This is what I make of it. GK: Keller, Hahnemann, Howard (no movement here) Center backs: Onyewu, Gibbs, Pope, Bocanegra Fullbacks: Dolo, Lewis, Hejduk, Pearce (or Gibbs plays full-back, and we that means we let Berhalter or Conrad back in as reserve center backs) Defensive/holding mids: Reyna (if healthy), JOB (if healthy), Mastro. Zavagnin only with (expected) Reyna or JOB health problems. God help us if they're both unfit! Attacking mids: Donovan, Beasley, Convey, Dempsey, and we've got room for one more, ideally somebody who can win balls and possess... (please somebody knock Klein/Ralston/possibly Noonan out of here, pleeeeaaase!) Forwards: McBride, Johnson, Twellman, and, ahem, Wolff
Post Germany match 23 [R] So, now that the US-Germany game is over, who are your 23? My 22: I cannot decide on my 23rd. Dolo Frankie Gibbs Gooch Conrad Pope Lewis Boca Landon JOB Claudio Pablo Convey DMB Dempsey McBride EJ TT Wolff Keller Marcus Timmy
Re: Post Germany, What's our roster look like? [R] I guess you mean post-Germany game ......... and not post-World Cup Germany, correct?
Re: Post Germany match 23 [R] Funny, I had trouble with the 23rd, too. It should go to a versitile, hard-working midfielder, but I'm not sure who. Please not Klein! Actually... at a glance, it looked like we came up with the exact same 22, and I'm really thinking those are the same 22 in Bruce's mind. Anybody else agree that from now until May we're basically auditioning the 23rd spot (presumably a midfielder)? Whoops, I see where we differ. I picked Pearce instead of Conrad, that's the only spot we differ, though presumably we're both talking back-ups at that stage.
Re: Post Germany, What's our roster look like? [R] Um, yes. Forum wouldn't let me post a title that long though. LOL
Re: Post Germany match 23 [R] GK: Keller, Howard, Hahnemann D: Cherundolo, Gooch, Gibbs, Berhalter, Pope, Lewis, Hejduk, Albright/Spector MF: Donovan, Beasley, Reyna, Mastroeni, Convey, Dempsey, Noonan, O'Brien/Olsen F: Johnson, McBride, Twellman, Wolff I'd like to see Rolfe get another shot up top, but whatever
Keller Dolo . . ..Gooch . . . .Gibbs . . . .Lewis ................ Reyna Deuce . . . . . . . . . . . .DMB ................... Convey Donovan . . . . . BMB anyone agree? ? disagree?
Re: Post Germany match 23 [R] I think most would agree that 20+ spots are pretty locked in. All three keepers, 7 defenders, 7 midfielders, 3 forwards. Here's my 23 GK(3) Starter: Keller. Reserves: Hahnemann, Howard Defenders(8) Starters: Cherundolo, Onyewu, Gibbs, Lewis: --Reserves: Hejduk, Pope, Bocanegra, Spector Midfielders(8) Starters: Reyna, JOB, Donovan, Convey --Reserves: Beasley, Mastroeni, Dempsey, Noonan Forwards(4) Starters: McBride, Johnson. Reserves: Twellman, Wolff Close but no cigar: Dunivant, Conrad, Ralston, KZ, Casey, Armas, Albright I think the first 7 D's are set (Dolo, Gooch, Gibbs, Lewis, Hejduk, Pope, Boca). I'll take Spector as the 8th. While I don't think Conrad or Berhalter played themselves off for CERTAIN, they are clearly 5th and 6th on the CB depth chart. If only 4 go, they are out baring injury. If we do take 5, they still have a shot. Still, Spector is versatile, he had a good game vs. Arsenal the other week. I think he goes. Dunivant and Albright still not completely out of it, but hard to see Frankie being left home. Same thing for the midfield, 7 in (Reyna, JOB, Donovan, Convey, DMB, Mastro, Dempsey). I'll take Noonan over the likes of Ralston, Klein, Olsen and KZ. I think the 8th guy is a winger/attacker. Noonan can also play up front. I don't think KZ goes unless there is an injury, and he may even be behind a healthy Chris Armas. Would like to see the likes of Rolfe, Brian West, Mapp, or even Gaven get another look before Klein again. Forward: McBride and Johnson are locks. While neither was impressive today, I don't see anyone who has displaced Wolff and Twellman. It isn't Ching (it looked liked his man on the first goal). Casey might get another look, or someone who gets hot in MLS (Gomez, Buddle). But I think that is a longshot, and Twellman and Wolff go.
So you're going to start the same 11 guys for all three group games, and also start them for any and all games following that should the USA advance? Yeah, I completely disagree. Oh, and you also posted this in the wrong forum.
--Cherundolo--Gooch--Bocanegra--Lewis-- --DMB--------Reyna--JOB---------Convey-- ------------McBride--Landon---------------
-------------------------Keller---------------------------- ------Cherundolo---Berhalter---Onyewu-----Gibbs--------- ------------------------Mastroeni------------------------ --------------Dempsey------------O'brien---------------- -----------Donovan--------------------Beasley---------- ------------------------McBride-------------------------
Well, since we're not sure what the injury situation might be like come June 12th, I think the answer is yes, we need to nitpick some more. It's far too early to declare a "final decision" for a starting lineup for a game that won't be played for another three months.
my idea lineup... get healthy everyone... Mastroeni will likely have to start in one of the 3 games. He is still one of our best 10 field players, but if reyna and job are healthy he gets bumped out of the dmid position.
McBribe needs crosses, in that formation a busy Cherundolo would be the only one able to give it to him, and he may be focused on going back and forth all day. Gibbs is not a crosser of the ball.
Keller Cherundulo -- Gooch -- Pope -- Gibbs Mastroeni - Reyna Donovan - DMB GAM -- McBride Howard - Convey - Twellman - Beerhalter - O' Brien - Lewis
Yup, Landon Donovan has said many times, he does not want any part of forward and Bruce Arena will only put him there if Eddie Johnson is completely unable to play in that game. He hasn't played well at the forward spot internationally for a long time and no one in the team really fancies him more than being a passer and a threat in the dead middle of the field.
of course, lastort is right that there will be many starting lineups over the course of the tourney. whether 3 games or 7 games, or anywhere in between, unlikely to see the same starting lineup more than twice. goalie: -------------keller--------------- backline: cherundolo - gibbs - gooch - lewis with bocanegra and/or pope will also get a start or two in the middle, and gibbs showed today that he could slide out left if lewis cannot go due to injury or card trouble or if we need a bigger presence for a specific matchup. hedjuk would fill in for cherundolo if necessary, but otherwise won't play. midfield: --------------- mastro ------------- --- reyna ---------------- beasley --- -------------- donovan ------------- dempsey and convey will get time (and probably a start or two) at the outside mids. if o'brien returns, there are a wide variety of permutations. he could go for mastro, or he could play the a-mid and push donovan into the forward position. forwards: ---------- mcbride --- johnson ------ although i think twellman is the current #3, i think wolff is more likely than twellman to get a start if either can't start. that said, it's probably likely that donovan or beasley would push up to a forward position and we would fill the other starter in the midfield. that could be as many as 17 different starters, with obviously a wide variety of permutations in a starting 11. if i had to guess, keller, donovan, mcbride, cherundolo, and lewis could very well be the only players to start every game. the center backs and mastroeni will end up missing games due to cards. beasley and convey will end up in some kind of rotation, either due to injury or freshness or something else. reyna (and o'brien if he's there) will get a ding along the way and yield the starting position for a game. and, unless he's on another scoring tear, johnson will be asked to sit for a game at some point if for no other reason than to mix things up.
ooh Dempsey.. hmm Keller Cherundulo -- Gooch -- Pope -- Gibbs Mastroeni - Reyna Dempsey Donovan - DMB McBride Howard - GAM --Convey - Twellman - Beerhalter - O' Brien - Lewis
guys.... do you realize that were are going up against nedved, rosicky, essien, pirlo, camoranesi, totti, and baros.... not leslie fitzpatrick and gerald asamoah. defenders are meant to enter the attack at the right moment, not be a second winger.
Fair Enough . . .my main point of the lineup is to get the best 11 on the field at the same time, and with EJ's lack of effort at times he is not part of that group
I think the backlineand the keeper are pretty much set, as was well said in the previous post. Backline: ------------KK------------ Dolo--Gooch--Gibbs--Lewis Could stick Pope in there or put Gibbs/Hejduk out wide for more defense. But I think those are our best 4. Capable backups in Pope, Boca, Hejduk. Midfield: Obvious the most possibilities here. Box or diamond? Does Donovan play mid or up front? Reyna out right or in the middile? Do we play a true destroyer (Mastro) or go with JOB. Convey or Beasley at LM. There will probably be 3 lineups, but here are my preferred starters. Or could play 5 in the midfield with McBride alone up top: --------Reyna---JOB-------- --Donovan----------Convey-- Forwards: ----McBride------Johnson----- Donovan can obviously play beside McBride, if that doesn't happen, these are the starters, assuming 2 strikers.