Okay experts: Who's Going To Germany- Offensive Types

[ursula]

Same now with the more offensive type of players. Yes, I have Rico Clkark here and he plays d-mid for that team that moves around. I just didn't have space in the other poll for him so he's here. It doesn't make any difference really for these polls.


The players here are all thought to be on the bubble, at least according to some posters here. If there are any players missing- my apologies. I only have so many slots to put in players. Vote for as many as you want.

[Monarch Bay Beachbum]

My vote is really just speculation at this point. I think we will have a much better idea after the 3 California friendlies.

[Martin Fischer]

I have now forgotten all of Quarenta's crap matches and am focusing on the technical ability he shows in practice.:eek:

[Northcal19]

I think Freddy is going. I don't know if he deserves it, or all the rest, but due to all kind of considerations, for instance he is pretty good, he is very young and could be seen as a guy being introduced to his long term, Nike, Bruce's love of all things DCU, I think he is going.

[Scarecrow]

I say WOlff and Quarantra, perhaps Rolfe can find his way on to the team but it is a longshot.

[ursula]

My vote is really just speculation at this point. I think we will have a much better idea after the 3 California friendlies.

Yeah- that's true. Which is why I put these polls up now before we know much more.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

..and no one yet thinks Gomez will go. yet.

[Ronaldo's Idol]

This was an extremely hard poll to answer. I ended up being stingy and denying ralston, quaranta, dempsey and twellman and picking wolff, rolfe, and adu. I dunno, it is really really hard to call. The friendlies will decide entirely. This camp is just to decide who gets to play in the friendlies.

[ursula]

This was an extremely hard poll to answer. I ended up being stingy and denying ralston, quaranta, dempsey and twellman and picking wolff, rolfe, and adu. I dunno, it is really really hard to call. The friendlies will decide entirely. This camp is just to decide who gets to play in the friendlies.

Yeah it's hard. A crap shoot practically. I see the opposite strategy is being used by pweakland- checking off every player!

[appoo]

can I just I kinda cheated on Steve Ralston? I'm fairly sure he's going....it's just that I can't bring myself to admit it formally, and thus chose Santino Quaranta.

[ursula]

It's interesting, these results so far. About 87 votes so far in both polls and by far the leading vote getter here with the offensive players, Josh Wolff, would only come in 4th in the defensive poll (behind Howard, Hedjuk, and Berhalter). There's just more consensus on the main defensive bubble players than the offensive ones. I wonder if that's just a coincidence or would that happen normally?

[Scarecrow]

It's interesting, these results so far. About 87 votes so far in both polls and by far the leading vote getter here with the offensive players, Josh Wolff, would only come in 4th in the defensive poll (behind Howard, Hedjuk, and Berhalter). There's just more consensus on the main defensive bubble players than the offensive ones. I wonder if that's just a coincidence or would that happen normally?

I think because most feel secure with the offensive players we have while there is a more real fear that our defensive players are not as good quality wise as we need for this cup.

[voros]

Same now with the more offensive type of players. Yes, I have Rico Clkark here and he plays d-mid for that team that moves around. I just didn't have space in the other poll for him so he's here. It doesn't make any difference really for these polls.
Why are you asking us, we certainly don't know as much as Arena...

[rksehga]

I think because most feel secure with the offensive players we have while there is a more real fear that our defensive players are not as good quality wise as we need for this cup.

I think most are definitely more secure with the offensive players - but I think that's because there is a wide gap in the talent - once you get passed the guys who are definitely going if healthy, it's a pretty steep drop.

As far as the defensive options, I think we're much deeper but that we have some solid locks for starters. I think we'll see more consistency in the lineups during this cup.

[ursula]

Interesting voting so far. With 122 votes in:

-Josh Wolff who doesn't get much love on BS is leading with two-thirds of all votes.
-Chris Rolfe, who is getting mucho love, is basically tied with Dempsey with just over half the votes.
-Quaranta has almost half the votes and has kept a working margin over Ralston who's thought to be his main competitor (or vise versa). Together they are 4th and 5th in the voting but to put that another way, 20% of voters think neither will make the team.
-No love for target forwards either: Ching, just 17% and Jaqua, just 8%.
-Perhaps the most surprising to me is Noonan with only 8%, less than Jaqua even. He's like the forgotten Rev yet Arena does call him in to camp frequently.

[zpjohnstone]

Well, I think a lot of us are voting for players with a bit of resignation- I voted for some players that I personally wouldn't send, though I fully expect Arena to send them.

[appoo]

Brian McBride, Eddie Johnson, and Josh Wolff are stone cold locks. Like it or not.

The question now becomes whether or not Arena brings in 4 or 5 forwards...and does Landon Donovan count as one of those forwards?

Freddy, I firmly believe will play his way in. Which gives you 3 playmaking forwards (Donovan, Wolff). and just 2 potential Big forwards (McBride, Johnson). That last spot has got to come down to Ching and Twellman....and I take Ching over a tweener liek Twellman

[Adam Zebrowski]

I agree, mcbride, johnson and wolff are locks...

in 2002, arena did NOT go with a 2nd BIG forward, so I think the huge question is which guy does arena prefer, twellman, ching or rolfe...

the style of 4th forward arena prefers could easily make the selection...

I'd prefer rolfe because I think he fits in with beasley and donovan and GAM in the transition game...

adu would be the back-up to donovan....clearly no one as emerged as donovans caddy, and the early part of camp, it's the adu play making which is catching peoples attention...

[wsmaugham]

Wolff, Dempsey, Quaranta and Rolfe. In decreasing order of likelihood. Wolff will have to avoid screwing up in the friendlies to lose his spot. The rest will have to show something, though I think Bruce shows some favoritism towards Quaranta. Rolfe will have to have some stand-out performances, but I believe he will given the lower-level of competition he'll be up against. Only problem for Rolfe will be if Ching or Twellman take up the lion's share of minutes opposite Wolff or Johnson. And unfortunately, there is a good chance of this happening given their "seniority". If he starts v. Canada and does well, things will really open up for him.

[IASocFan]

My vote is really just speculation at this point. I think we will have a much better idea after the 3 California friendlies.

What do you think bigsoccer is all about!!! SPECULATION!! Not facts. :)

[sidefootsitter]

-No love for target forwards either: Ching, just 17% and Jaqua, just 8%.
-Perhaps the most surprising to me is Noonan with only 8%, less than Jaqua even. He's like the forgotten Rev yet Arena does call him in to camp frequently. I just voted for Jaqua. I think he'll outplay Ching and Casey for the 2nd target forward spot.

Nate fits both the back-up to McBride slot and the "we're behind, let's throw the kitchen sink at'em" situation. Put BMB, Jaqua and Gooch in the box and you'd have crosser's delight.