Who gets the start tonight: Ching or Altidore?

[deuteronomy]

Mods set up a voting poll please!
Many new faces arrived on the scene for this set of World Cup Qualifiers.
Freddy Adu, Danny Szetela, Troy Perkins, Charlie Davies, Jozy Altidore and Jose Francisco Torres. These combine with youngsters and previous call ups Maurice Edu and Sacha Kljestan to give the USA a new fresh look. Most would suggest that Altidore has the best chance of starting quickly of the new bunch. Is he ready to start ahead of US veteran and faithful warhorse, Brian Ching? Big Soccer, you decide.

[KALM]

The smart money's on Ching, since he has started every important competitive match we've played so far, going back to the last Gold Cup final.

But, I do remember that Bradley seemed pretty high on Altidore around the time of the Mexico friendly earlier this year, and that he stated that it was his intention to call him up into one of the subsequent friendlies or the Barbados qualifier but that an injury prevented this from happening, so there is a slight chance that Altidore would have started several of the matches that Ching started and that he might actually be Bradley's first choice option up top.

[Rainer24]

The smart money's on Ching, since he has started every important competitive match we've played so far, going back to the last Gold Cup final.

But, I do remember that Bradley seemed pretty high on Altidore around the time of the Mexico friendly earlier this year, and that he stated that it was his intention to call him up into one of the subsequent friendlies or the Barbados qualifier but that an injury prevented this from happening, so there is a slight chance that Altidore would have started several of the matches that Ching started and that he might actually be Bradley's first choice option up top.


Yep. So much for all the people crowing about Altidore not meeting the supposed "good person" criteria. What a load of crap that always was.

[Adam Zebrowski]

cuba bunkering says ching is highly likely..

although, if usa gets up a couple goals, altidore for ching is highly likely, and altidorestarting in t&t, assured given usa wins tonight

[mikeivan]

Chinger is a certain starter, IMHO. He is on a run of good performances and connects well with Donovan. Jozy will see action in the second half. I think they will both be in SA in 2010.

[giffenbone]

At practice (my friend was there) it was like this...

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

Beaz---Bradley---Kljestan---Donovan

Pearce--Boca---Oneywu---Cherundolo

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


vs. the 2nd teamers, which are all the other players (except Perkins)

Guzan was amazing in practice he said.

[Adam Zebrowski]

if practice is right, kljestan as 3rd attacking mid, is a positve step..

suspect this means edu and szetela for t&t..

[StillKickin]

At practice (my friend was there) it was like this...

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

Beaz---Bradley---Kljestan---Donovan

Pearce--Boca---Oneywu---Cherundolo

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


vs. the 2nd teamers, which are all the other players (except Perkins)

Guzan was amazing in practice he said.
Well, this doesn't make me entirely happy. I'd much rather Donovan and Dempsey switch places. Oh, well. But with the addition of Kljestan, it does appear we'll be a little more attack focused.

[saxman]

Chinger is a certain starter, IMHO. He is on a run of good performances and connects well with Donovan. Jozy will see action in the second half. I think they will both be in SA in 2010.

By "both" I hope you mean Donovan and Jozy. I hope that we produce and develop enough talent up front in the next two years to force Ching off the roster. Nothing personally against him. I just think we have seen about all we will out of him. He works hard but I don't see big improvements coming from him in the future so I just simply hope we can find better forwards by 2010.

After all that, I would say that odds are at least 10-1 that Ching gets the start tonight.

[usry723]

Jozy got called up and started against our biggest rival. I don't understand why they would call him up and not start him now.

[YankatOxford]

Jozy got called up and started against our biggest rival. I don't understand why they would call him up and not start him now.

Because Brian Ching was not available for that match in February and he is available, healthy, and in-form at this point.

[75 Cent]

On the coaching apsect... does playing Altidore now somehow hurt him over the long haul? I just thought that the more we play him today the better he'll be in 2010. I guess, like a lot of posters, I just don't understand the point of continually playing the older players.

[cleansheetbsc]

Thank goodness, game night. Big Soccer can get on with the business of hating Bradley again at 6:00 PM when the lineup is announced. Everyone has been to happy lately with the current callups.

[IndividualEleven]

On the coaching apsect... does playing Altidore now somehow hurt him over the long haul? I just thought that the more we play him today the better he'll be in 2010. I guess, like a lot of posters, I just don't understand the point of continually playing the older players.

Coaches have their 'guys' or thir preferred lineup to go with a preferred set of tactics. It's not really a grooming issue. That's just rationalization. Or why is itthat some bench warmers are starting and others aren't? What's disturbing is the lack of merit in too many Bradley's selections. Hopefully he bucks the trend with this match.

[Adam Zebrowski]

wait till t&t to see the kids...

you don't change what got you there until you're in the hex...with t&t and guatemala remaining...


while cuba ain't a toughie, BS folk generally ignore issues of team chemistry and paying ones dues

adu and altidore as subs is one step...

start the next two matches after that, and once the hex begins, adu and altidore wil have had another year of seasoning, or half a year of euro seasoing...

doesn't the banking collapse etach anyone anything...bad thinks happen when nvices get into positions of power..

[IndividualEleven]

Altidore is a third year first team pro. Adu even longer. These guys aren't novices.

The financial collapse demonstrates what happens when incompetent people regulate industry.

[spongey]

doesn't the banking collapse etach anyone anything...bad thinks happen when nvices get into positions of power..

Yeah. . . don't sink your life savings into the old boys network!

Positions of power??? Like running the Federal Reserve or that other greatly powerful position of playing striker for your club/country. I think your perspective is a little off. Your talking serious economic crisis vs. sports/entertainment.

Also, just to fill you in, bad things happen when old men get into a position of power just as much. . . if not more.

[WaltonFire]

Well, this doesn't make me entirely happy. I'd much rather Donovan and Dempsey switch places. Oh, well. But with the addition of Kljestan, it does appear we'll be a little more attack focused.

Agreed. I've always thought the offense performed better with Donovan in a dropped back forward position as opposed to on the wing. As to the original question: Ching most assuridly will start, Altidore will hopefully be subbed in as soon as the game is in control (ie 2-0 or more at half or anytime latter).

[Cool Hand Luke]

I badly want Altidore, but Ching, barring some unforseen injury, is going to be the guy.
Altidore hattrick vs T&T, mark it down.

[sidefootsitter]

while cuba ain't a toughie, BS folk generally ignore issues of team chemistry and paying ones dues Altidore looked so incapable of meshing with the rest of the players tonight.

doesn't the banking collapse etach anyone anything...bad thinks happen when nvices get into positions of power.. I didn't realize Greenspan was a(n 82 year old) novice.

Which proves the point that Ching was by far the worst US player.

Not a novice.

He's just not good enough to play.

Altidore is a third year first team pro. Adu even longer. These guys aren't novices. The excuses were crap all along.

The financial collapse demonstrates what happens when incompetent people regulate industry. Gov=USSF=entrenched incompetence.