1 GK Nick Rimando 2 RB Heath Pearce 3 CB Jay DeMerit 4 CB Omar Gonzalez 5 LB Tim Ream 6 RM Landon Donovan 7 CM Jeff Larentowicz 8 CM Dax McCarty 9 FW Charlie Davies 10 FW Chris Wondolowski 11 LM Davy Arnaud GK Kasey Keller DF Danny Califf DF Sean Franklin MF Geoff Cameron MF Brad Evans FW Juan Agudelo FW Kenny Cooper GK Kevin Hartman DF Nat Borchers MF Kyle Beckerman MF Robbie Rogers FW Teal Bunbury
Off the top of my head... [LINEUP-4-4-2]Conor Casey, Donovan, Brek Shea, Beckerman, Jeff Larentowicz, Dax McCarty, Heath Pearce, Nat Borchers, Omar Gonzalez, Marvell Wynne, Kevin Hartman[/LINEUP-4-4-2] Edit. Maybe DeMerit for Gonzalez
FW: Davies, Agudelo CM: Beckerman, McCarty RM: Donovan LM: Shea CB: Demerit, Gonzalez RB: Franklin LB: Pearce GK: Rimando Subs: Bunbury, Wondolowski, Davis, Larentowicz, Ream, Borchers, Hartman Reserves: Casey, Gaven, Hernandez, Delagarza, Keller
Agudelo, Bunbury Donovan, McCarty, Beckerman, Wondo Loyd, DeMerit, Ream, Franklin Rimando Hartman Gonzalez Pearce Larentowicz Shea Cameron Davies Johnson Davis Borchers Casey Wallace
Landon Donovan, Frankie Hejduk and 9 other MLS players eligible for the US. That starting XI should get the US through the group stage, and then you'd have a well-rested team for the knock-out rounds.
Ream can't play outside back. He's not known for his pace at CB... would seriously get killed on the outside. I say this as a RBNY season ticket holder.
One thing that jumped out to me going over this list is how vividly MLS reflects the current trends in the USMNT pool as a whole: unprecedented quality and depth in central midfield, a combination of talented young centerbacks and revitalized veteran CBs and a wealth of young forwards, but there continues to be a lack of quality wide players. [LINEUP-4-3-3]Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury, Landon Donovan, Dax McCarty, Kyle Beckerman, Geoff Cameron, Bobby Convey, Jay Demerit, Omar Gonzalez, Sean Franklin, Nick Rimando[/LINEUP-4-3-3] BENCH GK Kevin Hartman - aka GK option 1b on this team D Heath Pearce D Tim Ream - switch out with Gonzalez depending on opponent CM Jeff Larentowicz LW Robbie Rogers - could start in a 4-4-2 if you trust him enough F Charlie Davies - I really wanted to start him, but I'll give it more time F Kenny Cooper RESERVES - I just can't decide out of this group; they're all deserving, IMO GK Sean Johnson GK Bill Hamid D Michael Harrington D Anthony Wallace D Ike Opara D Chad Marshall D Nat Borchers CM Sam Cronin CM Eric Alexander F Chris Wondolowski
An MLS-only USA squad would be a good team. it would almost certainly not beat Honduras, Costa Rica, or maybe even Canada.....if those teams were full strength. BUT, it would be great exposure for those MLS players and give Euro guys a needed rest. If Canada had enough strong domestic players I'd be in support of leaving the Euro guys away except for those we'd need to cap.
arkjayback....you didn't list Zach Loyd either. You even talked about the lack of quality outside players and he's a left back. With the way he did in his call up I thought everyone was excited about him.
From what I remember, there were mixed reviews about him and he may not even start when everyone on FCD's back line is healthy. Heath Pearce was left out of town too, but his veteran experience gives him the edge. When making a roster, I don't think you can have 6 or 7 outside backs. In my mind, picking the outside backs ahead of him: Franklin - clearly the front runner Convey - time to stop being ignored by Bob Pearce - veteran outside back experience (as opposed to Convey's MF experience) Harrington - more than deserving of a chance Wallace - young up and comer pure LB who could use this valuable experience. TBF, Loyd was one of the last names I took off also.
Didn't we actually DO THIS in 2009 though? And we beat everyone except Mexico IIRC. If anything, an all-MLS squad in 2011 is probably a little better than our 2009 version was.
2009 was close enough. A bunch of MLS guys and others with very few caps with Ching and Cherundolo as the anchors. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_CONCACAF_Gold_Cup_squads#.C2.A0United_States
But Cherundolo did not stay long, neither did Davies and Feilhaber. That squad was losing players left and right to go back to their clubs. But you also have to remember, that other teams did not have their A squads either. Still, the US's C squad beat everyone else's B squad except for Mexico, who took the closest thing to a full strength roster of any of the top 6 teams in the tournament.
I think we do better with the players we have if we bring the width from a 3-5-2. Sufficient CB depth, Pearce and Franklin with decent wide play from the back, and Donovan and maybe Cameron pinching in with Larentowicz in the middle, under Agudelo and Davies (if he continues to improve). The problem is the lack of out and out wingers. Without good domestic options in MLS, its hard to play a 4-4-2. What we theoretically should be lethal at with MLS players is set pieces though.
Do this again after the transfer window and 2/3 of the season under our belt. I see tons of changes that would definitely get made in most of these lineups.
How is this.... G Bill Hamid LB Bobby Convey CB Omar Gonzalez CB Tim Ream RB Sean Franklin CDM Kyle Beckerman LW Brek Shea RW Freddy Adu CAM Nick LaBrocca F Landon Donovan F Juan Agudelo G Nick Rimando LB Heath Pearce CB Chad Marshall CB George John CDM Geoff Cameron LW Robbie Rogers F Teal Bunbury G Tally Hall LB Corey Ashe LW Brad Davis CAM Benny Feilhaber F Charlie Davies
franklin is fine. but with the rest you'll be picking the ball out of your net a lot. imo your backup cb's are more solid. as long as you're not going with a vet, i'd give kennedy a look in goal. i'm not sure la brocca makes it all the way to the starting lineup, and i wouldn't include davies. looking over the pre-season lists, it jumps out how many people had picked mc carty.
Well, this is certainly getting easier as it goes along: --------------Hartman------------- Loyd---DeMerit---Marshall---Pearce -------------Beckerman------------ Rogers-------Feilhaber------Shea ------Agudelo-------Donovan------ 2nd Unit: ------------Rimando---------- Franklin--John--Cameron--Convey -----------Larentowicz---------- Jewsbury----Davis------Pontius -------------Adu------------- ------------Casey------------ Rest of 23 Man Roster: GK: Rimando GK: Hamid RB/RM: Franklin LB/LM: Convey CB: John M/D: Cameron M: Larentowicz (or even Mastroeni) M: Jewsbury LM/CAM: Davis M/F: Adu M/F: Pontiuns F: Casey A lack of speed off the bench worries me, but I can't think of anyone else to put in in MF. Just missed: Hall, Gonzalez, Ream, Wynne, Ihemelu, S. Williams, LaBrocca, Davies, Wondo, Bruan.
-------------Rimando------------- Convey--Marshall-Gonzalez--Wynne -------------Cameron------------ Shea--Pontius--Feilhaber--Donavan -------------Agudelo-------------- In the 18 GK-Hartman DF-Pearce, John MF-Davis, Rogers, Beckerman FW- Casey Reserves GK-Hamid DF-Ream MF-LaBrocca, Wondo FW-Bunbury -I decided to go with more attacking midfielders rather then defensive. My boys are going after the meaningless flair points. With a little more time I think Adu would find his way into my squad. -I'm not too high on our pool of true strikers. Bunbury hasn't had that good of a season and yet he made it on my team. -Yeah I know I put Wynne at right back...don't judge me.