June 12th 7 o'clock ET at Gilette. We've clinched advancing, and only need a tie to win the group, but if we don't win I'll be pissed. So here's my lineup, I'll probably post a preview psot later. When you guys do your lineups keep in mind the quarters are June 16th in Boston against the 3rd place team from A or B. --------------------Johnson--------------------Donovan------------------ --------------------------------Bradley----------------------------------- Beasley-----------------------------------------------------------Dempsey --------------------------------Mastroeni--------------------------------- Bornstein----------------------------------------------------------Spector ------------------Demerit--------------------Gooch----------------------- ----------------------------------Howard--------------------------------- I want to see more of Bradley's offensive capabilities, and Mastro should have this game to get back into the team. He'll play more defensively in the back of a diamond (as he generally does no matter what the formation) and Bradley can show us his offensive "flair" or we'll find out he doesn't have any. I like the Demerit-Gooch pairing, because Demerit is more of a thinking defender and Gooch eats people, but he can use this game to practice eating forwards without fouling them.
ES was dead tired yesterday against Guatemala, they'll likely have ot play their best players since they need a result so many will be playing their third straight game. While I don't ever want to underestimate a team, assuming we start our A team we win this one at the very least 3-0.
Costa Rica may end up 3rd. Assuming Canada doesnt lose to Haiti, they'll clich first place. Highly unlikely though, I dont see CR losing the next match. As of the time this is posted none of the group C matches have been played but assuming its gonna be honduras or panama...here's my line up for the el salavdor match. f-Twellman f-Johnson m-Beasley m-Bradley m-Mastreoni m-Dempsey d-Bornstein d-DeMerit d-Parkhurst d-Spector g-Howard Fire at will........
Here's my lineup. Johnson Landon Mapp/DMB Feilhaber Dempsey Clark/Bradley Bornstien Boca DeMerit Simek Howard
i believe we play the 3rd place from A or C not B which is our group. like the line-up. i think demerit has solidified a back line position. Might he play Bocanegra next to Demerit. Will he have the stones to sit Gooch? He deserves to sit. He's an accident that has already happened. I really liked him and am now starting to change my opinion a little. He is called unfairly because of his size sometimes and the referees poor positioning but he is a foul waiting to happen. Boca has to distribute better and to feet, he just kicks the ball out of bounds for no reason too ofter. Yeah I know reset the defense with the ball but we can play the ball to feet or to an area where we have a chance at winning it. i like Spector and Bornstein and let them run and use their athleticism to get up and down the flanks. Let the horses loose Bob. It will be a very comfortable evening in Boston so let the boys play. Any news on practices at Harvard for Sunday or Monday?
........................Howard.......................... Simek.........Gooch........Boca......Bornstein Donovan........Feilhaber........Clark.......Mapp ......Dempsey...................EJ.................... I don't expect Feilhaber to start, more like Bradley. Also, Mapp is just impressive every game as a USMNT. His game is much better than DMB (he had a good game against Guat) which Justin is bigger, a better crosser, and dare I say - faster. Gooch is back and Bradley needs to get his confidence back. Boca sat last game so he needs reps, as does Bornstein. I don't like Hejduks game, he is a crutch.
--------------------Howard------------------------- Simek------DeMeritt----------Boca------Spector----- --------------------Mastro-------------------------- Dempsey------------------------------------DMB--- --------------------Donovan----------------------- --------EJ-----------------------Ching------------- 1st Sub------Mapp for DMB 2nd Sub------Twellman for Ching 3rd Sub ------Clark for Defense **I love the all "English" backline...they know how to play the backline at a quick pace.....just say no to Gooch
I'm just hoping for no injuries. Gold Cup teams tired and with bruised egos can get nasty. Anyone remember those horror tackles on Cherundolo last time around?
I won't try to guess the lineup, but just a few thoughts: I'd be surprised to see EJ. Even a slightly bruised knee probably deserves rest. If this was the World Cup, yeah, he'd play. We'll see. On Mapp- Bradley is still not sold on him as a 90 minute player. He's still too one-dimensional for Bob's taste. Justin needs to improve his work off the ball, his defense, etc. As good as Mapp is in taking defenders on in the attacking third, DMB is way, way better in the other areas. But Mapp is still young enough to broaden his game. Time will tell. And in a completely unrelated, but encouraging bit of news, Cory Gibbs is training with the Revs in fitness preparation for the start of Charlton's pre-season. I really hope Gibbs gets all the way back to where he can bolster the Nats back line. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20070609&content_id=97949&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp
Its hard to know how Bradley is going to play this with respect to the "A" vs "B" team since this tournament features so many games in such a short time frame and we want to win it. If I'm Bradley, I'm looking to field my "A" team for the finals and I'm working back from there. While you can't rest the A team for the semi's, you might rest the ones who played alot in both games already (Donovan, Feilhaber), might have a knock (EJ) or might pick up another card (Frankie) for the ES game. Do cards carry over to the knock out rounds ?
Bradley got the B team in for an easy win over T&T and that's all well and good, but now we need the first team to come in and prove that they can pull off a decisive and convincing victory. ------------Howard--------------- Simek---Gooch---Boca---Bornstein -------Mastro-----Feilhaber------- Dempsey------------------Beasley -----------Donovan--------------- ----------------Ching------------- Subs: Demerit for Gooch, once Gooch sees yellow Twellman/EJ for Ching Clark for Mastroeni
Gooch will start-- this is the perfect (re: meaningless) game for him to get his head back into it. Not often you get a throw-away like this inside a competition.
I agree with this lineup, other than I'd rather see Twellman than Ching, but either is ultimately ok. Realistically, we don't have the forwards to light up ES, so I'd like to see another 2-0 win where ES doesn't have more than 1-2 decent chances. Pressure the ball, keep the game in MF and the ES end, and just control the game.
agree with this one. save for maybe Dolo on the right, this could be our A squad at the moment. put this one away in the first half and pull LD out of it, at the 60 minute mark. get out of dodge as top of group and no injuries.
Fearless Prediction: USA over El Salvador 4-1. Donovan with 1, Dempsey with 1, EJ with 2. Take your pick for the El Savador goal.
The place is going to be packed. El Salvador fans always pack in a full house at Gillete Stadium. Their team won't score a goal though like always because they are the worst team ever. Prediction 2-0 it would be a success for El Salvador if their coach doesn't get thrown out of the game like last time and their fans don't throw beer and shit all over the place.
US 3 ES 0 Eddie and Gooch will sit this one out. Simek will start as rightback, and Mastroeni will make his return to the National team. Twellman and Donovan will play up front.
Sorry, Donovan has to be on the field, and as a midfielder, attacking or wide right... If Donovan is on, Ching goes on top, doens't probably matter if he's paired with Twellman or Johnson, you could argue either way. Don't see Bradley as an attacking mid at all... and I didn't think he played that well against T&T. Defenders, I think you will see Gooch paired with Bocanegra, though I'd like to see him paired with DeMerit...
I think the only thing that matters in this game is to win. After two victories, a third one would bring the US into the knockout stages with a lot of momentum. If they take El Salvador lightly, I fear we're not going to like the result and it would give everyone else in the tourney a reason to fear the US a little less. I do agree that this is the perfect game for Oneywu to get back into, however. I'd like to see him paired with DeMerit, just to see how that would work out. Whether or not that will happen is another matter. All the same, here's my guess at the starting lineup: GK: Howard D: Simek-DeMerit-Oneywu-Bornstein DM: Mastroeni M: Dempsey-Beasley AM: Donovan ST: Twellman-Johnson I think a 4-4-2 diamond may be a good idea. If one of the strikers gets hurt/tired, Donovan can move up to forward, Bradley or Feilhaber can be put in the middle with Mastroeni to create a flat 4-4-2 or a 4-1-3-2. In any case, I'm not looking for a blowout or a performance that would be enough to beat the best Europe/Africa/anyone else has to offer; I just want a solid win. I'd be pleased with that and that is all I expect.
I get what your saying, but I would guess they are feeling pretty good about themselves right now. A lot better than most of the posters around here are. They have a much better understanding of what it takes to be successful at that level than we do. EDIT: Having said that, I've now looked at the remaining schedule, and I think it will be essentially the A team for the rest of the way, with nothing more than minor changes from game to game. Thus, I'd guess this: ----------------Johnson----------------- --------------------Donovan------------- ----Beasley-----------------Dempsey---- ----------------Feilhaber---------------- ----------------Mastroeni--------------- --Bornstein-Bocanegra-Onyewu-Spector-- -----------------Howard----------------- I would prefer Clark over Mastroeni, but I don't see why you bring him along unless Bob sees him as a first-teamer.