Using Convey

[kinstlinger]

Seems as though Bobby has played himself back onto the Germany radar, if his early season form is any indication.
And, the fact that he's playing on a side fighting to get to the top flight is a bonus.
But, if he continues to play well, where do we play him ?
His offensive skills are too good to keep him at left back.
But, as a left-side mid, can he be included in the same midfield as DMB ?

[appoo]

you can use him in a number of ways. Depending in Donovan's Form and if a 2nd striker steps up, I'm gonna go on a limb and say that this will be our lineup to kick off the world cup, assuming full health

----------Reyna----JOB----------------
---------------Convey---------DMB----
----------------------------------------
------LD-------------------------------
-------------------McBride-------------

[freisland]

I think you can look at the Holland away friendly game to see one way that Bruce would like to line-up the side when DMB, Convey, LD and Reyna are healthy and in form. Whether it will work is another question.

Despite Heydude's getting burned by Robben in the line-up (that does leave the RB badly exposed - and against a team playing Robben at LW that might not be the best idea) the US played a fairly tight away in Europe game and even had a few chances. As Dickie A whined after, it was not a Brasilian performance, but Holland didn't not in any way run amok.

The line-up in that game looked a lot like the line-up above - giving up the right touchline to LD who is actually playing way up top.

Can Dolo do it? Or can LD play actual RM in a 5? It's odd to me that he has never really found his stride out there.

[Shark]

you can use him in a number of ways. Depending in Donovan's Form and if a 2nd striker steps up, I'm gonna go on a limb and say that this will be our lineup to kick off the world cup, assuming full health

----------Reyna----JOB----------------
---------------Convey---------DMB----
----------------------------------------
------LD-------------------------------
-------------------McBride-------------

This line up, when all healthy and in form, is just scary good.

[Allamerican74]

This line up, when all healthy and in form, is just scary good by American standards.


Fixed your post

[WShine]

you can use him in a number of ways. Depending in Donovan's Form and if a 2nd striker steps up, I'm gonna go on a limb and say that this will be our lineup to kick off the world cup, assuming full health

----------Reyna----JOB----------------
---------------Convey---------DMB----
----------------------------------------
------LD-------------------------------
-------------------McBride-------------

I don't remember Convey playing in the middle for USMNT or club. Has he played in the middle and was he effective?

[onefineesq]

If we're assuming full health, we should be assuming that EJ will be one of the two starting forwards, which will push Convey out of any starting lineup. Because EJ has been hurt, everyone has forgotten the fast track he was on.

[appoo]

If we're assuming full health, we should be assuming that EJ will be one of the two starting forwards, which will push Convey out of any starting lineup. Because EJ has been hurt, everyone has forgotten the fast track he was on.


I'd like to see him regain that form first. If he is, then yea. Convey is out unless you want to play some kind of 433 with Beas and Landon flanking Johnson.

EDIT-

and maybe not even then because you'd probably flank Johnson and Beasley around McBride and drop Donovan into the midfield.

so yea. Convey is out of the XI if Johnson regains health and form/

[6 ft. Leprechaun]

Given Lewis' decent showings at LB recently, Convey's good form, and not wanting to leave DMB out of the line-up, I've been thinking of a way to have all three on at the same time. I was thinking exactly along the same lines as Appoo.

In a 4-3-3 (that could morph into a 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 depending on the opponent) you could have. It gives you a lot of tactical flexibility, speed, vision, and leadership in every area of the field.

RB--------CB--------CB---------Lewis

Reyna/Clark/Mastro----Obrien/Convey/Carroll/Mastro----Convey/Obrien

Donovan/Johnson-------McBride/Johnson-------DMB/Johnson

[HartwickFan]

I don't know why I feel this strange urge to maintain the purity of the Yanks Abroad forum, but shouldn't this thread be moved to U.S. Men?

[mschofield]

I don't know why I feel this strange urge to maintain the purity of the Yanks Abroad forum, but shouldn't this thread be moved to U.S. Men?
Tonudge it back towards the YA zone, with Reading we've seen Convey's strengths are attacking from a free but wide role, and free kicks, corner kicks.
I don't know that he plays well with DMB, unless it's behind DMB in a 4-3-3, but he's a very dangerous man from the outside right now. I'd think he's a player who'll be on the roster because he offers quite a bit of depth, at several positions, but I'm not sure I'd see him starting a first game as much as a second.

[appoo]

I don't know why I feel this strange urge to maintain the purity of the Yanks Abroad forum, but shouldn't this thread be moved to U.S. Men?


not neccasarily. How he's playing with Reading has an impact on where he plays for USA. If he continues to play at a high level (right now - he seems to be one of the top performing players in the Championship - and thats according to media and ratings) he could force himself into the lineup.

It's a pretty intriguing situation because I can't last remember when a player in Europe is doing so well with his club that you reconsidered the standard lineup for USA.

McBride was always gonna be a 1st teamer aloing with Reyna and a healthy O'Brien. You can't say that about Convey - who a a year ago was basically off the side. Now he's playing so well that its fun to play with lineups to figure out if he fits inthe XI or not and how he complements our best players.

[appoo]

Tonudge it back towards the YA zone, with Reading we've seen Convey's strengths are attacking from a free but wide role, and free kicks, corner kicks.
I don't know that he plays well with DMB, unless it's behind DMB in a 4-3-3, but he's a very dangerous man from the outside right now. I'd think he's a player who'll be on the roster because he offers quite a bit of depth, at several positions, but I'm not sure I'd see him starting a first game as much as a second.

this is something I forgot to mention before but I'll do so now.

Donovan, Beasley, and Convey are 3 guys who have spent the majority of their careers playing together. you read stories on how their familiarity with each each other bred success on the field. Simply for chemistry reasons, you would consider playing all 3 at the same time. They know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and they know how to play together. How much Bruce takes that into account I have no idea. But it's something to consider

[WShine]

this is something I forgot to mention before but I'll do so now.

Donovan, Beasley, and Convey are 3 guys who have spent the majority of their careers playing together. you read stories on how their familiarity with each each other bred success on the field. Simply for chemistry reasons, you would consider playing all 3 at the same time. They know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and they know how to play together. How much Bruce takes that into account I have no idea. But it's something to consider

This is a good point. How did they put DMB and Convey on the field at the same time at the youth level?

It seems to me that Convey is at his best when he has the space to run at people 1 v 1. It is hard to find this kind of space in the middle. Has Reading tried him in the middle at all and how did he do?

[HartwickFan]

not neccasarily. How he's playing with Reading has an impact on where he plays for USA. If he continues to play at a high level (right now - he seems to be one of the top performing players in the Championship - and thats according to media and ratings) he could force himself into the lineup.

It's a pretty intriguing situation because I can't last remember when a player in Europe is doing so well with his club that you reconsidered the standard lineup for USA.

McBride was always gonna be a 1st teamer aloing with Reyna and a healthy O'Brien. You can't say that about Convey - who a a year ago was basically off the side. Now he's playing so well that its fun to play with lineups to figure out if he fits inthe XI or not and how he complements our best players.

Good point. It's great that Convey has been playing well enough to force himself into our starting lineup, if his form continues. Like you, I can't remember the last time this happened with a yank abroad.

Donovan, Beasley, and Convey are 3 guys who have spent the majority of their careers playing together. you read stories on how their familiarity with each each other bred success on the field. Simply for chemistry reasons, you would consider playing all 3 at the same time. They know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and they know how to play together. How much Bruce takes that into account I have no idea. But it's something to consider

I agree. These three guys have great chemistry, and I've seen them play really well off of each other (can't remember if it was all three in the same game, or just pairs of them in different games). In particular, I remember seeing great one-touch passing, give-and-go's, and incisive runs between these guys.

[WShine]

This is a good point. How did they put DMB and Convey on the field at the same time at the youth level?

It seems to me that Convey is at his best when he has the space to run at people 1 v 1. It is hard to find this kind of space in the middle. Has Reading tried him in the middle at all and how did he do?

Note that my second question includes the obligatory Yank Abroad reference

[appoo]

This is a good point. How did they put DMB and Convey on the field at the same time at the youth level?

It seems to me that Convey is at his best when he has the space to run at people 1 v 1. It is hard to find this kind of space in the middle. Has Reading tried him in the middle at all and how did he do?


Convey has played nothing but Central Attacking midfielder for the Baby Nats. Donovan a forward, and Beasley a winger.

you can create space in the middle if you have legitamate threats on the outside.

[WShine]

""you can create space in the middle if you have legitamate threats on the outside."

and I think we have that

[mschofield]

Convey has played nothing but Central Attacking midfielder for the Baby Nats. Donovan a forward, and Beasley a winger.

you can create space in the middle if you have legitamate threats on the outside.
Did he ever play in the center for DCU? I remember him wide there, as he is with Reading.
His Reading role, however, allows him a lot of freedom to roam with the game. So he might adapt quickly. I assume JOB will not be a factor next summer, for some crazy reason, so maybe he gets in with a flat four,

LD Reyna Convey DMB
behind EJ MCB

[appoo]

Did he ever play in the center for DCU? I remember him wide there, as he is with Reading.
His Reading role, however, allows him a lot of freedom to roam with the game. So he might adapt quickly. I assume JOB will not be a factor next summer, for some crazy reason, so maybe he gets in with a flat four,

LD Reyna Convey DMB
behind EJ MCB


OFE and the other DC fans would answer this more accuratly but I think he was allowed to play centrally only a handful of times. I recall one of those instances where he played phenomanally well. But I think he was average at best the few other times he was tried there. FWIW he was fairly young when he got played there for DC and he's played well in the middle for USA (IMHO - big qualifier as thats an issue that seems to divide the entire BigSoccer USA fanbase).

I recall from the high ligtes that the one run of play goal Convey has scored for Reading is when he busted up the middle of the field. But it was on a counter so that doesn't really count. From listening to matches he seems to deliever a lot more through balls to the forwards than the two central midfielders. I don't see how he does that without pinching into the middle of the pitch for Reading


EDIT-

please don't say things like that about JOB :)

I love Convey but I wouldn't want to swap him for JOB under any circumstances!!