--------------McBride ---------------Adu-----------------Altidore Rogers--------------------Klejestjanastan ----------------Bradley ----------Edu------------- Borienstein---------------Wynne ----------Orosco----------------- The back is going to be suspect unless you overload it. If you overload it, why did you bring McBride if he and Jozy don't get PT together? This is a mobile undersized sqad that needs to score goals.
Frankie is an alternate for McBride or Parkhurst straight up. But if Guzan gets hurt before the final rosters have to be submited (on the 23rd, I think) Frankie would take his place, Cervi would be added as a backup GK, and most likely BF would be dropped. Setiz would then be the starting GK.
And how and why exactly would BF be dropped? Will BS petition FIFA to be allowed to do it based on his Derby season?
Well, if Guzan went down, you need another keeper (Cervi). If Frankie is there to replace Guzan, then you need to take someone else off the squad. You see losing 1 player puts the roster at 17. Adding 2 puts it at 19. You need to drop one more to get back to 18. Make sense? So, BF was the chosen player to be dropped in this scenario to bring the roster back to 18.
It's a strong squad the Feilhaber inclusion notwithstanding The D:M:F ratio suggests a 3-5-2. With only 3 true forwards selected I'm guessing one of the mids will playing in the hole. Considering Nowak's past with DeeCee United: -------------------McBride --------------------Adu ---------------------- -------------------Kljestan -----Rogers---------Holden---------Wynne-- -------------------Bradley --------- ----------Orozco---Parkhurst---Edu --------------------Guzan Adu in the Jaimie Moreno role with Kljestan acting as Christian Gomez. Holden performing similarly to Ben Olsen. As a natural holding mid Edu should have little problem playing marking back. The personnel are flexible to allow switching to 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 with Kljestan and Wynne shifting down the right flank. As a Sigi product Rogers has the work ethic to hack it defensively at wingback. Orozco can be exchanged for Sturgis.
Dude,you did not just post a 3-6-1! on a serious note,if Parkhurst can lead this backline out of the group,he's a Nats starter IMO.
This is how I would have the lineup ------------McBride----Altidore------- ---------------------- -------------------Adu -----Rogers--------------------Holden-- -------------Edu------Bradley --------- ----------Orozco---Parkhurst---Wynne --------------------Guzan
McBride is a fantastic choice. At at the end of the day - he passionately wanted to go, and how could you not reward him for all he's done for USA? Take into account that every US team (barring that last U-20 team) generally has difficulty scoring, it makes sense to bring in one of our best finishers available. His work rate and age makes him ideal to START games. I would not be surprised to see him start every game and potentially give way to Altidore or a formation change at minute 65. As for the lineup - I've been most impressed by Freddy's vision when he's playing behind the strikers - it wouldn't surprise me to see him in the hole behind both McBride and Altidore. Those two will win and hold before they distribute to Freddy and receive it back from him. Parkhurst being included as a senior has me wonder if they aren't planning on a 3 man backline (as most have suggested). Then again, after Gooch, Boca, and DeMerit who are all needed against Guatamala, he might just make sense as the next best CB - and one that doesn't get yellows. On the question of D-Mids - Holden is one of the few I might consider a pure d-mid. Edu, Sztelea, Bradley are all two-way players that play as they are coached. Incredible amount of flexibility with this midfield. If you watch the senior team, there is a huge difference between Mastroeni and either Edu or Bradley when it comes to defense. I wouldn't put them in that category. One question - what did I miss about Edu's ability to play CB? Other than Mastroeni, I've rarely seen a midfielder drop back and be successful. (Even though you could argue he moved forward). Was Edu successful on the backline before his pro career??
I'd go with: ----McBride----Altidore/Davies-- -------------------------------- --------------Adu-------------- Rogers-------------------Kljestan -------------Bradley------------ -------------------------------- Orozco---Parky---Sturgis--Wynne -------------------------------- -------------Guzan------------- Im hesitant to start two bigger forwards up top at once, but the quality is prob too much to ignore. If theres a lone striker, 4-5-1 with Edu.
The real question for me is what Bob Bradley does for the Guate game with these players being missing. I'm going to assume Beasley will be available after his injury (assumption on my part, don't know for sure). -------Ching------- -----------Donovan-- Beasley-----------Dempsey -------Mastro--Clark----- Pearce--Boca--Gooch--Dolo ---------Howard------- Bench: Hahnemann DeMerit Bornstien Lewis McCarty (why the hell not, we don't have any more d-mids, Nowak took them all) Johnson Cooper I like the Ching-Donovan combination, as those two have an "understanding." Although if Bob were to start Johnson, I wouldn't be too upset about it. If Beasley isn't healthy, Bob can play Lewis and perhaps call in Mapp. I could also see Rolfe getting called in, as he's looked pretty good in MLS recently
I'm going to assume that you meant someone other than Holden as a DM because he is definitely not a DM. I don't think this is a position that he has ever played.
3-5-2===================>>>> -----------------Guzan------------------- ---Parkhurst-------Edu----------Orozco--- -------------Szetela------Bradley--------- Kljestan-----------------------------Rogers --------------------Adu------------------- ------------McBride--------Altidore-------- 4-4-2============================>>>> ---------------------Guzan--------------------- Wynne-------Parkhurst--------Edu----------Orozco ---------Bradley----------------Szetela------------ Kljestan--------------------------------------Rogers -------------McBride---------------Altidore---------- 4-2-3-1==============================>>>>>> ------------------------Guzan------------------------- Wynne----------Parkhurst-----------Edu---------Orozco ------------Bradley----------------------Szetela-------- Kljestan--------------Feilhaber/Adu----------------Rogers ---------------------McBride/Altidore--------------------
I like it, but you gotta start Guzan. The only way Seitz is going to see game-time is if by the 3rd group game we've already been eliminated from advancement.
fifa.com has all the match info: http://www.fifa.com/mensolympic/matches/index.html info on tv coverage can be found in the YNT forum: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=15112243#post15112243
Any predictions on the point total? I say they could get 4 and progress because they should beat Japan and Nigeria will do something stoopeet and self-destruct.
While Bremen and Schalke are still fighting the good fight, Hoffenheim ended up releasing striker Chinedu Obasi for the olympics. http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/vereine/artikel/380996
3 or 4 points sounds about right. but, I actually wouldn't be surprised to see this team get 7 or 9 points in the first round, only to quickly exit in the second round without a medal. also, i could see them advancing to the medal games. but for the most likely scenario, I'd imagine they'll struggle to get the necessary points to get out of the first round, but I think they may be able to get to 4 (or even 6) points and do enough to get through a very tough group.
Listing Edu as a defender and bringing in Parkhurst rather than one of the other more established defenders - even Jimmy Conrad - makes me wonder if they're not going to play a diamond 4 in the back with Parkhurst as libero - pretty much how New England plays now with Edu in the Lawron...err...Lawr...oh hell...Straight Red role of destroyer / stopper. When needed, though, Edu can drop back as a straight center back and allow the 2 outside backs to roam forward. It'll be called a 4-4-2 but play like a 3-5-2. If they can get it right in time, the ability to flow smoothly from one tactical set to another would be very useful.
The official roster deadline to Fifa (or to the IOC or whomever) in on 7/23. the roster is not "set" until then.
So Nathan Sturgis, once again did not dress for Salt Lake this weekend. I'm a little confused how he can be declared healthy enough to play for the 23s when he isn't even healthy enough to make Salt Lake's bench. Further, how fit can he be since he's only played in 2 games this year and hasn't played since May? This was a curious selection when it was made last week and continues to be so. I'd have to guess that if there is a frontrunner to be replaced before the team goes to Beijing, it's Sturgis. The question becomes, who replaces him that can play left back? Hunter Freeman is the likely front-runner with Mike Randolph a candidate too, I suppose, by default. But a player who is coming on strong very late in this cycle that I think could do a great job is Amaechi Igew. He's looked very solid for NE in both MLS and SuperLiga games and has supposedly played well in their run to the USOC semis.