The guys on "American Soccer" seem convinced that Dempsey should start at right mid. World Cup Blog - Depmsey Should Start Others prefer Convey and Beasley alternating wings. What do the Big Soccer people think?
based on the current squad available -- I'd say yes. But I'd rather see LD playing forward than attacking mid then.
Convey and Beasley, although DMB is looking a little shakey. But he still has tons more international experience than Dempsey. Clint has come on very strongly in the past few games, but I'd still be inclined to DMB on the right, Convey on the left.
and in 4 months you don't know whose form will be good... right now, dempsey and convey are in better form than beasley... beasley can turn it around by june... just as long as convey or dempsey stay hot, arena has some choices
Bingo, plus taking into account that neither Convey or DMB, IMHO, are nearly as good on the right side as on their good side.
ohh boy more Convey apologist The guy comes in as a sub vs a tired Polish team and suddenly everyone is sold on him. Remember Santino when he came in those sub situations and shined?? Convey is not ready to start for the US. Dempsey on the other hand has gone through the aches & pains of international games. My final decision on Dempsey will be vs Germany which im sure he will play his typical solid game. You can easily tell the difference between this years Deuce and Last years. The improvement is so obvious you gotta be blind not to see it. Regardless, having Convey as a sub is a win win either way you look at it. As of right now Convey has shown way less than Dempsey in the international level. Doing good in CCC does not translate in being a instant hit for the NT.
Yeha, but with the way Beasley and Masteroni performed in 2002, and to a greater extent, how Lionel Messi has performed, international experience is a total farce sometimes.
Depends on who is available. Dempsey does not make the starting XI if everyone's fit: Reyna, Beasely, Donovan, and O'Brien are ahead of him. If not all are fit, it depends on who. If it's O'Brien or Reyna, I think the nod goes to Mastroeni. If it's Donovan, maybe.
I need to see more of him. First, he has to stop falling all the time. And i want to see some quality crosses from him. I don' t think he is quite ready for prime time.
4-4-2: -------------------EJ/McBride------------------ --------------------Donovan------------------- --BC/Bease----------Reyna------Deuce-------- -------------------Mastroeni------------------ Neverminding his excellent performances during Camp Cupcake, Dempsey has goals against Poland and England whereas others were stymied. I'm not a huge fan of the McBride/Donovan forward combination as I don't believe they provide enough scoring punch, but with Dempsey screeming out of midfield we've got another source for goals. Obviously he needs to continue rounding out his game. And the crosses will be provided by Cherundolo.
yes, ralston can't do it, and noonan's alrite he'd be a good complement to cherundolo on the rite side, however, i have noticed, especially in the poland match, he does have a tendency to move further up than he should--leads to goals for us, but could be problematic come world cup time, where every one plans on pouncing on the others' mistakes
WHAT ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS ------------------McHead(or EJ) --------Bease---------------Landycakes Lewis-----------Reyna--------------------Dempsey Boca(Dunivant)------Gooch---------Berhalter/Boca/Gibbs(if healthy)-------Dolo -------------------Soccer God aka Kasey Keller
Right now I'd take Convey over Dempsey. Dempsey hasn't had as much experience and gets knocked off the ball too easily. If EJ doesn't find his form, you start McBride and Donovan up top with Convey on the left, Mastro/JOB and Reyna in the middle and Beasley on the right. If EJ is the real deal and not the new Clint Mathis, you start him with McBride and play a box midfield with Beasley, Donovan, Mastro/JOB and Reyna.
If we are playing the diamond and not the box, absolutely yes. Why start a left-footer on the right, when that player is going to be even worse in trying to cross the ball (from the right side) than Dempsey is perceived to be? Clearly, Beasley doesn't give you much crossing ability. Convey gives you GREAT crossing ability, but NOT from his right foot. Oh, and Dempsey isn't getting knocked off the ball too easily ............ he's getting fouled and getting the fouls called. I'll take that any day.
I agree with this and the thing that bothers me most about Dempsey is his seeming inability to stay upright....does the lad have no balance at all..? or is he just soft...? or is he just clueless about contact at this level...?? he seems to end up on the deck every time someone touches him....are his parents originally from South America...? is it in the blood...? for fcuks sake someone tell him to stay on his feet....tough enough to play at this level if you are vertical impossible if you are horizontal....can't remember anyone going down as often or as willingly since this chick I used to know a few years back....got her number around here somewhere.....
No one is talking about him getting his legs taken out and going down. Upper body contact lays him on his ass. This is a valid criticism of his game imo. He needs to stay upright; part of the problem is he does not initiate the contact, in effect bracing himself for the shoulder charge. That for starters would go a long way in keeping him on his feet.
Yeah the shirt pulling he's going to have to stay on his feet especially deep in midfield. He can go down like a sack of bricks around the 18 however..
Neither Bease nor Donovan are natural wing forwards(I know Bease plays the position for PSV). Not sure about Reyna in that position.
Dempsey is in the driver's seat to take that starting right mid position no matter whose healthy as he'll be available for all the friendlies. Obviously he has to continue to build on his performances.
My answer? No, it should be Claudio. He did fine last year there when SWP was injured. I like a player who you can count on drawing a half dozen fouls in the attacking third in the first half.
I think the statement of Deuce going down to easy is only half-hearted true.... Could the boy use some improved upper body strength, yes.... but he is a big guy at 6'1 and plays hard as nails. He is not scared of tackles and is willing to stick his boot, face, head into anything that might give him a chance at winning a ball or scoring. My college called it playing with your balls to the wall and I think Clint does that.... On the other hand over the last year Deuce has becoming amazingly skillful on the dribble, and done this very fast actually....I cant say that I have seen another player pick up that creative flair to his dribbling that fast. He really has changed his mold to make himself more offense...he likes to run at guys, take people on, and is not scared to have a go at goal. BECAUSE OF THIS CHANGE I think he is getting taken down much more often. He has learned that small backside flick (similiar to a Cruyff but while still moving forward, or laterally) around his plant leg which is very effective and he has become very adept at using that quick step over. Because of this he is drawing more fouls because he is consistently beating people on the dribble and is not scared to continue going at them. I think he has become a target because coaches/players know he is very dangerous now coming out of the mid-field