Pre-match: 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championships, Final: USA vs the Dominican Republic, 7/3 @ 8 PM EDT

Clearly the goal was getting back to the Olympics world cup, but I think the final is important. Let's get this group in the habit of winning trophies.

 

This is the lineup I'd play.

GK: Carrera
RB: Cuevas
CB: Ferkranus
CB: Neal
LB: Allen
DM: Pukstas/Edelman (if Pukstas is fit, he plays)
LCM: Alvarado
RCM: McGlynn
LW: Luna
CF: Aaronson
RW: Sullivan

I'd utilize some rotation because you can't run the same guys out there two days after the fat, but otherwise a lot of the best players.

 

I think we know who Varas considers his best xi from the Honduras game which was the crucial piece to the puzzle. The final just isn't as important and will be likely used to figure out who can play with whom.

 

He’s been rotating. I don’t think that was his first XI. Close to it probably, but I think we’d see a few different players in there for the first XI.

 

Whom? Pukstas had a subpar game before getting injured, I doubt about Luna, the rest were way less effective.

 

Different fullbacks?

 

This is a weird game. It’s the final but also the least consequential game we’ll play all tourney. And also the least heralded opponent or among them. Obviously DR is playing great and needs to be taken seriously just pointing out the strangeness of this match. Usually a final is for all the marbles and against a significant foe (Mexico more often than not). Wonder if this all could spell trap game.

 

That is the lineup I would go with. Really want to see Cuevas back at his natural position.

 

Yeah, I agree with you on Cuevas on the right. Cuevas has gotten mixed reviews on the left. He should show better on the right, and I would bet that a run of games on the right would have put him in a different light, but of course we never got to see that.

 

They have just 3 fullbacks, and, apparently, Halliday is prefered to Allen, as Cuevas has been moved to the left just to have Halliday on the field. No matter who is playing today, Honduras starters were A team.

 

Halliday was quite poor in the 1st couple of games but grew into the tourney. It would have been nice to have a better natural LB on the roster. 3 fullbacks is just not enough IMO. What happens if one goes down injured? Hopefully Atlanta will release Wiley for the U20 WC Finals. He and Cuevas could start and then Allen and Halliday could back them up. It also shows how important it is to bring in players that have positional flexibility due to the limited roster slots. Case in point... I have said it too many times already... but they should have brought Owen Wolff in over his brother. Not only is he more talented but he is starting in the MLS at Winger even though his best position is CM.

 

He’s played in right this tourney. I don’t think anyone this Cuevas is bad. He’s just not a left back.

 

I think the first choice CB’s are Neal and Craig. I also think Allen is first choice over Halliday. Luna/McGlynn is probably a close call for the coach, and then Cowell might be first choice somewhere also.

I think this was rotation, not the first choice lineup. There might not be a first choice lineup yet.

 

Varas decided that Cuevas - Halliday is better than Allen - Cuevas, though none was good on the left, and neither Clark nor Cowell were actually big help, unlike Sullivan on the right.

 

Halliday - Cuevas started CR as well. Luna was poor against decent opponents.

 

I don’t think using the same group two games in a row means that’s the starters. What if Allen starts today and the minutes for them all look very similar at the end? I’m not convinced about that.

As for Luna, I don’t disagree, but we don’t coach the team. He likes Luna in that position, and it’s not like McGlynn has been one of our best players either this tournament. They are both not quite full starters and therefore rotating for a spot.

 

I think you need to rotate for this 1, w/ one day rest in between. You may get better results, the main job is done, and on paper DR is very manageable.

Plus, you may want to throw a bone to certain players who you want to ingratiate because they may contribute in the future, and already have when they're on the field. I'm mainly thinking of Carrera when I say that.

I'd start Luna. He got rest and the US should be able to control the ball. They'll be hanging out in the final 3rd, where Luna thrives in the tight spaces. I'd be open to playing him in the middle in this one.

You have to sit Clark and Alvarado. Clark never came off & Alvarado did late. They played hard and have logged a lot of minutes. Got to consider using Sullivan and Aaronson as subs too. They're starting every game.

I don't know if all of them can be kept out of the lineup. This was mandated to be a small roster. Then it shrunk even further when they lost Cowell & Pukstas. You sit who you can. If you're in trouble by the 2nd half, call in the cavalry.

 

Yeah, I don't know if we know or have even seen Varas' exact #1 lineup. This was just a lot of rotation and now we're missing Cowell and Pukstas and there can be cascades from there.

By the way, I think Ferkranus has actually played pretty well. Not as flashy with the ball, but this is the first time I've seen him and I think he has a decent amount of potential.

 

Ferkranus is good. I worry about his pathway though. He's second string for a pathway that we don't know if the first string is going to get a chance anytime soon.

What he's struggled with the last two seasons is consistency. He's a good player, but between injuries and lack of minutes, he tends to hesitate with his decisions at the wrong times and can be prone to errors. I think it's about reps, and he struggles for them.

I have no problem with him playing for us at the U-20 WC, but he is someone who could really have used a loan somewhere else.

 

He didn't start Allen for two straight the most important games. McGlynn over Luna is a matter of preference, none of them have endurance, so here it's definitely rotation. I think McGlynn had a pretty good Honduras game: besides free kicks, that was him who kicked that header out of the empty net.

 

I watched someone's highlights on YouTube (can't remember who ) and it showed a lot of possession, set plays and quick one touch movement. It also highlighted how good Craig's free kicks were and McGlynn's disguised passes were. Craig we all saw but he was right if you watched McGuinn he would set his body and hips to appear to be about to pass to the left only to cut it back a bit across his body for a 20-30 yard pass on the ground to someone central or on the right flank. Both of those players were big in getting an early lead. I have agreed about rotation but I'd play the best who can go, get another early lead and then put on subs if anyone tires. Perhaps the goals off the free kicks are the most important factor as it punishes fouls and the senior teams lack of goals off of these means they have to struggle against pack defenses instead of teams having to push to score to catch up.

 

Sounds like you're talking about this video.