Here is my proposed winning line-up that balances getting youth experience in big games, while using veterans who have future with national team. Formation: 1-3-2-1-2-1-1 Possible Subs: Guzan, Convey Would consider as sub if currently in form: Benny, Robinson, Should Not See the Field: Corrales, Pearce, Noonan, Lewis, Moor, Davis - experience keeper to get us started and then 2nd half bring on guzan to get him some big game experience - big tough defenders with experience that surround & support very smart, talented Parkhurst with minimal international experince. - twin destroyers who have been in camp and are going to be very defensive minded workhorses. - 3 line tandem of Donovan, Adu, & bradley. Donovan & Adu with limited defensive responsibility....we need them 100% offensive minded. You know Donovan has gas in the engine and will still help out on "d", but we need him with free reigns to go forward and ATTACK defenders. In-form Bradley will be able to go forward knowing he has twin destroyers behind him and leverage his sudden nose for goal this season. We need him to develop better attacking playmaking skills going forward, so force him to have more of that responsibility. He obviously will be our two-way midfielder with alot more defensive responsibilites than Adu & Donovan. - Dempsey & Altidore partner up top. Altidore up further (similar to Rooney) and Dempsey following right behind him. Dempsey does a better job attacking forward vs. being our target man. Altidore has shown to use his body well, so he will be given big-time responsibility to execute that against Mexico. Pros: Speed, plus experience & youth both in our bottom 5 defensive minded players and the same with our more offensive minded players Cons: We may give up some wing play to Mexico, but that also will give Adu/Donovan more freedom to attack those areas vs. attacking from those areas. Howard Gooch Parkhurst Bocanegra Clark Edu Bradley Donovan Adu Dempsey Altidore Any thoughts on the selection choices and the formation? Twin destroyers in a 4-4-2 are just too boring of a line-up, unless paired up with some other aggressive play else where. Twin destroyers + a back-line of 4 makes the US into a boring team. We need to leverage our athleticism, work-rate, size, speed, and youth to our advantage. I think this formation does a better job of helping his drive that. It also puts more pressure on Donovan to attack which is needed...if not, he becomes too complacent in right midfield on crossing and lateral play. We need to leverage his speed, experience to be a threat in the center, but with lots of space to run to the outside if needed.
We would get murdered out on the flanks defensively and would be very easy to stifle in attack being forced to play everything through the middle, not to mention giving Gooch more room to cover is an awful idea.
----------Jozy----------- ----------Adu----------- Landon----MB-------Clint ----------Edu----------- Corrales-Boca-Park--Moor --------Howard--------- Great midfield and forward choices by BB. Our defensive options scare me a bit. No Dolo, Spector, Demerit, Conrad
Landon at LM? I doubt it, and Corrales over Pearce? Also doubt that. but the lineup for the most part looks decent, but no wat does Donovan play LM this game.
-------Altidore-----Dempsey------- ---Adu-----Bradley----Donovan---- -------------Edu------------------ -Pearce--Boca--Parkhurst--Moor--- -------------Howard
Here is my guess at what the starting XI will be: --------------Howard------------------ Moor----Onyewu----Bocanegra----Lewis Donovan-----Edu----Bradley-----Convey -----------------Adu------------------- ---------------Dempsey---------------- Here is what I would like to see: ----------------Howard-------------------- -------Edu----Parkhurst----Bocanegra------ ------------Clark------Bradley-------------- Donovan----------------------------Convey -----------------Adu----------------------- ---------Dempsey----Altidore--------------- I think a 3-5-2 would be best for us, and Edu has played some CB with the U-23's and played very well, I think this could be a good option to try to get all three of Edu, Clark, and Bradley all on the field at once, I think Edu would be very good in this position.