Top Stories

Who should the USA start vs. Australia?

USAvsTurkey (JohnToddISI)

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

 

We stand just eight days away from the most anticipated match in U.S. national team history and the United States will have one more chance to test things out before the World Cup opener vs. England with its friendly on Saturday vs. Australia.

The tinkering should be done by now, with U.S. coach Bob Bradley ready to give his preferred starting XI against England a run-out against the Aussies. Bradley may have to settle for a bit less than his preferred XI since starting striker Jozy Altidore is a question mark due to an ankle sprain.

Will Bradley go with Steve Cherundolo or Jonathan Spector? Maurice Edu or Jose Torres? Stuart Holden or DaMarcus Beasley? So many questions remain unanswered about the U.S. lineup that Saturday's match should shed plenty of light on.

Who do we see starting vs. Australia? Here's a lineup we could see getting the nod:

PROJECTED USA LINEUP vs. AUSTRALIA

————–Dempsey————Gomez———————

Beasley———————————————–Donovan

—————–Bradley———–Edu————————

Bocanegra——Onyewu——–DeMerit———–Cherundolo

————————–Howard——————————–

This lineup would be contingent on Jozy Altidore not passing his fitness test ahead of Saturday's match. We give Herculez Gomez the nod in his place, but Buddle or Robbie Findley are also more than capable of getting the call.

Cherundolo looks to be in better form than Spector and gets the nod, while I can see Edu getting the call over Torres against England. The real toss-up for me is in midfield, where both Beasley and Holden stand a good chance of getting the call. Beasley gets the call at this point because I see his two-way ability being key against England, and Holden being a better potential second-half option.

What lineup would you like to see Bradley trot out against Australia?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Why is Michel Bradley one of the glorious 11 with a coveted starting assignment? He’s never showed me much – can’t trap/hold the ball, find open teammates, etc. What am missing?

    Reply
  2. starting lineup is up:

    buddle findley
    dempsey clark bradley donovan
    boca (c) godson demerit cherundolo

    I’d bet this is our starting XI against England, folks….

    I guess Bradley is trying to give Clark as much time to get up to international speed before they start counting.

    We’ll probably see Onyewu, Torres at the half, plus Gomez at 60+ if we’re up we might even see Holden and Borns.

    Reply
  3. The way Australia played New Zealand and the injuries that have been suffered: I would NOT start Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan, Howard, Bradley, Gooch, Bocanegra, Demerit or Torres. Here is my starting 11 and I would pray no one gets hurt:

    Hanneman

    Spector Edu Goodson Bornstein

    Holden Clark Feilhaber Beasley

    Buddle Gomez

    Reply
  4. I’m all in for this lineup to be tried. Except I switch Torres and Bradley. Torres likes to play deep collecting the ball from the D and Bradley like to push up. Edu as the enforcer and moving up on set pieces that Tores takes.

    Anyone see Slovenia’s guy put two free kicks in? Note to all.. no cheap fouls just. outside the 18

    Reply
  5. I’d replace beasley with findley…buddle to sub in for gomez, torres for a center mid, and holden or beas for findley.

    Reply
  6. You are probably correct that in addition to the English keepers and defenders that Josy proved unable to score against during the past year, there were an even greater number of other nationalities that he likewise proved unable to score against.

    Reply
  7. Mexico and England are the same historically?LOL You my friend have been watching a bit to much of TV AZTECA!:) When I see your Mex league be the best league in the world or when the Mex jersey has that shining little star next to the national team emblem (W.C title) than you can make the comparison. Historically, no, your not even close.

    Reply
  8. Thanks for checking, and thanks to RNC for the info. I was looking through listings and ussoccer and couldn’t find it.

    It’s also on Galavisión, so cable only.

    Reply
  9. Dempsey—Buddle/Findley/Gomez (pick one, probably Buddle as insurance for Altidore and sub Findley and/or Gomez because both of them are likely to be subs esp.Findley coming on to run at tired defenders)
    Donovan—Edu/Torres—Bradley—Holden/Beasley
    Bocanegra—Gooch—-Demerit—Dolo/Spector
    Goodsen subbing in on the back line

    Reply
  10. ……….Timmy………..
    Dolo..Gooch..DeMerrit.Boca
    ….Holden….Bradley…..
    ..Donovan…….Dempsey…
    ….Findley…Buddle……

    I’d like to see how Stu does next to Jr. He’s bit more physical than JFT, and has better technique than Edu.

    Reply
  11. Might see the anticipated starting lineup (for England) against Australia but probably for only 45 – 60 minutes. I wouldn’t mind Edu or Torres and I wouldn’t mind Beasley or Holden (prefer Holden) but I’d still like to see Dempsey up top. I think that allows the best team on the field because it puts someone like Holden into the mix (can track back, defend, cross well and add creativity).Still bummed that Holden was deprived of 6 weeks of PT in the EPL by reckless challenge.

    Reply
  12. I’d like this line-up.. Hopefully we see somethinlike this.

    The only thing i’d consider changing is Findley for Holden, move to 4-2-2-2. Holden on in the 2nd.

    Reply
  13. We definitely need to start Hercules Gomez and Jose Torres. Findley should be given another chance as a sub too. If he has an impact again his role on the World Cup should be changed from someone who was probably going to appear extremely little, if at all, to someone who should be used off of the bench. I would also play Onyewu. If he’s going to hurt the team let him do it now.

    Reply
  14. start holden, bring on beasley as a supersub.

    other than that, i agree. it would be great to see gomez get significant minutes.

    Reply
  15. “Josy has played against English keepers and defendants for the last year and shown no ability to score against them. ”

    I’m not going to bother doing the research but I’m willing to bet most of the keepers were not English. I’m also willing to bet that those guys on trial(” defendants”),most of them weren’t English either.

    Reply
  16. No they don’t but you forget that it’s about more than just losing him on the field. In England being a team captain means a great deal more than it does to Americans. Losing Ferdinand,anyway you cut it, makes things tougher on Capello.

    The England team have a long history of being “cursed’ at the World Cup and are pretty mentally fragile about the whole thing. They haven’t had a lot of luck with injuries leading up to this Cup and this is just one more piece of crap to deal with. If you think the US team had pressure on it,it’s nothing compared to what the English have to deal with in terms of expectations.

    King (assuming he doesn’t go down while boarding the team bus )and/or Carragher are fine subs but then that limits Capello’s options elsewhere. Capello loves Dawson so much he didn’t give the guy one minute against Mexico and Japan.

    Capello would also like Carragher as cover for Glen Johnson who is defensively the weak link in the England back four. Barry is phsyically questionable and none of these center backs is particularly fast. England are expected to go 7 games and win the thing and it’s questionable that King can hold up to 7 full games in one month.

    It’s good for the US because they may still be a bit unsettled next week; it’s bad because King will still be reasonably healthy for the first game.

    Capello will certainly earn his money if he can get this team to the final.

    Reply
  17. “If we fail to score goals I know who I will be blaming, and it won’t be the players.”

    Yep, I’ll blame Obama, too.

    Reply
  18. That’s exactly what it was feilhaber was playing on the wing and and had to tuck inside to cover for clark.

    Reply
  19. I agree, Benny would drift in regardless of where he was placed. There wouldn’t really be a traditional right winger with this lineup. The midfield would emphasize quick passing and movement, like the Riquelme-led Argentine teams. I think all four of these midfielders are capable of playing that style. This is kind of a destitute man’s “total football”.

    The downside is that we lose much of the flank crossing attack that often is an important source of offense for the US. The potential benefits, though, in terms of opening up creative passing attacks in the run of play, might outweigh this. I’d be curious to see it at least.

    Reply
  20. I agee. I believe the usa now has enough talent us michael bradley in a defensive mid position and all torres, dempsey and donovan to attack. It would reduce defensive responsibilities for dempsey and donovan and reduce counter

    Howard
    Dolo……. Demrit………………Onyewu……Boca

    Edu……………Bradley

    Donovan…………..Torres/Feilhaber………Dempsey/(Holden or Beasley)

    Findley………….Altidore/Dempsey

    Reply
  21. I really like that line up but would consider Goodson in place of DeMerit (looked out of sort) and maybe Gomez up front. But, I do like Holden in the middle but don’t really think BB will ever play him there.

    Reply
  22. I personally feel that had his lack of shine in that turkey match a lot to do with Clark looking really lost and Dempsey not comfortable playing the withdrawn striker role. there was no flow and no wodth in teh shape of teh team in that half.

    The problem is he would be best paired well with either Edu or Torres, which would put Bradley on the bench, which I doubt you’ll see–mainly because I think Bradley is a better fit to start.

    Reply
  23. —————Gomez

    ———————–findley

    Donovan—–Bradley——Torres——-Dempsey

    Bocanegra——Onyewu——Demerit—–Spector

    ——————Howard——————–

    Reply
  24. My gut tells me that you most likely will not see Josy even if he passes his test (Better to err on the side of caution).

    Having said that, one logical move to make would be to give Findley a start. At some point, Bradley will have to start Findley once the start of the WC comes around. Findley has had a couple of ineffective outings as a starter for the USMNST. Save for the final 45 minutes of the Turkey game, I dont remember him being effective in any other outing. One would hope that Bradley would take advantage of this final opportunity to give Findley another 60-70 minutes of action.

    GK: MH
    DF: Dolo-Gooch-JD-Boca
    MF: LD-Stu-Edu-DMB
    FW: Dempsey-Findley

    Reply
  25. -Dempsey: “We call him Davy Crockett because he has a nice mullet and it looks like he has a raccoon hat on.”

    Reply
  26. Torres opver Edu for sure, he´s just more poised on the ball than Edu, besides we need more possession instead of power midfielders…

    Reply
  27. They should do as Alexi Lalas said “dumb it down with a 4-4-2”, it’s simple, but the US is the most effective with that formation.

    GK: Tim Howard
    DF: Goodson
    DF: Bocanegra
    DF: Cherundolo
    DF: Spector
    MF: Dempsey
    MF: Torres
    MF: Donovan
    MF: Bradley
    FW: Altidore
    FW: Findley

    ——————— Howard ———————
    — Spector — Bocanegra — Goodson — Cherundolo —-
    — Donovan —- Bradley —– Holden ——-Torres—–
    ————- Findley ———– Dempsey ———–

    Since Altidore’s been supposedly hurt, probably should put him in for the second half, then sub Buddle for Findley, Onyewu for Goodson, and Bornstien for Cherundolo in the second.

    Reply
  28. Gomez, Torres and Buddle/Findley to start. Might as well give the strikers some playing time instead of playing Beasley.

    Reply
  29. Beasley has stated numerous times that he likes playing on the right better because it allows him to cut in on his favored foot. During his run in December with Rangers, he was consistently played on the right and looked quite good out there

    Reply
  30. If Jozy continues to have fitness issues, at least we have Brian Ching ready to come in and…

    -Oh, wait, Bradley and company are idiots who cut our most experienced striker and post-up man.

    If we fail to score goals I know who I will be blaming, and it won’t be the players.

    Reply
  31. That looks like a good lineup and I wouldn’t be disappointed to see it. I would feel more comfortable with Edu for Torres purely for defensive play. Not a knock on Torres at all. I just think Edu is more sound defensively. I would also rather have Dempsey slide to the middle and move Holden out on right and move Donovan to the left

    Reply

Leave a Comment