With the BS much maligned Williams hurt who will his detractors pick to replace him as Donovan's backup at AMR and in fact start v Scotland if LD is not available if LA does not release him?
I'm surprised I disagree with YA's analysis here. 1. Based on all his previous callup patterns and all the talk about target forwards, I'll be shocked if Klinsmann calls up only Altidore with the out of position Dempsey as the other option. 2. Similar to my comments on Beckerman earlier in this thread, I'll also be shocked if Klinsmann drops Shea.
---------Altidore Shea-----Dempsey----Chandler ----------6---------8 Johnson----CB---CB------Cherundolo or ---------Altidore Donovan-----Dempsey----Chandler ----------6---------8 Johnson----CB---CB------Cherundolo I like Williams, but not as a wide midfielder.
I think we really need one more center forward, which means one fewer holding midfielder. The most expendable in my eyes in Beckerman, and I'm not sure that Klinsi will agree or disagree. (It's my theory that Klinsi liked Beckerman as a "prototype" to build his team organization around, not for his total quality, and that Bradley fulfilled that role successfully against Italy while exhibiting higher quality.) And there hasn't been a time quite like the present to let Shea concentrate on club football and promote other options, most notably a winger/forward who has been playing lights-out in Mexico except for a little muscle pull that should be healed in a month. Particularly since we're getting Donovan back (finally!), and Shea was likely only called into Italy because we were short a winger. Also, Beasley is in form, and we've got two real, competitive WCQs on the schedule.
Chandler can move up to RW. (Dolo RB, Lichaj at LB) Fabian Johnson can also play on the right or the left (both in the back and in the midfield) and in central midfield as well. Johnson is the USMNT Swiss Army Knife - he can do anything.
Johnson is the only player that gives us a legitimate left footed threat from the left back position. Both Lichaj and Chandler are playing that position with a hand (or foot as it were) tied behind their back.
Johnson is okay with his left foot. He's probably better than Lichaj and Chandlr with his left foot. But Fabian Johnson is right footed
I would like see Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan, Chandler, and Johnson all on the field at the same time. I would be ecstatic to see Corona out there, too, but think that may be a stretch. I think the US - under Klinsmann - has always lacked the attacking numbers to really push the issue. Regardless of how those players line up, there are attacking options all over the field in that team.
I wrote it before but somehow didn't get posted. Johnson is significantly better than the other two with his left foot, in my viewings. He's a bit like Philip Lahm, whereas to me Chandler looks really out of place and Lichaj slightly less so.
Totally. If we could finally get all five of these guys on the field together, we might well be able to play about a full level higher than we have the past couple of years (except that we'd still not be quite up to par at CB) and really get after a whole lot of teams. So I'd say from here on out, Klinsi's issue is two-fold; how to get that group arranged optimally, and what to do for plan B or C. Because obviously it's never safe to rely on 5 specific guys being healthy and fit at the same time.
I think we'd be pretty dangerous playing Bob Ball with ------------------Demps--------Jozy -----Dono------------------------------Chandler -----------------Mikey---------? Johnson--------------------------------Cherundolo --------------------CB--------CB
I really don't understand wanting to play Chandler at right mid. He's simply not that great of a midfielder. He's sooooo much better if he can come from the back on an overlapping run and buy himself more time to pick someone out with a cross. Johnson should be a midfielder, and I truly hope that Klinnsman see's that. His football intelligence is really impressive, he see's the entirety of the field, and he can pick anybody out with pin point accuracy. I mean Lichaj is starting in the premier league as a left back, I don't think we're giving up too much.
I feel the same way, if i was Klinnsman this would be my best line up. -----------Altidore---------- F.Johnson--CD------Dono ----Kljestan/Jft---Bradley--- Lichaj--Ream--CB---Dolo/Chandler -------Howard-------- Pretty strong team imo.
But then you would have to sit Cherundolo. If its Lichaj or Cherundolo sitting, that's a no brainier.
Please jesus. We might actually have an attack that doesn't equal just a moment of Clint Dempsey brilliance.
So I'm Brazil's CF and I look right down the middle of the field and I see ---------------Dempsey--- ---------------Torres------ ---------------Ream---------- --------------Howard------ ------------g-o-l-!!!!!------
I honestly don't get the point of this post at all. Am I dense? What does Brazil have to do with anything here first of all... Is Dempsey scoring on Brazil or letting them score for some reason? Same question for Howard... Is he supposedly not good enough to play against Brazil?
Some interesting questions I'll be curious to see answered: Klinsmann was high on Torres at the beginning of the tenure. Is Torres now healthy and back in form still a starter? Is Beasley back in? With Lichaj now available is Johnson more valuable in midfield or still at left back? 2 or 3 center forwards?