What to watch for tonight

[Matrim55]

Best guess:

Howard

Albright - Conrad - Bocanegra - Bornstein

Clark - Mastroeni

Dempsey - Convey

Donovan

Twellman


Convey will play wider on the left than Dempsey does on the right, but it will actually be Bornstein who's asked to provide the real width out there. Obviously Albright will do the same on the right.

Donovan will be used in the same role he plays for the Galaxy under Yallop leaving Twellman as a lone frontrunner. I'm cursing under my breath as I write that.

The formation could very well look more like a 4-2-3-1 than the 4-4-1-1 I have listed, but that will very much depend on the flow of the game. Thankfully el Tri are as tactically barren as we are at the moment - in fact they may line up in a similar formation, with Blanco behind Borgetti (combined age: 67) and a 4 man empty bucket in midfield as well.

Oswaldo Sanchez

Ricardo Osorio - Rafa Marquez - Carlos Salcido - Jimmy Lozano

Pavel Pardo - Gonzalo Pineda

Alberto Medina - Neri Castillo

Cuauhtemoc Blanco

Jared Borgetti


I'm predicting a 1-1 draw. Mexico goes up at about the half hour mark after Blanco skins Conrad and sets up Borgetti. Howard makes a couple of nice saves after that, but el Tri has the momentum going into the half.

The Yanks equalize at about the 65th minute when Bocanegra gets onto the end of a Convey free kick. No rhythm or flow to the second half, or the first really, but not the 3-0 shellacking that so many are fearing.

[Bill Schmidt]

Donovan will be used in the same role he plays for the Galaxy under Yallop leaving Twellman as a lone frontrunner. I'm cursing under my breath as I write that.

Why? The lone-striker formation works fine when you have either or both of 1) one of the top handful of strikers in the world who can create their own goals, and 2) one of the top creative CAMs in the world to pass and put away rebounds. So, I am sure Ruud and Ronaldinho will do just fine. Oh....dang!

[braun]

I don't see our LB or RB getting upfield much. Mexico is first-class offensively (and in fouling of course) and will require a USMNT 4-back, and I mean back.

Defensive lapses are what the Mexican offense will be about, like when Llamosa did not go up with Borgetti, and the ole striker put it away with his head.

Albright has to step up to someone like Medina when there's a long shot from outside the box.

Conrad does not equal Onyewu, so he better play at the top of his game and hope he does.

It will all be centered around Boca.

[Blitzz Boy]

What if the limo that Borgetti & Blanco send to pick up Albright breaks down or gets stuck in traffic?

[YankBastard]

Not to beat a dead horse, but does anybody know why in God's green earth did Bradley leave out Cooper?!

[Dan Loney]

Worst case scenario: Kenny Cooper's stock raises by his absence.

Well, okay, real worst case scenario: Meteorite smashes into University of Phoenix Stadium, extinguishing all human life. (I'm trying to cut down on my hyperbole.)

[FlashMan]

let's hope Albright is over his cold or flu or whatever he had v. Denmark and at least plays like he's seen a soccer ball before.

[jd6885]

Well, if you say both sides are tactically inept, this could be a boring 0-0 game. Both defenses will be very stingy and the battle for the ball will be hard-fought. Could be an ugly game with Blanco in there.

[Bill Schmidt]

I would not consider that Mexico lineup tactically poor, but that's mostly because I am surprised to see Blanco, who will probably be relied on so much that he can change the attacking-third tactics himself. I am surprised to see him because Mexico did not take him to the World Cup. He may have had some fitness and attitude issues over the years, and he may prove to be too slow tonight, but IMO, he has been Concacaf's answer to Zidane.

[Matrim55]

I would not consider that Mexico lineup tactically poor, but that's mostly because I am surprised to see Blanco, who will probably be relied on so much that he can change the attacking-third tactics himself. I am surprised to see him because Mexico did not take him to the World Cup. He may have had some fitness and attitude issues over the years, and he may prove to be too slow tonight, but IMO, he has been Concacaf's answer to Zidane.
Blanco had the most flair of any Concacaf player over the past dozen years, but Zidane actually, ya know, won stuff.

[Matt D]

Your predicted lineup matches the mysterious group of 11 players Bradley was talking to for a breif time during the televised practice yesterday.

[dredgfan]

Your predicted lineup matches the mysterious group of 11 players Bradley was talking to for a breif time during the televised practice yesterday.

there was a televised practice?

I really hope someone other than Albright play the right back position. I hope LD plays in the center of the pitch midfield or forward. No coming from 50 out and to the width. Let the width play him in. I'm hoping mastro and rico aren't within dancing distance of each other all game. and by that I mean one has some offensive production, maybe helps dominate one side of the field. that will effectively make blanco simple to contain. I hope dempsey, mapp, and convey see the field at the same time. let loose the guys with some attitude. if this game is boring, no matter the score line, bradley gets the axe by me until he redeems himself. I want to see an exciting game. Don't jump into a fight wanting to get out of the fight, jump into a fight to see who you really are.

[Bill Schmidt]

Blanco had the most flair of any Concacaf player over the past dozen years, but Zidane actually, ya know, won stuff.

Exactly. Concacaf's answer. :)

[Arisrules]

Stupendous match by Conrad and Bocanegra. Conrad was horrid against Denmark, missing something like 3 markers in teh box, but tonight he was ON. Boca was good, some of his long balls were a little off.

That second half by Bornstein was the best half by an American left back in I don't know how long. He has locked up the position right now...for the forseeable future.

Albright was bad again. That has to be dissapointing for him, and right now the right back position is open. Who will take it? No idea, but there are a whole host of players, especially since Cherundulo didn't have the best of World Cups.

In the midfield I wasn't as happy with mastro and clark as bruce was. A lot of energy, but the passing was not good. Mastro started playing better in the second half, but both he and clark had errand passes, which are honestly inexcusable. I wish one of them was a better passer, because that would be a world class duo then.

Convey was ok, turned it on in the second half. He needs to pound that shot low, and not lead the keeper into the save.

Ok match by dempsey. He is so good on the ball. If clark or mastro could outlet the ball, he would have seen more of the ball.

Rolfe was bad. The search for a striker continues, as johnson was not that good in my opinion either.

I don't mind the formation with donovan as the second forward, but it won't work unless you have a deep distributor which we presently don't have. That is dissapointing, and the retirement of Reyna has left a gaping hole in the midfield.

Good win. Bradley is full time coach in my opinion now.