Should Bruce have used that last sub?

[TheModernAge]

Why didn't Arena take out McBride today!? He was the worst player on the pitch and was offsides when Beasley struck that goal and was the reason the goal was waved off!!! Arena should of put in Johnson in for McBride but I heard Arena didn't put him in because Johnson made comments about the Czech Republic game being like a war against Italy or something and Arena said it was stupid of him to say that. A bad call on Arena's part I think. Johnson would of scortched the defense with his pace.

[Ringo]

Should he?
I was screaming for EJ at the 65th minute. but, we got our point playing with nine men. tough to argue ... but this is big soccer so let's give it a shot.

[Chung'sleftboot]

Why not use our final sub for the obvious:

Eddie Johnson for McBride?

I think this could have won it! Brian was done, no legs left. He is a warrior and played pretty well for not hitting the target, but instead we finish the match with 2 players sub'd in, 8 pairs of dead legs and our biggest threat with fresh legs on the bench and one sub left?????????????

What am I missing?

You can still make the above change and play for a draw.

[mtndew]

Absolutely! Eddie Johnson would have added a needed offensive spark. Why not play for the win!

[TxFan]

i voted no. We had DMB who was making nice runs at the Italian defenses and McBride for offense. Both of those guys are also preferable to EJ defensively on set pieces.

I think that criticism of Bruce after the first game was pretty fair, but this time I think its way off base. Bruce did well! I'm an Arena supporter again. :)

(Okay, okay, I do wish we can abandon the 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1 or 4-4-Donovan-1 or whatever its called)

[Jumbo]

Dear God, we need another thread on this subject? Couldn't this have been included with the other idiotic comments in the coaching thread?

[Metros Striker10]

Yes. Eddie for McBride or O'brien for Reyna, who was walking at the end.

[giffenbone]

i voted no. We had DMB who was making nice runs at the Italian defenses and McBride for offense. Both of those guys are also preferable to EJ defensively on set pieces.

I think that criticism of Bruce after the first game was pretty fair, but this time I think its way off base. Bruce did well! I'm an Arena supporter again. :)

(Okay, okay, I do wish we can abandon the 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1 or 4-4-Donovan-1 or whatever its called)

the 4-1-4-1 worked great. too bad it became a 4-3-1 just after halftime :(

Bruce is the man, I've been saying it for 16 years. This was the game he scouted, and our team outplayed the Italians.

[Neville2]

I would have subbed someone with about five minutes to go if for no other reason than to stall for time and allow the players to catch their breath and maybe steal 10-15 seconds off the game.

[hirtme]

the 4-1-4-1 worked great. too bad it became a 4-3-1 just after halftime :(

Bruce is the man, I've been saying it for 16 years. This was the game he scouted, and our team outplayed the Italians.

Bump, but he has to take some blame for the C.R. game. Also, not taking Pope out at halftime was a big mistake. Lippi took Totti off due to the fact he had a yellow card and the ref was card happy. Pope is slow and this was a big mistake. Read the message boards during the game and you'll see myself and many others mentioned this at halftime.

The teams were gassed the last 10 minutes. EJ should have come on as we may have been able to steal one on a breakaway.

That said, his lineup for tonight was the right choice as we controlled the game. Before the game I questioned why EJ was not starting, but you can't argue with the results. We kicked ass.

[blinn6]

Bruce smart not to sub. Scenario: EJ goes in for McBride with 15 -20 minutes left in the game. Someone goes down with an injury or even a cramp. Sorry no more subs--play with 8.

[VOwithwater1]

Should he?
I was screaming for EJ at the 65th minute. but, we got our point playing with nine men. tough to argue ... but this is big soccer so let's give it a shot.

Why did we take Convey out when we were looking for a counter attack

[owian]

Okay first off all critism of the starting lineup was off base including Foudy's and Waldo's. Bruce shored up the defense and added better counter attacking skills in Boca and Dempsey anyways I know that wasn't the point of the thread just had to get it out there. All these people screaming for the US to take it to the Italians with an attacking line up were dillusional are best chance was always to tie up the midfield and get down the wings.

Okay got that off my chest now for the final sub I like everyone was screaming for EJ but after the match when I had a chance to think I realised the Bruce was right. We only had 9 players we couldn't afford the Luxury of a strickly offensive player Mcbride offered us more against the high ball in the box which was the biggest Italian threat. Beasely gave us at least the hint of a counter attack and that was enough to force two Italian defenders to stay home. Another attacking player was simply a luxury we couldn't afford. Now why he didn't use that last sub on another option (maybe Olsen or obrien) I am not sure my only conclusion is he felt he had his must trustworthy defensive team out there.

[owian]

Why did we take Convey out when we were looking for a counter attack

Someone had to go to be able to play four defenders. Convey going in was one of our biggest liabilities on defense. Our other one was dempsey who was our other sub.

[Sachsen]

You know, during the game I was literally screaming at the TV, BEGGING Bruce to use that 3rd sub. Bring on O'Brien or Johnson, I said.

But now with 20/20 hindsight, I can see the wisdom in hanging on to it. If he would have made his 3rd sub and then we suffered an injury, and we're down to EIGHT men??? No way do we come out with our point then. Also, he kept both O'Brien and Johnson totally fresh, ready to (hopefully) go 90 against Ghana. We're going to need them.

A win would have been nice. But a 3rd sub wouldn't have guaranteed that anyway, so I'm willing to let Il Bruce have this one.

[ursula]

You know, during the game I was literally screaming at the TV, BEGGING Bruce to use that 3rd sub. Bring on O'Brien or Johnson, I said.

But now with 20/20 hindsight, I can see the wisdom in hanging on to it. If he would have made his 3rd sub and then we suffered an injury, and we're down to EIGHT men??? No way do we come out with our point then. Also, he kept both O'Brien and Johnson totally fresh, ready to (hopefully) go 90 against Ghana. We're going to need them.

A win would have been nice. But a 3rd sub wouldn't have guaranteed that anyway, so I'm willing to let Il Bruce have this one.

I agree completely and even though I was screaming at my TV also, I now realize that it's not an easy decision. Ultimately this issue is really a minor one.

[Brushes Sand]

GAM on the hour was the consensus call at the Blarney
in Dallas where I held forth with 50 or so compatriots.

As it came to pass, I was not upset with the flow of play
through 75 minutes, but by that point, both sides were so
gassed that GAM would have been on LightSpeed setting
playstation-style.

My vote is that il Bruce wasted a major tactical option
not using the sub, even if for only burning time late,
given that we were in the midst of soaking up a bunch
of late Azzuri pressure.

Il Bruce didn't make the sub either because he wanted everyone
who was out there to have the privelege of fighting to the end,
or he is saving GAM for some kind of October Surprise against the
BlackStars or (ohm to the Soccer Gawdz) the Jogabonito.

Off subject, but hearing JP and Harkes pay homage to the
Soccer Gawdz in the Czech/Ghana game warmed the soul.

-bs

[LORDEYE]

Why didn't Arena take out McBride today!? He was the worst player on the pitch and was offsides when Beasley struck that goal and was the reason the goal was waved off!!! Arena should of put in Johnson in for McBride but I heard Arena didn't put him in because Johnson made comments about the Czech Republic game being like a war against Italy or something and Arena said it was stupid of him to say that. A bad call on Arena's part I think. Johnson would of scortched the defense with his pace.

Bruce holding in McBride when the game screamed for Johnson to be subbed, this after the thoroughly hopeless Beasley [not O'Brien, for instance] was subbed for Dempsey, has finally pushed me to the side of the Bruce bashers. Quite a sea change from the just four months ago, where I spent too many hours on BBC's IMB defending Arena and his management of the US team [both in personnel, and tactically]. We really needed to aim for victory, to not be dependent on other teams outcomes, and Bruce never even tried. Now, if he held out Johnson because of his comparing the game to war, then I want Bruce FIRED now. What kind of gerbil would forego putting in a player because he used the metaphor of "war", this in the "Group of Death" against Italy's "Battle-tested veterans", who can attack both "In the trenches" and with "aerial bombardment", backed by a keeper "superb under volleys of shots and the fiercest fire". In other words, we could forego the chance to win a critical WC match because BA goes PC on our &sses???
FIRE him.:mad:

[dawgpound2]

You people have limited the question to the point of it being worthless to ask.

It's not mutually exclusive that if Bruce used the last sub it had to be EJ for McBride to go for the win.

No, he should have brought on a sub, either offensive (if Bruce wanted to try for 3) OR defensive around the 85th minute. Our whole team was virtually on fumes!

If Italy had gotten a cheap second goal because our boys were walking, how would you all feel?

He cannot end a game with 9 guys, but having held onto one sub! Inexcusable.

[Brushes Sand]

But now with 20/20 hindsight, I can see the wisdom in hanging on to it. If he would have made his 3rd sub and then we suffered an injury, and we're down to EIGHT men??? No way do we come out with our point then. Also, he kept both O'Brien and Johnson totally fresh, ready to (hopefully) go 90 against Ghana. We're going to need them.

On 90', none of that would have mattered.

-bs