Lewis confirmed to start at LB tonight

[Davids26]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/08/17/us.rankings/index.html

Sources within the U.S. team have confirmed that Eddie Lewis will start at the up-for-grabs left-back position on Wednesday night against Trinidad & Tobago, while Claudio Reyna and John O'Brien will start alongside each other in the middle for the first time since World Cup '02.

As for Lewis, who usually has been a left-sided midfielder, the move to left back is one that has intrigued him for a while.

"I really haven't played there consistently ever," Lewis told me this week. "If I played at left back [for the U.S.], it would be with a quite narrow midfield, which in some ways would make me a wingback. I'd start as a defender but be responsible for a lot of width on the team. In a standard 4-4-2, it probably wouldn't serve everyone's best interests, but the team has at times gone for a sort of 4-2-2-2 to a very tight diamond in the middle given the players and the opposition. I think I'd be a very attack-minded left back with most of the width as my responsibility."

So there was something to that ESPN chat. Needless to say I'm excited to see how this works out.

[JoseP]

4 in the back for TNT? He's going to be making a lot of runs forward.

[appoo]

this pretty much solidifies much of the lineup

GK - KK
RB - Albright
LB - Lewis
CM - O'Brien
CM - Reyna
AM - Convey
AM - Tino/Ralston
AM/FW - Donovan
FW - McBride

[Davids26]

With this I think I like the lineup someone posted in another thread of:

---------McBride
---------------Donovan
------------O'Brien
Convey-------------Reyna
-----------Armas
Lewis--Gooch---Berhalter----Albright
------------Keller

Not necessarily the lineup I'd like to see (errr Armas), but I think its probably what we will see. It will also probably be more of an unbalanced 4-4-2 with Lewis pinching up a lot more on the left methinks. In that way you can move the other three defenders over as 3 CB's. Can't wait till 8!

[appoo]

Armas won't be neccesary with Both Reyna and O'Brien in the middle of the field

from Lewis' comments I'm almost positive your going to see a 4222 with Ralston/Tino & Convey being the two AMs. Donovna isn't needed to distribute the ball with Reyna and O'Brien so I bet Arena plays him closer to the goal

[JoseP]

this pretty much solidifies much of the lineup

GK - KK
RB - Albright
LB - Lewis
CM - O'Brien
CM - Reyna
AM - Convey
AM - Tino/Ralston
AM/FW - Donovan
FW - McBride

A little over confident there! :)

[Maximum Optimal]

What Lewis described sounded a bit more like a box midfield, so we might see Armas instead of Ralston/Quaranta to go along with Reyna, O'Brien and Convey. The other interesting thing is how all this is getting out ahead of the match. Wonder how the Bruce feels about it. Maybe he is a bit more relaxed about things considering the opponent is T&T and qualifying is going pretty well. I would think under other circumstances he would want to use tactical surprise to get whatever edge he could.

[Naco]

A little over confident there! :)

Apparently we will have 2 red cards in this match! :eek:

[JoseP]

Apparently we will have 2 red cards in this match! :eek:

Actually, just 1. But, it sure would be nice to have somebody playing center back.

[NBlue]

With this I think I like the lineup someone posted in another thread of:

---------McBride
---------------Donovan
------------O'Brien
Convey-------------Reyna
-----------Armas
Lewis--Gooch---Berhalter----Albright
------------Keller

Not necessarily the lineup I'd like to see (errr Armas), but I think its probably what we will see. It will also probably be more of an unbalanced 4-4-2 with Lewis pinching up a lot more on the left methinks. In that way you can move the other three defenders over as 3 CB's. Can't wait till 8!

that was my post. and i agree with you wrt armas. would much rather see a box a la:
Convey----Donovan
JOB----------Reyna
and put Twellman into the starting line-up but I don't think its gonna happen.

[superdave]

I wish Bruce would give Reyna a run at right wing.

[appoo]

Actually, just 1. But, it sure would be nice to have somebody playing center back.

:D

[Naco]

Actually, just 1. But, it sure would be nice to have somebody playing center back.

I only count 9 ...

... unless you are counting on Tino and Ralston to both play?

[passtheblizz]

I like Eddie at LB because the way the US plays, he will get a lot of open crosses. He also is a great athlete, and though short, can get up for headers with anyone. The only problem I see is that when Cherundolo comes back, if Eddie were to stay at LB we would have a midget back line. For this game it is a good fix, but I think Hejduk and Vanney unfortunately will be back there again in the next game. I also think this will really end up looking more like a 3-6-1 than anything else, which will be scary, especially when Albright comes forward.

Keller
Albright Gooch Berhalter
'Tino JOB Donovan Reyna Armas Lewis
McBride

[illinisoccer]

Guess we are not really taking this game that serious

RB - Albright

Ouch

[cherno]

A little over confident there! :)
Give the guy some credit. He said "this solidifies much of the starting lineup" (emphasis mine) and listed what was known. He wasn't suggested that was his full lineup. Smartass ;) .

Cherno

[appoo]

lol sorry guys.

GK - KK
LB - Lewis
RB - Albright
CD - Berhalter/Conrad
CD - Gooch
CM - Reyna
CM - O'Brien
AM - Convey
AM - Ralston/Tino
AM/FW - Donovan
CF - McBride

[JohnR]

You ever notice how some of Arena's biggest defenders are those who mock his ideas ... until he actually suggests them?

:rolleyes:

[Maximum Optimal]

They're ominiscient without being prescient.

[appoo]

You ever notice how some of Arena's biggest defenders are those who mock his ideas ... until he actually suggests them?

:rolleyes:

don't know if you're talking about me (an admitted Arena defender) but I've never actually mocked the idea of Lewis at LB. Besides, some of the arguements on the board the last few days actually convinced me it was a good idea