Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri Or play Williams as a defensive midfielder, play Edu and Bradley as central midfielders, and play Dempsey, Altidore, and Shea as forwards in the 4-3-3 we're supposed to be playing at every level.
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri 12-Rimando 13-Spector 14-Parkhurst 15-Cameron 16-Kljestan 17-Buddle 18-Boyd According to Klinsmann, Rimando > Guzan
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri Although I'm a fan of the 4-3-3, I don't think that's the right choice for this game.
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri The point of playing Williams out on the right is to have another high energy D-mid in the line up to plug up the holes that the Italian mid fielders will create and also to cover a lot of ground. JK knows we wont have the ball too much today so he's essentially playing 3 mids who can run and track down. It's a pretty safe lineup. Remember JK said when he took over that he wants his team to be able to play with the best teams in the world instead of bunkering down but sometimes against the elite teams we are going to have to bunker down and hit them on the counter. I think as the game progresses into the second half and depending on the tempo and flow, we might see someone like Sasha to add some spark or even start pushing Mike further up the field and leaving Edu for clean up duty. It'll be interesting to see how Shea and Johnson link up on the left. I don't see us scoring today but I really hope I'm wrong.
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri Also, it's important to note that Bradley is #6 today while Edu is #8...
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri Italy's 11: Buffon; Maggio, Barzagli, Ogbonna, Criscito; Nocerino, Pirlo, Marchisio; Motta; Giovinco, Matri. As expected Prandelli is experimenting defensively. So who knows maybe we can put one past them. Oh and no De Rossi! [Edited for language]
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri left microbio early to watch this. Don't care much for our midfield but hopefully it works out.
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri I don't think it's going to be so much that Edu is getting forward much more than Bradley, but that Edu is going to be applying defensive pressure chasing down Italian midfielders while Bradley's defensive position should be more static. From a defensive standpoint, I don't mind Bradley at 6 and Edu at 8, but Edu at 8 is dreadful going forward. I'd rather see Kljestan. I have no comment on Danny Williams at AM-R.
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri or as the Italians would say, let's get ready to tumble (in the box)
Don't get the Danny Williams out on the right thing. He has already shown he is not comfortable there
Edu, Bradley, Williams. Williams again on the right. ARGH!!! Jürgen hopes to re-enact the 1-0 loss to France with absolutely no attack whatsoever, apparently.
If there's one country I hate solely because of soccer it's Italy. Bunch of flopping Eurotrash bastards!
U.S. lineup via ESPN 1 - Howard 2 - Cherundolo 3 - Johnson 4 - Goodson 5 - Bocanegra 6 - Bradley 7 - Williams 8 - Edu 9 - Altidore 10 - Dempsey 11 - Shea
Re: Match Day thread: Italy Forza Azzurri Shea and Johnson on the left side...should be fascinating. Johnson is smart, skilled and Shea is explosive. The US chances should come through this side and in any combo of Bradley/Dempsey.