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Here’s my Starting Line up IF everyone is healthy, but as Giovanni proved today, AGAIN, that is hardly ever the case, which is why we might have to use a Super-Sub be it Reyna, Weah or one of our other talented young attacking players.
This is because it seems like Pefok just can’t seem to get it together, Pepi isn’t getting goals, Ferreira might be the other solution, and I went with Turner because he has done the best despite losing the games we did, but is going to Arsenal and if he starts well he should probably start. I do hope Steffen gets a loan to a good European team and hopefully at least has Europa League games.
Bench:
Goalkeepers: Zack Steffen, Ethan Horvath.
Defenders; Chris Richards, McKenzie/Brooks, Yedlin, Scally
Midfielders: Luca De La Torre, Kellyn Acosta, Gianluca Busio.
Forwards: Brendan Aaronson, Jesus Ferreira, Ricardo Pepi.
I hope guys like Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris, Paul Arriola and as much as it pains me Sebastian Lleget all stay home. Kills me about Sebas.. but he would have been way better suited 4 years ago!
Rolland, Morris, Light, and Zardez are taking the space of much better players in Europe. They couldn’t beat Panama away this players which cost us.
Berhalter needs to go
Regardless of the formation there are going to be some very talented players on the USMNT bench. The challenge is to get as many of our top talents on the field in positions they are comfortable playing and will make the best use of their abilities. We’re a very young team so some rotation is going to be needed to keep players fresh while also pushing everyone to be their best.
———————————-Pepi———————————
—–Pulisic—————-Reyna———————–Weah—-
—————McKennie—————-Adams——————-
–Jedi———-Zimmerman——–M. Robinson——Dest–
——————————-Steffen———————————
Pepi – is still our best option at CF. Rewatched the CR game and he did get into dangerous positions, made smart runs, and had a couple good shots. Against a lesser keeper I think he’d have converted at least 1 of those chances. That said I’d still like to see Sargent tried again as he may have the best link-up play of all our options.
Pulisic, Reyna, & Weah is a dangerous attacking trio. Their interchanging movements & runs are bound to confuse the defense and open up passing lanes & space. Reyna can pick a lock and maintain possession while Pulisic & Weah are hard to man mark due to their speed & control.
McKennie will have a little more defensive duties, but he’ll still be able to contribute to the attack making late runs into the box and on set pieces.
Jedi & Dest are not great defenders but w/ McKennie holding back a bit more he & Adams can better cover when they’re caught up-field or provide double teams.
Adams is a no-brainer and should be named captain. He controls the tempo of the game, the players in the team respect him, and is often the calming presence on the field.
Zimmerman & Robinson are a good CB tandem, but I could see Richards in one of the spots as well.
Steffen/Turner or Even Horvath are all equal. To me whoever is in in a good run of form and/or actually playing for their club should get the nod.
This leaves us quality options off the bench. Musah for McKennie at the #8. Arronson for Pulisic/Weah. Luca DLT for Reyna. Acosta for Adams (sparingly).
Still believe that Scally deserves a real chance for inclusion. He’s got more starts & minutes in a top league than any of the other outside backs getting considered. Can play LB or RB and has actually been playing well with his club. Yedlin would be my other outside back for his experience (something this team needs).
Last 2 roster spots (if Sargent is tried again & works) are fairly inconsequential as I don’t think they’ll see the field. As long as Lletget, Roldan & Zardes aren’t the names chosen I think we’re good.
This is pretty much it. I might adjust formation depending on opponents, would really like to see us try a 2 striker formation, and I do want to see if Brooks can get it together one last time. Otherwise, this is the way.
IMO right now the only way we see a 2 striker formation is if we play 3 in the back. While it’s an option, the couple times we’ve tried it hasn’t come off well. If its tried again we’ll need to do it sooner rather than later so the roster can be decided since it will impact the roster selections unless FIFA does expand it beyond 23.
Gregg hinted in his interview with Colin Coherd that we will see some formation experiments this Summer and referenced the 2002 change mid WC.
Oops! Forgot Tyler Adams in my previous post! Sorry Tyler. He’s my DM in that lineup.
Pulisic
Reyna Musah Mckennie Aaronson
Adams
Robinson Zimmerman Robinson Dest
Steffen
Pulisic is not very good with his back to goal which has to do as a false 9. Not saying he wouldn’t be better than other 9s but he wouldn’t be the best Pulisic who likes to run at people and arrive late in the box not first in the box.
I’ve converted to Berhalter’s false nine idea, given our player pool and the lack of a really good 9.
Pulisic
Reyna Musah McKennie Aaronson
Robinson Zimmerman M.Robinson Dest
Steffan
Here’s my Starting Line up IF everyone is healthy, but as Giovanni proved today, AGAIN, that is hardly ever the case, which is why we might have to use a Super-Sub be it Reyna, Weah or one of our other talented young attacking players.
===========Weah===========
===Pulisic===========Reyna==
====McKennie=====Musah====
===========Adams===========
==Jedi=Miles=Zimmerman=Dest==
============Turner============
This is because it seems like Pefok just can’t seem to get it together, Pepi isn’t getting goals, Ferreira might be the other solution, and I went with Turner because he has done the best despite losing the games we did, but is going to Arsenal and if he starts well he should probably start. I do hope Steffen gets a loan to a good European team and hopefully at least has Europa League games.
Bench:
Goalkeepers: Zack Steffen, Ethan Horvath.
Defenders; Chris Richards, McKenzie/Brooks, Yedlin, Scally
Midfielders: Luca De La Torre, Kellyn Acosta, Gianluca Busio.
Forwards: Brendan Aaronson, Jesus Ferreira, Ricardo Pepi.
I hope guys like Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris, Paul Arriola and as much as it pains me Sebastian Lleget all stay home. Kills me about Sebas.. but he would have been way better suited 4 years ago!
Silas, I think I understood you meant to type Roldan, but who is Light?
Rolland, Morris, Light, and Zardez are taking the space of much better players in Europe. They couldn’t beat Panama away this players which cost us.
Berhalter needs to go
Silas, I think I understood you meant to type Roldan, but who is Light?
Lleget?
Regardless of the formation there are going to be some very talented players on the USMNT bench. The challenge is to get as many of our top talents on the field in positions they are comfortable playing and will make the best use of their abilities. We’re a very young team so some rotation is going to be needed to keep players fresh while also pushing everyone to be their best.
———————————-Pepi———————————
—–Pulisic—————-Reyna———————–Weah—-
—————McKennie—————-Adams——————-
–Jedi———-Zimmerman——–M. Robinson——Dest–
——————————-Steffen———————————
Pepi – is still our best option at CF. Rewatched the CR game and he did get into dangerous positions, made smart runs, and had a couple good shots. Against a lesser keeper I think he’d have converted at least 1 of those chances. That said I’d still like to see Sargent tried again as he may have the best link-up play of all our options.
Pulisic, Reyna, & Weah is a dangerous attacking trio. Their interchanging movements & runs are bound to confuse the defense and open up passing lanes & space. Reyna can pick a lock and maintain possession while Pulisic & Weah are hard to man mark due to their speed & control.
McKennie will have a little more defensive duties, but he’ll still be able to contribute to the attack making late runs into the box and on set pieces.
Jedi & Dest are not great defenders but w/ McKennie holding back a bit more he & Adams can better cover when they’re caught up-field or provide double teams.
Adams is a no-brainer and should be named captain. He controls the tempo of the game, the players in the team respect him, and is often the calming presence on the field.
Zimmerman & Robinson are a good CB tandem, but I could see Richards in one of the spots as well.
Steffen/Turner or Even Horvath are all equal. To me whoever is in in a good run of form and/or actually playing for their club should get the nod.
This leaves us quality options off the bench. Musah for McKennie at the #8. Arronson for Pulisic/Weah. Luca DLT for Reyna. Acosta for Adams (sparingly).
Still believe that Scally deserves a real chance for inclusion. He’s got more starts & minutes in a top league than any of the other outside backs getting considered. Can play LB or RB and has actually been playing well with his club. Yedlin would be my other outside back for his experience (something this team needs).
Last 2 roster spots (if Sargent is tried again & works) are fairly inconsequential as I don’t think they’ll see the field. As long as Lletget, Roldan & Zardes aren’t the names chosen I think we’re good.
This is pretty much it. I might adjust formation depending on opponents, would really like to see us try a 2 striker formation, and I do want to see if Brooks can get it together one last time. Otherwise, this is the way.
IMO right now the only way we see a 2 striker formation is if we play 3 in the back. While it’s an option, the couple times we’ve tried it hasn’t come off well. If its tried again we’ll need to do it sooner rather than later so the roster can be decided since it will impact the roster selections unless FIFA does expand it beyond 23.
Gregg hinted in his interview with Colin Coherd that we will see some formation experiments this Summer and referenced the 2002 change mid WC.
Oops! Forgot Tyler Adams in my previous post! Sorry Tyler. He’s my DM in that lineup.
Pulisic
Reyna Musah Mckennie Aaronson
Adams
Robinson Zimmerman Robinson Dest
Steffen
Pulisic is not very good with his back to goal which has to do as a false 9. Not saying he wouldn’t be better than other 9s but he wouldn’t be the best Pulisic who likes to run at people and arrive late in the box not first in the box.
I’ve converted to Berhalter’s false nine idea, given our player pool and the lack of a really good 9.
Pulisic
Reyna Musah McKennie Aaronson
Robinson Zimmerman M.Robinson Dest
Steffan