Yeah I know its early and we haven't qualified but I couldn't help my self. Lets see everyone's projected USA XI and complete Roster for Germany 2006. Starting XI: Howard Cherundolo----------Bocanegra---------------Pope---------------Gibbs -Mastroeni- -Beasley- -Convey- -O'Brien- -Eddie Johnson- -Donovan (C)- Subs: Keller Walker Oguchi Onyewu Gregg Berhalter Frankie Hejduk Jonathan Spector Conor Casey Eddie Lewis Chris Armas Kerry Zavagnin Brian McBride Clint Mathis Brian Ching For Show: Claudio Reyna, Freddy Adu
Howard Dolo----Gooch----Bocanegra----Spector Mastroeni O'Brien---Reyna---Beasley Johnson---Donovan Subs: Friedel Walker Berhalter Convey Ching Armas Adu Casey Lewis McBride Wolf Gaven
Might want to read this thread (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153590) when it's done and reformat some of those rosters.
Howard Cherundolo-Pope-Mastroeni-Bocanegra Reyna-Armas Donovan-Beasley McBride-Wolff Subs: Mathis Gibbs Ching Convey Ralston O'Brien Lewis Hejduk Berhalter Gaven Keller Walker
get the fvck outta here. reyna and armas? we might as well not show up. 4 real Starting XI Friedel Dolo-Pope-Bocanegra-O'Brien Gaven-Mastroeni-Donovan-Beasley Johnson-Ching Kick ass
Some of these rosters look like "if WC2006 were in 2005" rosters. Do we really want a 33-year-old Chris Armas starting in the World Cup? Here's my starting lineup projection if everyone's healthy (player ages as of July 1, 2006 in parentheses): GK Kasey Keller (36) LB Carlos Bocanegra (27) CB Eddie Pope (32) CB Oguchi Onyewu (24) RB Steve Cherundolo (27) LDM John O'Brien (28) RDM Claudio Reyna (32) LAM DaMarcus Beasley (24) RAM Landon Donovan (C) (24) FW Eddie Johnson (22) FW Brian Ching (28) Bench: GK Tim Howard (27) GK Brad Friedel (35) LB/CB Jonathan Spector (20) CB/DM Pablo Mastroeni (29) CB Chad Marshall (21) RB Chris Albright (27) DM Clint Dempsey (23) LM/AM/LB Bobby Convey (23) AM Eddie Gaven (19) AM/FW Clint Mathis (29) FW Brian McBride (34) FW Edson Buddle (25) Alternates (Bruce named 7 alternates in 2002): GK Joe Cannon (31) CB/LB Cory Gibbs (26) DM/AM Danny Szetela (19) LM Eddie Lewis (32) AM/RM Kyle Martino (25) RM Cobi Jones (36) FW Conor Casey (24) The average age of this 23-man squad is 26.8, which was about average for the last World Cup. I actually had a hard time cutting the player pool down to 30. If John O'Brien is injured, I see Mastroeni starting and Gibbs being on the bench.
How about Bocanegra out left, O'brien in the midfield, and Mastroeni in the defense? Better yet, put Gibbs or Gooch or both back there with Pope on the bench.
I doubt McBride will be on the roster, but that's just me. I also think it's overly optimistic to put O'Brien in the starting eleven at this point in time. Ditto for Reyna.
I agree about O'Brien, it's optimistic. Anyone including O'Brien as a starter should probably also post a contingency plan for the event of his not being available.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm Perhaps there should be a sticky to put all this WC 2006 speculation? Seems like there's a new thread every other day.
Eddie J won't even be on the roster? w/ O'brien: -------------------------Keller ---------------Pope----------------Bocanegra Cherundolo----------------------------------------Spector Gaven---------Dempsey----------O'brien-----------Bease -------Landon-----------------------------Eddie J w/out O'brien: -------------------------Keller ---------------Pope----------------Bocanegra Cherundolo----------------------------------------Spector ------------------------Dempsey Gaven---------------------------------------------Bease -------------------------Landon --------------McBride----------------Eddie J I think O'brien is the X-factor that could change everything. It's probably a totally different team if he is playing and in form. If we end up with an out-of-form lesser reincarnation of O'brien, then maybe he'll play LB instead of Spector, but if it's vintage Johnny O, then he'll have to run the team. bench: (for the w/ O'brien lineup) Howard Cannon Gibbs Onyewu Berhalter Hejduk Lewis Mastroeni Reyna Martino McBride Mathis
Keller/Howard-(They will split some games) ------Cherundolo------Pope*------Bocanegra------Spector------ ----------------------------Zavagnin--------------------------- ------Gaven--------------------------------------Beasley------- ---------------------Donovan--------Adu----------------------- ---------------------------Johnson----------------------------- Substitutes: -D.J. Countess** -Tim Howard/Kasey Keller -Eddie Lewis -Justin Mapp -Chad Marshall -Pablo Mastroeni -Clint Mathis -John O'Brien*** -Claudio Reyna -Greg Vanney Alternates: -Joe Cannon -Bobby Convey -Brian McBride -Peter Philipakos -Robbie Russell -Danny Szetela -Josh Wolff *-EddiePope will play start in the beginning but Oguchi Onyewu will get some starts **-If Brad Friedel does not retire from International Soccer, he would replace D.J. Countess and he therefore would bump Cannon off the alternate list ***-If John O'Brien isn't healthy, he gets replaced by Brian McBride in the substitutes list and McBride then gets replaced y Brian Ching in the alternates list Predictions: (January 2005-May 2006) -Peter Philipakos comes out of nowhere, playing great in Champions League and league play and earning a starting spot playing alongside Rivaldo and Giovanni.He keeps up his stellar wing play next year impressing in the Champions League and league play again.He gets called in Summer of 2005. -Justin Mapp goes wild this year, pulling an Eddie Johnson.8 goals,8 assists-2005 MLS Best XI team. Gets called in Summer of 2005. Continues solid play at the beginning of the 2006 season in April. -Danny Szetela will become a very solid player for the Columbus Crew gathering 5 goals,6 assists.Gets called in Late Fall/Early Winter 2005. -Chad Marshall has an MVP caliber season for the Columbus Crew and earns a 2005 MLS Best XI nomination for the first time.Gets called in Winter 2005. -D.J. Countess regains his confidence under the tutelage of Ellinger/Peter Mellor(former youth goalkeeping coach for U-17, in which Countess excelled). He will win the 2005 goalkepper of the year award and MLS Best XI nomination as well.Gets called in Late Fall/Early Winter 2005. -Freddy Adu will hit for 13 goals, 7 assists (34 points) in 2005. He will also earn an all-star spot and will be on the MLS Best XI. He gets even bigger by the start of MLS in April 2006(5'10-6'1-----160 lbs). Tears apart MLS for a month riding a hot streak into camp and the ensuing friendlies earning a starting spot in the days and weeks leading up to th 2006 World Cup.He earns a callup in the Early Winter/Middle Winter of 2005-2006. -Eddie Johnson gets transfered to PSV Eindhoven for 7 Million Dollars after continuing his goalscoring exploits in the HEX, friendlies, and the 2005 MLS season. He will score 12 goals, 6 assists for the Dallas Burn by the time he is transfered to PSV in August 2005. Earns starting spot by January 2006 for PSV playing alongside Jonathan Farfan of Peru.Scores 7 goals in his first 10 games. -Jonathan Spector holds down a starting spot for West Bromwich Albion rest of season after he gets loaned out in January 2005. Earns praise from media/fans alike both home and abroad. Gets interest from Middlesborough for a straight up transfer in summer of 2005, but gets rebuffed by Manchester United right away. Goes past Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Quinton Fortune on depth chart and eventually replaces Mikael Silvestre by January of 2006. -Kerry Zavagnin gets transfered to Portsmouth in January of 2005. He earns a starting spot and becomes a regular face in the starting lineup for the National Team. Transfers before June of 2006: -Eddie Johnson (PSV Eindhoven)-7.2 million dollars August 2005 -Chad Marshall (La Liga)-3 million dollars January 2006 -Kyle Martino (Holland)-1.9 million dollars August 2005 -Steve Cherundolo (La Liga or bigger Bundesliga team-like Schalke 04)-5.5 million dollars July 2005 -Kerry Zavagnin (Portsmouth)-1.3 million dollars January 2005
You must be smoking some good ********! hit me back with some that stickyicky! -Firstly if Arena does something as stupid as allowing Keller and Howard to split games he should be fired immediatley, He is a coach he needs to make decisions not play both this isn't AYSO!!! -Gaven AND Adu in the starting lineup you have got to be kidding me, even if both have stellar season they won't be starting they'd get themselves in as bench players and build their way up like LD ad DMB. -Spector hasn't been called up for the US yet so I wouldnt deem him a starter either the only reason he got playing time with Utd. is because of a string of injuries they had. Furthermore on that depth chart he would have to overtake Gabriel Heinze which is not happening. -Justin Mapp??? are u kidding me.....
Spector was in the last qualifying game at home. He just got capped. Spector will go out on loan to probably West Bromich Albion and he will get some good experience going up against Premiership talent. I would start him in 06 after playing against Henry, Robben, Lampard, etc instead of cory gibbs who defends mighty midget mike magee and a 37 year old ukrainian who decided to have one last hurrah.
Heady Bud. My thing is that I'm not sure who will start between Howard and Keller so I put both their names on the starting list as if they are going to be deadeven going into the Germany just as Friedel and Keller were going into South Korea. Start Gaven and Adu off slow like DMB and Lando?!?!?! They were each in the starting lineup for the opening game against Portugal. Also, Spector won't overtake Heinze, he'll overtake Silvestre, who is completely overrated and is the weak link in their weak line right now.
Oh so this is a new WC 06 roster thread lol. Spector is money now. I saw him play in the ChampsWorld and those couple games in the EPL (he was Man of the Match vs. Blackburn --- Man of the Match can i reiterate that?) and vs. Jamaica when he came on. He's ready to start for the U.S. now. Maybe if you didn't see the EPL games, you might not believe this but he's got the technical skills, the talent, the size, the confidence everything. I agree he's not gonna beat out Heinze, but I see him at least next year being considered a replacement for Silvestre or where I think he should play as Gary Neville's replacement at RB since he is naturally right footed despite playing LB. If he plays RB then I think he's the best we have at that position easily. Howard/Keller Spector -- Gibbs/Pope ----- Gooch/Marshall ---- Bocanegra Donovan --------- Masteroni ---- O'Brien ----- Beasely Mathis --- EJ I can't pick our CB's it'll be 2 of those 4. lol obviously If O'Brien's injured then Donovan plays CM and Gaven comes in on the right Bench: Cannon (w/ Howard or Keller) Cherundolo 2 of the CB's Convey Gaven Dempsey Adu Martino Eskandarian Ching
4-2-3-1 ................Casey/Johnson(depends on form) .....Beasley.........................Gaven............. ......................Donovan............................ .............Convey...........Masteroni............... O'Brien..................................Cherundolo.... ...............Bocanegra..Oguchi...................... ..........................GK(whoever is on form) Subs Walker Brown Howard Spector Withbread Gibbs Rico Clark Dempsey Reyna Martino Buddle Mathis Ching
Anyone whose projecting that Bruce Arena would switch formations is on some strong stuff. Also, everyone here either thinks the world cup is tomorrow or its in 2010. Starters: Howard, Cherundolo, Bocanegra, Gibbs, Vanney, JOB (add Zav if injured), Beasley, Reyna (add Gaven if injured), GAM, McBride Subs: Keller, Cannon, Spector, Pope (add Mastro if injured/retired/too old) Onewyu, Zavagnan (add Mastro if starting), Dempsey, Alvarez, Gaven (add Mathis if starting), Adu, Buddle, Casey PS A 19 year old Gaven is the 2006 version of Donovan. Adu is brought just to give him experience (the Ronaldo experiment), and Buddle I think is the best bet to be that spark with the GAM (bc of their relationship).
I think the two craziest comments of his were JOB healthy but not starting and Friedel making the trip to Germany but sitting behind Keller. While I disagree with him on all 4 of your comments, only the first seems crazy. Donovan and DMB both started for Portugal (Donovan forcing the early OG) and Mapp and Spector both have potential, and that LB spot is awfully up in the air right now.
Starting lineup for US National Team, opening game World cup 2006: -------------------Johnson----------------McBride----------------------- --------------------------------Donovan------------------------------- -------Beasley------------------------------------------------O'Brien----- ----------------------------------Reyna---------------------------------- ----------Bocanegra------------------------------------Spector ----------------------------Gibbs-------Pope------------------------- ---------------------------------Friedel--------------------------------- *This lineup is obviously with O'Brien healthy, it seems like he always can get himself healthy just in time for the big games, play well; and then when it's over he gets hurt again *Reyna, will still be extremly valuable he wont have the pace to still carry the attack but he will still be key to distributing balls up through Donovan to our forwards and getting the ball out onto the wings. I think he also can pick up some of the defensive responsibility but obviously he wont be as good here as a true DM *I think if Spector is getting some playing time by now he will be awesome. We havnt had a good unanimous selection for a right back in a while and I believe he will be this for us for a long time. *McBride will be questioned by alot of people but after looking at our other options I didnt really see anybody that I think will be better than him. I see him as being subbed out after giving us a good 60 min and then maybe a Mathis or a younger speedier forward going in for him. *Gibbs/Pope/Bocanegra all are probably better at CB but all 3 need to be on the field at the same time so I think Bocanegra is the one who plays the most on the left. *As for our keeper I am equally comfortable with any of the 3. I think the one that is starting the most for the best team at the time players period. If at this time say all 3 are all starting for 3 top tier EPL teams, highly unlikely, then I give the nod to Friedel just based on what he did last time around.
If you look at my list you'll see I have very little quibble. Only one I have is JOB won't play RM, he's a lefty...he can play LM, DM, and LB. If you switch him and Reyna, and possibly then switch Reyna and Donovan, you have my starting 11 absent Vanney for Spector, although I think LB is the most open position on the squad and Spector could very well get the start.