While Ralston has shown great form, and work ethic on the right side. I don't think he has the pace to keep up with our guys running the flanks on the left. Or the pace to track back and cover some of the speedy left wingers we might face in the Cup. Who is going to fill the hole?
A lot of people on the board (read: MLS die-hards) have suggested Eddie Gaven because he has performed well domestically. Judging by his performance in the WYC I would say it's a safe bet that he won't even make the roster. IMO that Ralston is fine against lower-level competition, your Guatemalas, Panama, T&Ts, even Costa Rica. But against Mexico and teams we will be playing in Germany he just can't cut the mustard. Dempsey is certainly a possibility with his speed and one v one skills. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to playing a wide midfielder. Noonan is also has a chance but it looks like Bruce prefers him as a substitute. Because, he's 1) a notch below starter quality and 2) his versatility. One of the best game's I've ever seen Claudio Reyna play was against Mexico at the last WC. He played right midfielder because of several reasons. Arena and Reyna apparently had an enormous fight over this decision. I think RM is perfect for Reyna. He may lack pace but I'm not confident enough in his abilities to run the offense or be the destroyer that Pablo is. The final idea was to play Beasley on the right flank if Eddie Lewis is penciled in as the left midfielder. This is reasonable because Beasley isn't so much the crossing type, most of his danger is created by making inside runs. So he wouldn't be too affected by this change of sides. My line-up: ----------------Keller----------------- Dolo-----Gooch--------Gibbs-------JOB ----------------Reyna----------------- Dempsey---------------------------DMB ---------------Donovan---------------- ----------GAM---------McHead---------
...and my lineup since Steel posted his: ------------Keller --------Gibbs---Gooch Dolo----------------------Boca -------Reyna--O'brien Beasley------------------Lewis -----Johnson----Donovan
If we play a 3-5-2, the answer is easy. Cherundolo would be perfect in my opinion. However, if we play a 4-4-2, which Bruce seems to prefer, its wide open. My darkhorse pick to be playing there next summer is Ben Olsen. . Yes, Ben Olsen. In the Gold Cup, if he starts at right mid instead of Ralston, Sanneh, Hejduk, Dempsey, Noonan, and Cherundolo, everyone owes me rep.
The best short-run option through the WC06 is probably Reyna. He has most of the skills and he has played there for his club team at a high level. Moreover, the below average older players (Ralston, etc.) or the not-ready-for-prime-time younger players (Gavin, etc.) just don't stand out over Reyna AT THIS TIME. What would I like to see? ------------Keller------------- ---------Oneywu--Gibbs------- Cherundolo---------------O'Brien -------------Mastro----------- Reyna-------------------Beasley ------------Dempsey---------- --------Johnson----Donovan---- Key subs: Lewis, Boca, McBride
Gotta start Boca. He is solid in the back, more composed on the ball than Gibbs or Gooch, and he's the best threat we have to put the ball in on corners, even more effective than McBride right now, and those two together are superb at putting the ball in off corners. You simply can't sit that talent. Put him in, no matter what. JOB can come in for Reyna unless we really, really need to worry about composure in the back and possession of the ball, then I could see sitting Boca, and having JOB play on defense. However, Boca is just not benchable in my view save in say a start or two.
I think Noonan and Beasley could be our wingers for the WC. Beasley is obviously a lock. Gaven will be on the bench to provide minutes there as well in my opinion. Also, I won't discount the possibility of JOB playing one of the wing spots either. In my opinion, we need a player like JOB on the attacking half of the field because he is so good with the ball. Eddie Lewis and Stevie R won't make it to WC 06 in my opinion.
Beasley or Reyna. Reyna's just not defensive enough to start at Dmid in a single Dmid 4-4-2 and he's not an Amid. Here's my ideal lineup. Can't decide on Gibbs or Boca for LCB and Left Mid depends on who plays R mid. ----------------Keller----------------- Dolo-----Gooch--------Gibbs/Boca-------JOB ----------------Mastro----------------- DMB/Reyna---------------------------Lewis/DMB ---------------Donovan---------------- ----------GAM---------McHead---------
How about O'Brien if he is healthy. Although he has been played mostly on the left in his club career I believe he is right footed naturally (although by now maybe he is equal footed). He is one hell of a midfielder, great for tracking back on defense and very athletic - don't know how his speed is now though. If not him, how is Klein's recovery from injury? Is Adu right or left footed?
I'll bet you anything Claudio Reyna is NOT playing right mid when opening whistle blows in the USA's first match at WC 06. you name the terms....
Sanneh at RB, move Dolo up to RM. Sanneh and dolo could work synergistically. You figure Both of them have the ability to attack and defend on the right side. Dolo's crosses are just as good as ralston's but he has the speed and skill to get the pass off. Plus you have Sanneh's big body on set pieces on defense and offense. ---------------keller------------------------ ---Sanneh----Gibs---Boca-----Job(hejduk) -----------Dempsy---Mastro---------- Dolo------------------------------Beasley ---------Donovan----EJ----------------- Give Donovan a free pass to roam around as a withdrawn foward or striker. Ej of course on top. The key to this line up is Dempsy/Mastro and how well they "mesh". Of course it all depends on our opponents and the match up problems/advantages we'll have.
We may yet find a new, exciting LM in Davis or Mapp before the WC. If so, I bet it'll be Beas. Still think Gaven gets in there though. Sigi shafted him in the WYC throwing him in the middle to playmake.
I think the lack of consensus reflects the fact that the position is wide open. People are also forgetting Phillipakos (sp?), who may be in the mix if he's as good as some of the (mostly Greek and Greek-American) poster's claim. And of course Donovan could be shifted to the right side too. At the moment, I think Dempsey has the edge. He's got the right mix of size, athleticism, age, etc. And I think Gaven is near the bottom of the list, his prospects having dimmed a bit after a relatively lackluster World Youth Championships. Gaven also lacks the physical presence that Dempsey and Noonan possess. At the moment I'd put money on the following starting midfield in Germany: --------Donovan---------- --Beasley----Dempsey--- --------Mastroeni--------- My hunch is O'Brien will seize the starting left back spot, Cherundolo the right back spot, and Reyna, Lewis and Noonan will all be available as extremely versatile subs. Between the three of them you can cover any field position except center back!
I can't be the only guy in this bet who has to name a player... ... so, to even things out, you have to also name the player you think will start at right mid in game #1 of the WC. The winner is the one who gets it right, assuming one of us does. I have to think about the terms for winning/losing. Am open to suggestions.
With everyone posting thier lineups. I'll post my locks. I agree with many that the right mid spot is the bigest question mark. Beas is a lock, just where? -----EJ--------??---------- ---------Donovan---------- --Beas-------------?? ------ ------------??------------- ---??-----------------Dolo- --------??-----??---------- ----------Keller------------ We have a long way to go till next summer. This rocks!!
I was really hoping Bruce would call up Chris Klein for the Gold Cup. I definitely wouldn't count out Gaven, even after a mediocre WYC. I mean, how many in June 2001 thought Beasley would start for us at the World Cup a year later? I like the Reyna idea as well, but I need to see it in action first.
Probably very few, if any, but Gaven faces stiffer competition than Beasley did in 2002. Beasley and Donovan made the team not just because of their skills and physical talents, but because of their mental outlook. They didn't fear any other teams, and expected to win. Fortunately, I think Dempsey and Noonan (and others) have similar outlooks. At least mentally, Gaven lacks the mental edge Beasley had over other guys in the 2002 pool. But I'm from Jersey, so I'm not counting Gaven out just yet.
I'd like to see Brian Mullan given a chance on the right. With him there and DMB on the left, USMNT will be able to throw a lot of speed onto the pitch and that will suit the team strategy of running its opponent into the ground. But it'll probably be Reyna.
Maybe, but he also has been a crapload more productive in MLS than Beasley ever was, much less the circa 2001 version of Beasley. I think it ought to be Gaven, but callups and Bruce's comments tend to indicate he disagrees. I'm guessing Mapp and Davis are contending for the Eddie Lewis role whenever Eddie drops from the picture. Mapp is not the crosser nor set piece taker that Davis is, but he's nevertheless pretty good at both. Davis thumps Mapp in workrate. Mapp similarly thumps Davis in speed and dribbling ability. Mapp's also three years younger which I think represents a pretty sizeable advantage for him (as does his speed advantage) in the future. And then of course, if Arena leaves after the World Cup, who knows what happens from there.