Pre-match: USA vs. Ghana; July 1st, 2017

My XI:

---Dwyer--Agudelo---
Zardes-----------Arriola
---Acosta---McCarty---
Morrow----------Lichaj
-----Miazga-Hedges--
---------Guzan----------

Subs:
Saief (Zardes)
Roldan (McCarty)
Corona (Arriola)
Bedoya (Agudelo)

 

Heard that when we all saw the starting lineup for the Mexico game.

 

No goalkeepers? They're confident!

 

I just say that before every game as good luck, because we usually win when I say it

 

Yeah when I saw it in your sig, I started to catch on that it was artcasm.

 

As a lineup for a friendly, I would love to see this.

Would you roll out such an inexperienced XI for the Gold Cup?

 

I want to see how the group does... but I'd probably give the start to Villafana over Morrow in the Gold Cup, at least for the first game. I might also rotate the CB combo, with Besler-Gonzalez probably getting first stab, due to experience. And, I might start Bedoya over Agudelo, going with a 433 formation.


Game 1: vs Panama
--Zardes--Dwyer--Arriola--
----Acosta-------Bedoya----
-------------McCarty----------
Villafana-----------------Zusi
-----Besler------Gonzalez---
-------------Guzan------------

Likely subs: Saief (zardes), Agudelo (Dwyer), Corona (Bedoya)

Game 2: vs Martinique, if win against Panama, no other issues

------Morris---Dwyer-------
Zardes------------------Arriola
-------Acosta----Roldan-----
Villafana------------------Lichaj
--------Miazga---Hedges-----
-------------Hamid-------------

Likely subs: Saief (Zardes), Agudelo (Dwyer), Corona (Arriola)

Game 3: vs Nicaragua, assuming win vs Martinique, advancement is mostly assured

Saief---Agudelo---Morris
---Corona----Rowe------
-----------Acosta----------
Morrow---------------Lichaj
-----Miazga----Hedges---
-----------Hamid------------

Likely subs: Roldan (Acosta), Zardes (Morris), Dwyer (Agudelo)

 

I'm hoping we use this one for some of the guys who've gotten not much run. Can go back to the more experienced guys vs. Panama. With a win there, then mix and match for the final 2 group games.

My lineup vs. Ghana -

---------------Agudelo---Dwyer---------------
-------Saief-------------------------Arriola-----
---------------Acosta----McCarty-------------
Villafana----Hedges---Miazga------Lichaj
----------------------Hamid----------------------

 

I like that most of these players have none or very few caps. Could do it a few different ways to achieve this but this is a good example. I suspect Arena will mix in more veterans and perhaps he should so there's more of a control to compare to.

 

Quoting myself to add my subs:

'46 - Johnson for Hamid
'46 - Morrow for Villafana
'60 - Roldan for Acosta
'60 - Morris for Dwyer
'75 - Corona for McCarty
'85 - Rowe for Saief

 

I'm patiently waiting for Saief to start Saturday, Zardes is not in form.

 

Saief and Dwyer interest me.

I have been a big proponent of giving Lichaj this chance so I hope he gets it. No WAY he is worse then Zusi so unfortunately I expect the ole Bruce bias to return. I am by no means sold on Villafana yet so I hope he raises some questions. We definitely need depth.

The rest......ehhh lol

 

Reverse jinx?

 

Good night, John Boye.....

 

I understood the idea of Zusi at right back but the games he played for the US he didn't do any of the passing and crossing I was intrigued by and was naive defending. I haven't seen whether he's improved this year at KC so I hope the Gold Cup is where he proves one way or another whether he adds something different or whether a long time right back such as Lichaj is the way to go.

 

I have no idea what kind of success this line-up would have against this version of Ghana (and I am not really a Hamid guy), but I would love to see this just for the sake of running out something new in a not-total-cupcake match.

Got my ticket in the mail finally: see y'all at the AO tailgate!

 

After much thought and deliberation, acknowledging I don't like this roster all that much and certainly wouldn't have Morris in it, the options are limited so here's my front 7 in my preferred 3-4-2-1.

------------------Dwyer-----------------
---------Morris--------Agudelo-------
Saief-------------------------------Arriola
----------Acosta-----Roldan--------------

Probably go with Besler, Hedges and Miazga as my CB's.

 

My choices for Ghana 4-4-2

Guzan
Lichaj-Gonzalez-Hedges-Villafana
Arriola-Acosta-Corona-Saief
Dwyer-Agudelo

I doubt this happens because I think Bruce will start Zusi and Dax and Bedoya as some sort of known entities in the lineup. But from what I read, Corona is the best American in Mexico right now and I'd love to see Saief and Lichaj right from the beginning. I think the Dwyer-Agudelo pairing has some chance to perform well given that Agudelo has better hold up skills while Dwyer is more a test-the-backline guy.

 

Ghana starting 11 against Mexico tonight in Houston. I think we will similar lineup against US on saturday.


Antwi
Afful (Captain)
Agbenyenu
Boye
Mensah
Sackey
Ofori
Frank Akyeampong
Agyepong
Waris
Dwenama

 

Ghana wingers are dangerous.

 

No matter what happens in the Gold Cup if Zusi sniffs the field at RB next summer we are in bad shape. In fact if he sniffs the field in any role other than a late minute fresh leg sub we are in bad shape. In fact if he makes the final WC roster then we are in bad shape because he can't play at that level and that also means nobody else stepped up.

 

mexico 1 (PK) ghana 0
bad referee. hope a good referee is appointed for the us v ghana game.

 

Mensah?

Big opportunity for the starting CF.

 

a TFC-style 352 to test:

Dax as a d-mid:

Hedges's athleticism; he'll be more exposed as an LCB on a 3-man backline:

Bedoya as a central mid: he has successfully made the transition at club level:

Agudelo and Dwyer at the same.

----------------------Dwyer-----Agudelo----
--------Villafana--Acosta------Bedoya---Arriola----
----------------------------McCarty----
---------------Hedges---Gonzales---Miazga---
-----------------------------Hamid---

Subs: Rowe, Saief, Lichaj

 

I hope we start with the pairings/lineup we plan on using versus Panama --- use the second half then for the guys who haven't gotten much of a run. The 'not much of a run' guys will get their chance against Martinique and Nicaragua