Big Soccer: Pick Your Starting Eleven and 7 subs vs Cuba

[deuteronomy]

There are some new faces on the horizon. We lead our group with 9 points and can clinch a berth in the hex with a win on Saturday night.

Here is the 23 man Roster:

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 6/5 SO), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF: 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 17/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 1/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 13/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 11/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 5/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco: 1/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 19/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 5/2), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 3/0), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.: 0/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 9/4), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 0/0) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 11/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 24/8)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

I am going to start with the roster I believe Bradley will start along with the 7 subs I would pick. He has recently said that a whole different group may or may not go to Port Of Spain, Trinidad, depending upon the outcome.

------------Howard---------------
Dolo----Gooch, Bocanegra----Pearce
-------Bradley------Kljestan-------- (possibly Edu for Sacha)
--Dempsey---Donovan----Beasley---
-------------Ching-----------------

Subs: Guzan, Edu, Altidore, Hejduk, Orozco, Califf, Torres

[Prime Time]

There are some new faces on the horizon. We lead our group with 9 points and can clinch a berth in the hex with a win on Saturday night.

Here is the 23 man Roster:

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 6/5 SO), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF: 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 17/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 1/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 13/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 11/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 5/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco: 1/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 19/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 5/2), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 3/0), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.: 0/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 9/4), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 0/0) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 11/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 24/8)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

I am going to start with the roster I believe Bradley will start along with the 7 subs I would pick. He has recently said that a whole different group may or may not go to Port Of Spain, Trinidad, depending upon the outcome.

------------Howard---------------
Dolo----Gooch, Bocanegra----Pearce
-------Bradley------Kljestan-------- (possibly Edu for Sacha)
--Dempsey---Donovan----Beasley---
-------------Ching-----------------

Subs: Guzan, Edu, Altidore, Hejduk, Orozco, Califf, Torres

I was thinking about the Starting XI this morning, and even though that seems like a probably line-up, I don't think we'll see the exact same line-up two games in a row. Maybe switch Jozy in for Ching, or as you stated, Edu for Sacha? Not sure though.

[silverlion]

I would rest most of the MLSers for the weekend game and take them to T&T:
Vs Cuba
..............Howard
Demerit...Bocanegra...Orosco
.......Edu..Bradley
Cherundolo..Dempsey..Beasley
.........Davies...Jozy

@ T&T
...........Howard
Hejduk..Califf..Oguchi..Pearce
.......Szetela..Kljestan
...........Donovan
Adu....................Torres
.............Ching

[Bigrose30]

Same starting lineup as last game:

---------Donovan-Ching
Beasley-Bradley-Klejstan-Dempsey
Pearce-Bocanegra-Onyewu-Cherundolo
-----------Howard

Substitutes Bench: Guzan, Califf, Hejduk, Edu, Torres, Adu, Altidore

Subs: Altidore for Donovan (45), Torres for Klejstan (65), Adu for Ching (80)

If the US has the game out of reach by halftime, I wouldn't be surprised to see Landon on a plane to LA.

[Prime Time]

I would rest most of the MLSers for the weekend game and take them to T&T:
Vs Cuba
..............Howard
Demerit...Bocanegra...Orosco
.......Edu..Bradley
Cherundolo..Dempsey..Beasley
.........Davies...Jozy

Thank goodness you're not the head coach.


@ T&T
...........Howard
Hejduk..Califf..Oguchi..Pearce
.......Szetela..Kljestan
...........Donovan
Adu....................Torres
.............Ching

:rolleyes:

[schrutebuck]

Sat vs. Cuba:

------------Howard------------
Dolo---Onyewu---Boca---Pearce
Dempsey---Edu---Bradley---Beasley
---------Adu-----Altidore---------

Guzan
Demerit
Califf
Hejduk (Crew have already made playoffs and basically clinched SS)
Szetela
Torres
Davies


DNP: Perkins, Orozco, Kljestan, Donovan, Ching

[Haddamlion]

I agree with whatever Bob thinks.

[mcadaal]

------------Howard---------------
Dolo----Gooch-- Bocanegra----Pearce
-------Bradley------Kljestan--------
--Dempsey---Donovan----Beasley---(then throw in Torres for DB and see the difference)
-------------Altidore-----------------

[bshredder]

Starting

Howard
Pearce
Gooch
Bocanegra
Cherundolo
Bradley
Edu
Donovan
Beasley
Altidore
Ching

Subs

Orozco
Hedjuk
Adu
Davies
Kljestan
Szetela
Guzan

[rthill10]

I would rest most of the MLSers for the weekend game and take them to T&T:
Vs Cuba
..............Howard
Demerit...Bocanegra...Orosco
.......Edu..Bradley
Cherundolo..Dempsey..Beasley
.........Davies...Jozy

@ T&T
...........Howard
Hejduk..Califf..Oguchi..Pearce
.......Szetela..Kljestan
...........Donovan
Adu....................Torres
.............Ching


good lord when we use a 3-5-2 lemme know...that probably is dreaming wayyy too much

i'd go:

------------------howard---------------
cherundolo--bocanegra--onyewu--pearce
dempsey--bradley--kljestan--beasley/lewis
-----------donovan----altidore-----------

i think bradley will go safe to start, with a lineup that did well against TT. i can guarantee there will be no starting of torres, and probably not ching, edu, adu, orozco, or demerit. i think he will use adu as a sub, and kljestan/altidore if they aren't startng...i'd like to see torres used though

[Mr Martin]

I am going to start with the roster I believe Bradley will start along with the 7 subs I would pick. He has recently said that a whole different group may or may not go to Port Of Spain, Trinidad, depending upon the outcome.

------------Howard---------------
Dolo----Gooch, Bocanegra----Pearce
-------Bradley------Kljestan-------- (possibly Edu for Sacha)
--Dempsey---Donovan----Beasley---
-------------Ching-----------------

Subs: Guzan, Edu, Altidore, Hejduk, Orozco, Califf, Torres

The starting XI is the most likely one. Agreed.

As for the subs, I think Adu gets in there at the expense of either Orozco or Torres. Both of those two "newbies" won't be there ahead of Adu, who already has 8 or 9 Caps. DeMerit/Califf is also a toss-up.

After clobbering Cuba, Donovan definitely goes back to MLS. Kljestan, Hejduk and Ching maybe back to MLS, too. The Euro club guys not on the game-day roster for Cuba will go to T&T, supplemented by one or two MLS'ers not in a playoff race.

[Monkey Boy]

My starting XI for Cuba, not what I think BB will do:
--------Howard------
dolo--Gooch---Orozco--Pearce
-----Edu----Torres--------
Donovan---Adu----Beasley
----------Altidore-----------

Subs: Davies (Altidore), Sasha (Donovan), Szetela (Beasley -- move Torres to LM and Szetela back with Edu)

Note: I would look to blood the newbies against Cuba -- weakest team in the group and playing at home in DC. Basically the best chance for them with a mix of experienced players.

T&T - let Donovan, Dolo, Gooch, Beasley, Howard and Edu return to their clubs. Replace with White, Wynne and Rodgers.
--------Guzan---------
Wynne--Boca--Orozco--Pearce
-------Bradley---Szetela---
White----Adu----Torres
-------Altidore--------

Subs: Sasha (Adu), Rodgers (Bradley - move Torres back to work with Szetela), Demerit (Boca)

My focus in both games would be to mix up the front 4, but also work on linking play from the back. I'd like to see how well Torres could do in the middle in helping to develop that linking play.


Disclaimer: Of course everything above is a pipe dream and definitely won't happen. It's obvious from the call-ups that BB will start the same XI as the last game against Cuba. He will likely give Torres a cap toward the end of that game and maybe mix Adu, Altidore or Orozco in there. If we get a win, then he'll send most of the starting XI back to their clubs and give the younger guys a chance against T&T.

[Prime Time]

The starting XI is the most likely one. Agreed.

As for the subs, I think Adu gets in there at the expense of either Orozco or Torres. Both of those two "newbies" won't be there ahead of Adu, who already has 8 or 9 Caps. DeMerit/Califf is also a toss-up.

Probably for Orozco. Bob's going to want to give Torres his first cap ASAP. As for DeMerit/Califf, it's DeMerit's turn. He stated previously that how it works is, that they alternate camps and since Califf got his turn last go around. I'm sure DeMerit will make the game-day roster over Califf against Cuba.

[FirstStar]

I would rest most of the MLSers for the weekend game and take them to T&T:
Vs Cuba

WTF??? This idea of letting BigSoccer manage the team will never work.

Same starting line-up for this weekend as the last game, with the possible exception of Edu replacing Sacha in the midfield. After we win Saturday, we clinch advancing out of the Quad, so ALL MLS players will be released back to their teams (playoff push and all that, you know).

The T&T match should be really interesting. With Ching and Landon off the roster, we should see two of the trio of Jozy, Freddy and Charlie start up top.

[cpwilson80]

What I expect to see:

---------Ching---------
DMB---Donovan---Dempsey

-----Edu---Bradley------

Pearce-Boca-Gooch-Dolo

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

Subs:
Altidore on for Ching
Adu on for Dempsey, and Donovan slides out to the right
Kljestan on for Bradley/Edu (honestly, it'll be Edu)

[cpwilson80]

WTF??? This idea of letting BigSoccer manage the team will never work.

Same starting line-up for this weekend as the last game, with the possible exception of Edu replacing Sacha in the midfield. After we win Saturday, we clinch advancing out of the Quad, so ALL MLS players will be released back to their teams (playoff push and all that, you know).

The T&T match should be really interesting. With Ching and Landon off the roster, we should see two of the trio of Jozy, Freddy and Charlie start up top.

By ALL, you mean all four of them? ;)

I totally agree with your final paragraph - the T&T game should give us a taste of what we could have seen in the Olympics, and what could very well be our attack post-2010.

[TimB4Last]

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/10/who-should-bob.html#more

....

Will Bradley wait, or will he incorporate some of the young guns on Saturday?

With that in mind, here is the lineup I {Ives} think we will see on Saturday:

PROJECTED USA lineup vs. Cuba

-----------Ching----------Dempsey---------------

Beasley----------------------------------Donovan

-------------Bradley----Kljestan----------------

Pearce-----Bocanegra--Onyewu----Cherundolo

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

I could definitely see Jozy Altidore getting a start, as well as Maurice Edu in central midfield, but I think we will see this starting XI again, with three young players getting looks as second-half subs.

....

[DestroyerDaMarc]

------------Howard---------------
Dolo----Gooch, Bocanegra----Pearce
-------Bradley------Kljestan-------- (possibly Edu for Sacha)
--Dempsey---Donovan----Beasley---
-------------Ching-----------------

Subs: Guzan, Edu, Altidore, Hejduk, Orozco, Califf, Torres

I think this is the starting unit because a win is a clinch and new faces against a T&T team that has no tactical knowledge about anything. God, I feel bad about Edwards.

[Adam Zebrowski]

cuba bunkering, and a single d-mid gives usa 11:

---------Ching--Dempsey
Beasley-Bradley-Klejstan-Donovan
Pearce-Bocanegra-Onyewu-Cherundolo
-----------Howard

presuming usa gets up 2 goals at half...

adu for donovan
altidore for ching...

minute 70 torres for beasley..

although there's a chance edu for kljestan to defend the lead, but i prefer not

[Namdynamo]

Bunkering Bob's starting 11:

Same old crap.




My starting XI for Cuba:

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

Dolo---Gooch---Boca---Pearce

---------Edu-----Kljestan-------

Dempsey-----Adu-----Donovan

-------------Altidore-------------

Subs: Davies (Altidore), Torres (Kljestan), Orozco (Boca)



My starting line up for T&T (release Donovan, Ching, Kljestan back to their MLS teams, call up Cooper, Wynne, Rogers):

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

Wynne---Gooch---Orozco---Pearce

---------Edu-----Torres-------

Dempsey-----Adu-----Rogers

-------------Altidore-------------

Subs: Szetela (Edu), Davies for Dempsey (4-4-2), Cooper (Altidore)