Edu set to start at center back vs Mexico

Why sooner? He doesn't even play the position at club level.

 

You'll be surprised at how good Edu is in this air.

 

(I also wrote the following the in the "official squad" thread.)

Edu was the starting CB vs Poland late in 2010, a 2-2 draw. And one other game I think, as BB tested the concept a few times (in addition to the Olympics in 2008). And in the World Cup Edu shifted back to CB late in the Slovenia game, after the US had pulled Onyewu for more attack to tie the game.

I'm not against such experiments. But why at Azteca and not last year vs Costa Rica or Honduras? And personally I'd rather experiment with Jones at CB, a position has has occasionally filled in at for Schalke. CB might be a nice way to use Jones' top-level pro experience, good athleticism, and solid touch and passing, whereas his age may make all the running in midfield increasingly straining for him the next 2 years.

 

didnl edu do 2008 olympic in the middle, it's notlike he never did

you need some one to replace bocanegra sonner or later

in the pipelines i k csmeron and ream

and edu has enough international expereience, to make me more comfortable than some other options

i could live with edu, cameron and ream in a hex, nd if a gonzo gets healthy and emereges as an option fine

 

When I heard of the Valencia interest, this was my thought as well. I have long thought his long term best position is at central defense, and I would not be at all surprised if his next move has him playing there at a club level. Agreed with IndividualEleven this could be a professional courtesy being extended by Klinsmann, allowing a suitor to see how Edu does there against tough competition. A real poor performance could backfire, but hopefully it works out. Edu transitioning to central defense at the club level would mean good things for the US.

 

One thing I've noticed about Jones is that in spite of being over 6 feet tall he is below average in the air. I think he'd have the same problems Spector has had when playing center back. My observation has been that Edu is significantly better than both Spector and Jones in the air.

And yeah, Edu is set up for failure in this match. No club pre-season. Azteca. Mexico will be attacking the whole match. I hope it won't be a one-off because this might look ugly.

 

1. For Edu, the experiment probably didn't happen sooner because you need a baseline with which to compare. Test out our current options at CB, then try some experimentation. Test out Edu in his traditional role (CM/DM), then see if he can help you better elsewhere.
2. For Jones, I'd be hesitant to pull him further away from goal given that he's been one of our most consistent attacking threats in the Klinsmann era.

 

Love this idea...shuffles stuff up and experiments with personnel..and Edu is the certainly the type of player that fits JK ideal backline..

CB: Cameron, Edu, Besler, Orozco
LB: Fabian, Castillo
RB: Beithashour, Williams, Orozco
DM: Jones, Williams, Beckerman

--------Gomez--------Boyd--------
-----Beasley---Torres----Donovan
-----------------Jones---------------
Johnson-Cameron-Edu-Beitashour

I could see Castillo coming on for Johnson, and Johnson moving to the LW
Williams could come on for Beitashour or Jones
Orozco could come on for Edu, Cameron or Beitashour

I like this fleixibility...that is assuming that Edu can put in a good shift as CB.

 

peter nowak approves.

positioning and tackling are key differences. There is no buffer space at CB the way there is at DM. Passes have to be fast and clinical. No puff, puff, hold.

 

Onyewu picked up an injury toward the end of last season in Portugal and wasn't back to full form in those last few U.S. matches that he played.

Probably best to see how he does in this upcoming season with Sporting before we write him off.

 

Agree with the general tenor of the comments. I think the move has potential. Edu is quick, good in 1 v. 1 challenges, good in the air (better than anyone else on this roster), and, for a CB, has good passing skills. I think JK wants better passing, more mobile CBs (or at least the option of some). I think both Cameron and Edu fit this mold.

Plus, while showing he can play CB may improve his club options, if Edu can play CB, it may also save us a spot on the 23 we can use on more of a "flair" player or dedicated CAM/WF for a late game heroics. Cameron is also versatile (CB/CM) and has also played further up the park in midfield and RB.

A comment on Shea. I've thought for a while his best position internationally is LB. And I like Johnson further up the pitch. He is just so cultured offensively, I hate to waste him in the back. But I think one experiment for a game like this is enough.

Still, I'd have wanted to seen this move earlier, and Azteca is a bad place to experiment. Still, it is a friendly and not a WCQ (@Costa Rica under Bob, for instance, with DMB at LB AND Torres starting for the first time).

If I had to guess the XI with this news, I'd go:

------------------Howard----------------
Williams----Edu----Cameron---Johnson
------------------Beckerman-------------
------------Jones------------Torres--------
Donovan---------Gomez----------Beasley

I'd love to see Williams at DM, but with our RB options thin, I'll go with him there. Ditto Jones, but he can be effective attacking, and he gives the MF some bite. Love to see Johnson further up the pitch, with Shea (or even Beasley or Castillo) at LB. Hopefully, with the subs, we get to see some of that.

 

Do you know who our central defenders were at the Azteca when we earned the 0-0 draw in WC qualification back in 1997 -- the only time that we've ever got anything other than a loss there?

That's right: Balboa and Lalas.

 

Definitely a positive thing to try, so I'll give Klinsmann a pass for mostly wasting the opportunity to experiment with CBs in the 6 previous FIFA breaks of his tenure. Better late than never.

And I like it, because Klinsmann will likely have to insert a 3rd attacking player into the lineup instead of Beckerman. Because even with his conservative instincts, Klinsmann has not once started all of his DMs in the same match before. There's always one in reserve. So I'm curious which attacking player benefits. I'm guessing it's between Beasley, Castillo, Corona, Shea and Zusi, not a striker.

 

The game has moved on since the Balboa and Lalas days.

 

But having a DM at centerback and possibly another at RM (if Williams is deployed there) effectively accomplishes just that. You can always sub in a CM and move Edu forward. Or sub in a wide mid and move Williams centrally. Et voila! You've solved your "DM in reserve" objective. This doesn't keep Beckerman from starting.

 

yes, that's the match were the mexicans turned on el tri because bercause they were so bad, evven a man up

2 big slow cbs, i think we want to move past those days

i see cameron and ream as options towrads a more complete player

 

I'm not a huge fan of Edu at CB. Playing CB well requires a lot of experience and reps, unless you have fantastic instincts (Thiago Silva), which is generally why older CBs tend to be better.
However, the majority of his career as been at CM/CDM. Yes, he has seen occasional duty there, and always with mixed results. The timing though in this instance is all wrong. He's setup for failure here - playing a strong, confident side with great technical ability/pace while next to another relatively inexperienced CB in Geoff Cameron is a recipe for disaster. Plus Edu is in pre-season form himself and hasn't played the position in a couple of years.
In short, he has the aptitude to be a good CB, but doesn't have the experience and against an opponent like Mexico, he will be exposed.
I know he's not a fan favorite around here, but I would rather see someone with experience against these players and that stadium like Orozco-Fiscal next to Cameron and perhaps in the second half make some changes in the backline.
Just my two cents.

 

Logical conclusion is that this is about helping Mo's career, i.e. , a team interested in him may want to see him at centerback. In any event an experimental roster is being used.

 

While that's one conclusion you could draw from it, I'm not sure it's the most logical one. Seems to me it's more likely that JK isn't particularly pleased with what he's seen from the CB pool and wants to try something different. Mo seems to be a favorite of JK, but CM is a deep position and it's likely (barring injuries to others) he'll find himself squeezed out of midfield over the coming years. As you said it's an experimental roster so why not experiment with Mo at CB.

Also, I'm not convinced it's particularly logical that a club is going to be making a transfer decision based on Mo's play in a one off experiment in a largely meaningless friendly with a less than full strength US lineup. Though, to be fair logical decision making isn't something that a lot of soccer clubs are noted for...

 

There was also a report, forgot where I read it now, that Orozco-Fiscal was playing at the RB spot in practice.

 

Jones is not over 6 feet tall, I believe he is 5'11, but his air game is minimal.

 

AA supports your speculation with similar speculation http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/post/2012/08/14/armchair-analyst-my-theory-edu-central-defense

 

i dont like it
every time hes played CB, i thought hes done ok to bad
his perfect position is at DM
in front of our defensive 4, breaking up plays and protecting them
IF and When we improve our CBs, and they are able to maintain possession and handle the pressure, we wont need a true DM destroyer like Edu

i dont see any major improvement at CB in the near future
but, at Left and Right FB, i can see our possession and advancement coming from there
Fabian Johnson has done great, and IS our answer
i wont even mention that flake TC

can Danny Williams play as a FB ?
id rather experiment with him back there
more possession and attacking from the FBs
edu stays back on D and as a destoyer
if u dont want shea and want more of a Forward / Striker player more advanced on the field we have Altidore, Herculez, Boyd

johnson - cb - cb - williams
------------edu--------------
------jones -- bradley ------
donovan -- dempsey -- shea