Who would win? I think this could make for an interesting discussion. U-23's: -----------------Seitz------------------- Wynne----Spector---Sturgis----Harrington Zizzo------Bradley----Feilhaber----Alvarez -------------------Adu------------------ ------------------Altidore---------------- vs. Rest of Full Team: -------------------Howard-------------------- Cherundalo----Demerit---Bocanegra----Bornstein Donovan------Clark------Mastroeni------Beasley ---------------------Dempsey----------------- ---------------------Johnson------------------ I will hear a lot of crap about this but I think the 23's might win. I feel comfortable enough with Wynne and Harrington I feel they are plenty good enough outside backs. I also think Spector and Sturgis would be very strong, and adding technical quality that the full team does not have in this position. Bradley and Feilhaber is our A team center midfield pairing and would add a real lot to this team, that along with the finishing ability of Adu and Altidore may be enough to push them over the top I feel. I also like the technical ability and dynamic play out of Zizzo and Alvarez on the flanks, not typical US sidemidfielders but higher skilled than what we are used to. I am sure not to many will agree but I feel the U-23's would beat the rest of the full team. I feel the center mid of Bradley and Feilhaber, the strong play of Spector and Sturgis and the goalscoring ability out of Adu and Altidore is enough to beat the full team, but I may be getting overly optimistic about our youth and would not be surprised if I was proven wrong, but maybe not?
The U-23 fullbacks wouldn't be able to cope with Beasley and Donovan. The U-23s wouldn't defend well enough on set pieces to stop Onyewu or Boca from netting one. Seitz would give up at least one cheap goal while Howard would deny several good opportunities. The center midfield battle would be about even, but the best chance for the U-23s to score would be on an individual play by Altidore. I think the full team wins 4 times out of 5.
Itd be a game id want to see thats for sure. Question, is Simek a U-23? If he is the dynamic on the right side changes considerably, that guy is quality. I think he would do a good job of wrapping up beasley. Simek is a very, very physical scrappy defender. And Harrington is a good defender out left too. And like we talked about in another thread, I think Spector and Sturgis, for not being the physical bone crunchers that Gooch and Bocanegra are, Spector and Sturgis are much more soccer smart and tactically intellegent and wont look like morons holding onto the ball. On the other end of this, Adu would get thrown across the field by Onyewu. Altidore might be able to hold his own. Itd be a game id wanna see thats for sure. Id say the senior team takes 2 out of 3 games
Simek, Parkhurst, and Pearce are all 1984's so they miss by one year, this discussion is starting to get more interest with people pointing out the strengths and weakness of all of both teams, and I agree this would be a very interesting game to see.
Interesting idea. I think you should have Johann Smith in there for either Alvarez/Zizzo. Here is my analysis position by position Howard>>>>>>Seitz Bornstein/dolo>>Wynne/Harrington Gooch/Boca>Spector/Sturgis Donovan/Beasley>>>>Smith/Zizzo Feilhaber/Bradley>>Clark/Mastro Adu/Altidore>>Dempsey/Johnson The U 20's have a better cm pairing and better attacking players but the senior team has an advantage at every other position.
if Johann Smith is fully healthy i believe he could cause major problems for our full nats defense. His pace which is better than Donovans or Beasleys would be a handfull. He could have helped our u20's out a lot in the world cup. Now i believe our full nats could handle our u23's but it would be a great match. Between Dempsey, Donovan, Beasley, Johnson(if he can put together a solid nats performace), and Howard in goal i just cant see our u23's being able to match that quality at this point in time. Adu/Altidore should be a threat because of their chemistry
johann has great great speed, but he kind of reminds me of ej, he doesn't have the best of touches. if he can be put into the right oppurtunity he could be lethal, but many times in the game, you have to create for yourself. how about nguyen for the u-23's? maybe a 4-3-3 -----edu------bradley----- ----------benny-------- nguyen-----------adu----- -----------altidore------
I think it's a little early to say Johann's touch is as poor as eddie's. The limited time i've seen him play he looked to have pretty decent touch. However, unlike eddie, Johann's game is based on creating oppurtunities for himself. He is not just a speed player. He has very good dribbling skills and some nifty tricks. He is not the finisher Johnson is though.
Johann has great dribbling skills and a good touch but he definitely is not as good of a finisher as Johnson
i dont believe the u-23's are that far behind our the Full team and i could see a 2-1 or 3-1 scoreline 4 out 5 times in favor of the Full Nats but i think the u23's could manage to tie one if not win one.
So, who's talking with the coaches in order to get this set up? Really, whats the point in playing friendlies against Outer Bravaslava when we could just have our different age group national teams play? At least we'd know what the fan base would be. However, who would they root for?
IMHO you don't start Zizzo or Johann Smith (why does Bigsoccer love this guy so much? I just don't get it). You start Stuart Holden on the right. With regards to Wynne, Harringotn as the OB, I think that Hunter Freeman (Red Bulls) is also available to play on the U-23's. Not to mention: Ianni, Freeman, Wallace, Edu, Alvarez, Rogers, Szetela, Nguyen, Hill, Davies, Subotnic If I am the coach of the U-23's....I line up in a 3-5-2 ------------Seitz----------------- ----Spector---Ianni----Sturgis------ --------Edu-----Bradley------------ Holden------------------------Alvarez -----------Feilhaber------------------ -----Altidore ----------Adu-------------- Bench: Westberg, Subotonic, Wynne, Freeman, Harrington, Szetela, Nguyen, Hill, Davies, McCarty Jeremiah White is not eligible right?
Jeremiah White is 25(April 4, 1982) i would like to see him get called in for our Full Nats sometime though now as far as Johann Smith he was supposed to be one our best u20 players on the world cup squad before his injury. He is the fastest player playing US National Team soccer at any level. He has tons of potential and is a great athlete. He has great dribbling skills and is very creative. Although he is not the greatest finisher but he is decent an area for improvemt though.