USMNT North America GK: Nick Rimando, Sean Johnson, Bill Hamid RB: DeAndre Yedlin, Brad Evans, Michael Parkhurst CB: Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Clarence Goodson, Shane O'Neill LB: DaMarcus Beasley, Edgar Castillo CM: Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Kyle Beckerman, Luis Gil wingers/AM's: Graham Zusi, Paul Arriola, Brad Davis Strikers: Eddie Johnson, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Mike Magee On the Bubble: Tally Hall, Tony Beltran, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Amobi Okugo, Chris Klute, Greg Garza, Benny Feilhaber, Dax McCarty, Jose Torres, Herculez Gomez, Chris Wondolowski USMNT Europe GK: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Cody Cropper RB: Tim Chandler, Steve Cherundolo CB: Geoff Cameron, John Anthony Brooks, Will Packwood, Oguchi Onyewu LB: Eric Lichaj, Tim Ream CM: Jermaine Jones, Mix Diskerud, Danny Williams, Sacha Kljestan wingers/AM's: Fabian Johnson, Alejandro Bedoya, Brek Shea, Duane Holmes Strikers: Jozy Altidore, Aron Johannsson, Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd On the Bubble: David Yelldell, Jonathan Spector, Alfredo Morales, Zak Whitbread, Michael Hoyos, Seb Lleget, Andrew Wooten, Bobby Wood, Tony Taylor I tried to leave out players with long term injuries and players that haven't played a 1st team professional game. I also left out Friedel because he is retired from international duty and added Cropper even though he hasn't played a 1st team professional game yet because he has been called up by Klinsmann already. Starting Lineups USMNT North America GK: Nick Rimando RB: DeAndre Yedlin CB: Omar Gonzalez CB: Matt Besler LB: DaMarcus Beasley LCM: Maurice Edu RCM: Michael Bradley LM: Clint Dempsey RM: Graham Zusi AM: Landon Donovan CF: Eddie Johnson USMNT Europe GK: Tim Howard RB: Tim Chandler CB: Geoff Cameron CB: John Anthony Brooks LB: Fabian Johnson LCM: Jermaine Jones RCM: Mix Diskerud LM: Juan Agudelo RM: Alejandro Bedoya AM: Aron Johannsson CF: Jozy Altidore I think USMNT Europe is still stronger, and I think they would win 3-1. Who do you think would win?
For starting lineups, NA: I'd switch Edu with Beckerman, Bradley plays the box to box role EUR: Lichaj at LB, F. Johnson at LM, Agudelo out. These starting 11s look extremely even. Very close game, but for me the deciding factor is Landon Donovan against a Cameron-JAB CB pairing. I think Donovan bests them. Bradley-Beckerman is going to be more stable for 90 minutes than Jones-Diskerud as well. I do like Altidore, Johannsson, and F. Johnson together. You'd get chances created from those 3.
North America has the edge in midfield...but not by much. GK, backline, and forwards are all heavily stacked in favor of Euros. I agree euro team would probably win. Either way, this would be an awesome friendly to see!
MLS team looks slow with a shaky back line. The Euro lineup doesn't have the same resumes but they have more pace/creativity in the attack and a better defense IMO outside of central mid field. The MLS flanks would get overrun. I'd bet on the Euro lineup. Think the Euro's have a better bench too.
USMNT North America Rimando Yedlin — Gonzalez — Besler — Beasley Edu — Bradley Zusi — Donovan — Dempsey Eddie Howard Chandler — Cameron — Brooks — Fabian Williams Bedoya — Diskerud — Shea Altidore — Johannssson Europe wins 2-0. You have better talent in Europe on the wing and up top then what MLS defenders can handle, hands down an Altidore and Johannsson combination, when done right, can be real deadly for defenders.
Bradley's move to the MLS makes it more interesting but I still got Europe. Better strikers, better keepers, midfield is very close, and mls supposive strength at the backline with Besler and gonzo is a wash to jab and cam while Euro side has better outside backs.
What's funny is it was ridiculously uneven just recently, eg 2010 where aside from Donovan the NA group on the World Cup roster consisted of just Gomez, Buddle, Torres, Bornstein, and Findley... so basically Dononvan and Gomez. It's interesting how there has been a big increase in MLS and LigaMX players in the pool since then. Still, I'd say it just evened out in the last few months with Dempsey, Goodson, Bradley, Parkhurst, and Edu moving to MLS. Perhaps the trend began just before that, with Beasley, Feilhaber, and Johnson? Here are the guys who moved back to North America post-2010 World Cup:
Cam seems to have won the RB spot and chandler might not be out of the picture just yet (both are better than Evans and Beasley). Then theirs Fabian who could and in my book should be moved back LB.
Evans consistently started over Cameron,whether we agree or not. No evidence that Cam has won the job...
Evans got taken out after a poor showing and cam got the start where he balled out. I don't think we see Evans start at rb if cam is there. But nothing official. Just a very strong feeling.
I think the Euros definitely get on the board in that game... NA would really need to capitalize on any chances they can create.. overall i still think the euros but not by much
I actually think North American wins here. Europe's got a lot of pace and strength, but I think the back 4 could handle the europeans. The NA front line is much more experienced, have a lot more minutes together -- I see them having much more of the ball in a game like this. 2-1, North America.
Euro backline has guys who haven't played together. USMNT America also has better midfield cohesion, in that the DM wil actually stay at home unlike Jones.
I think that, although the European team might have better talent / higher median transfer value, the NA team has a couple of advantages. Firstly, back line cohesion. Evans, Gonzalez, Besler, and Beasley have played a lot of games together in the last year. On an individual basis, I might choose the Euro team (especially if you include FJ in the back line), but I'd trust the NA back line more in this scrimmage. NA team will have better defensive midfield as well. Secondly, the NA team has more guys that can create chances. The Euro team has guys that can get on the end of chances in AJ and JA, but the NA team is no slouch in this regard either with EJ and Dempsey. But I think Donovan, Zusi, Bradley, and even Dempsey would provide better service and create more scoring opportunities than their Euro counterparts. With all that said, it's tough to pick a favorite. The only thing that would surprise me is if it wasn't a competitive game. I'll say 2-1 NA.
My unshakeable Bradley fanboyism mandates I go with NA. Make this happen US soccer! Wherever the pre WC camp is, have this game there as well, ask 5 dollars from fans to stream it live on the internet, donate half the proceeds to a charity. Just do it. It's almost as obvious as a Robert's Rebellion prequel movie.
Two killer squads. But who's coaching them? That would be a huge factor in getting the most of these talented players. Maybe Roberto Martinez for the Euro-USA and Peter Vermes for the US-USA squad? If that were the case I'd say US-USA has the edge only cause MLS players are familiar with the league style and would have a better understanding of one another. The Euro players stem from different leagues with varying styles of play.
Michael Bradley now coming to NA gives the North Americans the edge. They've got the engine, the creative outlets, players that work well together and more cohesion. I think folks are overrating where the creativity comes from in Europe. Close game, but I gave NA the call. P.S. Great thread, and count me among those that would love to see it. Can this replace the Mexico friendly?