likely because there's no point in sending an mls keeper to germany to sit on the bench as 3rd string during his season
I disagree with a bunch in the post, but will leave my disagreement to this: Mastroeni starts if healthy and Arena's the coach. He ALWAYS uses a destroyer.
He ALWAYS uses a destroyer because JOB is NEVER healthy. On the rare occasions when JOB is healthy, Arena has on occasion gone without a destroyer, most recently in the first half of the Trinidad game in Hartford, we also went without one vs. Poland and South Korea in the last World Cup (O'Brien and Reyna played central MF in both games). Also the friendly in Poland awhile back, when we went with Reyna and Mathis in central MF. Neither JOB nor Reyna is a natural destroyer but both can fill in that role, particularly when playing together behind 2 much more offensively-minded players. However, if JOB, Reyna, Beasley, Donovan, McBride, and Johnson are all healthy, then those 6 guys are all too good to put on the bench; thus, unless we go with 3 at the back, Mastro is the odd man out (and I say that as a HUGE Mastro fan).
Where do you get this from? Pearce can play left back and left midfield, and probably other positions. I doubt Lewis will start at left back, but that's certainly an option. If it's not Pearce, it will be Spector. I think Albright is the favored backup at right outside defense. I'm not even sure JOB will travel to Germany. If he's not healthy, he won't go. If he's healthy, what evidence is there that he can still play at a high level? I don't think he's played a single club match since 2002, and his national team appearances have been sparse. Even Pele himself would fade as a player without playing time. Still, I think if JOB is healthy, then he will go, but that's always a big question mark.
i understand your larger point, but i'm sure you had to be aware of one of the 25 club matches he's played in since WC02 - the more condensed problem is that only 4 of those game have come in the last 2 years
Nope, I wasn't aware of that. I can't keep track of his on again / off again injuries. I know he was the preferred left-sided midfielder and left-back at Ajax when Koeman was there. Then he got hurt, again, and didn't play for a year or two and then was sold to Den Haag. I now seem to recall he played 1 matches with Den Haag, then got injured again. His talent is undeniable. His career has been sad.
he has played 3 games for den haag this season... but you really don't even remember his involvement in the classic 02-03 champions league quarterfinal tie with ac milan? JOB played all 180 minutes
He's only ever played LB for his club from what I hear. He plays LM for 20 minutes in a friendly and all of a sudden he's ready to play the position in the World Cup?? Besides, LM is the deepest position we have with the possible exception of CB. Now I've never seen the guy play, if he can play RB and/or RM as well then that certainly helps his chances of making the team greatly, but if he can't he needs to establish himself as a starter at LB or he stays home. Why do you doubt Lewis will start at LB?? Sure he's only played a few games there on the international level, but that's still more than Spector and Pearce have done, and Lewis has at least established himself as an international-caliber player which neither Spector nor Pearce have done. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited about both those guys particularly Spector, but if the World Cup starts tomorrow Lewis is a stone-cold lock to start at LB and Pearce is staying home. As for Spector, as I said, I think he finds himself in a battle with Albright and Hejduk, and 2 of those guys will make the trip (if Pearce DOES win the starting LB job then Lewis is still a lock for the squad and that probably leaves those 3 guys battling for 1 spot, with Albright and Spector having the edge as they can play CB as well as outside). He played very well this summer in the Gold Cup and the first half of the Trinidad WCQ. Granted that's not exactly Italy and the Czech Republic but based on his performance in Korea you can't honestly think that he won't go IF he's healthy (which, again, I highly doubt he will be, paving the way for 2 out of Clark/Olsen/Dempsey/Carroll/Martino--rather than simply 1 out of that group--to go).
Pearce has played at left midfield sometimes for his club, and he played as a LM his last year of college. I think he can go as a backup LB, and certainly as a starter. We shall see. I think Lewis as LB is a stop-gap measure, and one that isn't necessary with Spector, Pearce, and Albright in the pool. I think JOB is the most talented player in the US pool right now. But lack of first-team action and injuries make me skeptical that he will start. As I said in my post, if he's healthy, he goes. If he's not, no sense wasting a spot.
ahhhhh, what a classic! if only chivu hadn't slipped with 20 seconds to play... AJAX (0-0, 2-3) milan
Well as I said, LM is probably our deepest position so being able to be the 5th choice guy there doesn't count for all that much. If Pearce wins the starting LB job outright then he'll obviously be on the team, I just don't see him going along as a reserve. Just because Lewis doesn't play LB for his club doesn't neccesarily mean it's a stop-gap measure. If one of the guys you mentioned outplays him at LB then they'll be the starter in Germany, but until they do so Lewis has to be considered our starting LB. Well yeah, but that's true of anybody--it's just that JOB is a lot more likely to not be healthy than any of our other players.
GK: Keller, Hahnemann, Howard D: Cherundolo, Onyewu, Gibbs, Bocanegra, Berhalter, Spector, Pope (i dont like it, but its gonna happen...we'll just be loaded at cb), Mid: Beasley(m/f), Reyna, O'brien, Convey, Mastroeni, Lewis (m/d), Adu (m/f), Ralston, Quaranta (hate the last two, but theyre going unfortunately) Forward: Donovan, McBride, EJ, Rolfe (I hope he breaks out EJ style),
as of now, Lewis is the left back... the presumption pearce is gonna emerge is very dangerous... he'll need a great january camp, then needs to get the call for poland and germany .... unless pearce become roberto carlos, I don't see arena dumping lewis... what international exposure does pearce have??? I'd suspect the left back position is: lewis hejduk/albright who also doubles as the back-up to right back... spector pearce....now if injury hits, and he shows well, then he goes
If we have any hope of advancing from our group we will need to have Spector on the squad before Albright or Hejduk. Experience keeps you competitive but talent wins you games. Unfortunately, none of the three have talent and experience.
The difference is, Pearce can defend. Lewis, couldnt cover my grandma. And I say that as having Eddie as my favorite YA.
Disagree, Lewis is far more dangerous to score, gives us a free kick option, is a better crosser and held up defensively against our toughest CONCACAF opponents. He is not a stop-gap, but the player who brings the most to the table at that position -- assuming he continues to do the job defensively.
spector might have more talent than albright or hejduk, but he;s NOT a better defender, and that might be the choice in backing up
We have had a long time to find a left back and one has not emerged or been found so these are the cards we are forced to play with. If Lewis is the number one option at left back for the USMNT right now then he is just cover for the hole we have at left back. Pearce, Spector, Hejduk, etc. would be cover for the cover. Unless one has a breakthough and earns the position by his play, not by the lack of competition or other options. I think Frankie brings speed, heart, experience, versatility, and athleticism, but after re-watching the South Korea World Cup game the other day where Frankie started at left back I really hope he is not on our depth chart for that position. The South Koreans worked around him quite easily (maybe becuase they had comparable speed and more skill) and he was a yellow card waiting to happen (only had to wait 30 minutes). I would like to know how many USMNT eligible players have started at least 40 games (random number... about 1 season's worth of games) at left back for their club team over the last four years. Of those players how many have been given more than 10 games with the USMNT or even 10 camps? I am guessing that Vanney would be on this list, but he seems to be just about out of the picture these days. Who else?
How about if we try Convey on the right ? or Lewis for that matter... but keep DMB on his sweet spot, the place where he is good at.
Convey and Lewis are both much more left-sided players than Beasley, who often plays on the right for his club. If any of the LMs has to move out of position to play RM, I'd prefer that it's Beasley--his drop off moving to the right side is not that great and we're deep at LM so we get another good player on the field.
DMB has NEVER impressed me on the right. He's better there than he is in the middle, but that's not saying a whole lot. Our first-choice midfield if everyone is healthy is probably a box with Donovan and Beasley playing in front of Reyna and O'Brien (DMB and LD split out wide a bit more than the other 2). If JOB isn't healthy as expected then I'm expecting Donovan and Mastro in the middle with Beasley on the left and Reyna playing a "Stewart" right/central role.
i don't really like heydude's game, but IIRC he wasn't blatantly culpable for any of the goals we gave up in WC 2002, despite playing almost the entire time. help me out here: portugal: two goals against; one by agoos, second one...? korea: one goal against; header by ahn, not heydude's man poland: three goals against; heydude standing at the post for the first one (nothing much he could have done without getting his head torn off by olisadebe's shot), agoos and friedel beaten near post for second goal, third goal...? mexico: shutout germany: one goal against; free kick from ziege to ballack, ballack not heydude's man basically, if we could say that a potential outside back would not be responsible for the other team scoring over the course of five games, i would take that and run with it. even if they added nothing to the offense, as is usually the case with frankie. as i say, i'm not a big fan, but he did very well at his primary job in 2002. btw, we only shut out one team in five games. we were also only shut out once. i'd love to see us pitch more than one shutout this time around.
after further review, heydude didn't play against mexico and was subbed out in the 60's against germany. i was struck by the rock that was JOB in 2002. what are the chances that he'll play full 90 five times in a row next summer? wow.