The Jurgen Klinsmann era begins for the U.S. men's national team on Wednesday and while many of the players the new U.S. coach has called in are familiar faces, there is still plenty of mystery about what Klinsmann's first lineup will look like.
Some regulars like Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore won't be making the trip to Philadelphia, while Tim Howard and Landon Donovan are among the first-choice players who will be in attendance.
As for how the rest of the squad will look like? That becomes a tougher proposition to decipher.
Here is the squad we can see Klinsmann trotting out onto the field at Lincoln Financial on Wednesday night:
Projected USA Lineup vs. Mexico
Some quick thoughts on this lineup:
You would imagine Klinsmann will want to start a defense that is familiar with each other. This back four has played together before so it makes the most sense, though I'll acknowledge that Tim Ream has been struggling and could be the odd man out here.
Edgar Castillo could start on the left, but so could Brek Shea. Don't see Klinsmann using Donovan on the left. DaMarcus Beasley is another intriguing option.
Freddy Adu gets the start here but could easily wind up on the bench seeing as how he's not currently with a team training regularly. In retrospect, you could see Donovan in that position, with one of the many wingers on the roster sliding onto the right wing.
Agudelo gets the nod, though Edson Buddle could definitely merit a look. Agudelo has been very hit and miss in MLS play, and wasn't an overwhelming hit at the Gold Cup either.
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What do you think of this lineup? Who are you hoping gets the start for the USA against Mexico?
Share your thoughts below.
Does anyone know what site or software Ives is using to create these projected lineups? Thanks.
My message above was @richd and now an addendum: Klinsmann says in the SI interivew he is asking Freddy to camp to “evaluate you and see where you’re at and then we go from there. .Maybe I can help you there.” I do think Klinsmann is to going to use the USNMT to find jobs for out-of-work players. At least I hope not. In other words, if Adu looks sharp in camp he will start, if not, he won’t. I do think BB sometimes used the USMNT to help players find jobs (one player in particular) and think that is wrong. The team should come first and should not be used as a promotional tool for certain players.
Good god please don’t let Beasley see the field
Id go with:
Buddle
Shea-Jones-Bradley-Donovan
Castillo-Bocanegra-Goodson-Cherundolo
Howard
The Klinsmann interview in SI is an interesting read. Yeah, probably Klinsmann would like to help MB find a new club, but putting him the starting line-up also is risky. Since December, his only club play was, I think, two times with Ashton Villa and nothing since either late February or early March. He has got to be rusty and a big mistake against Mexico could harm his chances of finding a new team. If MB is unable to find a decent new club by August 31, he really should swallow his pride and bow down before Borussia Mönchengladbach coach Lucien Favre, who by all accounts is good guy, and beg for a second chance. Glabach beat FC Bayern in Munich Sunday and I think the team will put in a good showing this season.
As for Freddy, St. Pauli in Hamburg is desperate for a player like him and I think he would fit in great there. St. Pauli was relegated to the second Bundesliga after an awful second half of the season last year, but is a good team with great fans that some think will bounce back into the top Bundesliga. It would be about a million times better than playing in Turkey as he did last season, and would give him the chance to show his stuff and maybe catch the attention of some bigger teams.
I don’t know why people continue to make up lineups with Freddy Adu as a striker when he is clearly by talent and preference a central midfielder who likes to distribute the ball. Klinsman has stated in a SI interview that he wants Freddy to come to camp and that he wants to help him find a new club. The best way to help him get a new club is to feature him in this game with Mexico.
Since developing a more attacking game and getting faster are priorities with the new coach I see a very different starting lineup than most.
Aquedelo
Donovan Adu Beasley
Jones Bradley
Castillo Bocanegra Goodson Dolo
Howard
Since MB needs a new club to play with expect to see him featured also.
Yeah, I know what you mean. It tends to be more narrow, but we don’t have the luxury of Spain that can pass you to death in the middle of the field. Granted, this takes away from what the left and right back would be able to provide in terms of width, but I can deal with that. Plus, not all teams are the same and there are so many different forms of the diamond that there isn’t one way to go about it. Sure, some teams use certain types of the diamond without wingers, but there isn’t one specific formula to employ, and without the technical passing skill, it would be odd to use a narrow midfield without the use of wingers.
A well reasoned argument. I would like to see that line-up. I agree that Klinsman needs to try combinations without Michael Bradley on the field. Borussia Mönchengladbach played much better after MB left for Ashton Villa in January. I want to see what effect MB on the bench would have on the USMNT. Who knows? Maybe we would see the Borussia Mönchengladbach effect, a USMNT that plays a more attacking, possession-oriented brand of soccer. Or maybe the team will fall apart. Maybe MB really is the glue that holds the team together. Either way, Klinsmann needs to test rosters without MB.
I originally had a 4-1-2-3 with donovan and adu in the two spot and chandler and beas on the wing, but without timmy i go back to the 4-2-3-1 formation to get the best players on the field in their positions. i.e. I had only jones OR torres, but now both start because they are both better than rogers et al.
I think for klinsy there are some dominant traits he looks for which are technical ability, poise under pressure, and defenders who attack like midfielders. So left back is between pearce and castillo and the winner is whomever has been whipping in the best crosses lately. Also, if torres is on he is technically better than bradley, so is jones.
Beasley is better than shea, still.
Boca and goodson better than ream, still.
Klinsy says he wants to win, so he’ll put his best team out there, not develop ream if he isn’t the best today.
Agudelo
Beasley-Adu-Donovan
Torres-Jones
Castillo/Pearce-Bocanegra-Goodson-Cherundolo
Thank you.
I’d like to see boca and Goodson in the middle with Castillo at lb. And what about Torres instead of jones or Bradley? You lose defense but gain passing and composure on the ball
Maybe Klinnsman goes 4-3-1-2:
————-Buddle———-Donovan————
————————Adu———————-
———————————————–
———-Torres—————–Bradley——–
———————–Jones———————
Pearce——————————–Cherundolo
————Bocanegra——Goodson————–
————————————————
——————–Howard———————–
Probably unlikely though.
He’s much much much much much better than Dax McCarty. Dax is like a poor man’s version of JFT haha
Think he may have been alluding to the fact that midfield diamonds don’t usually employ wingers.
Then an LB should not be learning on the job either.
They actually played without a LB for much of the game. I don’t know where Bornstein was told to play, but he didn’t play LB.
and I’d like to see Loyd given a good look, maybe start though I realize he was not originally called in
good points all. typical I’ve come to find of your posts Dennis. thanks
My argument to play Torres somewhere out there at some point is to see what a fresh outlook and chance may do for his own outlook and confidence, on this team. Look where Adu was when BB just called him up.
find out if he can respond to a fresh opportunity, and fit on this team somewhere
Well the above is a diamond formation, unless i’m misinterpreting your comment. There are different forms. The diamond is created from the 4-4-2, but then can be used in a 4-3-3 or the above 4-1-2-1-2.
In regards to Atletico Man, it may or may not be effective, the problem is we don’t see it. We always have to D-mids and it seems that doesn’t really work, based on our results.
Thus, the reason for creating the 4-4-2 diamond, in whichever version you can see it in, may be interesting to see. Ultimately, I just no long want 2 D-Mids. In my opinion, part of the reason why we have so many problems moving the ball forward is because we are jamming our passing lanes with too many players, of which, we don’t have great creativity.
Just take Manchester United or Barcelona for example. United tend to employ the 4-1-2-1-2, whereas Barca tend to use the 4-1-2-2-1. Both are technically diamond shapes, but one is the midfield, the other includes the forward. I realize the USMNT is neither of these squads in terms of talent, but the method could work. Again, I’m simply saying I think we need to discard the two D-Mid system, you can then place players wherever you want from there in any formation you see fit.
Torres can’t start routinely at Pachuca, why does anyone think he should start for the US. It is not like he has had more than a passable half a game for the US, Jones Bradley and Bedoya have had better play for the US.
What! Ream is the new whipping boy with JB gone!
“How else is Ream supposed to get ready without experience? ”
The national team is not where Ream should be learning on the job.
He is supposed to learn that at his club and learn it so well that the USMNT is forced to call him up.
I think the view of Holden as an attacking mid is a bit of a misconception. He is certainly the best box-to-box midfielder in the US pool. If you watch Bolton he is EVERYWHERE. While he can certainly play an attacking midfield role, I think that limits him.
would only switch Shea for Beaseley. fun thinking about this with a new Coach’s perspective to consider
but agree with this
I like this lineup
4-2-3-1
this is fun guessing Coach Klinsmann’s new perspective to it all
have always tried to explain Paco’s position with Pachuca, having followed that team for the past few years following him, and Herc now too. Yet, could easily see him in front of MB and JJ with his skill set for this team, wherever he’s traditionally lined up before.
this
I’ve always made that case, too, which is a true one imo.
yest for this team, I could see him in the pocket where Ives, rightly in my eyes, has Fred starting
that is well said. don’t always agree with your takes, but on this one I do
Agreed. Ream has no business being on the team, he has good passing technique but is not intelligent or athletic enough to be on USMNT…give me PARKHURST!!
————Buddle———–
Beasley——Adu——Donovan
—–Bradley——Jones——
Castillo—Boca-Goodson–Cherundolo
———–Howard————
Agudelo can come on as second half substitute for Buddle if he’s not doing much, and Torres for Bradley or Jones.
Boca should not be at LB. He just doesn’t have the pace for it anymore. He should be in the middle. Castillo at LB and until he proves that he doesn’t come up with magic when he plays for the Nats, Adu (who I’m not a huge fan of but can recognize good play when I see it) starts in the middle as he was the only person who looked like he had a creative bone in his body during the Gold Cup. Just a shame he never parlays that into his game at the club level.
Or perhaps we don’t think it is effective…
As per usual, no one in this country knows what a diamond formation is.
Agree on this one, Castillo is a natural lb not a winger or a LM, so this is my prefer lineup.
Thank you. Get Ream out of there!
Get Dolo at left back. Cuz let’s face it. He’s a decent defender. But Chandler is the FUTURE.
+1
funny guy! JR needs to sit plain and simple. 2nd half sub sure. Really too bad he’s not getting PT at MB.
I think a lot of teams these days are looking at the advantages of a quick, technical midfield combined with speed/toughness down the flanks. Adu and Torres are technical, with good vision. I think the one more mid is going to have to step up in that area. Bradley has good vision, but he has trouble when pressured. Jones is physical, but unpredictable. Edu loses the ball a bit too much. Holden a good attacking mid option but less of a holding mid. We need a Claudio Reyna type, or one of the above to do better.
For the time being, I think Ream should play if, and only if, the coaching staff expect the following two conditions to be met: (1) The US controls 70+ percent of the possession; (2) Neither team takes a set piece.
threw these guys a bone, I should say
4-4-2 with speed on the flanks to get and float the ball in the middle and guys in the Primera División de México going up against the Mexican National team…
that means
Beasley on the far left and donovan on the far right in midfield
Castillo or Orozco far left and Dolo far right in Defense
2 up top Buddle and Adu (Agudelo sub)
2 in the middle Torres and Jones (Bradley sub)
I really wonder who Klins is going put on the field come game day…
Just because the man through these guys a bone once, doesn’t mean he was giving them a legitimate look (i.e. paying attention). Tell me these guys got just a good a look as, oh I don’t know, Bornstein! Now tell me that you think Bornstein has half the potential most of these guys have. I didn’t think so.
All of these guys have played well for their clubs and deserve a serious look.
hahah I feel FIFA(EA Sports video game for those not in the know) has created a series of misperceptions.
I feel like he’s too slow to play LB these days, especially when we’re playing the likes of Mexico
I think this is what klinsy will go with.
With Bradley, I like it. Your lineup is what I hope to see.
Agudelo and Buddle are a coin toss for me with Buddle very slightly edging him out. However, Agudelo has a much greater future so the more international playing time the better.
I agree wholeheartedly with your list of bums. I thought the end of Bradley would be the end of Rogers. That guy is awful and has an even worse attitude.
Ream is a second half sub, Good player but not a starter on the National stage (just the other night he was beaten by Borchers!!!), but Klins might start him though….