He gives his locks and then his picks between the following pairs. Link here Conrad - Berhalter Albright - Hejduk Twellman - Ching Olsen - Zavagnin
At least a professional job, with in terms of predicting what Arena will do, the only quibbles are whether Boca has not played himself off to the edge of the bubble and if Arena will really take 5 central defenders and only 3 outside backs. Not rocket science, but compared to Wagman ...
I think he will. And I think that's why Frankie gets the edge over Albright. Frankie played on the left in J/K so can fill in both places. Lewis can be spelled by Gibbs or Convey in a pinch. Hell, he could put Claudio r JOB back there in an emergency. I think he wants more big bodies more than backup outside backs. Considering most of his outside backs are/were midfielders, he can get cover that way.
Another guy who sees Boca as a lock. I just don't. He hasn't had an especially good season with Fulham and he's been hurt frequently. I understand the arguments against Berhalter (Mexico at Azteca and Dortmund) but I think his experience in Europe, especially Germany, make him a natural fo this Cup. I also think he's one of our best defenders in the air and understands what it takes to organize a defense from the midfield down. Conrad isn't going, period.
I think BA may recall Berhalters performance against Italy prior to the '02 cup and think about who is best suited to marking someone like Koller.
Berhalter consistently gives up fouls in bad spots...he has a habit of soft giveaways in his own end...he doesn't bring that set piece punch that Onyewu, Bocanegra or Pope do...at one point I was convinced that he was a solid, stable defender...but in actuality, he's very hot and cold. I hope Bocanegra gets healthy this weekend and knocks Berhalter down to alternate.
It's a question of what is more important, going three-deep at right back (we have tons of obvious cover at left back) or four-deep at central defender. It also depends if you think Mastroeni is good cover at center back or if he is cover at right back, or neither. In terms of backup right backs the only midfielder who looks like he could provide cover there to me is Ben Olsen, who played there, well I thought, as a substitute in one of the winter friendlies. OK, enough analysis, I think ... I don't know, I see why this is hard for BA, it would have been a lot simpler if Albright had not been torched a couple of times by that Jamaican team.
I agree. It seems there is always at least one time every game where Berhalter just totally shanks a ball or something like that. And he has a short fuse. He often commits stupid retaliatory fouls and could easily accumulate cards, as he did in '02. Had we beat Germany he would have been ineligible for a semi vs Korea. (As would about half of our defense in that cup)
I'm confused; your reasons seem to suggest Albright and not Hejduk. "Lewis can be spelled by Gibbs or Convey in a pinch. Hell, he could put Claudio r JOB back there in an emergency." Means that Hejduk on the left is not needed. "I think he wants more big bodies more than backup outside backs." Albright is the big body, not Hejduk. Di you mean to say that Albright has the edge?
I agree and it is also the reason I am against Albright, although in his case, the fouls are usually just plain stupid rather than retaliatory.
On the same site they also have an article published today where they are dropping Bocanegra in favor of Berhalter. Here what is says: It's called Pick 23
How about Connor Casey? anyone have news about how he's doing? if he werent injured, I'm sure he'd be a good choice for the roster. I for one would very much like to see him penciled in as a surprise addition.
I just want to pre-emptively throw out the obvious as compared to Josh Wolff response before it is hammered into the ground . . .
Yes, he has. His teams GAA is pretty good with him in there. If the Cookie would just give up on Zat Knight, they'd be one of the teams hoping that things fall their way and they sneak the last UEFA Cup spot.
For info, Albright is as much experience as Hejduk in the international level, he was in fact a former Olympian.
it means, arena would prefer to throw frankie in to start over any other possible outside back if stevie or eddie are not able convey and others can pinch in, but that's very last minute taking albright means there is no back up starter at left back i like albright, i really do... but for what arena seems to want to do... frankie is a far better fit plus frankie has already had 2 fantastic world cups... seriously, he was great in france and in korea... no matter what people say about him, the dude has played incredible on the biggest stage frankie will go all day, tackle hard as hell, win everything, mark anyone into the ground and drive people nuts running both directions... and every once in a blue moon, he has a good cross
No. I think Frankie has the edge because of his versatility and because I think Bruce will want big bodies in the middle (forgot to qualify that) more than two backup right backs.
I agree but albright has also experienced enough to play in the WC. the most experience players in the world have to retire someday like Zidane for example, he is much better player than Hejduk but he is soon retiring, including from WC..
Boca's been training for a week with Fulham. Seeing as how Boca's been a Bruce favorite for about 3+ years, I'd say unless his recovery is going too slow, he'll be going. I don't think these guys realize how much Bruce likes Boca... I assume he'll be called in, and if by May 15th Bruce doesn't think he can cut it, he'll name Berhalter (or Conrad if GB is on the roster).
I can't speak to what you would like to see, but as for Bruce Arena, Conor Casey had been dropped as US regular prior to his injury due to never scoring for the USMNT backed up by rarely scoring for his club. The Gold Cup was a chance for him to fight his way back into the main roster and wasn't going well when he was injured.