i strongly prefer your format to best 11, @Eleven Bravo, and im a rotating throughout rather than "best 11 twice, backups once" guy- no one starts more than twice other than gk who doesnt need rotation. i didnt plan for each opponent specifically but i do have 3 different looks in mind... gk steffen gk horvath gk turner rb dest rb cannon cb brooks cb richards cb zimmerman cb mckenzie cb sands lb robinson lb vines dm adams dm acosta cm mckennie cm reyna cm musah rm weah rm aaronson st dike st sargent lm pulisic lm arriola balanced __________steffen__________ _____richards____brooks____ cannon_____________robinson _____mckennie___adams______ weah_______reyna_____pulisic ___________dike____________ robinson pushes up for width while pulisic moves inside, weah provides width on the right attacking __________steffen__________ ___zimmerman____brooks_____ dest_______________robinson __________adams___________ ____mckennie____musah______ weah________________pulisic ___________dike____________ all out pressure in the middle, both fbs push forward on winning possession, adams drops back (just a note, this is exactly how i would play canada) defensive __________steffen__________ __richards_sands_mckenzie__ dest__________________vines ______musah____acosta______ aaronson____________arriola __________sargent__________ high press with the forward line, cms provide cover for backline, fbs push level with the midfield (you can look at it as a 343 if you want to feel trendier) injury concerns zimmerman- miazga musah- lletget dike- p-funk arriola- hoppe or pomykal
well, i can only speak for myself, but id start to seriously consider him for the first time? i mean, who tossed him away? he has 185 total minutes (in two more magical prem appearances than indiana vassilev a couple of years ago)- this is textbook eurosnobbery. look, training with the first team is great, but taylor booth is doing the same with bayern- you expecting him to start too? its a stretch for anyone to say training with the first team is the fast track to starter. not to mention right now id guess a half dozen wolves players are still on break from playing in the euros. was he not with the first team in preseason last year (was there a preseason last year)? if he starts getting even semi-regular sub minutes i think everybody will get real interested in a hurry. but i dont think theres anything going on worth getting all haughty about...
mine after recent developments... Starting 11: GK Zack Steffen LB Antonee Robinson CB John Brooks CB Chris Richards RB Sergino Dest (backup LB) DM Tyler Adams CM Yunus Musah CM Weston McKennie W Christian Pulisic W Gio Reyna FW Daryl Dike Full 23: GK Matt Turner GK Ethan Horvath RB Shaq Moore (Cannon/Richards) CB Mark McKenzie (Zimmerman/Long) CB/DM James Sands MF ??? CM Sebastian Lletget (de la Torre) AM Brenden Aaronson W Tim Weah W Konrad de la Fuente (Morris) FW Josh Sargent FW Matthew Hoppe (Pefok) I don't know about the last midfield spot... Acosta/Williamson/Green/Booth/Tessmann/Busio/Cappis/Otasowie/etc.
In that case, how about we keep Dest on the right, and play Konrad at left wingback? Would that hamper Dest's ability to get forward in any way? How similar is the role of the attack-minded wingback to the winger role that Konrad and Weah typically play for their clubs?
That's my starting 11 other than FW. Not sold on Dike yet but not sold on anyone else yet really either. Gameday and matchup choice for me.
Sands may be our utility knife. I don't see him beating out Richards or Long. I like his passing game and tenacious defending but I see him more of a Dmid.
personally, im thinking of him as adams' direct backup- so the designation isnt super important. that would be dependent on dropping the yueill/busio single pivot, though, which i cant imagine happening. so i think the question is do you include sands at the expense of only taking 2 st rather than 3?
Paxton Pomykal has looked good a few games in a row, I would take him over all the guys I listed in my previous comment (Acosta/Williamson/Green/Booth/Tessmann/Busio/Cappis/Otasowie/etc.) if he can keep it up and just as importantly stay healthy. Also at this point Ricardo Pepi has to be in the FW conversation! Starting 11: GK Zack Steffen LB Antonee Robinson CB John Brooks CB Chris Richards RB Sergino Dest (backup LB) DM Tyler Adams CM Yunus Musah CM Weston McKennie W Christian Pulisic W Gio Reyna FW Daryl Dike Full 23: GK Matt Turner GK Ethan Horvath RB Shaq Moore (Cannon/Richards) CB Mark McKenzie (Zimmerman/Long) DM/CB James Sands CM Paxton Pomykal CM Sebastian Lletget (de la Torre) AM Brenden Aaronson W Tim Weah W Konrad de la Fuente (Morris) FW Josh Sargent FW Matthew Hoppe (Pefok/Pepi)
Fitness levels and requirements don't allow for it, period. Even in congested tournaments, players typically only go twice in 4-5 days (Champions League and Domestic League action) and in international tournaments it's twice in 7-8 days. 3 in 6 is not physically possible. You have to choose how you want to use them. In window 1, you can either send the A midfield to Honduras and El Salvador, and start the B Midfield against Canada, or use a blended approach, you can't send your a side to all 3. It's not physically possible. The unfortunate thing is that what looked like a cake window, looks kinda scary these days after watching El Salvador's wake up performance at the Gold Cup. Really seems like Hugo has righted the ship completely since the pratfall against Montserrat.
I think the time has come to give Hoppe a shot at the 9. I'd also seriously look at moving Gio back to a KDB-style 8 in the midfield. After watching the Gold Cup and Nations League, this team's biggest issue is the ability to create offensively. This "pump it into the mixer" stuff just isn't working, and I think our defense with McKennie and Adams will be good enough in most cases. If Gio has any ability whatsoever to be decent defensively, I think we need to give this a shot. GK - WIDE OPEN (If Turner can figure out how to even be a serviceable player with his feet, watch out - his shot-stopping is top-notch!!) Defenders - A. Robinson, Brooks, Richards, Dest Mids - McKennie, Adams, Reyna Forwards - Pulisic, Hoppe, Weah/Aaronson (Probably Weah for me as I think he's better at driving toward goal. Plus, I still really like the idea of Aaronson as a super-sub against tired defenses - kind of our Jack Grealish) If this team can figure it out offensively, it has every opportunity to qualify very comfortably for the World Cup.
For me, a big winner so far at the Gold Cup is Sargent. Cuz based on what I've seen, he's going to start the first WCQer.
I agree, but a lot of people in GB’s orbit are saying today that Zardes is the best 9 in the pool. Because we really haven’t resolved a lot of the open questions, I suspect he brings in a big pool of players for World Cup qualifying. (Unless there is some limit on the number you can identify as in the pool.) Starting 11: GK Steffen LB A.Robinson CB Brooks CB Richards RB Dest DM Adams CM Musah CM McKennie W Pulisic W Reyna FW Hoppe or Sargent (or play Reyna as a 10 with Hoppe and Pulisic up top) Full 23: GK Turner GK Horvath RB Cannon CB McKenzie CB Zimmerman CB M. Robinson CM Williamson or Holmes or Busio — not Lleget DM Acosta AM Aaronson W Tim Weah W Morris or FW Zardes FW Whichever of Hoppe or Sargent doesn’t start
If everyone were fit: ---------------------------Jordan/Zardes----------- ----------Pulisic/BA---------Reyna----------KDLF/Weah--- ----------------Adams/Acosta----McKenzie/Musah--- ---Robinson/Vines---------------------------------------Dest/Cannon---- -------------Brooks/McKenzie----Richards/Zimmerman---- ------------------------Horvath/Turner/Stefan----
If GB doesn’t trust ARob defensively, why not go 3-4-3 w/McKennie and Adams in the middle of the 4, and ARob and Dest on the wings. One nice thing about this gold cup is the emergence of a couple of reliable center backs.
To be completely honest, last night was the ideal way to use Zardes and a prime example of why he's in my 23. The guy is the classic "hustle player" or "glue guy". If we were talking about a basketball team, Zardes is the guy that just does all of the little things that no one wants to do, but that you need done to win a game. Yes, he's not the most gifted guy technique-wise. Yes, he seems to get a bunch of "lucky bounces". But the guy runs his butt off and seems to be around important moments. Again, on first instinct and assuming Musah is healthy, my bench looks like this. GK - Whoever isn't starting among Steffen, Horvath, and Turner Fullbacks - Moore, one other (probably not Vines, and I use Acosta for LB depth) Center backs - McKenzie, Robinson, Sands (also there for CDM depth) Mids - Musah (assuming Reyna is a CM), Acosta Attackers - Zardes, Sargent, Aaronson/Weah Berhalter will bring Lletget, but I just don't think he's best 23 anymore with the attacking depth we have now. He's probably the "first alternate" for a group like this, but others are better.
I agree that Zardes is perfect as a sub. His speed and size and work rate must be tough to deal with on tired legs. It makes the odd bad touch less problematic.
I loved Zardes last night and think he's much better than he gets credit for. That said, the best striker on the field last night to me was still Hoppe who was playing the wing due to the team's needs. As much as I've enjoyed this tournament and watching Hoppe from the wing I do think it is a shame we've not had the chance to see him as a striker.
ill uselessly start by say im not trashing zardes here- but i think he makes a lot more sense being the starter that wears defenders down than the guy you bring on to get a winner. and yes, i saw the two game winners. with the unproven options we have, it makes more sense to me to use that raw talent to make something happen against tired legs, not the other way around. that said, he wouldnt be more than a rotation/low level guy for me. still not hating, we just all have our preferences.
I've been crediting Berhalter with a successful tournament but I'm not going to say he shouldn't have brought more wing options.