He's done ___all except get elbowed...yes yes I know the service has sucked but still he shot miserably and amateurishly wide against Italy ... I'd start Wolff & Johnson upfront with Donovan directly above them - Dempsey off to the right - Convey on the Left - Reyna deep in the hole... I'd Bring DMB in as a sub UPFRONT off to the left and an angry McBride on at the 60th minute...
So BMB shoots wide against Italy and he suddenly becomes worthless. Congratulations! You know ___ all about soccer.
I would like it if Eric Wynalda stopped starting these threads in an attempt to hold on to his scoring record.
It's too bad you people can't remember the 2002 Poland game where a run down Brian McBride couldn't do anything for the team.
Disagree totally. If I were US coach there's only 3 ways I would leave him out of the lineup: He needs the rest (highly unlikely - only a concussion would keep him out) I decided to have the team play EVERY ball on the ground I decided that Ching is a better forward (told you it was scary)
McBride doesn't look tired; for example he was still all over the place playing defense late in the game when we were down to 9 men against Italy. What he looks is well defended. The CR backs (Ujfalusi especially) were all over him. I would have expected Arena to pull McBride for EJ at about the 60 minute mark if we'd still been up a man or even 10 v 10, but given the situation we needed McBride's superior defense, work rate and contributions to possession. I think we need to see Johnson against Ghana just because he poses a different, less predictable problem for the defense, but I'm not sure if EJ should start or sub in for McBride.
He is a forward. We have scored ZERO goals in this World Cup. Admirable that he was playing great DEFENSE in the last game. Then have McBride take Maestro's place at D-Mid, but get Johnson out there. Anyway, I'm for benching him becuase he will have dead legs with the effort he put in last game (and because we have not scored a goal in the WC yet, and he is our forward).
Mr. Johnson had his chance. Mr. Wolff needs a crack besides that. Mr. Johnson only really shines when rest of team starts it off. I mean seriously. Please take a look at his scores. Some have come when we did not really need them. A few has lead. The question is this. Which one will he use? the follow leader or leader of followers....I know Mr. Wolff has strugled this year but only one goal so far. How do you all of a sudden not look his way. It is fair. It isn't fair....
I think he needs a rest and this is why you bring 23 guys. I'd start Ching and Johnson. We'll need McBride fresh for Brazil. Don't even mention Beasley, I'd have sent him home already.
Forget the talk of rest. McBride doesn't need a rest because he's tired. McBride needs a rest because he has played 2 games for the US in the WC, and has not shown even the slightest propensity to even be dangerous, much more to actually score. I'm puzzled as to why there is so much angst about removing a forward who is giving us ZERO in terms of actually threatening to put the ball in the net. If we have 2 strikers, I'm kinda torn about whether he should play (instead of Ching, for example). But if the US goes to one striker against Ghana, McBride should be firmly planted to the bench while he watches EJ run around.
Why not put Mr. Wolff Johnson Ching and Donovan up front then have Beasley and Johnson out side of box area. I don't know but goals are in need. More poepe have to attack. Mr. Olsen in middle. That is an attack and not some decimal stock sales annology. Team could even leave Mr. McBride out there. Even better! Six solid goal orient persons...
so defending only happens at DMID and the backline? playing forward for a team like the US who often conceeds skill, size, and sometimes pace in the midfield is only about scoring? there is nothing to be said for holding the ball? winning the ball? starting the defensive pressure? occupying the CB's?defending/attacking on set pieces? i'm for Johnson starting the next game because we have to attack, but along side McBride not instead of. any thread/post out here on Big Soccer suggesting MCB be benched for his play in the first two games is lunacy worthy of a 'Cello and Dave O'Brien broadcast.
Based on his play in this tournament so far, yes McBride deserves a spot on the bench. But nobody should be surprised about this. We have seen time and time again, for us and for Fulham, that the guy is useless as a lone striker. Absolutely useless. For all the mistakes Bruce has made in this WC, not realizing this is by far the worst of them. If Bruce insists on sticking with his one striker obsession, then yes, Johnson should start ahead of McBride. But if Bruce decides to play a lineup that actually gives us a chance to score a goal instead of being so damn conservative, both BMB and GAM will be starting up top.
It is plain and simple. Teams that constantly get 6 people around box area. They tends to progress further along tournament. It is okay occasionally with ball runner and two follow ups in area. The fact remains. More attackers leads to more aggressive style play and better shots goes in. A six yard sitter is fine but you cannot go through whole tournament on that alone. It might happen but chance are defeat... if six goes forward only two of those six should come back occasionally. This opens minds of opponenet and hypes its defense from pressure. I hope. No one expects only two or three shot selecters for differential in goal. If that is the case, Team USA suffers preformance...
We haven't scored goals. We really haven't come all that close, with the possible exception of Johnson. I'm glad that Brian was on the field for that back-to-the-wall, 45-minute last stand. But he hasn't threatened the goal once. His one good opportunity, the breakaway with Donovan, he shanked. While we were up a man, I couldn't help but think that we would have scored with Eddie in there. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I see it. I don't plan on letting sentimentality about his heroic effort blur my vision. I would play him against Ghana if he has gas in the tank, but I would play him only with another forward, likely Johnson. Maybe with Johnson running holes through the defense, BMB can poach a goal.
Because the midfield and defense would get run over and Ghana would score 5 goals on us. I hope you were being sarcastic, otherwise, this is as stupid a suggestion as starting an infield of Helton, Konerko, Mientkiewicz, and Berkman . . . and having Sexson catch . . . and have Giambi pitch. (Wow! look at that powerful lineup!)
If we benched our players everytime they went "amateurishly" wide on a shot then our whole team would be on the bench. I don't know how you guys keep forgetting that McBride is and was one of the best fowards in the EPL THIS year. He is the best foward in the history of the USMNT.
Frankly, I can't imagine anyone being worse as a lone forward than McBride has been the past two games. He really has been quite, quite awful. Zero goals, zero chances created for teammates. That's pretty much the definition of a bad target forward right there.
HE started fast but ended slow in terms of goal scoring this year. The last goal he scored other than the Latvia goal was sometime in February. One goal in four months is not a sterling recent record.