Going into into the WC, I'm assuming that Arena may use different formations depending on the opponent like he did last time. He's also going to make use out of all our players and play them at times when their particular skills are best suited for the opponent we're playing. I'm hoping we won't see any of that 4-5-1 we saw against Mexico and I'm guessing Bruce will probaly stick with a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2. The 4-4-2 seems to be what most people here our most comfortable with and I agree. I think we go with a box midfield. ---------------KK Dolo-----Gooch-----Gibbs-----Lewis ----------Reyna------Mastro -----------LD---------DMB -----------BMB--------EJ Lewis and Dolo can control the wings better then anyone we have and Reyna and Mastro can help us win control of the ball and keep possesion. When we're attacking Reyna slides up and our miodfield looks like -------Mastro LD-----Reyna-----DMB we'll probaly see this formation atleast twice, I'm guessing against Ghana and the Italians, I think from an attacking perspective this is our best formation. However we can assume that Arena will use different formations in the WC and I think he's going to use the 3-5-2, probaly against the Czechs. Going against Koller, Baros and Nedved, I think we may be best sutied with three CB's. None of our CB's are great distributors of the ball either so I think the having 5 midfielders will help us keep possesion in the midfield. A healthy JOB would be awesome for this but I'm not counting it so I'm leaving him out of my lineups. For the 3-5-2 I go with ------------KK Pope-----Gooch-----Boca -----Dolo------Mastro Reyna-----LD-----Convey ---------EJ-----BMB Maybe Convey could take Mastro's spot and and Beasley could be our LM, but I think Mastro's defensive capabilties are needed. The reason I went with Convey over Beasley was becasue of his crossing ability which no one else in this line up has. I like this lineup as well but I haven't seen it so a few things are left unanswered. 1) can Dolo play effectively in the midfield, or do we move Reyna back and insert dempsey in his spot. 2) Would we be better off with Convey in Mastro's spot and DMB on the field. 3) would Reyna be better off than LD in the center in this type of formation. A lot of pressure would be on Landon at all times and he may not be able to handle it. Reyna's ability on the ball may make him more effective here. We're going to see Bruce use different formations and use a lot of different personnel during the WC, I'm interested to hear who and what other people are expecting/hoping to see when we're not in our most widely used 4-4-2. Please keep this thread on topic, with the different formations we may use and the personel best suited for the opposition we're facing.
I like your 442 lineup.....although I'd rather see LD and BMcB as forwards. using Mastro and Reyna in the middle. I still have not decided who I like at LM/RM -- obviuosly Beas.....but with who??? Convey vs. the Czechs and Dempsey vs. tha Azzurri perhaps? The back 4 looks like a solid choice.
It's all about the midfield, isn't it? Contrary to the poster's opinion, I would not be surprised to see a 4-5-1 with BMB up front alone. Don't think EJ can handle being upfront in a 4-5-1. The five MF's would preferably be: Donovan, Reyna, Mastroeni, Beasley, and Convey/O'Brien (seems unlikely he'll be fit)/Dempsey. In fact, I think the 4-5-1 is going to be Arena's mainstay.
The Czechs have a very good attacking team and like to push forward in numbers. I think the counter will be the key against them. Tactically, this means trying to free up Beasley and Donovan from having too many defensive responsibilities. Their speed will be very dangerous on the counter. I would play with two dedicated defensive mids behind them (Reyna and Mastroeni would be my choices). So a 4-4-2 against the Czechs. Italy, in contrast, is always very disciplined defensively. I don't see a counterattacking style working against them. Rather we will have to guard against being countered. We will need a team out there that can maintain possession in midfield without losing shape. A 3-5-2 might make sense against them with the wings instructed to focus on defense first. I think Beasley and Cherundolo would do well in such a role. In central mid I would look for quickness and skill. We will need the quickness to pressure Pirlo. If given too much time, he will kill us from deep midfield. So I would favor a pair of really quick central mids, such as Donovan and Convey. Reyna can play deeper behind those two. Ghana's strength appears to be a very skillfull, athletic midfield. Don't know as much about them as the other two teams. But if midfield is indeed their strength, we might want to counter by clogging things up there with five mids of our own.
Agree - I think a 4-5-1 COULD work IF McBride is the forward. The reason for this is because he is so good in the air that he is excellent at getting up for long/high balls and knocking them down and backwards, right into the path of some oncoming MFs like LD or DMB.
I prefer having another foward up top next to McBride; he's good at holding onto the ball and makes good passes, having a foward with speed like EJ to work worth with who makes good runs gives him someone else to work with.
definitly we will see 4-4-2 probably box against italy diamond vs. ghana maybe 4-5-1 vs cech rep. but it is a little unlikely since US will prob have played. 4-4-2 every game over the last year does italy still play the 4-3-2-1 "christmas tree" ? I assume ceck rep play traditional flat 4 mid feild.
I'm thinking starting to think a 3-5-2 for the Ghana match might be best, Ghana seems to have a very good midfield, their team also is pretty agressive from what I've heard and has lots of size and athleticism, however they can be disorganzied at times and their agressiveness can lead to holes in their D. It's going to be the final game and I expect them to be coming at us hard from the start of the match. A 3-5-2 would be perfect for us to shut down their talented midfield and catch their defense off guard with the counter-attack. (without JOB)I'd use: ----------KK Pope---Gooch---Gibbs ----Reyna---Mastro DMB-----LD-----Convey ------EJ-----BMB Reyna and Mastro kill any attack that Essien and the rest of the Ghana midfield get going, making quick outlet passes to DMD, LD and Convey who's speed and ability to run at defenders will take the Ghana defense by suprise. DMB, LD and Convey are all capable of playing both ways as well, even though Convey slacked off agasint Germany, and their speed will allow them to track back and close in on the Ghanian attack. Ghana will probaly get frusturated and start playing longballs, which Pope, Gooch and Gibbs should have no problem handling. I think the impotant thing is that the US team doesn't go into this game expecting to easily win and is ready when Ghana comes out with twice the amount of energy that the Italains and Czechs had combined.
He sucked as a lone striker for Fulham. His failure there is what led to his extended exile. Given that McBride's greatest skill is making his strike partner look great (he did it for Buddle, John, he got posters calling for Dante Washington to get caps, and he got Leverkusen to think Cunningham was good enough to play for them), and that he's been tried at that role and failed, McBride as a lone striker is a disaster waiting to happen along the scale of DMB as the attacking central mid, Agoos starting against Poland, or the 3-6-1.
I agree about McBride, I think him and EJ are going to really work great together this summer. McBride's ability to win balls, hold the ball and make effective passes should work well with EJ. EJ has the type of selfishness that a true goal scorer needs, he makes good runs, has tremendous speed, can jump like hell, and can finish.
Personally, I think this is the best team we can field. It's a bit different than what people normally put out there for two reasons: 1. It's a 1-5-4 2. Neither EJ nor McBride starts --------------------Donovan--------------------- ---Beasley----------------------------Dempsey--- ---------------------Reyna----------------------- ------------JOB--------------Mastroeni----------- --Lewis--------Gooch------Gibbs--------Dolo------ I put this out there because I think that given our tough matchups, we're going to have to bank on playing solid D. Our best chances to score are probably going to come on counterattacks. Thus, I can't seed McBride effective enough to warrant his starting in place of somebody who could help in the midfield. This lineup, while defensive minded, has the quick-strike ability we're going to need to catch a few goals this summer. Beas and Dempsey have the pace to break it out on counter attacks before the D has the time to gather themselves, and Donovan can run with the best of them. Thoughts.....?
*yawn* Topic creator, If DMB can walk, than DMB starts every game, no matter how well the next guy can cross.
I can only see this lineup being used if were ahead by a goal or two, otherwise its rape and suicide wrapped in a what the ******** were we thinkging bun.
A best defense can be a good offense. With this formation we would be allowing the game to be played in our 1/3 of the field. It's not like Italy is going to stay back in a 4-4-2 if these are the tactics we're using, they'll go all out with 3-4-3, that would be Cassano, Toni and Del Piero/Gialrdino up top, and Totti as an A-Mid, it doesn't matter how defensive of a formation we're in, if we allow players like that have the ball in our 1/3 for the entire game they're going to score plenty.
For the match agasint Italy I'm thinking the 4-4-2 box is whats going to serve us best. Cherundolo and Lewis are really going to have to provide to the attack on the wings. The Italian defense is rock solid but I think that McBride and Johnson's ability in the air with, Lewis and Dolo's crossing ability can get us on the board. We're going to need LD and DMB as our two AM's, their going to really have to be two way players for this match. We're going to need them to collapse on the Italian midfield bore they're able to get their rythem, but their also going to have to lead the US attack. Mastro and Reyna are the D-mids, even with JOB avalaible Mastroeni is first choice for this one. Totti is one of the best AM's in the world and he's going to be paired up with two, young but explosive class fowards. Toni is the guy to watch out for he's notched around 25 goals in Serie A this season. It's going to be crucial that the d-mids disrupt Totti, I'm confident in Gooch and Gibbs, I honestly beleive that they're both world class defenders and they're going to show it. Those two will also be important on set pieces. I see the 6'4 Gooch scoring one off a corner in this game. --------------KK Dolo---Gooch---Gibbs---Lewis -------Reyna-----Mastro --------LD---------DMB ---------EJ--------BMB vs ---------Toni---------Cassano ----------------Totti Gattuso------------------Camoreanessi -----------------Pirlo Grosso---Cannavaro---Nesta---Zambrotta I'm not sure if this is exactly what Italy will look like but it's pretty close. They're defense is excellent and they play well as a group, Totti is always dangerous and Toni and Cassasno worry me, they're young and we'll be looking to prove themsleves. This team is good but not unbeatable, I really think that if LD and DMB crash back on their midfield before it gets their rythem and Lewis and Dolo do a good job on the wings we can get 3 points out of this one.
That would be a complete disaster. NEVER IN HIS SOCCER life has Landon Donovan played as a lone forward. Couple the fact that he thinks it is too physical for him as even a withdrawl forward and that leads to ultimate disaster.
I would have one of my four attackers close down Pirlo as soon as Italy gains possession. The obvious candidate is LD because he can leave Gattuso for Reyna and Dolo to deal with and he clearly has the legs for it. I'd also want one of my forwards to close Pirlo down from behind and the other to cut out the passing lane to the nearest outside back. When PSV played Milan away this season DMB man-marked Pirlo to irrelevence, I think he and LD could combine to do it again. The goal is to make Pirlo have to play safe or over the top, give him no time on the ball and force turnovers or low percentage passes. The defensive effort of our front four could keep us in this game and we'd have to limit Italy's dead ball chances and capitalise on turnovers and set pieces.
Now that is an intelligent Big Soccer post. This is exactly what I think Arena will open with for the first game and most likely the 2nd as well. Without a midfield that can create, hold possession, and transition to attack, we're in trouble. The forward options after McBride haven't convincingly shown that they add more value than packing the midfield. I see: --------McBride------ --------Donovan----- --Convey--------DMB-- ------JOB-----Reyna/Mastroeni-- Lewis----Gibbs----Gooch---Dolo-- -----------Keller------------ Johnson, Dempsey, and whoever between Reyna/Mastro doesn't start as the subs. I think Johnson will be more effective going against a tired defense anyway.
I don't like the 4-5-1, I don't think McBride or any of our fowards are really capable of playing it, that pretty much leaves McBride going up against Cannavaro and Nesta by himslef the entire game. we have a midfield that can create, hold possession and attack, remember we'll also have Lewis and Dolo patrolling the wings out wide, at times our midfield may look like ------LD----DMB Lewis--------------Dolo ----Mastro---Reyna Lewis and Dolo are both awesome players out wide and both have the speed to get back in a hurry. Reyna can wander around as well and slide into the center when need be, Mastro stays back, he's the best d-mid we have and excells at destroying the oppositions attack before it begins. Now we can pair EJ up top with McBride, giving Mcbride someone to work with, EJ's athletic ability makes him a threat to score at all times, We're going to have to be extremely offfenisve to beat the Itlaians, sitting back in a 4-5-1 won't do it. I could maybe see a 4-5-1 or 3-5-2 working agasint the Czechs, their a pretty slow team, however technically skilled and clustering the midfield and closing in on them fast might be the best way to beat them.
I like the 4-5-1 against Italy. Robchap wants Pirlo to get jumped on by two attackers, sounds really good to me. Choke the flow at it's source. I see Donovan and Reyna to do that. Play EJ up top as a sacrificial lamb. Goals (if they come) will come from middies running into the space EJ has run out of and has dragged Cannavaro or Nesta out of position. If EJ never touches the ball, he's done his job if he can do this. Pack that midfield, another forward here is a waste until late in the game and we need a goal. If anyone thinks this is negative thinking, I can't disagree. I'm much more concerned about stopping them from scoring than scoring ourselves, ie. I'd play for a draw, but not bunker style.
Why in the world would you play EJ when BMB is a completely superior target man for those swarming middies to run off of? And he's incredible in the air, where we are most likely to score our goal if there's to be one. But maybe most importantly, he's a tenacious defender and does a great job tracking back and disrupting the easiest line of attack, forcing the opponent to take an extra pass or two while everyone gets back on d. Still, I think he's too wise a player to be left alone up top. He is at his best when he has a running parter to work with to set up opportunities. He and Helgusen are great to watch together for Fulham.
Though McBribe is the better target forward, the lone forwrad in the 4-5-1 isn't really a target forward. He is more like a "jack of all trades" forward. He can head the ball, run at defenders, link with the midfielders, or be able to do these things like a good lone forward would do, i.e. Pauleta for Portugal or Van Nistelrooy for Holland.
Which is why I prefer 442 box with a focus on strong defense. Neither EJ or BMB belong alone up top and we're a better team in the 442. At least that's my opinion...