Here is the thing. The games are so close together that it is highly doubtful we would see the best lineup that the US can field until the final game. Lets just say that the US manage to make it through to the 1st place game. Who would you start. GK Howard D Hejduk D Cherundolo D Pope D Bocanegra M Armas M Lewis M Stewart M Beasley F Mathis F Donovan
-------------howard cherundolo--Pope--Bocanegra--Vaney -------------Armas Martino-----Convey-----beasley/Lewis --------donovan----Kirovski
First off, I'm going to assume that none of the alternates Alternates - Nick Garcia ,Cory Gibbs , Richard Mulrooney, Steve Ralston - get called in. Or if they do, they still wouldn't be starting. I'm also assuming that as long as Howard isn't injured, he'd start that game. I don't think BA would've brought him over if that wasn't the case. In fact, I think that thinking will favor the MLSers and we would see this line up : GK :Tim Howard D: Carlos Bocanegra ,Gregg Berhalter,Eddie Pope,Frankie Hejduk M : DaMarcus Beasley,Chris Armas,Landon Donovan , Earnie Stewart F : Clint Mathis, Taylor Twellman
- Howard - -Hejduk-Bocanegra-Berhalter-Vanney- -Armas- -Stewart -Beasley- -Convey- -Donovan-Twellman/Mathis/Jovan Pope in the middle if he is healthy ... Lewis on late for DMB ... Pablo for anyone if we need D ...
Cherundolo? Can't afford to have someone listed @ 5 1/2 on D. Kirovski? much better options up top. He's only played recently when there are other Fs available. We'll save the best XI for Brazil.. Howard Hejduk Pope Boca Convey Kline Pablo Donovan DMB Twellman Mathis
MY STARTING XI FOR THE CONFED CUP FINAL!!! --------------------Howard--------------------- Hejduk--------Pope-----------Berhalter-----Boca --------------------Armas---------------------- ---Donovan-------------------------------Beasley -------------------Convey---------------------- ---------Twellman-------------Mathis----------- Not sure if Twellman & Mathis will work well together, but IMHO it's worth a shot!! Steadiness & experience at the back & speed and youth on the flanks!! You know the saying...."Speed Kills" and with this lineup, I feel we have a great shot!! GO FOR IT, USA!!!!!!!
Howard Hejdude Boca Pope Dolo Lewis Armas Pablo DMB Donovan Mathis Convey, Twellman, and Berhalter as main subs.
It is quite ridiculous how many left-footed players are on the roster, especially considering England's current hole on the left side of midfield. Convey, Beasley, & Lewis are left-footed midfielders. Berhalter, Bocanegra, and I believe Gibbs are left-footed defenders--not that it matters too much. My best XI are Howard Califf Berhalter Bocanegra Mastroeni Hejduk Beasley Convey Lewis Mathis Donovan
GIBBS REPLACES POPE Pope won't be starting as he has been replace by Gibbs. See: http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=36782 Excerpt:GIBBS REPLACES POPE: FC St. Pauli defender Cory Gibbs has been added to the USA's Confederations Cup roster after the team learned that defender Eddie Pope has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in the patella of his left knee. Pope, 29, underwent an MRI examination yesterday after taking a knock in the first half of the Metro's 1-1 draw away to Columbus over the weekend. Gibbs, 22, is making his first appearance in a camp with the senior team. He was a member of the USA's bronze-medal winning team at the 1999 Pan American Games, and played on the U.S. Under-20 MNT in the 1999 World Youth Championships in Nigeria along with Carlos Bocanegra, Dan Califf, Steve Cherundolo, Tim Howard and Taylor Twellman. My starting 11: .....Twellman ....Clint...LD DmB.............Klein .....Mastro/Armas Vanney.Boca.Greg.Cher ......Howard
Would probably change it up a little depending on opponent. Core group in a 3-5-2. ------------Howard------------ -Hejduk--Berhalter--Boca- -----Armas-----Mastro----- -Dolo-----Convey-----DMB- ----Donovan------Mathis----
GK -- Friedel D -- Pope D -- Cherundolo D -- Hejduk D -- Bocanegra M -- Stewart M -- Lewis M -- Beasley M -- Donovan F -- McBride F -- Twellman
Pope is out. ---------------Howard---------------- ----Hejduk---Califf--Bocanegra---Lewis ---Stewart--Mastroeni--Convey--Beasley ---------Donovan---Mathis-------
its interesting to see how many folks chose Armas over Pablo. Granted Pablo has just come back from injury but should be close to 100 percent. After the WC everyone was saying that Armas has been replaced for good. Had Pablo been healthy all season, how many of you folks would have picked pablo instead of armas? My line up: ........................Howard ....Dolo......Berhalter..........Boca...heydude .....Donovan......pablo.....Mathis.....DMB .............Mcbride.......Twellman 3-5-2 ........................Howard .......heydude.......berhalter.........Boca .................Pablo............Armas ....Donovan...........convey..........lewis ...........Mathis..............Twellman/Mcbride
Since Pope is out the lineup has to change. I am all the sudden a fan of the 3-5-2. Howard Hejduk-------Berhalter-------Bocanegra Armas-------Mastroeni Beasley--------------------------------Lewis Stewart Donovan-------Mathis I don't why people insist on trying to say Donovan is a midfielder when all he has been playing for the nats for a long time is Forward.
With 3 games in 5 days, there will be a lot of changes to the team for each game. I'd be pretty sure that whoever plays the first 2 games would probably skip the third. I would even say the goal keepers would change.