Klinsmann: Donovan to play centrally

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Jazzy Altidore, Sep 2, 2011.

  1. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore Member+

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/09/02/kick-klinsmann-knows-donovans-best-position


    "It would seem that the preference of the German boss is that Donovan take on the true No. 10 role that many fans have wanted him to: “Landon is over-talented. … I think ideally he can play the No. 10 role behind the strikers. He also can come from the wings. … If you keep him on the flanks, his path will be longer toward the goal. It is easier for him, obviously, coming from the middle.”
     
  2. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    I think this is a good move, especially with some talented wingers/wingbacks in Chandler, Shea, Johnson, and Rogers starting to show some promise and suddenly appearing.
     
  3. appoo

    appoo Member+

    Jul 30, 2001
    USA
    Can we keep this as seperate threads? It might be the same article, but it's two HUGE pieces of news that we can analyze seperately, and should analyze seperately.

    Donovan to the #10 is pretty big. Possibly the biggest change in the USMNT since Bob Bradley came aboard.
     
  4. appoo

    appoo Member+

    Jul 30, 2001
    USA
  5. onefineesq

    onefineesq Member+

    Sep 16, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I agree with appoo. This is huge in how it is going to affect the rest of the team. Not too long ago we were all screaming back and forth at each other about what would happen in the middle with Bradley and Holden when Holden came back (Holden and Bradley/Holden and Jones/Bradley and Jones). Now, if JK is talking about Donovan being in the middle playing behind the strikerS, we may see NEITHER of those players starting in the middle. That would be a gigantic development if true. I don't want to turn this into a Bradley thread, but I think it would be a HUGE blow to him in particular if Donovan were moved permanently to the center. And I say that because Holden has more tools to play out wide.
     
  6. dsirias

    dsirias Member

    Oct 26, 2007
    Well, to those few of us here who have been saying for some time that Donovan ( and Demspey) would have to play somewhere other than outside for the most part by 2014 ( or not at all), this is some sweet corroboration from JK. The one position where old guys tend not to be trusted anymore at the highest level is out wide. For many, many reasons. Barring serious injury, I say this move tacks on a few years to Donovan's service to the USMNT. He now can go out on his own terms. As a CAM or false 9, Donovan need not play so much defense and can save his energy for when needed. It also allows him to see what's happening and make adjustments for the whole team on the fly because of the freedom her will have.

    I think this Donovan move affects Demspey too. I think Demspey will be under a severe scope by JK the next 12 months. JK saw Demsey sleepwalking through much of the GC. No way he didn't. Even a hint of this on JKs watch and Demsey does not get called next time. I called it first a year ago. Demspey peaked already. He must work like a madman to remain a starter under JK, especially if the young forwards and wingers continue getting better.
     
  7. SamsArmySam

    SamsArmySam Member+

    Apr 13, 2001
    Minneapolis, MN
    Yes, it may affect Dempsey, but you overstate the case. Dempsey is one of our elite attackers, and I'm willing to bet JK will find a way to get him on the field.

    As to him peaking a year ago, how do you come to that conclusion?
    Fulham 2009-10 season = 11 goals in 44 apps
    Fulham 2010-11 season = 13 goals in 40 apps

    This is great for Donovan, and it doesn't need to be either/or regarding Dempsey.
     
  8. Skevin

    Skevin Member+

    Aug 9, 2009
    Colorado
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    Of course Dempsey starts when healthy. Dempsey can play RW, LW or striker so he will always have a spot. I like Donovan playing right behind the striker but I don't like how that puts Torres on the wing.
     
  9. El Michael

    El Michael Member

    Dec 17, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
     
  10. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore Member+

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I, for one, have been saying for years that Dempsey and Donovan need to play closer together and get a two man game going.

    While I understand playing each of them individually on the wing, they are our best players and should be combining in the context of this team.

    Donovan behind Dempsey and Altidore, with Holden mopping up, and Brek and Chandler out wide, is a pretty decent squad.
     
  11. TrueCrew

    TrueCrew Member+

    Dec 22, 2003
    Columbus, OH
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    .

    If Holden can play the lone DM, it is a game changer for our offense. Otherwise, you'd need to be in a 3-5-2 for that to work. Which I think may be interesting as well. Chandler and Shea as wing backs (Johnson, Beasley, Castillo, Dolo, and Rogers could also do it), a DM + Holden as a CM, Donovan as a CAM + Dempsey and Altidore up top.
     
  12. CbR

    CbR Member

    Nov 10, 2000
    Bergen County NJ
    it may look something like this with Dempsey playing a withdrawn 2nd striker.

    The 4-2-3-1 could morph into a 4-1-2-1-2 when dempsey decides to push up top with jozy.



    [​IMG]

    Holden could cover right when dempsey moves up leaving Jones or the flavor of the month as the lone D-mid on the bottom of the diamond.

    i drew this up last week and put Ream in there for the hell of it. But we can assume Boca will be the other CB next to Goodson for now
     
  13. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore Member+

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yes I'd like to see a lineup with Holden and Donovan playing centrally. Its really not that different than Bob's system, only we have Donovan playing the advanced CM role.

    There's not much of a question IMO that we need four dedicated defenders.
     
  14. lurking

    lurking Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If we play with 2 strikers and donovan in the middle I would expect it would look more liker RSL does with Morales, sort of a diamond midfield that looks more like a 4-3-1-2 then a 4-1-3-2. In this sort of formation Bradley doesnt have a position while Holden could play as an outside mid (since the outside mid role isnt a wing attacking one).

    But more likely what we see is the same 4-2-3-1 Klinsman had in Germany, where you have 2 central midfielders doing a lot of the dirty work to free up the 3 attacking midfielders to improvise and interchange.
     
  15. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore Member+

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The last 30 minutes of the Mexico friendly, Donovan absolutely destroyed them playing centrally. He carved them up, moved in and out, and sprayed the ball around like Xavi/iniesta.
     
  16. lurking

    lurking Member+

    Feb 9, 2002
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I disagree in the sense that it makes no sense to only give Dempsey this freedom. Better to give all 3 attacking midfield players positional fluidity. In this case Holden has the role of filling in wherever its needed in the central midfield to create balance. The DCM role is much more constrained, protecting the space in front of the central defense.

    Holden is pretty much supremely suited for this role, and assuming he returns strongly from injury is likely to win the position. Jones, Bradley, Edu, Kljestan and Torres could all also be slotted in here.
     
  17. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Change? Or going back to something that worked.


    Donovan played a similar role once....


    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyNA2ue9QeA"]United States Vs Portugal 5/6/2002 Group stage - YouTube[/ame]
     
  18. RerunStubs

    RerunStubs Member

    Dec 8, 2006
    Under Bradley's system, both Donovan and Dempsey pinched in quite a bit. It leaned in the direction of a 4-2-2-2. Donovan seemed to play much better for the USMNT when he was moved to this quasi-wing position.
     

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