Pre-match: Gold Cup Quarterfinal: USA vs El Salvador (Wednesday, July 19, 2017)

I could go with your line up....

Hamid probably needs it, and we'd be fine with him in goal. But, I see Howard was called in to be #1. Personally, I'd say start Gonzalez then Hamid for the semis and Howard for the final... but that's probably too much tinkering and Gonzalez probably shouldn't be thrown in the fire in a knock out round match.

Corona has played well, but after Morris' brace, you have to reward that with a start. Dempsey in this role is more of a free roaming striker than a true #10. That puts Nagbe-Bradley-Acosta as a 3 man midfield.

On LB, honestly, I wanted to say start Lichaj there, because I want to see him get a chance on both sides. But that may just have to wait for another time.

 

El Sal came awfully close to beating us in 2009

 

They did beat Mexico and Costa Rica, though. Decent team back then, but they have a mental block against us.

 

First cap: Bruce's first match, a yawner v. Australia post-France '98.

 

Yes, after watching the first half CR v Panama, I"d go like this against CR (if they beat panama!)

--------------------morris---agudelo

---morrow---zardes---Bradley---Dax---arriola

---------Besler---------gonzo-------miazga

which means Jozy, Dempsey, Nagbe, Acosta, Bradley, Vfna, Zusi etc against ES tonight, imo

That'/s sort of what most are saying anyway

 

Any word yet on the lineup?

 

Heh, mine was also vs. ES...1997 WCQ (but we had already qualified) in a snowy Foxboro

 

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...otes-usa-vs-el-salvador-gold-cup-quarterfinal

 

That's actually a really smart lineup from Bruce. Basically the stabilizing vets brought into camp, and everyone else is on a prove-it-or-we-move-on basis (for the most part, looking at Hedges, Arriola, Morrow etc.)

 

Zardes and the dreaded Hedges/Gonzalez combo? Really Bruce?

 

???

............altidore.......dempsey
......................Nagbe
...........Zardes..............arriola
......................bradley
morrow - hedges - Gonzo- lichaj
.........................Howard

 

In his 8 months as manager, Bruce Arena has shown that he is not afraid of squad rotation. But Hedges and Morrow - those are 2 players that most would not have predicted to start.

 

@ussoccer




Crunch time! The #GoldCup2017 Knockout Round is here. Introducing your #USA starting XI for #USAvSLV. Lineup notes: http://ussoc.cr/lineub4f6

 

Seems potentially a weak backline. As a Galaxy fan I'm happy to see Zardes get minutes to get out of his horrible funk. As a USA fan he shouldn't be on the field at the moment.

 

Will be interesting how this one lines up.

 

Upside: No Bedoya!

Downside: Zardes and Arriola

 

Very strange. Do ya wanna win or are we still evaluating? Even if we were still evaluating, I'd be evaluating different guys. Maybe he got an email saying ES playing straight bunker, come and get us.

 

I think zardes will make a difference today. We will see.

 

Arriola and Zardes; that's a whole lot of workrate on the wings.

 

ES is not that good, so he might just beat them with pace or something.

 

Gyasi to provide the assist for the first goal with his butt.

 

Arena can't win with a lot of BS guys.

1. The we've seen enough crowd isn't happy because he's starting several B teamers.
2. The we need to evaluate the young guys more isn't happy because he is starting too many experienced guys and needs to be more in evaluation mode.

I think this is actually a pretty good mix for all factors considered.

 

We got our own Dr. Joe Machnik up in here! God job man! Question... What happens if a player gets an indirect Red card in their teams' final match of the Gold Cup? Would that carry over as well?

 

Hedges has not convinced me yet.

He and Omar make a shaky CB pairing IMHO.

Most likely a midfield diamond I guess. 2 flank players will work both ends of the field.

Will be interesting to see how Lichaj does.

 

LOL at LaLaLaLa's new "hairdo".