Ok guys, I'm going to add to the misery on these boards with another prospective starting lineup thread. There is one year to go before qualifying begins for World Cup 2006. RIGHT NOW I go with: ...........................Friedel............................ 'Dolo.......Pope................Berhalter.........Carlitos Klein.......Mastroeni....Mathis..........Beasley .................Mcbride...........Donovan.................. I hate Klein at that spot, but right now with no solid forward partner for Mcbride we need either Landon or Mathis up top. Olsen is hurt again, and hasn't looked super in his minutes since the world cup. Mathis is the best we have at central midfield until Johnny O. starts getting serious playing time again. At RB we go with either Dolo or Sanneh based soley on game experience. I'm not sure Sanneh will be up for that same level of play we saw in the world cup and I'm not sure I'm super comfy with 'Dolo just yet. Pablo is a no brainer until either Armas proves he's better. Beasley is not overrated. Berhalter represented well, I thought, last summer and he is playing well in Germany at the moment. Since I hope never to see Agoos on the team again I go with Greg for now. Vanney is a possibility, but I've never been really comfy with his distribution out of the back or his speed. Arena won't play when it comes to qualifying, no matter who we have to play. No experimenting, at least not much. Post your thoughts.
If Olsen is healthy and back in form he should go in for Klein. Same goes for Reyna and JOB. I'd put them in for Mathis and Carlitos (I don't even know who you referring to here... Llamosa or Bocanegra) Both are good, but u'd rather have JOB on the field, even if its somewhat out of position. Other than that, in the lineup you had i'd swap Donovan and Mathis' positions. I might go with Sanneh over Cherundolo. Depends if i'm looking more at winning now or grooming for '06. Also, what about Earnie Stewart? He should still be in camp and potentially coming off the bench or starting instead of Olsen/Klein.
hence the words RIGHT NOW! I know my own thread is for the start of qualifying, but my lineup is based on what we have to go with at this precise moment in time, as if we had to field a team tommorrow. Reyna and O'brien are still out. But here's a prospective lineup to settle things: ...........................Friedel................................ 'Dolo..........Pope............Berhalter.........Bocanegra Donovan.....Mastroeni.....O'brien............Beasley ....................Mcbride......Mathis........................ Olsen won't be there, IMO. He hasn't shown much in his minutes lately, certainly not enough to replace Donovan on the wing, or Beasly on the left wing. Plus he went home with pain in his ankle again. I doubt he will be able to lift his game to the point that he can challenge for a starting role, but I do concede that we could see him on the bench, provided he is playing well in MLS.
Klein Maybe I'm just way off here, but my impression of Klein from the Argentina game (and admittedly I haven't seen him play that much) was that while he was eager to take opportunities, any attack that went through him seemed to die and that we looked better after he was substituted. Then again, I'd have said the same about somebody like Hargreaves when he got his Champs League opportunity at first, so that's not saying that Klein can't become a Nats fixture. In fact, that attitude is exactly what I'd like to see on the field for the USA. Just that if qualifying were tomorrow, I wouldn't want to see him in the attack. You think I'm way off here?
Re: Klein Nope. He could play a role on the right side, but he is'nt even close to first choice at either right mid or right back. I have seem some really good crosses from him though, and this is the BEST part of his game. He seems clumsy at times. But he is a large fella and isn't the slowest guy around so a shot at RB isn't out of the question.
It is still early to predict a starting 11 a year down the road, one thing i noticed no one included Reyna in the lineup. I think a better speculation would be starting Xl for the Confederations Cup. My wish team Friedel Sanneh-Pope-Berhalter-Bocanegra Donovan-Armas- Reyna- O'Brian McBride- Mathis ( if he proves himself by then) would definetly take reserves in Ernie Stewart, Eddie Lewis, Cherundolo, Beasley, Mastroeni, Ben Olsen, Klein, Wolf, Convey,
Reyna hurt himself rather severly and no one has gotten word on how well he is recovering. On top of that he has made it fairly clear that he most likely will take some time off from national team duty. I don't expect to see him by the first round of qualifying unless for some reason we REALLY, really need him there.
I hear you man, !!! I am thinking he is having the time off as we speak, I belive he would be back by June(maybe i am wrong), definetly healthy and playing by next spring for qualifying, and after the recent Nats games WE NEED HIM big time.
I think the only way you see Reyna is if he thinks playing in the Confederations Cup will benefit his recovery. If he thinks otherwise, we won't see him at all in 2003....maybe again.
No one's been impressed enough with Victorine @ right back to give him the nod? I havent seen enough of C'dolo to make a fair judgement, but he is small. As for Klein, his goal against Jamica was an absolute delight. Thank God I taped it, as Telemundo only did 1 replay at halftime. His goal was pure quality, on the run (perfect long ball over the top from Bocanegra), and Klein, big guy and all, outran the Boyz defense to let it bounce and strike it full volley. Most US players would have sent that to row 76. That being said, I don't know that he's 1st choice anywhere on the field. Sanneh's just had back surgery, so he's out, Olsen's out with injury, O'Brien's not back playing with Ajax yet, Reyna's out with injury. I think Cobi Jones & Earnie Stewart are done, and Bruce is giving Klein the nod over Ralston, so I don't know who the first choice right wing is right now. Since Eddie Lewis is left sided, I think that pretty much gives Klein the nod, right now. As for yours, I put Vicorine at right back, swap Mathis & Donovan, and agree with the rest, assuming Pope's healthy. If Pope's out, I stick with Califf. James
I don't know that we need him big time just yet. And I don't believe Arena will place him in the center if he can help it. Reyna's place with this team in the future is going to be either at DM, RB, or RW. Our best option at the #10 spot for the future is Johnny O. And Arena is certainly thinking is. We saw it in the world cup against Portugal, S. Korea sort of, and against Mexico. Injuries played a role in those decisions, but O'brien certainly held his own when asked to carry the burden.
Friedel Sanneh-Pope-Berhalter-Boca Klein-Donovan-Mastro-Beasley Mcbride-Mathis The team almost chooses itself, given these players are healthy. There still remains a rather sizeable gap between starters, and potential reserves such as (Convey, Wolff, Cunningham, etc) We are also rather thin in the centre of the defense, though I believe Dunseth should have a look. Califf should be banished from the national side, as he is not and never will be anything close to international calibre.
the word is that O'brien is due to resume training with Ajax on monday. He should be available for upcoming friendlies and definately should factor in by this summer's tournys.
Sanneh and Pope are definitelly half of the back 4. I'd take those two over any other defenders. None of the young guys have made a good impression on me yet. I might play a 3-5-2 with those two plus Bocanegra on the left. Then have 2 central defenders, Pablo and Klein maybe? Right now the top 3 attackers are no brainers. McBride is redhot in England and Donovan and Mathis belong in the starting 11 as well. For those two it doesn't matter where you slot them, they can easily play off of each other and adapt to the flow of the game. The wings would be Beasley and I don't know. If Reyna and JOB are healthy i'd swap out Klein and the empty right MF Friedel Sanneh Pope Bocanegra Klein/JOB Maestroeni ?/Reyna Mathis Beasley McBride Donovan
Lineup for START of World Cup Qualifying Are we supposed to propose the best possible starting USMNT lineup or the most likely lineup for the First Round of qualifying against itty bitty Caribbean islands? Cuz if we kick off qualifying with an opponent like Anguilla or Montserrat I'm starting Chris Albright. In goal.
Don't expect our top team to be starting WC qualifying.. Especially if we draw teams like Montserrat or Antigua.. This may sound stupid, but why not put out our Olympic Team to start the qualifying? They'll be in camp anyway for Athens, why not give them games with meaning to practice for Athens? I'm pretty sure the time tables will mesh (qualifying will start in spring of 04') and we won't have to call in any players from overseas (we won't do that anyway) for the first round.. If the Olympic team is not an option, look for an all-MLS squad "B" team to take the field.. In all honesty, our U-20 team could cakewalk through the first round of qualifying...
Your arrogance astounds me. History has shown that no game is certain, and to suggest that we dont pay every round of qualifying the full attention it deserves, equates to suicide.
I'll tell you why not. Because the first time Arena puts an olympic side out disaster will strike. I agree, the skill level would most likely be adequate. But Arena simply will not, and should not, risk a major catastrophe by fielding a young, inexperienced side. Now we could very well see 3 or 4 newer players at one time in these early qualys, but the bulk of the team will be made up of vets. No way Arena will play around like that. You go for the kill in qualifiers, you do NOT use them as proving grounds or major experimenting, such as fielding an olympic squad. No way in hell.
Friedel Reyna-Pope-Bocanegra-Barrett Olsen-Donovan-JOB-DMB McBride-Mathis Key subs in roughly descending order of importance: Maestro Armas Wolff Keller Howard Berhalter Cherundolo Convey Klein Victorine Cunningham I'm leaving off Sanneh b/c he is getting old and just because he had 2 great weeks in Korea doesn't mean he's Pele. I put Reyna at RB b/c he probably can't crack our great young midfield and he can certainly fill this void. I'm not sold on Cherundolo (too small) or Victorine (not a real defender, at least yet).
I agree on Sanneh and Victorine however Reyna is barely taller than Dolo so in this case your size difference does not make sense. Also, I watched the US vs Mexico game again over the weekend and Reyna's defensive game was poor -- at best. He's a defensive liability. If Reyna can't cut it anymore in the midfield (IMO, he can't anymore) then he should be left off the starting team.
-------------------------- BBRCB/KK -------------------------- 100% Sanneh/Cherundolo - Pope - Berhalter -Bocanegra -------------------------- Mastro -------------------------- -------------Reyna ------------- JOB ------------- --------------------------Donovan -------------------------- -------------McBride ------------- Mathis ------------- Subs Wolff Lewis Vanney Klein Beasely Convey
18 man roster, starters and subs if I were in charge (also probably what i would take to the confed cup): Friedel Dolo-Boca-Pope-Barrett Mastro Klein - O'Brien - Convey Donovan - McBride Subs: Cunningham (Time wasting sub, foward depth) Mathis (First guy on if behind) Berhalter (May push to start in the middle of D) Beasley (bring him in if Convey struggles) Mulrooney (right back and d-mid depth) Olsen (mid depth, but not attacking central mid dear god) Keller (if he grumbles about not starting bring Howard) Since its minnow bashing early int qualifying its not like it really matters.
Despite what people say, I think if Reyna wants to play he should be there. He has the experience we'll need on a young team. Also, what happened to Razov in this mix? Too old for an average forward with too many players with more potential that are younger? Also, when did Klein become a de facto starter? He's had some average or above average games since the '02 cup, but he hasn't really impressed me. I'm not saying will never be a starter, but is it just cause Olsen is hurt or something that so many people are talking about Klein?
With all due respect, I think you're giving the Olympic Team a little too much disservice.. Take the 00' squad for example.. Do you not think they could beat Aruba in a two game home and home series? I think they would not only beat them, they would crush them.. Friedel, Donovan, Casey, Olsen, Vagenas, Califf, Hejduk, Agoos, Wolff, O'Brien, Dunseth and others were on that team and good enough to get to the medal rounds.. Do you not think a team good enough to get to the medal rounds is not good enough to beat a team ranked in the upper 190's of teams in the world? For what it's worth, there isn't all that much difference between an all MLS squad and what will be our eventual Olympic Team for Athens...