Pre-match: USA @ Jamaica WCQ 11/16 5 pm ET

How will Winston and Robinson's absences affect the next match?

 

Decisions:

Play Musah back-to-back? Last window, he was lead-footed in the second match.
Who slots in for McKennie? Acosta has been good on the road for the US. Busio is the better 8.
Ferreira or Pepi? For the past month, Ferreira has been the better player in Dallas.
Can Dike be flown in ?

 

I say do not start Christian. Truth is that JAM are the bottom team of this round. We should be able to get a result there without risking CO in what will likely be poor playing conditions. Keep him on the bench- a powerful tool if needed in the second half (but we really ought to be able to take care of business without).

 

Why is this qualifier at 5 PM EST? Will it be pushed back a couple hours later?

 

Because it’s going to be 88 degrees in Kingston. I’m guessing Jamaica would prefer to have the match be even earlier if they could. It’s why we play Mexico in Ohio when it’s cold.

 

Should be our starting line-up (but won't)

------------DIKE-----Weah-------
Aaronson----- Busio-------Musah
----------------Adams-----------------
ARob-----Richards---Zim------Yedlin

(sub Pulisic at half is losing, at 65 if tie or winning)
(sub Acosta or Arriola for Aaronson or Musah)
(sub Scally for first minutes at end, also depending on scoreline)

-- DIKE not here, so I might start Pulisic instead

 

Losing Miles against an attack that features Antonio and Bailey frankly sucks.

We've got the guys who have the quality to get 3, but it still sucks.

 

Why did he not dress though?

 

He was injured. Betting the farm on Pepi makes no strategic sense, even
if he was red hot. We need options, and options who have been getting reps
with our core group. WCQ should also be used to prepare for the Big Show.
On both counts, Dike makes sense here.

 

It's "Weston"...

Start
McKennie --> Gianluca Busio
M Robinson --> Chris Richards

Call up
McKennie --> Luca de la Torre
M Robinson --> John Brooks

Never ideal to lose two such important pieces but those are the next guys up.

Besides that I wouldn't change much, given this was pretty much the best the US has ever looked against Mexico.

Aside from maybe:

And I would call in Dike just to have a target forward on the bench.

 

Derp, I meant Weston.

 

My XI

——————Pepi———————
Aaronson————————Weah
———Acosta——Musah————
——————Adams——————
Jedi———————————Yedlin
———Richards——Walker———
——————Steffen——————-

Subs:
Pulisic
Busio
Scally (if available)
Lletget
Arriola

..
Notes:
I don’t know what’s going on with Scally and why he didn’t dress.

I’m okay bringing Pulisic off the bench early again. Plus, Aaronson rarely has back to back bad games.

Acosta seems the most up for a big game... he beats out Lletget and Roldan to start.

I’ve got Busio as a super sub for Musah at the 60th.

Richards needs to show that he’s Miles level.

On a yellow: Adams, Yedlin, Pefok, Steffen

Don’t change it up too much. Go for the jugular.

 

Agreed. I wish we had Luca de la Torre on this roster. And I think we messed up by not calling another center forward. Pepi looks cold. Hopefully he heats up again soon. But he may have been anointed too soon.

 

It would be an unlikely move, but I think it would be smart to consider Ferreira for McKennie’s spot. Get Pepi and Ferreira on the field together. But you have to call in another center forward then.

 

Three big decisions.

Easy one first. I think Richards for Miles is pretty straightforward. McKenzie will be the sub for either guy if needed.

Second one is how many guys start both matches? For me, I'd start Steffen, Yedlin, Jedi, Zim, Adams, Musah, Weah, Aaronson, & Pepi again.

Last is who starts for McKennie? Gotta be Busio or Acosta. Berhalter's comments on Busio earlier this week makes me think it is him. Though the lack of physicality could be a red flag vs Jamaica.

 

Weah can play CF. Just start Arriola (ducks).

 

---------------------------Ferreira------------
------------Aaronson-----------------Weah----
------------------Acosta---------Busio-----
---------------------------Adams-----
----Jedi-----------------------------------------Yedlin---
----------------Zimmerman----Richards-------
--------------------------Turner-----

 

My starting XI at Jamaica:

GK: Steffen
D: Yedlin, Richards, Zimmerman, ARobinson
M: Adams, Busio, Musah
F: Weah, Pepi, Aaronson.

No reason why anyone can't start this match in a two-match window with an additional day between the two matches.

Maurice Edu said on the CBS postgame that he thinks Acosta will start in place of Weston (whereas I have Busio listed). I suppose if we played a 4-2-1-3 and focus on the counterattack that might be the lineup,

Also maybe Sam Vines gets the nod at left over ARob.

As far as possibly inviting someone new in for the rest of camp, James Sands would seem the most likely candidate for me as he can play in midfield OR in the back line.