What if they played a 3-5-2?
Altidore - Morris
Bedoya - Nagbe - Bradley - Dempsey - Pulisic
Cameron - Brooks - Gonzalez
Howard
Has his been discussed already?
USMNT Talk
- Thread starter MyBoyVilla
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What if they played a 3-5-2?
Altidore - Morris
Bedoya - Nagbe - Bradley - Dempsey - Pulisic
Cameron - Brooks - Gonzalez
Howard
Has his been discussed already?
They won't. And it would be a real waste of CP to have him play wingback. It is at BVB, and they have a glut of attackers. For the Us, it would be absolute malpractice.
Also, I should have recognized this as a troll post when I saw Bedoya in the lineup.
It would be the irony of all ironies if Klinsmann got fired for using 3 in the back and then that's the first formation Arena trots out.
And I say that believing that it could be a great formation for us, usually, but both of the guys who could make it work as wing backs (Johnson, Yedlin) are out. No reason to do 3 in the back if we don't have the guys to play wing.
And I say that believing that it could be a great formation for us, usually, but both of the guys who could make it work as wing backs (Johnson, Yedlin) are out. No reason to do 3 in the back if we don't have the guys to play wing.
It's impossible to know anything about what the starting lineup will be. The formation is a mystery, and only about half the starting spots are clear (Altidore, Pulisic, Bradley, Brooks, Cameron, Howard). Injuries complicate all this.
Here is what I would do, which is pretty far from what I would predict.
Here is what I would do, which is pretty far from what I would predict.
Obviously it was a lot of things but I think playing 3 at the back is pretty far down the list of things Klinsmann got fired for.
I also don't think it was so much that Klinsy trotted out 3 at the back. Its that he did it with the team not having played it in any friendlies, and apparently with the team not practicing it all that much beforehand.
And he brought this lineup out in a WCQ against Mexico during the Hex. If he brought that lineup out there in an earlier WCQ against St. Vincent, sure. But in the Hex against Mexico? With the inexperience this squad has at playing 3 in the back?
I can't believe that Demarcus Beasley is still one of our top viable options as a back. I hate being in this weird transition phase where the MLS academy products, including those who skipped MLS and went to Europe, aren't really ready in full force, and the last generation of guys are still our best option. It's the ultimate tease, were so close to being so much better, yet so very far away.
MOF for Zusi, and i could live with it. Assuming Bradley is playing, drop Cam to CB, add Acosta to midfield.
My preferred midfield would be cam, acosta, hyndman in a 433.
I usually head there for the USMNT games, but not tonight. I'm actually in Mexico City currently, about to head to Queretaro for a wedding.
Had I planned this better, I would have driven to Queretaro tomorrow morning and went to Estadio Azteca to cheer on Mataritta/Wallace and the Ticos in their qualifier.
You know what happened when Germany had this problem... they cleaned house and let all of the youngsters cut their teeth in matches for two years before meaningful games took place. That led to maybe the greatest generation of players/results by their team. The problem with the US team is that we hang onto players too long and gratuitously salute the achievement of 100caps (or more); that to me is a scarlet letter signifying we aren't assimilating our youth fast enough - it's not like we have an untouchable like Messi or Ronaldo.
Hell, last year BCR was rhetorically talking about who to call into camp/games because past the usual suspects there weren't a lot of options. I proposed to them we need a youth movement (mentioned above), and the response was, ok name which youth. I did, and was shot down (among others) for wanting to trust the middle to Hyndman. welp.....
Obviously, we're too far in/out of time to go with the youth approach, but once 2018 is over and the MNT has boarded the plane to fly home (assuming we even qualify), there should be an envelope, with a pink slip, waiting on the seat of a number of players. Let them tie one on for the 13 hour flight home in 1st class knowing they can focus on their clubs from then on out. If we don't qualify, start the process immediately.
I know they play for our club and Mexico is our biggest rival, but something about cheering on CR makes me throw up in my mouth.
He would start for me. He's the best LB on the team, and it's not close.
I am still hopeful that Bruce meant what he said about what you need to qualify and what you need at the WCF are different things. I want us to get qualifying back on track and start the transition in earnest during the Gold Cup, with 2018 being played entirely by the remaining old guard survivors and the new blood.
From the late 20s/early 30s guys, I'd say you hang onto Cameron, Johnson, Bradley, Altidore (with the latter 2 as options, not locks), and you take Dempsey and Jones (if pseudo-healthy) along because they are winners and can do a job. I'm desperately hoping Horvath gains the starting job at Brugges, as I don't relish the thought of Timmy or Brad in goal in Russia. They've seen better days.
To those 6, I'd add, somewhat in order, these guys as locks/near locks if we take our best team:
Wood
Pulisic
Brooks
Hyndman
Yedlin
Chandler
Nagbe
Villafana
Acosta
Add 3 keepers, and you have 5 spots left up for grabs in my hypothetical team. I'd like for CCV/EPB to get a chance. Zimmerman may make a claim, too.
I'd love to see Saief get a chance, as he's almost certainly a top 23 player in our pool, if we invite him in.
It's also ridiculous that our midfield is a bag of ass with Bradley there, but no Morales or Williams.
Anyway, we can speculate endlessly about those last 5 spots. But if we get those 15, I'd be sort of okay with pretty much anyone else, with a preference for youth.
What are your thoughts on where Green, Zelalem, Perez, and Gooch fit in to the youths you've mentioned?
Those guys all need to be assimilated very soon. A central midfield of Zelalem and Hyndman would be very good. Add Pulisic and the trio can grow together for years. Haven't kept up with green this year, but he was making the leap last preseason and was jammed by numbers.
Totally agree. Definitely want to integrate youth in for the WC, by if we miss it or make it/immediately after it finishes, it's becomes not a question of integrating but rather a full-on replacement by the youth. And if they take some bad losses, it's ok when they're just friendlies for that 18 month period before the easy Concacaf games start.
I do think that to add to your list, Aron Johannsen needs to be included. When healthy, there isn't another forward in our pool that has the technical dribbling ability he brings around the box. I feel like he's been a victim of having to play second fiddle with Altidore, and their styles clash 180degrees. Which for me means dropping Altidore from the starting 11. I'd rather have AJ paired with Bobby Woods. Lots of speed, technical ability, and pure poaching instincts from those two.
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