I"m thinking Friedel Sanneh Pope Berhalter/ Boca Barrett/Hejduk Pablo Beasley/Olsen Reyna/Donovan JOB Mathis McBride Supposedly Berhalter has been tearing it up in Germany recently. A lot would depend on if Reyna plays.
With the way Mathis has looked lately I wouldn't have him in the starting line up. Hopefully he'll be in better shape for the tourney after some MLS games.
I like your lineup, PSG Stunna, but I don't think Reyna is even a possibility. First, he's still recovering from a MAJOR injury & it's questionable when he might be available. Second, he's "retired" from international duty. Or, at least, until WCQ begins next spring. Who starts IMHO depends on which formation Bruce employs in France. If it's a 3-5-2: GK-Friedel RB-Sanneh SW-Pope LB-Bocanegra RW-Olsen LW-Beasley CM-Mastroeni CM-O'Brien AM-Mathis F-Donovan F-McBride I REALLY like this lineup. LOTS of speed. I agree with SocrStopr13 that Mathis is not playing to his ability right now. But once MLS gets into full swing, IMHO he'll be ok. If Bruce decides on a 4-4-2: GK-Friedel RB-Sanneh LB-Barrett/Hejduk CB-Pope CB-Berhalter/Bocanegra RM-Olsen LM-O'Brien DM-Mastroeni AM-Donovan F-Mathis F-McBride IMHO Clint's BEST position, at least with the USMNT, is at AM because of his passing & vision. Plus, I believe that Donovan & McBride work better as a forward duo than Mathis & McBride, who are really two "target" strikers. Should be FUN to watch, either way. GO, USA!!!!!
Remember that with the number of games we have to play in a short time span, Arena will have to change up the roster quite a bit, so the players that fill out the roster in addition to the starting XI are also important.
A lot of this team's makeup will have to do with who's "in form" MLS wise. We may be seeing players we're not even really expecting now, like Buddle or Qaranta. Reyna will not be there - period. Hopefully O'Brien will have had some games back at Ajax to be ready. Expect big things from DMB, Olsen, and Mastroeni - especially in MLS. By the way, we win the Confed Cup.
I would hope that some 'target forward' other than McBride sees at least one game. I think we should use this tournament to give experience to players who will help us in the back end of qualifying and into 2006. Play Buddle, Johnson, Casey (if he ever plays again), whoseever in the best form. Not for the whole tournament, but give them a taste of international play. It's a minor tournament and can only help us in the long run.
hejduk has been starting for real madrid for the last 5 years in Winning Eleven 6 for me so it seems he has really improved and should get the call ;-)
The Confederations Cup is not a minor tournament. There are plenty of politics (see the draw) and psychologic warfare before the fact, but this is a serious international competition for the USMNT. We must go to France and win this, despite France's attitude about all things American. Reyna will not play before 2005 if at all. O'Brien, Pope, Sanneh, and Olsen are prone to/have had recent injury/surgery and/or will not be in form in June. Cherundolo, Hejduk, ?Garcia, Califf, Bocanegra, Berhalter, Barrett, ?Gibbs, ?Vanney will be available. Lewis, Beasley, Mastroeni, Mulrooney, Klein, and Ralston will be available in midfield. Which leaves the MF/F: Mathis, Donovan, McBride, Kirovski (he's not done yet), Twellman, Cunningham, and ?Casey. Would Arena consider Marcus Hahnemann as a third GK since he will have concluded a spectacular season with Reading? Will MLS balk and refuse to see some of their players leave for both Confederations and (the more minor) Gold Cup? Will that affect the roster in Arena's camps? Will the Yanks Abroad get more shots as a result?
I'll give a shot at it, but a full roster not starting Xl it's hard to tell who will be fit and healthy, i'll pick 22 players, 3 goalies, 7 def. and 7 mid, 5 forw. Friedel, Keller, Howard Pope, Sanneh, Beerhalter, Cheruondolo, Garcia, Bocanegra, Barrett,( alternates-Califf,Hejduk) Mastroeni, Armas, O'Brian, Olsen, Lewis, Beasley, Klein, Convey, ( alternates- Stewart,Rolston) Mathis, Donovan, McBride, Twellmen, Cunningham (alternates- ???)
I see the Gold Cup as a more important tournament for the US. Sure, both tournaments are run for crap and we probably won't be able to see either one without going to some Latino bar with an illegal satellite hookup (at least for the Gold Cup). But we qualify for the WC, which is what matters to me, from CONCACAF and I think beating those teams soundly in the GC goes farther than doing well in the CC, in terms of creating positive momentum for qualification.
when will chris armas be healthy? i know we have a lot of people in here who drool everytime somebody mentions pablo (see ... there they go!) but he's hasn't looked good the last couple of games. my opinion of course, but I think bruce is going to give chris every chance to get his spot back. Not only do I think he'll get it back, I'll be glad when he does. ok, back on topic ....... will chris armas be available for this cup?
I agree re: Armas. Friedel Sanneh Pope Bocanegra ----------Pablo Armas Olsen Mathis Beasley -------McBride Donovan But given the three games in five days thing, we'll see at least 18 players again. So there is really no way to predict what we see.
I'd be SHOCKED if Reyna DIDNT play in this...after being out most the year with S'land, he will need the matches to get into shape before next season in the EPL whether or not he is with S'land anymore
This might be our exact lineup against a Brazil. Swap out Mathis and put in JOB and I think you might have the lineup straight on.
As others have noted, this appears highly probable. I like this lineup, except that I think Sanneh will not be healthy enough or playing well enough. I would go with Pope, Berhalter and Boca in the back. And keep in mind that even when Arena goes 3 in the back, he plays a zonal system. In other words, NO sweeper. My only other comment, is that Lewis would compete with Beasley for the left wingback role in this lineup. Once again, I don't think that Sanneh will be the best choice this summer. I think Dolo would be the guy in this formation. At left back, Boca is a better choice than Barrett or Hejduk. Will be fun. I think, for Mathis, it makes absolutely no difference if a 3-5-2 or a 4-4-2 is played OR if Donovan is officially the midfileder and Mathis the forward, of vice versa! It's just semantics.
Why has Wolff disappeared from the list of candidates while untested performers like Casey and Twellman are mentioned? Unreal.
Wolff's still recovering from injury IIRC.If he's lost any speed,he goes well down the depth chart. We'll know more when the season starts.
health is the main reason, but i agree with what you're getting at. wolff is better that both of them ....
I am expecting alot of Eddie Lewis. He is in great form right now. He may not be as fast as Beasley, but he understands the game much more. He can shoot and pass much better than Beasley. He may even be able to give a guy like McBride and Twellman some much needed service. However, I would consider the idea of Lewis to left back and Beasley or Convey in front of him. We won't see a 3-5-2 unless injury hits the team hard in the back positions.
I like the look of Galaxy fan's 3-5-2 lineup, but I'm not sure if we are going to be able to do this. The Euro clubs obviously have dissed this event to the point where it is being scrapped. Players like Sanneh, Reyna and O'Brien, considering their injuries, probably shouldn't be invovled. Guys like Eddie Lewis and Steve Cherundolo, who play most every match, need the rest. Maybe it's more important to us than the rest of the world, but I suspect some notables, probablyincludnig McBride givenhis schedule, will be kept out of this.
So the big clubs have scuttled the Confederations Cup. What a great thing to be the last nation to win it... I say throw everything at it. I think MLS is onboard with the fact that International Competitions break into the mainstream american conciousness, in a way MLS faiuls to. I think MLS will have no problem giving up the boys for this. I also think Bocanegra starts on the backline, that Sanneh is thru (what better way to go out than on top, relatively speaking), that Armas is thru (even tho I love him), that Convey and Olsen are on the team, and that Wolff is back on the field for this. I can see we will need lots of options cause of the short rests, so guys who can do more than one thing/side (Convey/Olsen) will be at a premium. And barring JOB, I don't see an important Euro, except Kellar/Friedel. GKs don't get so worn out, so they both should be available, but I bet only one is on the team, don't know which. And I bet that France throws everything they have at this tournament, too. They are smarting after zero goals in JK. I bet they win. Tho I loathe them.