Since I am intrigued by the question but don't want to ruin the Panama-US thread I thought I would throw this out here. From US Soccer Okay you’re the manager and you’ve entered the 70th minute of the match with a 1-0 lead. As I saw the match the left back is struggling to contain at this point and Fabian Johnson is no longer providing adequate defensive support and needed to be replaced. Who are you bringing in for Fabian and why? Did you see the match differently and think Beasley was fine and didn't need support? My comments are based on my perception that Beasley needed more support from the LW than Fabian was providing. If you’re complaining about players playing out of position you can’t back using Corona, Holden or Kljestan can you? I can’t and I even understand selecting Evans over Cameron at RB. That leaves you with three left-sided players or at least players who have recently played on the left to choose from in Eddie Johnson, Edgar Castillo and Brad Davis. For me EJ is perhaps the best all-around substitution in terms of balancing defensive and offensive duties but he is also the best back-up forward available, Castillo is a defensive substitution and Davis is an offensive substitution. From the available left-sided players Castillo actually seems to be the correct tactical substitution to support Beasley if you have already decided that EJ is going to replace Altidore. Brad Davis is the right choice if you are trying to get a goal but given the US already had the lead and Beasley in my opinion needed defensive support I don’t think Brad Davis is the right call. He is too slow and is probably not going to give Beasley the support he needs. The actual right answer is Landon Donovan if you care to beat that horse a little more but I am sincerely curious as to what substitution the Klinsman critics think would have been better than Castillo given who was actually available and why they think their choice was correct.
Good question, and the obvious answer is Donovan. And I don't disagree with Castillo as a defensive sub in theory, but I'm missing what he brings to the table during matches. He must be killing it in training to keep receiving chances. I'd throw a J.F. Torres in as well...but he's not there either. Net-net, I'd put Parkhurst at LB and push Beas forward in that situation, but that's just me.
Was out of town, and only saw highlights, but it seemed pretty sound to bring Castillo in w/a lead. He can play both LM & LB and I thought he played well v Germany. At some point in qualifying Davis is going to make a key play, but he's not really a defensive replacement. Tonight is a situation that JK has a lot of different choices, and he and the staff need to be on it. I'm guessing Cameron will start, letting Bradley get forward more, but what is he going to do at RM?? Will Johnson get a run out in his home stadium? I would never of guessed that EJ would carve out a role as a super utility guy, but he has. Maybe he surprises all of us and gambles w/Joe Corona playing his natural position. I think we are all in agreement that with LD, we are a much better squad.
