Now that group play is over, it's time to get down to serious business...winning the Gold Cup!!! With that in mind, we MUST field our best lineup. Here's MY choice: --------------------------------Keller---------------------------- ----------------Pope----------Onyewu-----------Conrad--------- ----------------Mastroeni-----------------O'Brien---------------- --Ralston-----------------------------------------------Beasley-- -------------------------------Donovan-------------------------- ---------------Quaranta-------------------------Wolff------------ Subs: Dempsey, Cherundolo & Noonan, if behind or tied. Olsen, Vanney & Armas, if ahead. I'd like to start Cherundolo but going with a 3-5-2 means having JOB & Beasley start at the same time, in midfield, which makes us that much stronger IMHO. Conrad has been pretty solid & not looked out of place, so far IMHO. Beasley has, truthfully, not had an overwhelming tournament but I think he's due to break out & he's too good to leave out of the lineup. I'm really surprised that Quaranta has not seen action since the Cuba game. He was our best player IMHO, before Landon came on. I think Quaranta & Wolff could cause some problems for Jamaica's defense with their speed. Jamaica will be tough, as always, but we should come out on top!! GO, USA!!!
pope and jimmy on the outside? gee, I sure hope jamiaca has two cripples playing as wingers since that's the only way those two will be able to keep up. 'dolo's starting. as he should, by the way.
well the only thing that impressed me tonight in the MEX-JAM game was Jamaica's dribbling, their finnishing is lacking, and their passing in dangerous situations was practically non-existant. It was afew times i saw guys go 1 on 3, when they could have passed, and just lost the ball.
---------------------Keller--------------------- --Cherundolo---Onyewu----Conrad-----Vanney-- -------------------Mastroeni------------------- ----Dempsey-------Donovan----------Beasley-- -------------Noonan-----Quaranta------------- There's no way Sanneh's playing LB this game. The Jamaican forwards are very fast, skillful and physical. I like Dempsey and Beasley on the wings because they'll do a great job squashing Jamaica's counter attacks and they're fast enough to support the offense very well. Middle is covered by Mastroeni. And Dempsey, Donovan, Beasley, Noonan and Quaranta upfront would overwhelm Jamaica's defense. No doubt.
It's an interesting theory. You know all those aimless long balls we play out of the back? Well think of the increased accuracy with Davis back there.
Some of the players are exhausted by now; some have only played one game. I expect to see the "one gamers" to play this time: ---------------Hahnemann Cherundolo------Onyewu------Vanney ----------------Mastroeni Quaranta-------Olsen-------Davis --------------Donovan --------Wolff-------------Dempsey Yeah it's a total guess.
lol. I meant Conrad next to Onyewu. Revised below. ---------------------Keller--------------------- --Cherundolo---Onyewu----Conrad-----Vanney-- -------------------Mastroeni------------------- ----Dempsey-------Donovan----------Beasley-- -------------Noonan-----Quaranta-------------
Based on what he's done so far, I'm guessing it will be: Code: -----------Donovan----Dempsey------------ ----------------O'Brien------------------ Beasley---------------------------Ralston ---------------Mastroeni----------------- Vanney----Onyewu------Pope-----Cherundolo -----------------Keller------------------ The possible variations would be Wolff for Ralston, with Donovan moving to AM, O'Brien to LM and Beasley to RM. And Conrad for Pope. It doesn't look like Arena is planning on using O'Brien as a left back so that pretty much leaves Vanney. I'm guessing Dempsey remains at forward as Bruce loves the 'target guy' and Dempsey's the only thing we have right now even slightly resembling one.
I think this is a very good lineup. has wolff started yet or has he been a sub every time? I would feel keller gets the start ... it's not like he's tired from standing around back there. of course you have to wonder if DMB and Landon each start this time.
Here's my 4-4-2 "hope": -------------------------------Keller------------------------- Cherundolo-----------Pope-------------Onyewu--------Vanney -----------------------------Mastroeni----------------------- --Beasley-----------------------------------------------JOB-- ------------------------------Donovan------------------------ ---------------Quaranta-----------------------Noonan-------- Subs: Dempsey, Wolff & Davis, if behind or tied. Conrad & Olsen, if ahead. Our options are really limited, thanks to the roster Bruce put together but I'm still hopeful that this group has it's best performances ahead!! I just hope to NEVER see Sanneh again in a USMNT jersey!!!
Not to nit-pick, but do you really mean to imply that Vanney is faster than Sanneh? I don't love Sanneh on the off wing, but the reason to not put him there is not because of speed. Vanney is perhaps the only back we have that could still lose to Jeff Agoos in a footrace. That's why Bruce was so pissed at Frankie. With Heydude we had a Mach I driven by a drunk blind guy in the mud. Vanney's more like a Nova driven by my grandmother in the fog.
yeah, we'd hate to actually shut out CR again... But get Noonan in there - he really lit up the Costa Rican go... oh, nevermind. That said, I'd rather see Dolo than Sanneh (he's playing much better right now.) Sanneh v. Vanney on the left is a pick 'em. Sanneh is a better outside back, but he is out of place on the left. This is probably the 4 back you'll see.
Yes. I'm not talking about a foot race though. I'm talking about 1 on 1 situations and defending the dribbles, short passing, etc... We don't need our LB to come up and down the wing. We just need him to defend very well.
My line-up: ----------KK-------- --Dolo---Pope---Gooch-- ---------Mastro---------- --Ralston--------JOB-------Beasley-- -----Donovan----- Quaranta-------Dempsey If Pope can't go, then Conrad.
Well, you mentioned that the Jamaican forwards were fast. I'd assume maybe there would be some marking going on - or do you mean that Vanney would beat them going forward when they were tracking back? Sanneh is much faster and more physical than Vanney. Vanney is a fairly solid, well rounded defender with a hammer shot when he hits it right and a decent cross who also happens to be a natural left sider, but footspeed and physicality go to Sanneh every time.
-----------------------Wolff----------------------- ----------------Beasley----Donovan-------------- ---------------------Dempsey--------------------- ----------------O'Brien-----Mastroeni------------- Vanney------Onyewu-------Pope-----Cherundolo -----------------------Keller----------------------- Best formation I can figure for our best XI. Donovan and Beasley in free roles. Could move O'Brien to left wing and Beasley to right wing for more traditional 4-5-1. Advantage of the formation would be the ability to switch to a back 3 if Cherundolo pushes up to right midfield, O'Brien shifts left and Mastroeni takes the reigns at defensive midfield. Problem is the lack of a quality option up top. Wolff is less than exciting, but a better option than Noonan, who showed little in his last outing, as a lone forward. I don't think Quaranta could fill the role either, much less Donovan and Dempsey is better running in center midfield.
we have no striker!! we have no left back!!! (no, not him) one of our central defenders is green!!! the right wing is a gaping hole!!!! (altho i do like quaranta) jamaica is playing well!!!!! we'll lose!!!!!!!! hey, hey, just the way i feel, man. bruce has gone as far as this crew will take him. by the way, isn't pope injured? i see a lot of you listing him on your starting 11.
I think we'll go 3-5-2. Jamaica's speed can (hopefully) be neutralized by the offside trap and clogging the middle. ---------------Keller Cherundolo------Onyewu------Vanney ----------------Mastroeni Quaranta-------O'Brien-------Beasley/Davis --------------Dempsey --------Donovan-------------Noonan No reason not to start JOB in the middle and see what he can do. I think Davis will start and it will be his best chance to prove himself. I really hope Ralston doesn't start, I want to see somebody else at RM now.
Jamaica has no team work.I love their team but they do not play well as a team- that is why we will beat them fairly easily.
Just a quick insight to the team that played last night....there were 6 new starters from the previous game....8 from the first (4 players getting their first mins). We should play a more cohesive game against the US as we allways view this game as a barometer as to where we stand.
I find it interesting that so many of you are penciling Tino in as a starting forward. While I, too, would like to see him in that role, you almost have to figure that BA will start Noonan and Wolff up top. If Q1 starts, I think its at right mid over Ralston, but I would think its unlikely -- though I thought he was extremely impressive against Cuba and deserves another look. I also doubt JOB gets the start as he (along with Clint) would be the ultimate "supersub" (for this roster) and if you are starting him that would be one sub you would almost guarantee you would have to make -- not sure you want to do that in a knock out round. Not sure whether Sanneh or Vanney gets the nod at LB -- flip a coin. My predicted line-up: ----------------------KK---------------------- Dolo-------Conrad----------Gooch-------Vanney/Sanneh ---------------------Pablo-------------------- Ralston---------------LD-----------------DFB -----------Wolff-------------Noonan---------- What I would really like to see: ---------------------KK------------------------ ---------Conrad----Gooch---Sanneh------------ ---Dolo---------------------------------------- -------------------Pablo----------------------- --------Tino-----------------------------JOB-- -------------------Landon--------------------- --------------------------------DFB------------ --------Wolff----------------------------------- JOB, Landon and DFB all interchanging on the left with Dolo serving crosses from the right. Its really a 3.5-5-1.5 but the numbers are really silly as its the fluidity of the offense that would be important -- if we get a lead its easy to shift into a slightly more defensive 4-4-2.
This, if nothing else, would be a fun lineup to watch. I'd just be a little concerned about playing Sanneh where he has the responsibility of covering the left wing defensively. I do, however, love the idea of a Pablo, Tino, JOB, Landon, DFB, and Wolff midfield/front with a lot of liquidity and Cherundulo providing runs on the right flank. The obvious difficulty would be keeping DMB out wide (he has been significantly less effective in the middle), but playing a more defensive minded JOB would probably cover that. Easily the most interesting (and appealing) lineup idea I've seen for this tournament. Rep given.