Ives is doing some great work out there in Deutchland: Direct link- http://pool2.northjersey.com/worldcup/ K.Dyer
Interesting to read his favorable comments on Monday regarding Gooch and Reyna. I agree that they were two of our better players. Just listened to the Arena news conference (USSoccer podcast) and he cited the central defenders and Reyna as among the few he thought played well. Arena also gave some praise to Convey, saying it will hard to take him off the field. As far as Ives' lineup, I think playing Convey as the left mid in a 3-5-2 is asking for trouble. Bobby is not quite there yet defensively at this level. Starting JOB is also a big risk. He is close to being back offensively, but his defense is not anywhere near what we need. And finally, the Berhalter idea is um weird. Put Boca there instead. I generally likely the idea of a 3-5-2 against Italy, but the wings are gonna have to concentrate on defense.
Eddie Pope at CD vs. Luca Toni? U.S to come out in 3-5-2 expecting the Italians to sit back and defend all game? I think the Italians will do just the opposite, attack and try to snuff us out fast.
Interesting comments but I think that his 3-5-2 lineup leaves us really exposed on the left side. I just don't see us starting with a 3-5-2.
No need to break from a 4-4-2. And it's all on Arena if Dempsey doesnt play SIGNIFICANT minutes if not start.
4-4-2 Give Jimmy Conrad a chance and let Gooch sweep. Gooch can mark Toni on the restarts. Conrad will not stop, knowing that it would be his ONLY chance at glory he will play his guts out!!!
To be honest with you, I think that a 3-5-2 is a very good idea. It's a gutsy lineup to have against the Italians and I think it would've been a good and gutsy thing to do against the Czechs. Of course I think the US team would've been better served in it with a Corey Gibbs avialable. But they can still pull it off IMO. I mean, why not? If the USA falls in this cup, which I hope they don't, at least go down taking a risk and leaving it all on the field. I'm not sure who Ives is, but I like his opinion on this one.
You can almost call it a 'safety' 3-5-2. With Cherundolo on the right side of the mid-filed he can slide back to create a de facto 4-4-2 if the Italians are pressing. If the Italians sit back, he will function more as a midfielder. It's an interesting idea. Still, I think I'd rather get Dempsey on the field.
ugh. like we got any room to play safe. we should play a 3-5-2 that looks more like 3-3-1-4. WE.NEED.GOALS.
Correction. WE.NEED.POINTS. A 1-nil win is sufficient. There's no reason to get out of control in the opening minutes like we did against the Czechs. Our overzealous approach helped lead to the first goal.
Yeah we need points. And we need to recognize that we are playing a more skillful, superior team. That should dictate our strategy. If we go to a 3-5-2 it should be of the defensive variety, with the wide mids playing defense first.
exactly....then reyna or job will move up and cover that right side of the midfield (when dolo drops back)while the remaining last player will play a d-mid role. all players have to be on the same page for the 3-5-2 to work. If we have the italians on thier heals (knock on wood) we can then unleash a fresh dempsey and/or DMB at them in the 2nd half. if we're winning 2-0 bring in Benny Olsen and have him clip Totti till he looses his temper and gets ejected
Um, you do realize our goal differential currently, right? We DO need goals if we expect to get out of this group (which I'm doubting will happen anyway).
True, but I think the other poster meant that if we get our 6 points we won't need to worry about goal differential.
The US will get killed in a 3-5-2 vs. Italy. They'll just go over the top and all of the match-ups favor the Italians.
Yeah, but if we go balls out looking for goals we won't win and will add to our goal differential. We have to win. If we do we can look for goals against Ghana. This isn't the game to look for goals. And yes I do realize we lost to the Czechs 3-0. I live on Planet Earth.
I agree with it being gutsy. We played the 3-5-2 in the second half of the CR game. Rosicky showed what it looks like to burn 3 flat backs. Don't you think we need a little more stability and depth defensively? Also, I don't think having more players in the midfield is a good thing offensively. With the U.S. I would rather have less players and more space in the midfield. Let our speedy midfielders run at the Italians and not have a clogged up midfield that they thrive on. Brazil also plays 3-5-2 and is very good at it, but they don't give the ball away 60 times a game. We did miss Gibbs for sure. Cheers
Come on what? Conrad could hardly do worse than Pope, who allowed his man to humilliate him in the first 5 minutes like Koller did.
Count me out of taking risks at this point. If we fail this cup lets do it playing the best version of our game we have, and thats not some gutsy formation. Sorry to sound negative but I have never seen us pull it off; so lets not attempt some half-baked version of something we never do with people where they have never been on the world biggest stage. Dance with who brung ya, 4-4-2
Sure just put Keller, Howard, and Hahnemann in the goal all at the same time - although I'm sure Italy will still score Seriously though, Ives is correct - Reyna is a must start. And as sick/injured as he might be, they'll need O'Brien in the starting mix also, at least to give extra support Donovan and sustain some early momentum going forward. A lot of people would pencil in Mastroeni (probably to watch Totti), but the US has to take a chance on O'Brien's touch and vision in there (even if he's not 100%). With that, I hope Arena tries the 3-5-2 Galarcep suggested (and does actually put Dempsey in at some point if this team still needs balls) because I think it gives the US more passing options than just the long ball and the backpass and it needs more people who can actually pass the ball. The US is outmatched everywhere, so the passes have got to connect quickly in the midfield for whomever is on the outside to go at Italian players, find space and find Johnson and McBride - that's why they need someone with O'Brien's vision alongside Reyna to open up the field and support the attack- NO MORE BACKPASSES and NO MORE TELEGRAPHED BALLS!