As far as I'm concerned, the most important point is getting our best 23 on a plane and over to Germany. The WC is a tournament...and it can be a grueling one...we might play games where we need possesion players to keep the ball away from dangerous attackers...we might play a game where we load the line-up with speed to expose and opposition's aging back 4...we'll have injuries and yellow cards...every player won't play every game, nor should every player do so. International soccer, especially at major tournaments, is a dynamic sport...if our true "Best XI" never lines up together, we can still be very successful...if there even is a true best lineup...to compromise, I'd say, only considering field players, a best 15 would be a more realistic list. Here's mine, in the order that they came to my mind 1. Donovan 2. Beasley 3. EJ 4. Bocanegra 5. Lewis 6. Cherundolo 7. Gibbs 8. Gooch 9. Reyna 10. O'Brien 11. Mastroeni 12. McBride 13. Dempsey 14. Wolff 15. Hejduk I think this is a more applicable list than our best XI. Thoughts?
------------Keller------------ Dolo---Onyewu---Gibbs---JOB ----------Mastroeni---------- Reyna----------------Beasley -----------Donovan---------- -----Johnson----Mcbride------ Doesn't seem that hard to me.
I'd agree, but with Lewis over Reyna at this point. It's been a long time since Claudio showed any quality with the USMNT. If JOB isn't in back, Bocanegra takes that slot, and if completely healthy, JOB slides in over Pablo. O'Brien was very wise to get into the mix during the Gold Cup, as he needed to get some time in camp to demonstrate his abilities and fitness.....Reyna should take note.
A marking back in a 3 man backline does NOT have any opportunity to get forward. Every team in MLS (and I mean this literally) has at least one player better suited for that role than Steve C. Califf, Namoff, just from guys whose names end with 2 f's. Boswell, Curtin, just from guys who came out of nowhere. Hejduk, Sanneh, just from guys who washed out of Germany.
I'm going to have to disagree. I think the right-sided player in a three-man back line can get forward, especially with two d-mids positioned in front for cover. And as I mentioned on another thread, I'm pretty sure Steve C. played in a 3-man back line in the last home WCQ against Costa Rica, and I seem to remember him getting forward some...not as much as usual, but some. However, against elite teams, I doubt Bruce would throw that many players forward, and that's a prudent tactical decision.