Stars and Stripes FC's rundown of the game pointed out though that Pulisic spent a lot of time on the left and it basically left a gaping hole in the middle of the park. Seemed to call for Boyd to fill that space but he wasn't up to it.
The thing is that the winger in Egg's system tends to provide width so the 10 can move into more space like Pulisic did for his assist.
This is why I am feeling pretty comfortable we will win. Lowe has just about been Jamaica's best player, and he pulled a bonehead move to get carded out of the semi. I am actually sad that my biggest reason for confidence in a victory comes from a Jamaica absence, rather than the play of my own team.
Am I confident? Hell no. This team has done nothing but kick me in the balls for the last five years under 4 different managers. It's painfully obvious that we haven't replaced Donovan or Dempsey. We still have a glaring hole in D-mid like we did against Jamaica 4 years ago except it's Bradley instead of the rapidly aged Beckerman. Our keeper is inconsistent. Our strikers are "meh" (though at least we're not bringing on Alan Gordon off the bench). I've got tickets for Sunday. I've had them for two months. I make no assumption that I'll get to test out the "caps" feature on the USSF App when I go there. We should win, but better teams than the one we have have been taken to the brink by lesser opponents in this tournament.
Morris does that well. Wouldn't be surprised to see him get the start. It also does't hurt that in the last Gold Cup, his pace unsettled the Jamaicans.
I'm torn on Morris. He's kind of a pain in the ass to play against off the bench so he might just be best used as a minute 60 guy.
Would like to see(in terms of 3G's 433): -----------------Altidore-------- ------Pulisic-----------------Morris---- ----------Arriola-----McKennie---- -----------------Bradley------ --Lima-----------------------------Cannon--- -----------Long-------Zim/Miazga---- -----------------Steffen-- Neverminding 3G's system--- -------------------Altidore--------- ------Boyd-------Pulisic---------Morris---- -----------Roldan--------McKennie------ --Lima----------------------------------Cannon--- -----------Long-------Zim/Miazga---- --------------------Steffen--
I'm worried about guys like Ream, Bradley, Lima having to deal with speed. But what is new. Puli, Altidore, and Boyd should be able to shred their back line, honestly.
Major tests First test against a good team: Chile First tests against teams that had something to play for: friendlies against Jamaica and Venezuela whose players were competing for positions in the upcoming GC and Copa teams. First test against a reasonably talented and in form GC opponent: Curacao and Jamaica.
I think Berhalter got screwed by basing a lot of his system on Adams and then Adams being injured. Otherwise I think he'd have brought in real left backs instead of ream who's a centerback staying at home on the left. Normally when the #10 cuts to the left the winger moves centrally and the left back provides width. With the left back staying home and the winger going to the chalk line I'm not sure who is supposed to fill in at Pulisic's spot defensively without leaving another hole elsewhere. The lesson we all saw coming is Adams shouldn't be a right back and then Berhalter could play a system more like he used with Columbus where both outside backs provided width. Surely he doesn't try this again.
Cant speak for the poster but my worry about Lima is that Gregg asks him to go up so often, if our passing is even remotely bad theyll counter down that flank all night long and Bradley is too slow to get over there for cover, pulling a CB out and then runners from the midfield will be very dangerous. This is a game to me where you play Pulisic on the wings for that very reason. Let Arriola track back down the center. Altidore isnt going to press or run down those diagonals so Gyasi gets the start there. I'd like to see Roldan instead of Bradley/Trapp, I think he is a little faster but thats not going to happen. Greggs roster is basically one that lacks defensive bite and leaves very little counter offense. So if Jamaica concedes possession they will be wave after wave of counters, which is a concern. We should win, but I do believe this will be a 1-0, 2-1 game with a toss up as to who wins.
I think we get by but if we face Mexico,,, If Adams was still in camp, who knows what position he would be playing by now. Especially now.
The problem here is that Adams's absence creates a giant hole no matter what. Sadly the issue seems to be the fact that our left back pool has been shit for 20 years. Dave S's choices at the spot were Villafana and Robinson, or in his last game in charge, just playing three center backs. I REALLY REALLY hope that we can groom Dest into a serviceable LB.
Just shows how much most (all?) of us on BS really understand. Here's a starting suggestion with freaking Roldan in there. Have you watched him? Guy should be nowhere near the field tonight. Of course that's just MHO and I don't know anything.....lol