Twilight Zone line-up

[Boda United]

Imagine if you will, a time and place where DC United has no injuries, now imagine you are the manager...what kind of line-up do you use...in DCU's twilight zone?

Here's mine:

............Emilio......................Quaranta

.......................Moreno....................
...........Guerrero..............Fred..........
.......................Gallardo...................

......Burch.......................Martinez......
..............Namoff......Peralta...............

......................Crayton.....................

Bench-
Boyzz
McT
Olsen
Simms
Vide
Janicki
Wells

Imagine if you will....a healthy DC United. With that line-up and bench...who could touch us? It would be some of the beautiful game.
Makes me feel bad for TS, imagine having these options.

I hear my alarm clock awakening me from this dream..............................

[scarshins]

emilio-moreno
fred-gallardo-quaranta
simms
martinez-mctavish-peralta-namoff
wells

it's back to square one.

[AMERICANS SC]

I'll take the 1998 DC United team!

Oh, did you mean this year's roster?

In that case, Ben Olsen, Jaime Moreno and another 9 players...

[Boda United]

I guess if Olsen's healthy, then place him in Moreno's spot and move Moreno up to 'Tino's spot. Play Jaime for 45 then bring 'Tino on at half. Still a great bench!

[Cweedchop]

Well, gotta say I'd never see the day when Gallardo get's listed as a defensive midfielder.

This is United's best lineup when completely healthy



-------------------------- Crayton ---------------------------------



Namoff -------------------- Peralta -------------------- Martinez



---------------- Olsen ------------------ Simms ------------------------


Fred ------------------------ Gallardo ----------------------- Guererro



---------------- Moreno -------------------- Emilio ----------------------



Subs:

Wells
Quaranta
Khumalo
MacTavish
Doe
Vide
Burch


I know the defense has been leaking goals all season long, but I think this team is built from the forward line backwards and it's important to strengthen the midfield, hence the inclusion of Olsen.


I guess when Olsen is out of sight, out of mind, he doesn't even make the bench for other lineups!

[Negro Y Rojo]

emilio-moreno
fred-gallardo-quaranta
simms
martinez-mctavish-peralta-namoff
wells

it's back to square one.


Wells?

[elprincipe]

A dream lineup with Gallardo playing d-mid? No thank you.

[AlecW81]

I guess when Olsen is out of sight, out of mind, he doesn't even make the bench for other lineups!

That's ridiculous. A healthy Olsen starts at RM over Fred, Tino, et. al. However, in a 4-4-2 that wouldn't be a problem.

I also have a big problem with a back 3 of Namoff, Peralta, and Martinez.

If you're playing 3 in the back, all 3 need to be solid players who are defenders first. Martinez fancies himself a libero.

---------------------Crayton----------------------
Namoff--------Peralta--Janicki---------Guerrero
----------------------Simms----------------------
Olsen-----------------------------------------Fred
---------------------Gallardo---------------------
---------------Moreno------Emilio----------------

Bench:
Thorpe
Tino
McTavish
Martinez
Boyzzz
Burch
Cordeiro or Thompson

Why Janicki at CB? He struck me as someone who won't get caught out of position. He has ample strength to body up inside the box. He's quicker than Peralta, McTavish, or Burch too.

[Hedbal]

So little love for Santino? I think he should make the first 11, even if one of Fred, Jaime, Emilio, or Benny sit. Fred, because for all his skill nothing much gets accomplished; Jaime, because he's better not trying to play a full 90 minutes; Emilio, because he doesn't have Santino's speed and quickness; and Benny, because even if he returns he's highly unlikely to be the Benny of old. Good sub, though.

[Bolivianfuego]

I'll Play.

----------------------------Emilio---------------------

------------------Moreno------------Gallardo----------
Guerrero---------------------------------------*Fred(Quaranta, Olsen)
------------------------Olsen(Simms)----------------

Martinez(Zaher)-----------------------------------------Namoff
------------------Peralta-------*Mctavish(Janicki)

-----------------------------Crayton------------------------

The players starred and position would all depend on who has the best form at that moment.

- Janicki looked great vs. Cruz Azul, and our whole back line looked great. I wouldnt mind trying him next to Peralta, but for now i have Mctavish starting because he has been there for a while, one game isnt enough IMO to win the position over him, even though Mct' has messed up alot....hmmm...

- If Olsen is still playing Awsome on the Wing then i'd try him up there, but Quaranta has been playing pretty well coming forward and scoring from the wings this season from service from Moreno..... Comparable to how C. Ronaldo makes offensive runs from the wings.

- Fred has been playing OK lately, nothing bad, but just isnt scoring or contributing as well as he did before. Maybe because Moreno hasnt been playing 100% or he hasnt had Gallardo on the field with him, who i noticed he works real well with. But Quaranta has been a just as dangerous player in the same position, but lacks fred's touch, but fred lacks scoring ability that tino' has had.

- Or if Olsen is feeling ok and back to his defensive Mid' days we could work him instead of simms whos been wishy-washy and he could be the lead up man to get the balls from the back to Gallardo and Jaime without having them to track back too much.

With all this said, and seeing how Good Q' has been playing on the wing, i am a little scared maybe we will use Fred for some trade bait?

What do you guys think?

Again looking at our lineup, this team would just kill as long as we can make up from the not so good defense by having that awsome offense we possessed a couple months back.

[PJohnson]

Well, gotta say I'd never see the day when Gallardo get's listed as a defensive midfielder.

This is United's best lineup when completely healthy



-------------------------- Crayton ---------------------------------



Namoff -------------------- Peralta -------------------- Martinez



---------------- Olsen ------------------ Simms ------------------------


Fred ------------------------ Gallardo ----------------------- Guererro



---------------- Moreno -------------------- Emilio ----------------------



Subs:

Wells
Quaranta
Khumalo
MacTavish
Doe
Vide
Burch


I know the defense has been leaking goals all season long, but I think this team is built from the forward line backwards and it's important to strengthen the midfield, hence the inclusion of Olsen.


I guess when Olsen is out of sight, out of mind, he doesn't even make the bench for other lineups!

You nailed it.

[AlecW81]

I wouldn't be opposed to trading Fred for a solid CB, but who would be willing to part with a solid CB for Fred?

[La Barra Blonde]

This is United's best lineup when completely healthy



-------------------------- Crayton ---------------------------------



Namoff -------------------- Peralta -------------------- Martinez



---------------- Olsen ------------------ Simms ------------------------


Fred ------------------------ Gallardo ----------------------- Guererro



---------------- Moreno -------------------- Emilio ----------------------



Hmm...I love Simms but I think I'd switch him out for Vide because Gallardo will need more protection, esp. when we play Chivas. Putting Vide and Olsen together will make a nice wall in the middle to come up and protect Gallardo as well as help stop the ball from coming back. They will also be renamed "Vinny" and "Guido" and let the knee-cappings commence. :D

I'd also switch out Crayton for Wells, yes Wells because Peralta tends to hang back and I don't think Crayton and Perlata work well together. As demonstrated by the recent Chivas debacle, I think Crayton's style does not work well with a Martinez-Peralta-McTavish backline because he comes off his line too much and demands the ball which means he'd be competing with Peralta. Crayton's style works much better with a more timid backline with Burch as he can cover for the other guys being out of position and I'd rather have Peralta in the back line than not.

[Untroubled by Reason]

I wouldn't be opposed to trading Fred for a solid CB, but who would be willing to part with a solid CB for Fred?
You might find quite a few GMs willing to take on a fast, quick, creative midfielder for a central defender, especially at less than DP money (around $200K).

[PJohnson]

I wouldn't be opposed to trading Fred for a solid CB, but who would be willing to part with a solid CB for Fred?

Your enthusiasm for Guinness and other assorted adult beverages is obviously catching up with you my pickled little buddie. Fred for a center back? I don't think so. ;)

[AlecW81]

How about Fred for Jimmy Conrad?

Or... Gooch is in town with the Nats, I've already pestered him on Facebook to sign with United. Maybe he'd be cool with a non-DP Max Salary.

[PJohnson]

How about Fred for Jimmy Conrad?

Or... Gooch is in town with the Nats, I've already pestered him on Facebook to sign with United. Maybe he'd be cool with a non-DP Max Salary.

Greg Janicki is the new Jimmy Conrad. You heard it here first. :cool:

[AlecW81]

Greg Janicki is the new Jimmy Conrad. You heard it here first. :cool:

I hope he is, but that means we still need another CB. We simply don't have the right set of backs to play a 3-man backline. Hell, many argue that if you're going with 3 in the back, you want all 3 to be CBs.

[rugman]

Greg Janicki is the new Jimmy Conrad. You heard it here first. :cool:

Hell, I would keep him as the next Chad Marshall.

[griffin1108]

Fred is DCU's only trade bait. I expect he will be moved in some fashion between the end of the season and spring training.