Feilhaber, Torres, Gomez, all of whom have performed with at least some distinction in that sort of a role over the last year, be it for club (Gomez) or country (Benny and Paco).
the sky is not falling. most of whom you are arguing about are NOT going to make the 23. we will have a cohesive and very strong 23. who's got two thumbs and doesn't care about #24-#30? this guy...(my thumbs are pointing to me right now, and there is a thumb in my heading)
Gutted for Charlie. If it were me, I'd still give him another 10 days. He can always call him into camp late if he gets cleared (though I doubt BB would do it). As I've said before, the 23 doesn't have to come from the 30. As for the rest: Inclusions: 1) Kljestan. He's there in case something happens to Clark or Edu. We need CM cover. 2) Rogers. Doesn't deserve to be there on club form. Not international quality, though he does have his moments. His inclusion shows Dempsey up top is still an option, and then we'd need another backup winger (with Holden starting) and all our other options being decidedly left footed (Beasley, Bedoya, Feilhaber, Torres). 3) Findley. Bit of a head scratcher for me. But absent Charlie, BB wants some competition for the "speedy" spot. Now he has it: Gomez and Findley. 4) Johnson. Clearly, BB thinks he's ahead of Casey, or he thinks Ching is healthy. Exclusions: 1) Casey. If Ching goes down and BB wants a "target" guy, he'll just call him into camp. Remember, the 23 does not have to come from the 30. 2) Adu. I'd have taken a shot. Worth a look. More skills than Rogers or Kljestan. 3) Beckerman. More CM/DM cover, but he's just not international quality. 4) Cunningham. Had a shot in the spring, but despite the goal didn't shine. Can't really see anyone else who has a beef. Going forward, the 2 real decisions will be: 1) How the forward situation shakes out. How many to we take? Counting or not counting Dempsey as a forward. 2) How many defenders do we take? 7 or 8. My 23: G: (3). Howarad, Hahnemann, Guzan. D: (7). Cherundolo, Onyewu, DeMerit, Bocanegra; Spector, Goodson, Bornstein M: (9). Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley, Clark; Holden, Edu, Feilhaber, Torres, Beasley F: (4). Altidore, Ching, Buddle, Johnson (I can't believe I just typed it). Alternates: GK: Friedel (or it won't matter) D: Pearce, Marshall M: Bedoya, Kljestan F: Gomez
I think it would be a mistake to take more than seven. As has been previously noted in this forum, the U.S. has never gone more than seven deep in actual usage in any of the previous tournaments, and the one situation where we would have needed to do so is the semifinal in '02. By contrast, we do tend to go fairly deep in the midfield and at forward, partly because these are the most likely positions to use for in-match substitutions. On defense, I'd figure on two battles for two spots, Goodson vs. Marshall for the last central position and Pearce vs. Bornstein for the last outside position. Losers stay home. I think it would be a mistake to take any number other than nine. Seven defenders, nine midfielders, four forwards.
Correct. Look at the qualifying hex stats: USA goals scored 2010 - 19 2006 - 16 2002 - 17 1998 - 17 USA goals conceded 2010 - 13 2006 - 6 2002 - 8 1998 - 9 All this while playing with a top flight GK and playing almost entirely with 2 defensive midfielders.
...............Altidore .....................Donovan Dempsey....Clark....Bradley....Holden Spector...DeMerit...Gooch...Dolo ....................Timmy Donovan is going to need the freedom to roam and he is going to need to step it up. Hopefully Holden is ready.....
I'm convinced that the problem is mainly with the defenders not named Oguchi Onyewu, whose ball skills seem to range from merely subpar down to terrible. The next time I see DeMerit or Bocanegra handle the ball calmly under even token pressure will be the first, I think.
El Salvador and Honduras were in the hex compared to Guatemala and Panama (although I don't know how many more goals against that would change). So I don't think the onslaught of goals in this hex was entirely on us.
No better options out left? I'd still take him over Bedoya and Rogers. You could argue Torres though easily. He had a real good stretch for Rangers over the winter though before getting injured again, and could still be a key offensive spark plug off the bench imo. Hopefully our back line works itself out. Only good thing is England is having similar issues with injuries. I see Kljestan, Bedoya, Rogers, Findley definitely being left behind. Bornstein or Pearce will go, but not both. Bob likes Bornstein more and I think he gets the last defender spot. Forwards are tougher. I feel it's Buddle, Gomez, Johnson and Ching battling for 2 spots (see Dempsey up top with Altidore as do most). I'd personally go with Buddle and Gomez as they are the most in form and pairing Buddle with Donovan should help. Bob like Ching though and EJ is a wild card now scoring 3 in his last 3 games. Cannot even predict a starting XI currently as we'll have to see what defenders are healthy really. If one of Demritt or Gooch cannot go, we have to move Boca inside. Then who starts at left back Bornstein? Yikes against England.
True. It's still quite a telling difference, though, from previous Hexes. On the other hand, rumours about our attacking ineptness are well out-of-date unless one's standard for attacking competence is Spain or Brazil.
I am guessing that Bradley thinks he could not make it and did NOT want the drama RIGHT before the Cup. If Bob thought it was a no-go, NOW is the time to pull the trigger, not when the group is packing their bags. They would put the team on a low note, hurt morale.
Interesting. You really think games played over a month before the World Cup will have any effect on form in 4 weeks. I don;t think so. The key is the training camp and then 3 friendlies. If Holden and Onyewu can't play in the World Cup, then Bob Bradley will drop them like he dropped Davies. Thus, your objection is null and void.
Can Torres play on the left side of midfield? If so, is Torres on the left and Donovan on the right a better pairing that Donovan left, Holden right? Not hating on Holden, I'm just thinking about Torres' playing time this year with his club and Holden's lack of. Also, it would be nice if we had another guy who can calmly maintain possession. I'm really sick of the US spending so much time chasing and so little time possessing the ball (not just against top 10 teams either). As an aside: I'm always surprised by the JOB hate on this board. Count me among the apparent few who would love to have the 2002 version of him on this year's team. I also don't blame him for having injury problems later. He was one of the best players for the US in our best performance at the World Cup, and I appreciate that.
In terms of ball skill/composure/distribution for a top-tier or international central defender, I'd rate our guys something like this: Onyewu - 5 or 6 out of 10 Bocanegra - 3 out of 10 Goodson - 3 or 4 out of 10 Demerit - 2 out of 10 That's purely in terms of attributes on the ball. In terms of purely defensive attributes, that's another story altogether (and Demerit in particular would rate much more highly).
I hate to raise this particular demon, but Bruce Arena is a fine defensive coach. His problems in 2006 were due mainly to personnel and his own ego. I would rate him higher than Bradley in terms of pure football awareness and teaching of formation, but not as high in coordinating his personnel. Very difficult to compare of course. Just looking at the numbers and guessing at the reason.
Why do people insist on putting Donovan in the withdrawn striker role. Over the last year or two he has been the best he has ever been and that has come from a wide midfield role(mostly on the left). So please no more lineups with Donovan in something other then wide left cause that is where he will be. Also, The hate for Findley is over blown. True has has been banged up this year and not on fire but go watch highlights last year of the goals he scored. He is as fast as Donovan if not faster and has developed his on the ball skill as well. Before Davies scored that scrappy goal in the confed cup last year, he wasn't very popular and now he is god's gift to American soccer so lets hold harsh criticism until players play with the team for a while. We all know if Findley scores a goal at the WC he will become the most "irreplaceble" part of this team on this board.
Why Bornstien? Why can somebody answer this question for me? Wathc this video please and tell me why we lost 2-1 instead of winning 1-0 in Holland.... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLOxQWlbvNc&feature=related"]YouTube- March 3, 2010: MNT 1, Netherlands 2 - Highlights[/ame]
It's a question of making the most of your chances with the Nats. Findley did absolutely nothing with the golden opportunities BB gifted him. Davies capitalized on his chances to shine, and then some.
Bedoya is from Miami, his parents are Colombian... If not mistaken isn't Bocanegra from Argentina? not mexico, that would be an insult in my book... My bad you are right Boca is mexican, I was thinking of Reyna...
the only one i was not sure about was Bedoya, Boca has mexican heritage. So thats atleast 5 hispanic players, i don't think we have had that many since 1994.
I'm in agreement with you here. LD has was catching a lot of crap for 'disappearing' for long spells when he played in the withdrawn striker role.... then he comes back to the outsides and has been on a tear ever since - if its not broken .... Personally I believe coaches and pundits see his build and style of play, and want him to be a Baggio #10 type player ..... but he's not. He's magic when he can get the ball at his feet and run at players or find space to run into - he seems to struggle more when he gets the ball with his back to goal.
Yea thats crazy...Atleast they are showing pride for the country they were born in, Im like Bedoya born in US, parents from Colombia..im going for USA that my team