Pre World Cup Arena really wanted to go with this tandem up top. But I think there performance together in the run up to the World Cup was not very good. McBride constantly flicked balls on to a Mathis who was running in the other direction (or staying still to preempt the fitness argument for the 100941028 time). Mathis slotted passes in the opposite direction of McBride's runs. They just didn't link well together. Both typically perform best when they have a speedster who runs off of them and creates space and angles for flick ons or passes. So my question is should this tandem be revisited in either the Confed Cup or Gold Cup. My answer is yes, with a couple of thoughts. 1. If you do this, LD and DMB need to be in the midfield. They do the requisite running and creating space needed for these two to play forward. I have not pulled up the pre world cup lineups to see if it included these two, my guess would be that it did. I don't know if LD and DMB have just matured in their games or it was just fifteen minues of one game which was more fluke like and I am making too much of it. 2. I thought that at about the 30 minute mark in the Mexico match, LD dropped back to midfield and Clint and Brian were up top together. Our offense was pretty good during this time with a couple of solid chances. Obviously Mathis has to regain 100% fitness pursuant to the Bruce's instructions to be at the international level, but does anyone else agree that the tandem showed glimpses of real hope for the first time?
I'm not sure. But thats basically why I wanted to see Mathis in the 2nd half. He finally started showing some signs of life but then he got yanked. But he showed what he was capable on a single play in the 1st half. That lovely cross by Bocanegra that hit Mathis on the far post, who headed across towards to the Wideopen DaMarcus Beasley (who muffed, possibly one of the worst muffs i've seen in a long time)...that was pretty good instincts my Mathis to not just head at the goal face where the keeper would have simply caught the ball
Mathis has always been capable in the sense that you speak of, I.E his vision. If they would learn to link, I think this would be our best combination. LD seems to want to play like Baggio did, especially when you consider that was his favorite player. This leaves him free to create and still try to run at the goal, and LD can track back more than Cleetus, who is more of a finisher type than LD is.
This tandem doesn't work for Catenaccio....speed does. Neither of these guys have it in extra supply. Beyond that, when the other forward is not within range of McBride's flick ons(which happens all TOO frequently), at least Landon can make up that space quicker.
I hate the Mathis Mcbride Combo. I don't believe it will ever work. Donovan and Beasley help in Midfield and will help any combination of forwards because they can play...... The depth at forward really isn't that deep until one of these young guys steps up and takes ownership.
Why not do something stupid and play a 3-4-3 against some team like New Zealand or something? __Donovan_____McBride_____Mathis_ ______DMB_______Klein______ _______Mastroeni_____Armas______ _________3 defenders______ ________Keeper_____ Hell, it's not like we do anything in the midfield to help with the attack anyways without JOB or Reyna. If I had to use those players I would definitely do that setup.
But that's the key to why Mathis and McBride up front would work. Donovan and Beasley have such speed and LD in particular is so good at tracking back that they allow McBride (who is essential in any starting XI) and Mathis to focus on creating offensively. Mathis seems much more comfortable (and more effective) playing up front behind a target like McBride than he is running things through midfield. Clint's main assets are his vision and finishing abilities, the former is useful anywhere on the field but the latter is wasted if he's stuck in midfield - and unfortunately, he hasn't seemed to regain his pre-injury explosiveness which would allow him to quickly join the attack from deep in the midfield. Donovan of course is also a clinical finisher, but his speed allows him to join the attack more quickly as an attacking mid, at which point Clint can drop back and cover defensively (a part of his game which is severely underrated). So I think a Mathis-McBride tandem up front could definitely work. Of course McBride-Donovan is proven to work.
The difference between that and what we played against Mexico is mostly semantics. Call it a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3 or a 3-4-1-2, at least one of Mathis and Donovan is going to have to drop back to receive the ball in midfield and distribute.