What's your lineup for Jamaica?

[The Wanderer]

---Mathis--Donovan
-------Convey
DMB------------?
-------Mastroeni
?---Boca-Suarez-Cherundolo

[fidlerre]

i am gonna go with the 3-5-2 personally.

---mathis---jeff---
------landon-------
-dmb---------klein-
---convey-pablo---
boca--califf--garcia
------howard------

i know bruce won't do it, but hey, why not.

[appoo]

Originally posted by The Wanderer
---Mathis--Donovan
-------Convey
DMB------------?
-------Mastroeni
?---Boca-Suarez-Cherundolo

This is what I was talking about in your other threads. With the Roster thats availible we really have no choices at Left-Back other than one of our Leftsided mids. Yea I was critical of Califf but I still say we should play him. But anyway, here is my line up

----Twellman----Mathis-------
-----------Donovan------------
---DMB-----Convey------Olsen
------------Pablo---------------
----Boca-----Califf--------Dolo
-------Howard/Rimando-------

its probably more like a 3-4-1-2 than a straight up 3-5-2. But I think we proved vs Argentina that we are at our best with Donovan, DMB, and Convey roaming the middle. Let's go ahead and put the talent where the ball is gonna be.

[The Wanderer]

Wed High: 86
Low: 75
Partly Cloudy

It's 79 degrees right now in Jamaica with 74% humidity. Gonna be a warm one down there, let's hope the guys can hold the ball better.

[USA4Life]

3-5-2 no doubt.

Mastroeni needs help in the middle.

The US doesn't have real attacking backs that can also defend.
Bocanegra, Califf, Garcia are all better and used to playing with only 3 backs.

Let guys like Klein, Olsen, and DMB run the length of the field.

Convey needs to be in the middle

------------Mathis------Twellman

DMD--------------Donovan
------------Convey---------------Klein/cherundolo

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

--------Bocanegra---Califf----Garcia

----------------Howard

[BennyDee19]

I have a funny feeling that Rimando may get the start, do not want to see it, but have that feeling....

-PB20

[The Wanderer]

Originally posted by USA4Life
3-5-2 no doubt.

Mastroeni needs help in the middle.

The US doesn't have real attacking backs that can also defend.
Bocanegra, Califf, Garcia are all better and used to playing with only 3 backs.

Let guys like Klein, Olsen, and DMB run the length of the field.

Convey needs to be in the middle

------------Mathis------Twellman

DMD--------------Donovan
------------Convey---------------Klein/cherundolo

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

--------Bocanegra---Califf----Garcia

----------------Howard

Seems more and more likely at this point, doesn't it?

[Knave]

I don't know ... We're playing Jamaica - at The Office. They're gonna come out guns blazing. Sure this side won't be as strong as Argentina (who also came out guns blazing) but we are - in all probability - going to start the game defending no matter what Bruce says to the contrary. So it seems to me that you've gotta plan a defensive lineup that's flexible enough to go on the offensive. Convey, I suspect, will be the key to all this yet again. The problem, however, is that Convey can't play in the backline - at least not yet. But I'm intrigued with the idea that what Convey is essentially a more dynamic, more direct version of Claudio Reyna. With that in mind why not put him - as some have suggested - essentially alongside Pablo. Something like this (assuming Dolo is available) ...


-Twellman (?)---------Mathis---
------------Donovan-----------
---DMB----------------Olsen---
---------Convey----------------
--------------Pablo-----------
----Boca-----Califf--------Dolo
-----------Rimando------------

Convey would have several hats in this formation depending on the situation. He would first of all be Pablo's help in the middle on defense. On offense he could make the quick overlapping runs up the line with DMB that were so effective today. He could also feed Donovan and Mathis (and Olsen andDolo) to start offensive runs and then perhaps even get himself in position to be on the receiving end of those runs. I would also think that Mathis and Donovan could overlap with one another - leaving Twellman as the true target forward/goal poacher. The nice thing about this formation, however, is that it would plug some of the defensive holes that were in evidence today without compromising our ability to attack. Indeed, it strikes me as a really quite flexible lineup.

Only thing I hate about this lineup is the backline.

And, yeah, I'd give Rimando the start. Why not?

[Blue Eyed Soul]

Mathis----Cunningham

----Donovan----

Convey----Ralston

----Beasley----

Califf-Mastro-Bocanegra-Garcia

----Howard----

Want to see more from Garcia and Cunningham; and give Califf 1 or 2 more looks. Is Ralston in camp? Otherwise Olsen.

[gyr0]

Califf should never bear the honor of appearing in a US National team jersey. His tactical inawareness, and lack of speed are shocking, and he exemplfies the sad lack of depth we are currently afforded at the back. Perhaps Arena should don a jersey, or the team's ballboy, just keep Califf off the field!

[Mr. Bandwagon]

I'd like to see Richard Mulrooney get some minutes - probably would only come on as a sub since he's presumably not 100% yet, but he could play as an outside back and has better offensive skills than Garcia.

Also, what's with all this 'Dolo talk? Why not start Reyna if you're trying to be absurd?

[Knave]

Originally posted by Mr. Bandwagon
Also, what's with all this 'Dolo talk? Why not start Reyna if you're trying to be absurd?
Maybe you should look around for the latest news before accusing people of absurdity. You never know - some folks might have more information than you.
From Grant Wahl

Arena said after the game that he hopes to get Cherundolo in from Germany for the game.
Check the grey box on the left halfway down.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/us/news/2003/02/08/usa_argentina/

[Mr. Bandwagon]

News to me. Thanks Knave.

[wu-tang beez]

Originally posted by Mr. Bandwagon
Also, what's with all this 'Dolo talk? Why not start Reyna if you're trying to be absurd?

Dolo's a midget MiniAbmod w/ less than stellar passing, weak heading and doesn't have the killer mind set to run the flanks the way BA's other backs do.

---mathis---jeff---
------landon-------
-dmb---------klein-
---convey-pablo---
boca--califf--garcia
------howard------

Did you watch today's match? Little Ms.Nicky surrendered more ground than France & failed to cover his man on a corner(wrongly played over the touch by Califf after a mix up w/ Howard) that ended up hitting the post. She was burned so badly on a step over that Califf had to rescue her w/ a desperate late tackle.
Califf was duped into going up field then realized his error in time but failed to commit to ground on the ensuing pass and the result was a 60mph blooper into 'ole onion bag.

I like the idea of starting Cunningham along w/ Cleatus since as a native Jamaican, I'm sure we'll see his "A" game. I like the pentagon midfield line up w/ Convey & Mastro setting up the defense and staring the transition w/ safe balls to Landon.

my line up
------------------------Cunningham/sub TT 75"---------
--------------Cleatus---------------------------------
-------------------Donovan----------------------------
---------Olsen--------------------Klein/sub raltson 60"
-----------------Convey-Mastro------------------------
-----Run DMB----Bocanegra--------Suarez/sub sasha 45"-
-------------------Howard-----------------------------

I think we get 5 subs, so I also wouldn't mind seeing Rimando coming in at halftime. Maybe give vagenas some time in by subbing Olsen then shifting cinvey to the left flank. If we're up big, we should flatten the back by dropping Mastro next to 'Los and have Peter play DM along side donovan & drop Cleatus to AM w/ Jeff or TT playing the lone target man.

-----------Tellman---------------
---------------Mathis-----------
Convey--Donovan--Vegenas--Raslton
RunDMB--Los---Mastro-----Sasha---
-------------Rimando-----------to close the game out.

[Chester FC]

Trying to get the offensive talent on the field with a stay at home defense . . .

--Mathis ... Cuni

....Donovan

DMB .... Convey ..

...Mastro .......Dolo

Boca . .Calif .Garcia

........Howard

Need to see if Dolo can add the attack as a wing-back with defensive duties (we know exactly what Olsen and Klein provide and lack, so I guess Ralston if Dolo does not make the trip.)

Garcia deserves another look due to strong defense against Argentina. Hopefully his total lack of touch was due to nerves. Suarez at the half in any event for the worst performing back (Califf, yikes!!), with a reshuffle as needed.

TT at the half, but he needs to show up in this game. Certainly has not taken his chance so far. Time will tell re TT.

[soccerfan]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Grant Wahl

Arena said after the game that he hopes to get Cherundolo in from Germany for the game.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, but why do we need to bring in one defender from 5 thousand miles to play against Jamaica ? Did you guys know that Wednesday is an open day for international games all across Europe, something like 20 friendlies , I wish the Nats could have played in Europe this Wednesday mix in some domestic and european based players. It would have been a more productive exercise then Jamaica, in my opinion

[fidlerre]

Originally posted by soccerfan


Ok, but why do we need to bring in one defender from 5 thousand miles to play against Jamaica ? Did you guys know that Wednesday is an open day for international games all across Europe, something like 20 friendlies , I wish the Nats could have played in Europe this Wednesday mix in some domestic and european based players. It would have been a more productive exercise then Jamaica, in my opinion

the bigger question; when we originally scheduled this match against jamaica i remember the jamaican FA president saying that many of the american's european players would be coming over for the match, that it was one of the stipulations of the agreement. what ever happened with that?

[graywolfe81]

I'd like to see what he can do against Jamaica, I think Jamaica is a pretty good litmus test for what regional qualifying is like, although this is a friendly, and if we need to shuffle the attacking side of the ball like we did last time, I'd like to know what we have in Twellman, heck, even Cunningham, in case other forwards like McHead, and Mathis and even Donovan or Wolf (are his days as a US Nat done?) are unavailable. I just wish we could give a full start to Twellman, with a solid lineup, against a solid regional competitor like Jamaica and see what happens. We do that, if Twellman is invisible again, it may be time to look elsewhere. Considering that changes in qualification in our region, we need to find what we've got sooner than we thought we might have to a week ago. That means finding reliable help at Forward, on on the defensive end as soon as possible, and figuring out exactly how our early regional qualifying midfield should look (particularly when our international guys aren't available next spring, and possibly next fall? not sure on the dates of all the qualifying matches yet).

[rymannryan]

I've got a couple ideas for lineups.

1.
---------------------Rimando---------------------

----Garcia------Califf-----Boca-------Victorine----

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

----Ralston--------------------------DMB---------

----------------------Donovan-------------------

-------------Cunningham-------Twellman----------

This lineup seems to be one I think could really give some service to Twellman and see if he's up for it. Its a mobile lineup that is protected on defense maybe allowing players to attack more. Only problem is Convey's not in there, but we could give DMB a rest and give Convey a shot in the left midfield position. But I think we need to give Ralston and Cunningham and Twellman starts again.

for a 3-5-2:

-----------------------Rimando-------------------

-----------Garcia--------Bocanegra------Califf----

---------------Pablo--------Mulhrooney (healthy?)

----Klein--------------------------------Convey--

---------------------Donovan--------------------

--------------Cunningham------Twellman----------


I want to give Rimando a full game. It can't hurt.

[Numero Dos]

Why does everyone want Cunningham in the lineup? Admittedly he had the one awesome dribbling play/pass against Argentine, but otherwise, he was really, really awful. He's done nothing so far as a Nat (yes, I recall that he had one late assist last year, but he just doesn't ever play well . . . all he does is drop his head and dribble). I hope that Arena starts to look at other options up there.