So playing Torres and Williams out of position, Torres especially in a position he's terrible in, and starting Herc over our #1 who doesn't even see the pitch in your scenario, is considered conservative? I can think of a number of adjectives to describe it, and conservative isn't one of them.
The game is 2 and a half weeks away not 2 months...I think you'll see Edu as he's fit as of right now.
I like Lichaj over Castillo but Lichaj is not playing at the moment and JK hasn't called him in. Odds are against him. Kljestan went 90 mins in Anderlecht's Champions League match this week but hasn't been playing as much under the new manager. He was called up as a replacement for the Italy friendly. That's quite some time ago, odds are against him. Ream played the first game of the season for Bolton, was at fault for one of the goals. Ream has been an unused sub the last two games. Odds are against him. I'm certain Dempsey will be there even if he does change clubs. If it was a friendly then the situation would be different. Even out of form his quality and importance is too great.
In four World Cup qualifiers in Jamaica over the years, we've never dominated before (0-0 in 1988, 0-0 in 1997, 0-0 in 2001, 1-1 in 2004), so why now?
I'm based on what JK has used (and he's produced, too). Herc tracks back more than Jozy. If you're playing with N CM/DMs, where N > 2, then you need a striker who tracks back and don't just sit near their goal.
I don't have a beef with the defensive line specifically. That lineup puts a lot of pressure on Bradley to provide defensive cover for the backline. I think we need 2(at least) CMs in our lineups, or will get run off the pitch.
You cannot go and visit a team, and play a full-attacking formation. Not when it's a WC qual, and already the Third Round. You can do that versus very weak teams, the Grenadas and Saint Lucias. Not against the Jamaicas and Canadas. It's dumb, arrogant and less likely to produce a win. You can play those teams with a purely attacking formation at home, for the whole 90 if you want. But when you visit, you show respect. So start cautious, and then move on to attack. They know their own field better than you do. And they are not weaklings, so if you piss them off by going there and acting like you expect to roll over them, you are more likely to get punished. Contain, they are the ones with the duty to attack. Time is your friend. Every minute that goes by, and they fail to score at home, it's a point against them. Remember: at home, they HAVE TO win. So their whole plan will be to go out and score. After 30 minutes not scoring, it means their plan failed. Their coach wasn't right. They aren't good enough. So they increase the pressure, run more, pass more, hurry more, and get tired. Only then you show your teeth. When their shield is broken. Often the USA seemed to underestimate the second-string CONCACAF teams, going there to play them as if they expected to kick their ass in their own house. Well, no. JK is learning to be patient. They have to show all their cards, because of that obligation to win at home. Once they have shown all they got, and if it's still 0-0, they're ready for the taking. That's why I expect a cautious formation, with several CMs/DMs. Because JK is not a spazzo, and he knows Jamaica is no weakling. And he knows respecting their home is better, in the long term.
Anyone know who Jamaica is calling in? Technically they have few players in the epl... I think we might lose this game...our squad is in such flux. We still haven't figured out the midfield yet and we just really started tinkering with the backline. But this had to come sooner or later. Some guys like Dempsey may not be in form either.
Actually, a good example is the Costa Rica vs. Spain (November 2011). The World Champs wanted to show supremacy, and came out full strength, with Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Villa, Mata, Xabi Alonso, etc. Enough gun power to sink a ship. And what happened? The Ticos humiliated them in the first half. 2-0, absorbed all the pressure and struck them clinically. By the end of the 45', the Spaniards were defending even with Xavi and Iniesta. That's what happens to the arrogant.
Howard; Dolo, Cameron, Boca (C), Johnson; Bradley, Jones; Donovan, Altidore, Gomez, Dempsey. Whatever formation you feel like pulling out of that, though I remain faithful to my 4-2-4. I could also see Shea in there over either Jozy or Herc if Klinsi goes with a 4-2-3-1. Also in camp (not a complete list): Guzan, Chandler, Lichaj, DMB, Boyd, Edu, Beckerman. I'd go into strategy, but I'm not particularly interested in raising a cacophony of "you're insane!" shouts at the moment.
Swap Beckerman in for Dempsey unless Dempsey is somehow 90 minute fit. Dempsey should be a 30-35 minute sub if we need him. JK will go defense first. Bring in Boyd and/or Shea if we need a goal late on.
\\\ agree 100%, but it's usa fans who underestimate teams like jamaica defend first onthw road, and if you can get a winner, take the 3 points i think the best odds are a draw, maybe 40% daraw 30% usa win and 30% jamaica win isaac will soak jamaicathis weekend, and drying out WONT happen id go with --------altidore-------- gomez-------donovan jones---bradley----berkerman chandler--edu-cameron-johnson howard off the bench shea for gomez, dempsey for beckerman with a change in formation to 2 attack forwards dont want boca nor dolo as jamaica speed will exploit both very late boyd for jozy, when jozy runs out of gas
Lichaj came in at the 60th for Villa today..good sign. Villa's coach is an absolute nutjob though and put him in at midfield instead of defense where his back 4 are turrible... guarantee if he puts Lichaj in his normal FB position they'll see some improvement...but he did get an assist!
-----------Altidore------------Gomez------------ ---Beckerman--Bradley----Edu-----Donovan ---Johnson----Cameron----Boca--------Dolo ---------------------Howard--------------------- I really don't like Beckerman in the starting XI but I don't see Clint getting the start. Subs: Guzan Rimando Castillo Orozco-Fiscal Goodson Dempsey Corona Jones Kljestan Torres Boyd Wondolowski
Thank you...guy posses no threat whatsoever and all his passes are either horizontal or back to the back 4...plus he's slow as molasses
even if Dempsey is not 100% fit he's still lightyears ahead of Beckermen who should not be starting for the USMNT unless he shows major improvement...if we MUST include him play him as a CDM like Mexico...he posses no threat...also i think you should include Lichaj instead of Castillo that's just me and then put in Boyd for Gomez (who missed a WIDE open Boyd vs. Mexico and selfishly took a wild shot from an extremely poor angle and had a not-so-great first touch)...Boyd and Altidore are en fuego right now with their respected clubs and their confidence is sky high especially Boyd with that assist vs. Mexico and Jozy lighting it up for AZ
beckerman and dempsey do different things i think way to many usa fans are ignoring what jamaica can do to a usa defense with dolo and boca beckerman provides anoyther defense minded body, people are only looking at what a guy does attacking...have attackimg options off the bench, and dempsey is one add in, he plays in a high dewpoint and will run out of steam..i give demps a good 30 off the bench when is usa goimg to kingston?? and our training camp is where?? i smelll bad things happening if we get too cocy here... live to fight 9/11 and put a crooked number on the scoreboard try rhat in kingston, and we;re gonna lose for the first time ever official mathc
--------------------------------------------Howard -----Cherundolo-------Cameron-------------------Bocanegra----------Johnson ------------------------------------Bradley----------Williams ------Dempsey--------------------------------------------------------------Donovan -----------------------------------Altidore-----------Gomez Sub: Guzan, Goodson, Lichaj, Edu, Torres, Shea, Boyd