Most models of a 23 have 4 forwards 8 mids 8 defenders and 3 keepers. Unless you keep someone like Morris who could play outside I don't think we keep more than 4. I guess Zardes could play up top Bruce has played him as a wing, but my thoughts are we just keep 4. At this point. Jozy is as close to a lock as we have. Dempsey is the super sub and barring injury or a complete loss a for he is a lock. The next two are the big head scratchers. 1. Did Morris show enough to be penciled in for Russia? 2. Everybody says lets put Wood on the plane because he had previously gelled well with Jozy. Wood's form with his club and his whole club situation is really not good. Last year he just did not get the service need to score a lot of goals. 3. Did Dwyer show enough to be one of the four. Could he step in if Jozy got one of his hammy's messed up like last WC? 4. Who do we need to be watching that are on the fringe? Agudelo? Johnannson? Zardes please no Wando... Who else? 5. Could Bruce take one more forward and one less outside midfielder with the idea that Morris or Wood can play outside if needed. I guess it depends on the flexibility of all the midfielders that he brings on. Me, I think its nearly set. Jozy, Dempsey, Wood and Morris
obviously altidore and wood are set. im going to skip over #3 (dempsey) to morris and dwyer, who i think most would say are in for the last spot. i see morris as a much better option off the bench, to stretch the field and pull defenders apart. dwyer, to me, would be a better option to start should jozy or bobby miss a match (or more), but again- a lesser option off the bench. dempsey really makes it hard to sort out. i dont like the idea of having a preordained sub, and i dont love him as an option off bench. not quality-wise, but how he plays. i just lean (heavily) towards bringing on pace to spread out a backline over bringing on a guy- admitedly brilliant- who needs a worn down backline to be able to keep up. so until next year i cant make that call. gotta see how dempsey holds up. if he stays at roughly the same level i take him and dwyer (strictly to have a better equipped "starter" on the bench even though our option off the bench will be weaker)., if he drops off (physically) at all i take dwyer and morris over him...and honestly im more torn on taking him or not than i am between morris and dwyer.
Ok its late in a knock out game in the WC and there is a big possibility of going to PKs. Your the manager and you look down your bench who would you rather have there so to put in the game to take a PK Dwyer or Clint? I think the answer is obvious.
I'm not that big on Clint's penalties. When he played for an MLS Cup before his Euro stint HE didn't want to take one when the game ended up going to penalties.
Hopefully Bruce has his guys in mind by now. Pulisic is essentially a withdrawn forward with the usmnt. Jozy is a set up guy who has proven to be the top option. Hopefully he stays healthy and finally gets his shot to finish a World Cup. Right now: 1) Altidore 2) Wood 3) Morris 4) Supersub - Dempsey The forward pool is the most susceptible to upheaval, imo. Guys to keep an eye on these next years: Haji Wright, Terrence Boyd, Julian Green, etc. The forward pool lacks sharks...guys who live to face up to defenders and run at goal. The first guy who establishes himself as that bumps Morris. Haji Wright is my dark horse to make the squad.
1. Altidore 2. Wood 3. Dempsey 4. Morris 5. Dwyer 6. Agudelo 7. Wright 8. Sapong 9. Ramirez Subject to form in April and May of 2017.
The most important consideration with our forward pool: do they complement Pulisic? Will they finish his assists? Will they hold up the ball for him? Will they combine with him well? Pulisic is the best player in CONCACAF by some margin. He will be motivated to take this tournament by the scruff of its neck to make his mark on it. Our guys need know know how to humble themselves, move aside, and let the man go through. It's his time. If I'm Bruce, I'm pulling Dempsey, Altidore, Bradley, Howard, etc., aside and letting them know that the young man is not the future, he's the present. Those guys have been around for a while and this young kid shows up and becomes the show. They need to facilitate that show now. They can't stop that train, they can either get on board or get run over by it. It's exciting to think of what that kid may be capable of in this world cup. He's the solo star on the US team and he's not afraid of the attention in the least. He's the first US kid to play as though he lets the pressure refine him rather than to push him out of the spotlight.
Clint has the experience and the nerves. He is probably the first or second sub off the bench. But would he be brought on for Altidore or Wood or simply withdraw a mid-fielder and move Dempsey in a top 3?