Here's my best guess after some research. My thoughts on this are posted on my blog, as well as some explanations for certain teams. Questions and comments are welcome. Yes, I know certain players are injured. CHICAGO FIRE ...............Rolfe.......Barrett.................. ...Guerrero.......Mapp.......Pause........ ............Armas.......Gutierrez............... ......Robinson....Curtin....Brown......... ........................Pickens........................ COLUMBUS CREW .....Virtuoso.....Herron.....Gaven......... .................Grabavoy.................. ..........O'Rourke.....Oughton............. ...Pierce...Gonzalez...Marshall...Hejduk... ..................Gaudette................... DC UNITED .......Moreno.....Emilio....... ...Gros......Gomez.....Fred.... ......Carroll.....Olsen........ ....Namoff...Boswell...Erpen... .............Perkins........... KANSAS CITY WIZARDS ...........Johnson........Sealy................. ...Harrington...Zavagnin...Victorine...Arnaud... ...Burciaga...Conrad.....Garcia...Jewsbury...... .................Hartman........................ NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION .........Twellman.....Noonan.......... ...Franchino.....Dorman.....Ralston... ........Joseph........Hernandez....... .....John.....Parkhurst.....Heaps..... ................Reis.................. RED BULL NEW YORK ................Altidore.............. ...v.d.Bergh................Schopp..... ................Reyna.................. ........Stammler.....Kovalenko......... ...Dunivant...Mendes...Parke...Wynne... .......... .....Waterreus.............. TORONTO FC ........Casey.....Eskandarian....... ...Welsh.....Cancela.....Robinson.... .......Mulrooney...O'Brien.... ......Brennan...Braz...Pozniak...... ...............Sutton............... CD CHIVAS USA ....................Razov........Galindo........................ ...Mendoza...Marsch...Kljestan...Guevara...... ...Bornstein...Suarez...Hernandez...Zotinca... ..............................Guzan................................... COLORADO RAPIDS ...............Hernandez.......Brown....................... ...Gomez...Beckerman...Mastroeni...Cooke... ...Vanney...Ihemelu...Petke...Prideaux......... ..........................Thornton................................. FC DALLAS ..........................Ruiz....................... ...Cooper.......Nunez.........Mina..... ..................Toja.....Richetti............ ...Gbandi...Goodson...Moor...Yi... ...........................Sala...................... HOUSTON DYNAMO ...................Ching............Dalglish.................. ...........................De Rosario........................... .........Davis.................................Mullan......... ................................Clark............................... ...Barrett...Robinson...Cochrane...Waibel... ..............................Onstad............................. LOS ANGELES GALAXY ......Quaranta...Jaqua...Donovan............. .......Martino...Vagenas...Jones................ ...Jazic...Thomas...Marshall...Albright... .........................Cannon............................. REAL SALT LAKE ..................Cunningham.................... ...Adu..........Ballouchy.......Klein....... .............Talley.........Kreis.................. ...Forko...Torres...Pope...Stewart... ......................Rimando......................
Good stuff I thought the whole reason Adu was going to RSL was so he could play his preferred CAM position?
Franchino's still on a leave of absence, so I'm not certain I would include him until he's officially back with the team.
Ignoring the numerous injuries, suspensions, etc. --I thought Khano Smith was supposed to start on the left side for the Revs whether Joey was around or not. --Is Tejada really on the bench for RSL? I thought he'd been starting all their games up top with Cunningham....(never mind, I just read the latest. He sounds like a bust already) --Has Herculez Gomez really been converted to a left mid for the Rapids? I'll believe it when I see it. IF he starts, he plays up top, but I think we'll sooner see Peterson at LM, Nico at striker next to Brown, and Herc off the bench.
FC DALLAS ..........................Ruiz....................... ...Alvarez...........Nunez.........Cooper*..... ..................Toja.....Richetti*............ ...Wagner*..Goodson...Moor...Rhine.... ...........................Shaka*...................... Morrow really seems to like Alvarez and his speed. Mina is battling with Cooper and Nunez. If Ricchetti signs in time, it's a good bet he starts. If not, Saragosa here. Think Rhine has won the right back job for now. Gbandi is injured+suspended for game 1. US U-20 international starts game 1. (good luck making your first MLS start lined up against Chris Klein, kid). Sala is suspended for 6 games. Hislop will start.
My biggest suggestion about the galaxy line up is that I would find a starting spot for Sturgis somewhere on the field, probably defensive midfield. I don't know who of Jones/Vagenas/Martino sits to make this happen. Also, Alan Gordon will be a starter for LA for many games this year as well playing centrally. I don't think Yallop has a final starting 11 in mind yet and has a squad of the 11you picked plus Sturgis, Roberts, Veris, Beckham, Gordon, Findley and Kirk that will be used a lot depending on circumstances. This is probably for the best considering the amount of matches we will play plus the loss of some players for internationals. Actually, on paper, I really like the make up of our team this year. But isn't that always the case in pre-season?
The DC United starting linup now includes 6 United States Internationals and 5 South American veterans. Those five include the reigning League MVP, a former League MVP, the Player of the Year in the Hyundai A-League, and last year's scoring champ from the Honduran 1st Division. Needless to say, there will be NO EXCUSES in our Nation's Capital. Vamos United!
With our current roster, if everyone is healthy, I wouldn't be surprised to see this on opening night for the Galaxy: ....Quaranta....Gordon......Jaqua..... ...................Donovan.............. ...........Sturgis.........Vagenas........ ...Jazic...Marshall...Thomas...Albright... .....................Cannon......................
Pozniak will likely be on the Bench, with Marco Reda taking the middle CB role and Braz on the right. Also, I don't see O'Brien playing that deep. He's been on the right wing for us through out the preseason. I'd switch him and Robinson. Otherwise, I think you've pretty much got it, with only Edson Buddle and Mo Edu really pushing for starting spots among those players not in your starting lineup.
LOL 6 US internationals? Carrol, Gros, Namoff, Boswell, and Perkins may have been to a camp or two or played some minutes in a couple friendlies but get real they are not internationals in the context that Olsen is/was. Thats like saying Clyde Simms is a US international. Which i am sure you would have had he been listed.
The DC United starting lineup now includes 1 'used-to be' US International (Ben Olsen) that they seem to enjoy misplaying out on the wing and 5 other extremely fringe, cup-of-coffee, 'God help us if we ever have to start these guys in a game that matters' U.S internationals, the reigning League MVP, a former league MVP (who looks like he's finally 'past-it'), and a couple promising but untested-in-MLS foreign signings (Yinka, Fred, Emilio) . They're still week on defending/scoring vs. high balls in the box. Their first forward off the bench is Jamil Walker. Their first defender off the bench is John Wilson. They're wedded to the 3-5-2 and have only 1 proven up-and-down the slide lines starter (Gros), have no proven replacements for either their sweeper or their Amid (two critical positions) and their starting goalkeeper is lame. All that said, if Gomez and Boswell stay healthy, they should make the playoffs pretty comfortably.
supposedly Ballouchy has been too good in preseason not to play centrally, and they like Freddie on the left. i agree with your sentiment though: that was the implied reason he went to RSL: to patrol the attacking middle like only Freddie can do. err, i guess not. supposedly he will have fewer defensive responsiblities on the left and will still be able to operate freely, but you have to wonder how great Freddie is centrally if he's beat out by a kid named Ballouchy who only real MLS fans could name. thought Ballouchy had some great moments last year and allegedly he's lifted his game this year in camp, etc....though we won't really know until the regular season (which is now only 8 days away!!! ).
CD CHIVAS USA ....................Razov........Ga lindo........................ ...Mendoza...Marsch...Kljestan...Gu evara...... ...Bornstein...Suarez...Hernandez.. .Zotinca... ..............................Guzan ................................... Speaking as a RBNY fan who never liked Guevara, I'd be hard pressed to imagine him playing out on the right. I don't know Chivas' roster to know who'd get put out there and who'd get dropped, but Guevara will be in the middle or he'll show you what a headcase he can really be.
Hehe let me fix this for you .............Razov......Cunliffe/Galindo.......... Mendoza................Guevara..................Kljestan .............................Marsch........................... Bornstein......Hernandez.....Suarez.......Barrera ...........................Guzan............................ Guevara will be in the middle!
Why is it so hard for Stopper4 to understand that DC United could start John Wilson and still likely finish the year with fewer goals conceded than FC Dallas? DC did better defensively than almost every team in MLS until they had nothing to play for at the end of the year and gave up a few goals. They had Freddy Freakin Adu playing like a wing-back and gave up fewer goals than a KC defense with Garcia, Conrad and Burciaga. With DC's attacking players ... other teams are going to struggle more than ever to see the ball. And it won't even matter if DC allows the kind of goals scored numbers that were customary in their championship seasons (the past two season have seen the most effecient team defenses in DC history ... that is right ... even with the horrid Erpen and a goalkeeper like Rimando in 2005, DC has been more efficent than when they had Pope, Nelsen, etc). Also ... DC has a lot more depth this year ... than they had last year. The only place we don't have much depth this season (defense) is the area we had depth last year ... and it didn't even matter because Namoff-Boswell-Erpen were hardly ever missing from the lineup. But if you would really rather have Yi, Rhine, Gbandi, Goodson and Moor (the only one of those guys who is ever likely to be an MLS XI guy) ... by all means ... keep making irrational arguments about why DC's defense is going to let them down (when it was perfectly good enough to get them through the playoffs ... giving up those 2 goals in 3 games really put the team behind the 8-ball). Stopper4 ... your irrational hatred for the DC team and your complete inability to analyze them objectively (barring the unlikely, but defensible questioning of the second wing player) does you little credit. Save if for the rivalry thread. The stuff you keep regurgitating (on boards all across BigSoccer) is hardly analysis. It is your much-hoped for fantasy.
Jason Kreis at defensive midfield for RSL?? Hadn't heard that one. And no sign of Szetela for the Crew?
Based on the preseason lineups, it seems that Zotinca is getting more time at RB. However due to Bornstein's injury, I think Barrera may start at LB for the opener.
I was simply trying to add a little balance after the 'OMG DC has 6 US Internationals!' post. Kindly point me to the post where I predicted Dallas' D will be great. The fact that you gave up few goals last year when you had few significant injuries does little invalidate my point that DC has talented players, but lack depth. Saying you were better than a hapless KC team doesn't do much to make your point, either. I'll admit my conclusion is totally groundless if you can substantiate that DC's defense was pretty good with Gomez, Olsen and Boswell out. (I don't think you can, simply because they didn't miss a lot of time last year) If you can't, then just admit that the jury is still out on just how dependent your team is on a couple players and how lacking in depth they are. Either way, time will tell. DC's ability to possess the ball is a testament to just how good Gomez, Olsen, and Moreno have been. You can't count on that every year. Not with Olsen out on the wing. Not with Moreno in decline. Not with Gomez (although he's great) another year older and only able to go 70 minutes.....Not when you don't know if Fred is going to be another Gomez or another Donnet. You are most certainly NOT deeper than last year. No Prideaux, no more Stokes, and another of your defensive draft picks is playing in the USL. (better hope Arguez is ready to play, or you may just find out how good John Wilson is....or how good Prideaux was). +Emilio, -Esky may improve you talent level, but certainly not your depth. Jamil Walker is still your first forward off the bench. I agree that Rimando isn't worth much, but he's certainly closer to MLS starter quality than Jay Nolly. And that MATTERS when your starter is so lame he can't even take goal kicks. But take heart. It certainly seems that Emilio > Esky. DC will go as far as Gomez will take them, maybe even more so this year than last.
I think you missed my point Junior. I was simply pointing out that with the developing talent that United has, in conjuction with the seasoned veterans from South America, the club would have no excuses if they fail to win trophies. It's called accountability. Of course, you probably don't know much about trophies. Except for that U.S. Open Cup back in 1998 it's been a pretty dry run for ya'll. But I'm pretty sure you know all about excuses. They are what your team has to offer every year when a promising regular season turns to crap in the playoffs.
DC still has enough cap room to add a reasonable defender in summer. Overall I think it's smart to fill your last roster spot in the summer when you have a better idea what the last missing piece of the puzzle is. And besides there should be a bigger pool of players to pick from come summer. But overall DC has a strong starting point. There's little ambiguity about each player's role. Also the core of the team is strong tactically and mentally. Virtually none of our starters have ever played for another MLS team, so they are very much connected to the team matrix.
Thanks for the info. Also, it appears that New York may start Seth Stammler at center back, likely instead of Jeff Parke, which means that Clint Mathis could start up top in a 4-4-2. If yesterday's match against Houston means anything, that is.