USMNT vs T&T (2nd Leg)

Roster announced:

http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewAr ... 87460.html

My prediction for lineup (standard 4-2-3-1)

------------Guzan

Hejduk Califf Orozco Bornstein

---------Edu-----Torres

--Klejsten--Adu--Beasley

------------Altidore

 

Everyone got their wish - the young up and comings, except for still no Cooper. I'm not that torn up about Cooper because I havent seen him play much, all I know are his stats. I have seen Robbie Rogers play though and I'm happy to see him in there. This is good, the young guys have some pressure to come through, but not so much pressure as to set their careers back four years.

I like the line-up AndyP. I would like to see DaBeas as captain is my only addition. Also, I want to see a lot of Wynne so I hope Hejduk is subbed at 60 or earlier.

 

I didn't get to see the Cuba game, but how did Torres look once he played on Saturday? I know he came on for Pearce, but where did he play (LB?)?

 

Beasley was moved back to left back when Torres came on. Torres played more of a central midfield role although I was never quite sure what the formation was after he entered as he and the other midfielders were overlapping and exchanging positions more than I have ever seen a US team do before.

 

Mo. At this point, as good as Altidore looked, I think Cooper's ship has sailed, barring an injury to Ching. The reason I put Hejduk there instead of Wynne was so there was a "veteran" on either side of the field.

Lax. Torres played well; good dribbling ability, good vision, has a nice shot (he missed just over the bar from 25-30 yards). You could argue that he's further along than Klejsten, though it's still early days.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Altidore and Torres after the Cuba match. Also hoping to see Hislop return to the booth.

 

Re: RE: USMNT vs T&T (2nd Leg)

LA -- if you go to ESPN 360 you can watch a replay of the game. As AP said, Torres looked pretty danged good, especially with his shot.

 

What is the verdict on Harkes and Dellacamera in ESPN's booth? Sometimes I wish they would just shut up for a minute and let the game breathe. I don't need to hear tangential details on the Cuban team. It's too bad because they both know the game, especially Harkes, obviously, I think they are following some mandates by the suits at ESPN to fill up air time all the time.

 

I don't dislike Andy's lineup but I expect Pearce to start since he was retained for the match and I would expect Sacha to start in the same position as he did against Cuba so here is my WAG at the the starters against Trinidad:

-------------------Guzan------------------

Hejduk-----Califf----Orozco------Pearce

---------Edu----------Kljestan------------

Beasley-----------Adu-------------Torres

--------------------Jozy-------------------

I think I like Andy's lineup better but if Bradley has decided that Sacha's position is a defensive midfielder then I doubt he will push him up for this match. Like Mo, I would like to see Wynne get a good run out in this match. I wouldn't be terribly surprised to see him get a start. I would like to see Robbie Rogers get more than a few token minutes too.

 

BarryP. I figured Bob would use Pearce as defensive back-up - he can play in the center in a pinch...well, it's what *I* would do. I did struggle with Sascha's placement and almost went the same way you did, but it came down to (for me) that Sascha has a better right foot than DMB. Still, it's splitting hairs between the line-ups, and with the movement of the team on Saturday, the "line-up" won't mean a whole lot after kick-off.

Still, part of me is hoping for a tie, so that a T&T win over Cuba would allow us to knock Guatemala out of the WCQs in November (both teams are tied with 5 points).

 

Andy, I agree that I was splitting hairs but what is nice is Bradley seems to have a lot of alternatives even without the 9 players he released. We could even see a starting eleven like this and I would not be completly surprised:

--------------------Guzan-------------------

Wynne------Califf------Edu------Bornstein

---------Pablo------------Torres------------

Kljestan------------Adu-------------Rogers

--------------------Jozy---------------------

I don't really expect to see that line-up as starters but if Bradley wants to see new faces in new places I would't fall over faint if it happened.

 

Rogers and Mastreoni dropped due to injury. Cooper backed out, despite the call-up, due to injury and wanting to help FC Dallas into the playoffs.

The revised roster:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Troy Perkins (Valerenga, Norway);

Defenders: Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (Midtjylland, Denmark), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Michael Orozco (San Luis, Mexico), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany), Marvell Wynne (Toronto);

Midfielders: Freddy Adu (AS Monaco), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Brian Carroll (Columbus), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Brescia, Italy), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca, Mexico);

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Villarreal, Spain), Charlie Davies (Hammarby, Sweden), Chris Rolfe (Chicago).

 

I don't think that's necessarily Harkes and Dellacamera in particular, so much as Americans broadcasting soccer in general.

 

Well, you can blame Ray Scott for that. Remember him? He did NFL PbP for CBS in the sixties and his whole game commentary would fill ONE index card.

 

Others on here have advocated this before, and apparently ESPN columnist Jen Chang has been listening: Beasley at left back. I like it, but only if he could show that he could learn the nuances of the position.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/ind ... ID=3642576

Thoughts?

 

If we had a natural left winger to replace him, I'd be all for it. However, while we have players who CAN play left wing, none do it as well as DMB.

Unlike Jen, I haven't given up on Bornstein. I still remember the Copa America game where he shut down Messi for a half, so much so that Messi was moved to the other side at half time.

 

Anyone else worried that DMB is a bit too skinny for LB? Just imagine Gera filling in for PK -- eek!

 

2-1. Rough showing tonight, and a little lucky for T&T, but not totally unexpected or undeserved in my book.

Davies is a sub-spark, and I like him in that role. He reminds me of EJ, except that he shows he cares.

But subbing Adu when the U.S. is down a goal? I don't get it as that is one of the few game changing/attacking players the U.S. has. Especially when Edu and Klestjan were having a tough go of it. Enlighten me, folks, for I am just a simple caveman footie watcher, where fancy graphics and audio commentary frighten and confuse me...

Also, Altidore was caught forward and alone with the ball too many times tonight, he needed a strike partner or somebody in the hole closely behind him. He'd receive a ball and nobody was around.

Bias alert, but I like Torres. He needs more time, but at this point, he looks as if he's gonna be solid...(gulp on the sapphire) but i thought the same about benny f.........