USA vs. Mexico pre-game thread - 02/06/08

So thats why they think Mexico will win

 

Eddie Lewis??? Heath??? and Benny???

 

Pankhurst???

 

If true, Boca at LB? Lewis at LM? Convey at CAM? Feilhaber at RM?
2 midfielders up top?
Can't be true.

 

What no Rossi? JK

If Eddie Lewis and Benny are in the starting XI, Bob's going to get a hell storm on these boards if we lose. Any arguments of putting Benny in because we're thinking about the future is countered with Lewis.

The only starters I feel will be on the field is Gooch, Howard, Landycakes, Bradley and Dempsey.

 

Those lineups for the US look horrific. I see that Braun has already beaten me to it, but Boca at left back? Convey AND Lewis starting? Benny Feilhaber starting in both lineups? Oy Vey. This could be ugly.

 

Predicted lineup from SomeRandomFan (me)

Howard, Parkhurst, Bocanegra, Onyewu, Pearce, Donovan, Bradley, Edu, Convey, Dempsey, Altidore

I bet I get more right than either of those guys.

 

Parkhurst does play centrally, but is also pretty quick and has good ball skills. Since circumstances have left us shorthanded on that side he's my pick to get moved over. Running Moor there is a waste of time. Besides, we'll need players who can play multiple positions and if he can shift to RB effectively it could greatly increase his chances of making a WC roster. He's as likely to start there as any of the CMs that a lot of others have been saying could move over.

 

Just because a player is a smart player, does not mean that a player has good ball skills. The Revs trotted Parkhurst out a d-mid a couple of times last year, and to say he looked uncomfortable with the ball at his feet would be an understatement.

I think it has to be a 3-man backline, or else Moor has to be the right back. If they are forced to move someone outside, the best choice might actually be Gooch. He was actually a fullback as a youth international before he got...umm....huge. I'm not advocating him to play out there, but if something happened to Moor, Gooch might be the best of a number of bad choices.

 

okay you can have the pre-game thread. But for the sake of all that is sacred and pure......let Giffenbone start the official PbP thread!!!! Just, trust me on this one.

 

USA........................Mexico.......................Advantage
_______________________________________________

Budweiser................Dos Equis......................Mexico

hot dogs...................tacos..........................Mexico

Muhammad Ali.......Julio César Chávez...............USA

Jazz........................Mariachi.........................USA

Daytona...................Cancun........................Mexico

Jesse James............Pancho Villa......................USA

Steven Spielberg.......Alfonso Arau....................USA

power nap..............afternoon siesta...............Mexico

Sandy Koufax.........Fernando Valenzuela............USA

dollar..........................peso.........................Mexico

Georgia O'Keefe..........Frida Kahlo.....................USA

e-coli................Montezuma's revenge.............Mexico

baseball cap................sombrero.....................Mexico

New York City.............Mexico City....................USA

Sea Monkeys........Mexican Jumping Beans...........USA
_____________________________________________

Winner - USA

 

you know how you discount that instantaneously as a starting 11 for the US?? No Michael Bradley in the starting 11. Next question

 

Have we ever fielded Donovan and Demps up top at the same time?
seems interesting.

 

and if they are both starting up top then that means, baby bradley has to have a great game.he'll have his hands full.

 

I asked Bradley specifically about the RB situation and he said the standard "we think we have adequate cover" line.

I will first give my preferred lineup.......

------Altidore-------Donovan/Dempsey------
---------------Fielhaber/Adu--------------------------
Convey-----------------------------Donovan/Dempsey
------------Bradley--------Clark/Edu------------------
---------Bocanegra---Gooch-----Parkhurst
-------------------Howard----------------------

I know we won't see this lineup, but this is what I want to see. I want to see Parkhurst against Mexico. I want to see Adu and Altidore.


But since BB is a relatively straight forward 4-4-2 type of guy, I anticipate we will see..................

------Altidore---------Donovan/Dempsey------
-Convey--------------------------------Donovan/Dempsey
------------Bradley--------Clark/Edu--------------------
Pearce-----Boca---------Gooch------------Parkhurst
------------------Howard-----------------------------

 

I don't have a problem with it in theory, but then who do you play at right mid? Feilhaber has shown that he isn't a right mid IMHO. Holden is too green to expect to get a start v. Mexico, but I really like his promise. Clark could possibly as he played some right mid early in his career, but I don't think he would be that good at it honestly. I can't see us starting Convey and Lewis with one out of position. So I don't think we will see that pair up top honestly.

 

Against Sweden last fall. I was interested in seeing that combination too, but it didn't work out very well and we generated very little offense, although part of that may have been due to putting out a very defensive midfield.

 

Once in the Gold Cup and in Sweden. It sucked.

 

Then I guess we'll leave Demps up top and have some weird 5 man midfield.

 

Either that or play Altidore, Adu or Noonan. I think one of those three will get the call, though who knows.

 

What is the deal with having Convey in there? Is he really the best we have at Left MF with Beas out? He simply just is not good enough. I would rather see Bob do this:

---------Altidore----------------------
----------------Donovan--------------
Adu--------------------------Dempsey
------Bradley-------Clark--------------
Boca----Parkhurst---Gooch-------Moor
------Howard/Guzan 1 play each half---

 

Getting off work as early as I can and can't wait to tap the keg.

DALE U.S.A.!!!