play theme] you can do it, guys...

[mickhayafe]

i don't have a problem with a usa-colombia final in metroland. they're a good side with lots of fans and compatriots up there in humidityville. and it's conmebol-concacaf as well, just to add a little more interest.

yeah, if we lose to Colombia in the final, the #1 team of concacaf will be the laughingstock of conmebol

[speedcake]

yeah, if we lose to Colombia in the final, the #1 team of concacaf will be the laughingstock of conmebol

I don't like the implications of losing our regional championship to a Conmebol side. So let's pretend it ain't gonna happen.

[Jeff Wyatt]

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

Hejduk---Pope---Onyewu---Vanney

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

---Ralston-------------JOB--------

-------------Calrissian-------------

---------Wolff--------DMB---------

[Clint Eastwood]

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

Hejduk---Pope---Onyewu---Vanney

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

---Ralston-------------JOB--------

-------------Calrissian-------------

---------Wolff--------DMB---------

I think I'd play Conrad over a less than 100% Pope. This right here very well may be our line-up.

[Chowderhead]

yeah, if we lose to Colombia in the final, the #1 team of concacaf will be the laughingstock of conmebol

I'm with you, pal, but I really couldn't care less what people in Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile think of Concacaf.

[El Jefecito]

I think you are watching him with the wrong expectations. Noonan is best suited on the Nats as an assist man....

That may be true for the Nats but not at the Revs where he is 8th in assists with 2 behind:
Dempsey=8
Twellman, Joseph=4
Dorman, Cancela, Ralston, Riley=3