Top 50 Prospects for 2006

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by voros, Nov 16, 2004.

  1. SeattleSupporter

    Aug 17, 2004
    North Sound Ultra
    IMHO, he's one of our top 5 players on the pitch.

    Gibbs as a central defender?
     
  2. twenty

    twenty New Member

    Sep 28, 2004
    I think he was joking. I didn't really understand the K-Mart thing, though.

    I'm pretty sure Corey's primary position is CB. I think he played a little LB in the Confederations Cup, but Bruce seems to consider him a CB now and that's the postition he plays for Dallas.
     
  3. XYZ1234

    XYZ1234 New Member

    Oct 26, 2002
    Playing Beasley in the left in a 3-5-2 gives him more defensive responsibilities, it takes him further away from goal, than if he is a LM in a 4-4-2. This is basic tactics. I don't understand how people don't know this. You can unbalance the dmids to cover more on the left so Bease doesn't have to track back but then you've opened up more of the right.

    This isn't about who's on the right in effecting Beasley's play, it's about formations and responsibilities. Outside mids in a 3-5-2 have more defensive responsibilities than in a 4-4-2. I'm all for a 3-5-2 if you have a 2 way player that can threaten the goal like Bease can but Dolo can't. Dolo is much better at overlaping and hitting crosses. He isn't good at going at the goal. He's better off playing further back(RB), you get about the same out of him in a 4-4-2, he plays more D, he can still hit his crosses, and best of all Bease plays less D because Boca shifts over to the left more.

    This could probably play out as more of a 3-3-2-2. That might work, but as a traditional 3-5-2 this isn't going to be too helpful.
     
  4. Walter3000

    Walter3000 Member+

    Apr 8, 2004
    gainesville, Florida
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    this lineup would be routed in the world cup, i dont know why people think we can just go out and all out attack world class opponents? we wont be facing panama in germany(hell we had a dmid on versus panama!)


    --------------------------------Howard

    ---------Dolo---------onyewu-----------Gibbs----------Bocanegra

    --------------------------------Reyna/JOB

    ------------Klein----------------Donovan-----------------DMB

    --------------------Johnson-------------------Wolff
    bench:
    defense-pope, marshall, spector
    mids-gaven, dempsey, pablo
    St-casey, buddle

    --my lineup is dependent on either reyna or job not being healthy(a good bet) if they both are id go box, and take klein off.
     
  5. Deuteriumoxide

    May 27, 2003
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Beasley is so fast, and so good, that he can track back all night and we wouldn't lose much from him in the attack.

    Besides, if we have a threat in the attack on both sides of the field the other team cannot zero in on Damarcus.
     
  6. ugaaccountant

    ugaaccountant New Member

    Oct 26, 2003
    Check out his scoring record while with the fire. When he played a more defensive role he barely contributed at offense. I don't remember him scoring much when he wasn't a forward.
     
  7. XYZ1234

    XYZ1234 New Member

    Oct 26, 2002
    Beasley is a great player but he is still less effective when he has to play more D.

    Again, If you can add an offensive threat to the right side that will offset Beasley being less effective on the left(because of added D responsibilities) then go for it. But Dolo is not that player.
     
  8. Deuteriumoxide

    May 27, 2003
    Rockville, MD
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Well, I guess that's the difference between you and I. I think Steve C can do that job.
     
  9. Cweedchop

    Cweedchop Member+

    Mar 6, 2000
    Ellicott City, Md

    Mastro
    Zavagnin
    Clark
     
  10. Cweedchop

    Cweedchop Member+

    Mar 6, 2000
    Ellicott City, Md
    Ben Olsen is effectively done as an outside winger..

    He made a very smooth and effective transition to the holding midfield position this season for United and by the end of the season he was playing out of his mind..

    He is tailor made for that position with his skill on the ball and his bulldog tenacity.. His passing has always been underated to me and he can and still does get into attack with great success..

    He would be perfect in a 3-5-2 formation and also in a 4-2-2-2 box formation as well.. I think he would probably struggle a bit in a classic 4-4-2 set up..
     
  11. Bob Morocco

    Bob Morocco Member+

    Aug 11, 2003
    Billings, MT
    When Beasley played infront of Boca and Marsch last year, you remember the year the Fire won the open cup, supporters shield, and made it to the MLS cup final, he had his best year ever:

    http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/history/archive.jsp?year=2003&content=stats_team

    Remeber that Game when we had Landon in the middle of the field at aattacking mid and we scored 6 goals, that was a good game. Remeber that year when an American right sided player captained a team in fifth place in the bundisliga after 13 games.
     
  12. XYZ1234

    XYZ1234 New Member

    Oct 26, 2002
    I know ugaaccountant said as a forward but hear me out.

    Most of that was in a 4-4-2. He looked much better with the fire in a 4-4-2 than a 3-5-2.



    That was a 4-4-2

    Yes, as a right back in a 4-4-2(atleast what little I've seen of them this year).
     
  13. XYZ1234

    XYZ1234 New Member

    Oct 26, 2002
    That's fine, we can disagree.

    I want outside mids that can go to goal. Stevie C. can't, certainly not good enough for an RM.
     
  14. Walter3000

    Walter3000 Member+

    Apr 8, 2004
    gainesville, Florida
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i hope in 2006 we play with one dmid and not a box, our back 4 has enough talent to get it done without that much help. of course if JoB and CR are healthy it will probably be box all the way. and yes a 3-5-2 requires thos ebacks to track back all day, its simple tactics. DMB is capable of doing that but why waste is considerable offensive skills with that burden?
     
  15. jonpat16

    jonpat16 New Member

    Aug 23, 2004
    Delaware, Ohio
    Spector should be at the top of the list for left backs. Hes a stud who should be in the team for years.
     
  16. i_heart_landon

    i_heart_landon New Member

    Nov 18, 2004
    Columbus-for now
    Of the options given, the only r-mid I would see as questionable right now is CK, depending on whether or not he is able to get back to full form. I would like to see Dempsey in there though. Other than those already named, I can't think of anyone other than him who should be on the r-mid list.
     
  17. swilso01

    swilso01 Member

    Feb 25, 2004
    Philly
    Gotta disagree with 2.

    Chris Armas: way too slow at this point for the international game. Should be in an AARP league somewhere.

    Mathis: What good has he done for club or country since his goal against South Korea?
     
  18. 1-X-2

    1-X-2 New Member

    Nov 17, 2004
    New to bigsoccer, so, hello...

    With respect to a US WC 2006 squad, here's two more cents...

    My squad will differ from most others, and this can be attributed to the facts that (1) I like change, (2) I like youth, and (3) I have different tactics in mind that what has largely been discussed in this thread so far.

    Before I get into it, though, one thing I had to get off my chest: this 3-2-3-2 version of a 3-5-2 that was kicked about in this thread earlier is a gross violation of the, um, tactical rule book, if you will. Because it just doesn't work. And while MLS teams toy with this, the formation just doesn't exist in top level football - and we would get run over if we tried it at a world cup. So, while i can see why it looks nice for the team, like I said before, it just doesn't work.

    Moving along...the system I have in mind is a 4-2-3-1 - with some tinkering.

    FIRST 11:

    EJ;
    Beasley, Donovan, Philipakos;
    Clark, Dempsey;
    Spector, Bocanegra, Gooch, Cherundolo;
    (GK)

    To really work, the system requires alot of specific things from each individual player and to be honest I'm getting tired of typing and im not going to get into it. I realize what is most likely to stick out to people as a problem here is EJ as a lone striker, but I believe with fast, creative, athletic, and even goal-scoring attacking midfielders moving and supporting him in the right way - it can work. And then, of course, there's your bench, and I, for one, wouldn't be shy about using Buddle as a direct replacement or removing a midfielder and pairing EJ with Buddle, depending on how matches develop.

    My 20 field players:

    DEFENDERS
    Spector, Bocanegra, Oneywu, Cherundolo, Pope, Gibbs, Russell;

    MIDFIELDERS
    Beasley, Donovan, Clark, Dempsey, Philipakos, O'Brien, Gaven, Mapp, Grabavoy (his time will come), Cameron (thats Knox Cameron - he's been injured all year - but he's still the best college player out there and he's about to graduate);

    STRIKERS
    Johnson, Buddle, Eskadarian (I know alot of people don't think he's up for it, but I do)
     
  19. Walter3000

    Walter3000 Member+

    Apr 8, 2004
    gainesville, Florida
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i just dont see how some of those cmids you mentioned will beat out reyna, JOB, KZ, and pablo in just a year and a half. if so, great that would mean young players are stepping up and playing really well. my only question is does anyone remember how good chris klein was for us? i know hes hurt, but he'll come back
     
  20. 1-X-2

    1-X-2 New Member

    Nov 17, 2004
    i see your point. of course, we're playing a guessing game. but, first, im just not sure we'll be able to count on reyna when the world cup comes around. second, JOB's in my squad, but he has his fitness problems as well. and regarding KZ and pablo, yeah one or both will probably be going to germany, most likely over guys like grabavoy and cameron from my team, but, like i said, this is a guessing game, speculation, and mostly, at least for me, in fun, and regarding these latter two players - the young guys - i think its possible for them to really make a case for themselves over the next 18 months - and its just something i'd like to see.
     
  21. dlokteff

    dlokteff Member+

    Jan 22, 2002
    San Francisco, CA
    I was bored @ work so...

    We can use history as our guide to to project the 06 WC roster. I took the 2002 team that Arena selected (includes Armas, his original plan) and then tallied the number of caps they had starting with WC '98 and running through the Barbados qualifier in Nov. 2000. That's the equivelent of WC '02 - the game this week in terms of roster selection time for '06.

    The results show Arena's eventual WC selections tended toward players he had used quite a bit during this time. Only three (Landon, DMB, and Pablo) hadn't been capped yet, and the fewest # of appearances during the 2.5 years for the rest of the roster was 3 (Wolff). This doesn't bode well for a mass inclusion of the Adu's, Spector's, and the Greek guy I don't know anything about's of the world. We'll see a few to be sure, but don't expect a dream BS roster.

    Actually, you can constuct an earily similar roster - player by player in terms of skills, stage of career, and % of games played during the time frame - to get to a '06 roster.

    Here goes...

    2002 Roster 2006 Equivalents
    Caps from 34 total Caps from 37 total
    WC '98 - '00 % played WC '02 - '04 % played

    Donovan 0 0% Gaven 1 3%
    Beasley 0 0% Dempsey 1 3%
    Mastroeni0 0% Spector 1 3%
    Wolff 3 9% Jonhson 3 8%
    Mathis 5 15% Casey 6 16%
    O'Brien 5 15% O'Brien 6 16%
    Meola 7 21% Friedel 6 16%
    Friedel 10 29% Howard 11 30%
    Pope 12 35% Berhalter 9 24%
    Sanneh 12 35% Cherundolo11 30%
    Berhalter 13 38% Gibbs 14 38%
    Regis 13 38% Vanney 14 38%
    Keller 14 41% Keller 15 41%
    Llamossa 14 41% Pope 16 43%
    Moore 15 44% Wolff 10 27%
    Stewart 16 47% Reyna 17 46%
    Hejduk 18 53% Hejduk 21 57%
    Agoos 18 53% Bocanegra 24 65%
    Reyna 19 56% Mathis 22 59%
    Armas 22 65% Mastroeni22 59%
    McBride 24 71% McBride 23 62%
    Lewis 26 76% Beasley 29 78%
    Jones 28 82% Donovan 35 95%

    I wouldn't be surprised if that is awfully close. I suspect that at least one of Convey/Lewis will make the squad, probably at the expense of Vanney. This is logical since BA realized that he made a mistake in Vanney's equivelant of Regis and left him on the pine the entire tournament.
     
  22. Walter3000

    Walter3000 Member+

    Apr 8, 2004
    gainesville, Florida
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i completely agree, it is nothing but aguessing game, and reyna and job's health is never a sure bet. my only hope is the group of players playing the best and deserving of spots, will be healthy and get them. whoever these players maybe by 2006.
     
  23. silentbob

    silentbob Member

    Aug 17, 2003
    Maryland
    Club:
    DC United
    I'm as big a fan of the younger players as any on this board, but there is virtually no chance that Bruce will field a starting XI in Germany that does not include at least 3 veterans (by which I mean age 28 and older).

    The fact that he was playing the likes of Earnie Stewart (thanks for your valuable contribution to DCU the last two seasons, but you have no business playing on the USMNT anymore) and Cobi Jones (okay, so he was instrumental in the draws that we scraped out) during road matches of the recently-concluded qualifying round suggests to me that Bruce will stick with the tried-and-true strategy of assembling a mix of youngsters and vets that worked out so well in 2002.

    In other words, at least a few of the guys like McHead, Claudio, Pope, Lewis, etc. who may no longer be among the top 20 U.S. players in 2006 are mortal locks (if healthy) to make the final squad.
     
  24. Jeff Wyatt

    Jeff Wyatt New Member

    Apr 20, 2004
    Howard
    Spector Gibbs Gooch Boca
    Dempsey
    Gaven Adu Beasley
    Donovan
    Johnson
    That's the wishful thinking line up if everyone progresses like I hope.

    This lineup more than likely wouldn't be able to hold up during each game, so you could have Dolo slot in and reyna and mastro and probably not have much drop off, reyna is arguable.
     
  25. ugaaccountant

    ugaaccountant New Member

    Oct 26, 2003
    This really looks right,adu could possibly get gaven or dempseys and convey will get vanneys but yeah, i agree that this is realistic.
     

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