Good afternoon folks. The highly-anticipated USA-England friendly is just two days away, meaning it is time to start seriously thinking about a starting lineup for the Americans.
Here are some things to consider before choosing a starting XI:
- DaMarcus Beasley started and played extremely well for Rangers on Saturday, meaning that he’s a good bet to start vs. England.
- Landon Donovan appears to be over the calf strain from a week ago.
- Maurice Edu has replaced Benny Feilhaber on the U.S. roster.
So what will the American lineup look like? Here’s a possible starting XI:
———–Dempsey———-Johnson————
Beasley———————————-Donovan
—————-Bradley—–Clark——————
Pearce—–Bocanegra—-Onyewu—Cherundolo
———————Howard———————–
I know the name that folks will scratch their heads at is Eddie Johnson, but based on the match-up, and the options on the roster I’m not sure what else we could see. I considered a lineup with Donovan up top and Josh Wolff on the right wing, which might actually work better. I know folks won’t give Donovan much of a chance against the Rio-Terry center back tandem but his speed might be better served there than on the right flank, where he would match up against the equally speedy Ashley Cole. That said, I can see Johnson, if healthy, getting the call up top next to Fulham teammate and close friend Clint Dempsey.
What starting lineup would you like to see the U.S. national team use on Wednesday? Share your thoughts below.
Possible that we have no Lando – http://mnt-ussoccer.blogspot.com/.
Freddy gets a spot?
US Soccer saying Landon is questionable for tommorrow. http://mnt-ussoccer.blogspot.com/
Do we see Freddy getting a huge opportunity?
Don’t think this will happen – but this is what I’d love to see at some point. It’s more of an attacking formation that would get all of our attackiing players on the field. I’m not sure if we have the personnel on defense to pull this off as it stands with the 22 who were called in – but with a healthy Gibbs down the line – it could be possible to go with a 3 man back. Here we go
Howard
Dolo Gooch/Boca Boca/Peirce
Bradley Clark/Edu
Dempsey/Donovan Beasley
Adu
Donovan/Dempsey E.J (hopefully Jozy in the future)
Sorry, I meant in general with the subs; I think Altidore and Adu would thrive in a 4-3-3.
Barring injuries, this is what I’d LIKE to see based on who was called up:
————–Howard———————
‘Dolo—Boca——–Onyewu——–Pearce
————-Clark———————–
Donovan————————-Beasley
————–Bradley——————-
——–Dempsey——–Jaqua———–
I’d like to see Bradley pushed up so his under-utilized goal-scoring prowess can be used on the US National Team level and Jaqua as more of a target forward for Dempsey to play off of. This is not what I think we’ll see though.
-Donovan——Johnson——Dempsey-
——Beasley–Bradley–Edu——-
Pearce-Bocanegra-Onyewu-Cherundolo
4-3-3 is always risky, but we’re faster than England and could exploit them. Adu and Altidore would be good subs up top.
————Dempsey—-Adu————-
Beasley—————————Donovan
———–Bradley—–Edu————-
Pearce—Orozco—Onyewu—Cherundolo
—————-Howard—————-
With this formation I think Bradley will have a good chance against England because a mixed of young n speed most of the players are under 30, England have problem with speed plus they have a very veterand (old)Team. The reason I choose Orosco over Bocanegra beacuse he’s been playing constently Bocanegra been out of Action in Fulhan.
I’d like to see this:
—–Dempsey—Donovan——
Beasley—————-Wolff
——–Bradley–Clark——
Pearce–Boca—-Onyewu–Dolo
———-Howard————
Donovan is finishing so well right now that I think you have to have him in front of goal.
Unfortunately, I think we’ll probably see Johnson up top. I figure that most players on the roster are going to see the field at some point during these three games, which means that we’ll be treated to Eddie Johnson’s back-passing clinic at least once. It might as well be against England.
This game will be the Freddy Adu show. 1 goal. 1 assist (to Dempsey)
I’m flying out of Newark tomorrow evening and was wondering if anyone could recommend a bar to catch the game. Doesn’t need to be incredibly close to EWR as I don’t fly out until 9.
Thanks!
i would like to see this, but i dont like dempsey really in this role, but with no altidore he gets the spot. I think the real problem for the u.s. in the future is getting altidore, adu, dempsey, donovan and beasley on the field at the same time. To me dempsey just doesnt have a natural position, but we need to find one fast..
—————Dempsey—————-
—————–Adu——————
—-Beasley—————Donovan—–
————Bradley—Edu————-
-Pearce——-Boca—–Onyewu—Dolo–
—————-Howard—————-
Perhaps when altidore is in the lieup we could see this:
—————-Altidore————–
——————Adu—————–
—–Beasley—-Dempsey——-Donovan-
—————-Bradley—————
Pearce——-Boca—–Onyewu——Dolo
—————–Howard—————
This could be a great attacking lineup with dempsey and adu switching roles easily, although we sacrifice a holding midfielder this would certainly pose a threat to any opposition.
Yeah, Yank@Oxford, I agree. I love attacking footie but it’s not really practical when you have less midfield quality than the opposition. I DO think the US has a very good midfield but England’s is second to none.
With a lack of pure strikers, I suppose the formation needs to be 4-3-2-1, with …shrugging…EJ up top and Donovan-Dempsey in support. The Beasley-Clark-Bradley trio then has their work cut out for them distributing out of the back. Dempsey’s greatly improved defense will allow him to track back to help.
Regards,
How can anyone be a desiring a 3-5-2 against England? We can’t even play 3-5-2 against Canada or Panama! Sound defense wins in international football. Thankfully Bob Bradley is aware of at least that fact.
oh I guess I also care that Adu get more than a cursory glance with 5 minutes left. He keeps letting Feilhaber play large minutes with no justification while Adu OWNS everyone at the Oylmpic Q’s and gets 2 minutes at the end of games. I hope he gets a good solid 25 minutes at least to roam around at will and cause havoc.
I don’t care about most positions, but I do know that if Donovan doesn’t start up top Bradley is getting a whiff of the wacky weed lately. There is no reason to to not test him out at a position he is currently playing better than any other position he has been tried at. Plus I know no one in central defense for England has the pace to keep up with Donovan.
I rather keep Dempsey and LD in the mid so they can run at opposing players. I would like to see BB utilize the 3-5-2 formation.
——–Howard——–
Dolo—-Gooch—-Boca
—–Bradley—Edu—
Deuce—————Beas
———Donovan——–
———EJ—-Jaqua—-
Bench-Guzan, Adu, Demerit, Hedjuk, Clark, Lewis, Pearce
I think the EJ n Jaqua up front will work out better. Against Terry and Fernidand or whom ever else it might be. This is what I would do but it will not happen. So I wait and see what BB does decide to do.
**********Donovan(C)*********Wolff************
Beasley***Edu**********Bradley*****Dempsey****
Hejduk****Califf********Gooch******Cherundolo*
****************Howard************************
Bocanegra omitted b/c lack of playing time…
———Adu/Jacqua——-Donovan——–
Beasley/Adu/Dempsey————Dempsey/Adu
———Bradley—–Clark/Edu————
Pearce/Spector—Bocanegra—-Onyewu/Spector—Cherundolo
——————Howard——————
As far as I am concerned, Johnson should not see the bench, but I’m afraid he will see time. What an embarrassment! Lewis/Wolff only if needed.