Photo by ISIphotos.com
The U.S. men's national team is in South Africa preparing for the Confederations Cup and is now just a week away from facing off against Italy in its opening group match.
The showdown will come just three years after the teams played to an unforgettable 1-1 tie at the 2006 FIFA World Cup (the tournament Italy eventually went on to win).
There will be much less on the line when the team's meet on Monday, but that doesn't mean the game won't be an important test to see just where the U.S. team stands a year away from the 2010 World Cup.
The U.S. team's 2-1 victory against Honduras last Saturday helped provide some insight into what players just might get the call in the Confederations Cup opener. With that in mind, here is a potential starting lineup we could see against the defending world champions:
Projected USA lineup vs. Italy
Donovan————Altidore—————-Dempsey
———————Feilhaber————————–
—————Clark————Bradley—————-
Bornstein—–Bocanegra—Onyewu———Spector
————————Howard————————-
Whether you want to call it a 4-3-3, like the team started out with against Costa Rica, or a 4-5-1, which is what it wound up looking more like, this is the group that seems like the best bet given form and ability.
Now it is your turn. What lineup would you like to see vs. Italy? Do you prefer a 4-4-2 with Altidore and Casey or Charlie Davies up top? Do you want to see Donovan at forward with Altidore? Ready to give Conor Casey another shot?
Share your lineup suggestions and thoughts on the U.S. national team's chances against Italy in the comments section below.
Actually,
————-Altidore—-Dempsey———–
Donovan———————————Adu
————–Bradley—Feilhaber———-
Bornstein—Bocanegra—-Onyewu—Spector
——————–Howard—————–
I’d rather us play Feilhaber seeing as how he can stick in the tackles and play the creative passes. Although, I’ll expect Clark to start.
Rossi is a very talented player and I do not join others who wish him injury. If he plays I hope we shut him down.
————-Altidore–Dempsey————
Donovan——————————–Adu
————–Bradley–Clark————–
Bornstein—-Bocanegra—–Onyewu–Spector
——————-Howard—————–
Dempsey really isn’t my kind of winger now that I think about it. He’ll play more towards the center for Hodgeson most of the time where his strength and touch is actually useful. He at least puts himself in positions where he’s dangerous and is a pretty creative passer. I remember when he was paired with Jozy in the Mexico game last February and had his stunning strike called offside. He’s more effective as and attacking midfielder, as many have said, in my opinion and the ball he gave away last game was just a bit of bad luck. He doesn’t normally get beaten like that.
Bocanegra is injured, Beasley should not be playing right now, and how is it that Torres is not playing? Why is it that we don’t have guys like Kenny Cooper coming in to play? Because he’s too creative???
We are about to get smashed in this Confederations Cup because we rely on players who don’t play for their clubs, or don’t compete for their places in the national side. I think my starting lineup with the players we actually have available would look like this:
howard (gk)
spector (rb)
N/A (cb) [no real options if bocanegra is not healthy… demerit did not look good on saturday]
onyewu (cb)
N/A (lb) [no real options here]
clark (cdm)
dempsey (rm)
bradley (cm)
donovan (cm)
torres(lm)
altidore (st)
with the choice of any player in the pool who has already played for the US, it’d look like this:
howard (gk)
spector (rb)
bocanegra (cb) [if healthy, we should’t even play if not…]
onyewu (cb)
N/A (lb) [still no answer, bornstein maybe??]
donovan (rm)
bradley (cm)
clark (cm)
torres(lm)
ching (st)
cooper (st) or altidore (st)
I think that if we wanted to mix things up a bit, our midfield is a bit decent. We are doomed, barring a spectacular surprise from demerit, beasley, or bornstein, given our predicament at central and left back. Not to mention how appalled many of us are at Bradley’s personnel choices [Torres subbed vs. Costa Rica?? really??]
That’s it for now
elmatador wrote:
“””We play like Robots…”””
That’s what the unlimited substitution game played in the USA all the way through college does to our players. Don’t hoof the ball up the park and stand around where the coach tells you, expect to be hauled-off for a sub immediately. It turns these players into automatons.
Radical measures are necessary: USA youth soccer will now be played with NO substitutions. A player doesn’t show-up on the 11 man roster, then play with 10. Players will learn and develop all the individual personality and character (heart)that is so lacking right now.
That would be a start.
Have to agree somewhat with golfstrom. I’m not looking forward to an off-game, but US fans love to get on a bandwagon. One swallow does not make a summer. I’d like to see a string of good performances before we start annointing new stars.
I’ve finally decided that i like either of the two:
1) 4-4-2 With Altidore/Davies up front and a Bradley/Feilhaber(or Torres maybe) central midfield
2) 4-5-2 similar to what Ives suggested….and hopefully seeing some time for Adu as a sub if possible.
I like Ives lineup. Other than Beasley not starting, I really do not care who starts as long as they wear the US uniform with pride, play inspired, passionate football, and give Italy nightmares. I do not care who is pessimistic about this game. Games are not played on paper, and I think we can do well next week. I am extremely excited for this game.
Oh.. Mann Atleast Give the European Giants some respect.. I dont think that its possible to break in through the watertight defense of the Italians, that is if they wish to shut out the shop. And as they play a much better the counter then we will have a hapless midfield to break the flow.
In fact a 4-4-2 Formation is what we need with an extra striker sitting on the bench for the right moment.. I still hope we get through the initial stage.
why don’t we see more of charlie davies? every time he comes off the bench he provides a spark and are we forgetting his awesome play off the bench in the olympics? he’s clearly played well for his club team of recent. just don’t get why he doesn’t get more of a shot off the bench.
——Altidore———————–
—————–Davies—————
Donovan—-Bradley—Clark—Dempsey–
Bornstein—Bocanegra–Onyewu–Spector
————HOWARD——————–
4-5-1
_____Galarcep_____
__
Ives___Ives___Ives
____Ives___Ives____
__
Ives__Ives__Ives__Ives
______Galarcep______
Bob’s line-up (Empty Bucket)
——–Altidore—————-
——————Casey——-
——————————
Donovan———————–
————————Demps
—————————–
——-Bradley—————-
—————-Clark———
Borns——————–Specs
—————————-
——-Boca—–Gooch——–
—————————-
———–Timmy————
I would like to see a line-up like the one that follows. I highlights everyones strengths.
1-Altidore gets to be Davies holdup forward and Altidore can come back and play some D when needed like he has been doing.
2-Donovan plays the same position he plays for the Galaxy and he gets to roam free throughout the midfield.
3-Dempsey always seems to drift toward the middle anyways so might as well put him there with the freedom to roam
—————–Davies——
—-Altidore——————
—————————-
————-Donovan——–
—————————-
—–Bradley——-Demps—–
————Clark————
Borns——————-Specs
——–Boca—–Gooch——
—————————
———–Timmy———–
When EDU is healthy he can fit right where Clark is easily