Perspective and the Return Leg

[cpwilson80]

After yesterday's beatdown, we're off to Barbados for the lowest-pressure World Cup Qualifier in US history (excluding games after we've clinched.)

Everybody has their own perspective from yesterday and expectations for next weekend, but I thought it'd be helpful to look at this rationally.

Bradley shouldn't bring the Olympic team, but nor should he play all of his regular starters. With the result in-hand, the biggest goal should be to test guys to see how they play with the first string team.

This might mean a new partner for Onyewu, a different strike tandem, or trying Adu behind the two strikers. Regardless, I want to try new things but still be able to assess how well they worked. This differs from the Copa America approach, which is throw everybody in the pool and see who swims.

Inevitably, this means some guys will get left out. I'm OK with that as long as the changes make sense. There's still 2 years to go, and there's time to make an impression later.

Also, don't forget why we're in this position. Scoring goals is f*cking hard - there's a reason even the best teams in the world don't regularly score 5 or 6 goals. To drop 8, regardless of the opposition, is cause for celebration.

[blackjack]

You make good points. However, bear in mind that just as we didn't learn anything in the home leg, we're unlikely to learn anything substantive in the return leg either. How Adu might play behind the strikers in this game won't tell us much about how he might do there against a real team, for example.

[Matrim55]

You make good points. However, bear in mind that just as we didn't learn anything in the home leg
I disagree. We learned that guys playing in their first WCQ, no matter how small the minnow, tend to look nervous. It was true of Bradley, Pearce and Adu, all of whom took a little while to get rid of the yips.

Seeing as this weekend's game is also a World Cup Qualifier, and there are at least three guys (Demerit, Edu, Altidore) in the mix who you absolutely know will be a part of our campaign but have yet to take their bows, I'd want them on the field from the kick. Here's the lineup I'd choose:

Guzan

Cherundolo - Demerit - Bocanegra - Pearce

Dempsey - Edu - Bradley - Beasley

Adu - Altidore/Cooper

I want Demerit in there because it appears that he's the first choice to back up BB's preferred staring pair, and you know that Onyewu will be missing games due to card accumulation. Personally I'm not convinced that these are our three best central defenders, but Bob apparently is, so it's important to get them reps in real games.

I want Beasley out there to continue working himself towards fitness, and chose Dempsey because his confidence in front of goal needs to be rebuilt. Getting a couple more against Barbados could be a nice step in that direction. I would be happy, however, with Kljestan there instead.

Edu and Bradley in the middle I know will cause no end of wailing and gnashing of teeth on this board, but we are what we are. Plus I would bet good money that there's our starting central midfield come the Hex, so get them reps now.

Adu and Altidore/Cooper/Buddle up front I'm certain I don't have to explain.

I've also dropped Donovan because it's important for us to learn who our attacking leader is when he's not on the field.

[tab5g]

how are yellow cards accumulated and penalized during WCQ, does anyone know?

i actually think Onyewu (and anyone else who picked up a yellow -- i don't think that was anyone else on the US) should be rested in this match.

I wouldn't mind seeing a line-up like:

---------Guzan

'Dolo--Califf-DeMerit-Pearce

Kljestan--Edu--Adu--Rogers

-----Johnson--Donovan



Of course, who knows if the coaches will bring in "new" guys at this point to the camp (like they did with Reis for the first game), but if they do, I'd certainly like to see guys like Rogers, Parkhurst, Moor and Cooper. and if Altidore is available (and healthy), send him as well.

[Marko72]

I wouldn't go with that many new guys. I say 4 new guys is about all you can go with and not lose the kernal of basic team chemistry. My point is not that the U23 team couldn't beat Barbados (and certainly would not lose 8-0), but rather the point of bringing in new faces is to let them play with the seniors at the senior level, not the U23 level on a scheduled senior day.

As it is, this game will tell very, very little evaluatively about the new guys. I wouldn't put any stock in a guy "showing he can lead the attack" based upon what we'll see on Sunday. It's experience--not the evaluation--which will be important.

[DiscoWarrior11]

I think that the only MLS teams Bradley will pull from will be Chivas and Chicago, who play on Thursday and have the weekend off. So Guzan, Kljestan, who else? Rolfe? Mapp? Soumare?

I think it'll be Guzan, Sacha, and the European players. It'd be nice to see Altidore, too...

[Marko72]

After yesterday's beatdown, we're off to Barbados for the lowest-pressure World Cup Qualifier in US history (excluding games after we've clinched.)

Everybody has their own perspective from yesterday and expectations for next weekend, but I thought it'd be helpful to look at this rationally.

Bradley shouldn't bring the Olympic team, but nor should he play all of his regular starters. With the result in-hand, the biggest goal should be to test guys to see how they play with the first string team.

Etc.


Agreed, particularly with my emphasis. I do feel that a lot of people here are trying to test their hypothesis that the U23 Olympic team's as good as the senior nats. (More specifically, they want a test to show that players X, Y, and Z are all better.) These games aren't going to show that in any meaningful way. For evaluative purpose, except for purely mental intangibles, these games mean nothing. However, they are experience-builders.

Thus, that last paragraph quoted. This game can be a chance to gain some players experience with, as opposed to instead of the first team.

[TNJed]

I think it depends on how many chances the Olympic team will have to get together and play before the tournament. If the answer is few or none, it would be tempting to take an all u-23 squad, with no over-age guys. The 8 goal lead affords us that option. I'd like to see how much better they look now that MLS is in full swing. And to see what weaknesses still need to be addressed with over-age guys. The senior team have no more dates until August, the Euro guys could use a rest, and I doubt we can learn anything more from a return leg with Barbados. I bet we go much more conservative though, giving caps to both younger and veteran guys that haven't gotten them recently. If that's the case, Cooper should get a call.

[Mr Martin]

I posted something like this on a different thread this morning. A number of posters are on the right track in thinking Bradley will:

1) go light on players from MLS teams playing on the weekend; and

2) that he'll stick with as many healthy Euro players from the last couple of weeks to maintain some continuity.

The MLS teams free this weekend are Chivas and Chicago. So, I could see this:

------------Adu---Johnson-----------

Lewis-----Bradley--Kljestan----Dempsey

Pearce----Califf---DeMerit---Cherundolo

---------------Guzan-----------------

This gets more time for U23's Adu, Bradley and Kljestan, plus valuable Senior minutes for Guzan and DeMerit. Bradley seems to like Califf, so why not start him, too. Surround them with older vets and have at it.

Bench: Seitz, Boca, Beasley, Orozco, Bornstein, Mapp, Rolfe, maybe another CM (Edu or Olsen?), maybe available Euro's Szetela? or Davies?. Give Onyewu the game off.

I'd really like to see Orozco in the 2nd half.

I'd love to see Rogers, Cooper, Edu, and Altidore, but I don't think that will happen given the club committments and the lack of need in this match. With Olympics and other more important qualifiers coming up later in 2008, the MLS teams have plenty of hits to take, so this weekend Bradley will defer to MLS needs.

If club committments were no issue at all, then I would love to see most of the U23's supplemented with guys like DeMerit and Bornstein/Pearce. It's almost an ideal opportunity to sneak in an extra pre-Olympics scrimmage. But again, I just don't see it happening.

[mbar]

Can we have Donovan back this weekend?

Sincerely,

Los Angeles Galaxy

[firstshirt]

...................................Guzan
.....Wynne........Demerit............Califf........Orozca
.....Rogers........Adu...............Edu........Kljesten
....................Jozy...........Cooper

give a couple of the younger inexperienced guys a chance. not a chance they lose

[VioletCrown]

...................................Guzan
.....Wynne........Demerit............Califf........Orozca
.....Rogers........Adu...............Edu........Kljesten
....................Jozy...........Cooper

give a couple of the younger inexperienced guys a chance. not a chance they lose

I would so much love to see that.

Sadly, though, I will be shocked if we see anything other than the same starting lineup we had Sunday.

[blackjack]

5/1 we see Wolff. :mad:

[galaxyfan03]

Can we have Donovan back this weekend?

Sincerely,

Los Angeles Galaxy

TOTALLY agree!! Here's what I'd like to see @ Barbados:

----------------------------Guzan----------------------
Hejduk------------DeMerit---------Califf-------Lewis
------------------Bradley-----------Edu---------------
--Kljestan-----------------------------------Beasley--
-----------------------------Adu-----------------------
---------------Dempsey----------------EJ------------

Subs: Boca, Ching & Clark.

I'd send Donovan & Mastroeni back to MLS & call up Ricardo Clark. I'd also give Cherundolo, Pearce & Boca some deserved rest & keep Gooch out (yellow card). I play Beasley, not for the full 90, but because he does need more PT & put Kljestan out there. I'd start Dempsey with EJ & then bring in Ching for Dempsey at the half.

We should be fine with whoever we put on the field but I do agree with an earlier post & something I heard on the ESPN2 broadcast that I recorded...about the U-23 team being used for the second leg....NO WAY!!!

[mundial]

I posted something like this on a different thread this morning. A number of posters are on the right track in thinking Bradley will:

1) go light on players from MLS teams playing on the weekend; and

2) that he'll stick with as many healthy Euro players from the last couple of weeks to maintain some continuity.

The MLS teams free this weekend are Chivas and Chicago. So, I could see this:

------------Adu---Johnson-----------

Lewis-----Bradley--Kljestan----Dempsey

Pearce----Califf---DeMerit---Cherundolo

---------------Guzan-----------------



I think your reasoning is right, though I could see Dempsey up top and Kljestan on the right, with Adu playing in the middle. The interesting thing about it is that it forces him to put a different type of CM in there with Bradley - whether it's Adu, Kljestan, or Dempsey. I also wouldn't be shocked to see Beasley again - he needs the minutes. I also doubt he benches both Boca and Onyewu.

[Mr Martin]

I think your reasoning is right, though I could see Dempsey up top and Kljestan on the right, with Adu playing in the middle. The interesting thing about it is that it forces him to put a different type of CM in there with Bradley - whether it's Adu, Kljestan, or Dempsey. I also wouldn't be shocked to see Beasley again - he needs the minutes. I also doubt he benches both Boca and Onyewu.

Bold added.

Yes, you are probably right about that.

[Craig P]

TOTALLY agree!! Here's what I'd like to see @ Barbados:

----------------------------Guzan----------------------
Hejduk------------DeMerit---------Califf-------Lewis
------------------Bradley-----------Edu---------------
--Kljestan-----------------------------------Beasley--
-----------------------------Adu-----------------------
---------------Dempsey----------------EJ------------
We might want to keep the 4-5-2 in our back pocket until we get a game where we really need the extra player, like Mexico at Azteca or Costa Rica at Saprissa. ;)

[Kevin8833]

-----------------------Guzan-----------------
Cherundolo(C)----Demerit----Califf----Bornstein
-----------------------Bradley-----------------
------Kljestan---------------------Beasley-----
------------------------Adu-------------------
----------------Dempsey----Johnson-----------

Subs:
Cervi*
Pearce
Orozco*
Szetella*
Lewis
Mapp
Rolfe

*Players I would sub in.

I am kind of thinking this is the most realistic lineup that has the best chance of happening but at the same time I like quite a bit. Using only Euro's plus Orozco, Chivas, and Chicago players.

[DirtyJerzey]

I see this is a good opportunity to cap-tie a couple of players, like Orozco and maybe even Jorge Flores.

Shit give Subotic a call.

[Scott e Dio93]

Personally, I would love to see more Olimpic team. I can't see Bradley calling back Wolff rather than Altidore or Davies.