ok...we really DO need to play Denmark Now that convey, beas, and donovan have been called into camp I feel the need to retract an earlier post questioning the need for this game. We need to play Denmark and I think we'll beat em. There are several things I think are really interesting about this game. Obviously convey runs the midfield...does he do so with improved confidence from the the u-20's??? Secondly...who plays def mid??? My money is on Mulrooney. Armas is an old standby but I say Mulrooney brings more to the table....especially on offense and he had a great year. Thirdly...do we have a right wing??? Olsen has been injured with tendinitis (can he catch a break ever???) So does this spell an open chance for Mullan??? I think it does but I don't think he'll impress...I hope I'm wrong. Finally...outside backs. We're going to see two we haven't seen much of recently unless you live in Europe....Russell and Barrett. Will they step up to the plate...I say one does great the other struggles but then again what do I know...I'm the one who originally said this game was a waste of time
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I forget who's in camp but here's a semi-guess: Walker Russell Pope Curtin Barrett Mulrooney Mullan Convey Beasley Donovan Razov But that's going from a dim memory from the Camp roster. Klein might replace Mullan as a starter with Mullan coming in as a sub. If Donovan starts, Wolff will replace him as sub. Armas will actually probably start with Mulrooney replacing HIM as a sub. And I forget what other defenders we have there, especially since Boca, Gibbs, et al. aren't there.
Will the game roster pull from both the Mens Camp as well as the U-23? Or, will it just be the guys who are participating in the full sides camp?
I don't agree that Armas brings less to the party than Mulrooney, but I guess we've all had that discussion before. Also I'd like to see Ralston get another run on the right. He was impressive in Gold Cup play last time he was out there.
Re: ok...we really DO need to play Denmark I must say I've been a bit sour since I found out that the danish ligalandshold (national league team), and not the 1st team, will be playing a full "A" Fifa friendly, and I don't think it got more interesting because 3 of the 1st team players from USA will be joining, it just makes it more one sided. Lets have a full team meeting a full team, not half of the full team meeting the candidates for the other full teams bench. I'd like to see a REAL USA vs Denmark match, there's no doubt that Donovan will run circles around a bunch of new guys who has never played a serious international match, even if those around him are not as good as he's used to.
Re: Re: ok...we really DO need to play Denmark OK, well you call your people and get that all worked out and then call our people and we'll do lunch and maybe have a soccer match... Until then... I'm just happy to get to see the Nats in action (Even if its several fringe Nats peppered by a few first choice guys) I hope Walker gets the start in goal. I have a feeling he will be getting capped a lot early on in qualification. According to the match reports Bobby Convey has been spending time at Left back in camp, which seems like a gross misallocation of resources to me... But then again i'm not making a million bucks a year to manage a national team. I think we'll see Convey at left back, which makes me wonder who we'll see in the attacking middle... Maybe a 4-5-1 with Donovan as the A-Mid and Razov as the lone forward? That sounds neat.
Razov up top? Hmmm...why don't i like that? Convey at LB? sheesh! January is turning into "throw something together and see what shakes loose" month for Arena! heh heh I guess we'll just have to wait and see just what does shake loose. Hopefully 3 or 4 goals.
If you can't do it now, when can you do it ? Arena's philosophy seems to be evolving towards - get your most skilled 11 on the field, positions less important. This why we may yet see O'Brien, Reyna and/or Convey at outside back, or Reyna/O'brien at D mid.
GK) Stephan Andersen, AB (GK) Peter Skov-Jensen, FC Midtjylland (DEF) Martin Albrechtsen, FC København (DEF) Peter Christiansen, FC København (DEF) Per Nielsen, Brøndby IF (DEF) Bo Svensson, FC København (DEF) Asbjørn Sennels, Viborg FF (DEF) Ulrik Vinzents, FC Nordsjælland (MID) David Rasmussen, FC Nordsjælland (MID) Martin Retov, Brøndby IF (MID) Thomas Røll-Larsen, FC København (MID) Nicolai Stokholm, Odense Boldklub (MID) Morten Wieghorst, Brøndby IF (ATT) Tommy Bechmann, Esbjerg FB (ATT) Søren Berg, Odense Boldklub (MID) Morten Bisgaard, FC København (ATT) Denni Conteh, FC Nordsjælland (ATT) Steffen Højer, Odense Boldklub (MID) Jan Kristiansen, Esbjerg FB (MID) Michael Silberbauer, FC København danish league all-star team? ..................Walker .....Russell.....Pope.....Barrett .........Mulrooney....Pablo Ralston........Convey.......DMB ..........Donovan......Razov(noonan)
In the lead up to the 2000 Olympics, Bob Bradley was quoted as saying that his ideal striker combination for that tournament would be to pair Landon Donovan and Josh Wolff, speed and skill with... more speed and more skill. It never happened in that tournament, of course, nor, to my memory, at any other point since. I wonder if this is the match where we get to see them freelance up top together, see what they can do? I think it'd make for a fun, attacking match.
Gibbs and Bocanegra Why aren't Boca and Gibbs available. Don' the EPL and Bundesliga end by that date.
Re: Gibbs and Bocanegra Disregard this post. I thougth we were talking about the Holland match. My fault.
Didn't Armas drop out of camp for "personal" reasons? Wolff and Donovan did play up top against Mexico in Landon's first ever senior cap. They both scored in a 2-0 win in LA during a friendly right after the Olympics.
Arena loves backs who can join the attack effectively. Hejduk, Sanneh on the right. JOB, even Eddie Lewis has played there a little on the left, so it doesn't surprise me that he'll take a look at Convey back there. Biggest hole in this line-up is center mid - if Convey or Donovan doesn't play there, it could get ugly. Remember at last WC people speculating on if Pablo had enough playmaking to take over for Reyna? Haven't been keeping tabs, but it's just a friendly. Line up - lets have some fun - 3-5-2. Hejduk--Pope--Barret (exp in Denmark) Pablo--Mulrooney Ralston----Donovan----Convey Cunningham---Razov Think Burce will look at more youngsters than this. Would like to see Wolff play if healthy. Maybe this will be closer to the Holland game line-up.
a 3 5 2 sounds good. __________Walker__________ __Russel____Pope____Califf__ ____Mastoeni__Mulrooney____ _Hejduk____Convey____Beasley_ ______Donovan_____________ _________Cunningham/Wolff_____
hahahahahhahahahh!! Hejduk can join the attack effectively. For a moment I thought you were serious because you didn't use a smilie.
Well, he can get forward quickly, anyway. In general, I'm higher on Frankie than most. His skills aren't the highest in terms of crossing, but great energy guy. Plus every once in a while he hits a few nice ones.
Starting XI: ----------------------Hartman------------------- Hedjuk--------Pope------------Califf------Barrett -----------------------Armas-------------------- Ralston-------------------------------------DMB ----------------------Donovan------------------ ----------Wolff--------------------Razov-------- Subs: Walker, Russell, Curtin, Mulrooney, Mastronei, Convey & Cunningham. Prediction: USA 3 Denmark 1. Goals by Wolff, Cunningham & Beasley. GO, USA!!!!!!!