Pre-match: USA-Trinidad and Tobago, World Cup Qualifier, 8 June 2017

Will the call ups be announce this weekend? I know they like to do them during MLS games and their are two on FOX on Saturday. Their is one on ESPN and one on Foxsports 1 on Sunday.

 

They have to be announced soon. There is a friendly next Saturday on June 3rd.

 

Thinking a diamond 4-4-2 for this one. Bradley behind Pulisic, Johnson and Nagbe on the flanks, Jozy and Dempsey up top.

For Mexico, go with a 4-5-1 with Acosta and Bradley behind Johson/Pulisic/Nagbe and Wood as the lone striker.

 

Wood should start both games. He's provides a skillset that makes both Jozy and Dempsey more effective. I think arena goes back to his original plan. Start Jozy and Wood together and Dempsey moves to a bench/super sub role which is perfect for him at this stage of his career.

 

He's been hurt and playing on painkillers for a few months now though. I'd let him rest against T&T (maybe get 15-20 off the bench), then give him the start against Mexico--a game where we're likely to go with a more defensive posture and a lone striker, which Wood is a lot better at than either Jozy or Dempsey.

 

I think he will be good to go. If his injury is serious enough as important as he is he will not be called in. If he's there we need him to play

 

I think it would be far more valuable to see Dax trying to win a gold cup from the dmid position than sitting on the bench in qualis'.

 

This touches on something interesting. What will arena do? Will he leave his second tier players who normally make the bench at home so they can play gold cup and not double dip or does he double dip.

 

We should use the qualis' to find out exactly what kind of bet Arena is making on Nagbe, Acosta in cm.

 

Well also find out about RB and chandlers place

 

Yes will be interesting to see if American coaching actually knows the difference between a defender and a mid.

 

Well I got to figure Yedlin will be our RB. But where and how chandler is used will be interesting. I got to think the whole Zusi experiment is over. Villafana is prob locked in at LB but i wonder if Arena will try Chandler there. Also originally it seemed the plan was gonna be Wood and Jozy up top with Dempsey off the bench. Does he go back to that or does Dempsey keep his spot in the 11. I think this may be the first full squad. I know players have nagging injuries cause it's the end of their seasons but I don't think any have it bad enough to not be called up. Can't wait to see the squad.

 

I get what you're saying but against weak teams the wide mid who can play passable defense may be a better fit than a stay at home and rarely attack guy. Definitely need to have some center mids who are able to cover for counters when an outside back is not back in time.

 

Still haven't heard a peep about a roster (or leaks from beat reporters saying so and so has been called up) and the camp starts on Monday.

 

Dempsey should start ahead of Jozy at all times he's available.

 

Roldan, Zusi, Bedoya. People may not like them but they do more than crowd pleasing

 

In general I agree but I could see how a coach could want to set the roles now. Dempsey shouldn't be a starter by the time the World Cup comes around. While I don't like Jozy and think a switch to a lone striker, Wood, would be better o could see us rolling out a 4-4-2 with Wood & Jozy and Dempsey being a super sub for Jozy at the 60 minute mark.

 

Yes, those two certainly do. They also confuse and anger the crowd, either with defensive frailties (Zusi), or by single-handedly killing American attacks every time (Bedoya). Zusi is good offensively, and Bedoya is a very aggressive, tireless defender, but both have pretty terrible flaws.

I'd rather we give young guys like Roldan, Alashe, and Acosta some time. McCarty too (not young, but new to the full MNT), I liked what I saw from the one game he was in.

 

My 23 in no particular order:

GK: Howard, Guzan, Hovarth
LB: Villafana, Garza
RB: Yedlin, Chandler
CB: Cameron, Gonzo, Besler, Brooks
CM: Bradley, Williams, Sacha, Nagbe, McCarty
AM: Pulisic, Fab, Arriola
FW: Altidore, Dempsey, Wood, Morris (Dwyer or Zardes if Wood can't go)

 

Hopefully Acosta gets called up so we don't have to see him at GC. I believe Wood, Brooks are carrying knocks. I'd keep Arriola and McCarty for GC and let Nagbe and Acosta handle quali's.

For one thing, we haven't been selling tickets much lately so Acosta and Nagbe advertised in mid should help that.

 

If the roster isn't announced today then #ArenaOut

 

Need to call in the strongest available squad for the WCQs. A starter can always pick up a knock the day before the game and if that happens you want to be able to plug in the #2 guy, not #3. If there's any concessions and horse trading that needs to be done with club coaches, the Gold Cup is the time to do it.

 

Around 3:30 pm ET #usmnt https://t.co/tOASS3mYOZ

— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) May 28, 2017

 

Oh boy that defense.