Here it is folks. The most important game since the World Cup in my opinion and the most important game between the two countries since the US beat Mexico 2-0 in Korea. The winner clinches a spot in Germany against their rival. A US win allows Bruce to use the next three qualifiers to look at some new talent, but more importantly, continues the trend of US dominance on American and neutral soil. A loss (and there are plenty of Mexicans who think they have a good chance of winning) severely counters the notion that the US has moved to a level equal to Mexico and sees them qualify at could postpone qualification for a while as an away game at Guatemala is hardly a cakewalk, even with a full strength team.

EJ is back in camp and here's to hoping that he returns to the form he showed before he was injured because the US really needs another consistent striker but I don't know that it will come in this game as he still seems to be regaining his form in the games I've seen of him with FC Dallas. I'm really curious to see Jeff Cunningham play a meaningful role in this game. I think he has the potential to surpass all but EJ and McBride on the depth chart at F. Injuries to Gibbs, Cherundolo, and Pope leave the backline a little more thin than usual but Gooch, Bocanegra, Berhalter, and Conrad still give us some solid options. Unfortunately, Hejduk is in camp which means we'll probably see his ineptitude at LB on display again although I'd love to see Bocanegra get the call there as that's the position he generally plays at Fulham. He's not great at it but he's better than Frankie. The midfield is still strong although it sucks to lose JOB again. Options of Reyna, Landon, and Pablo in the middle are appealing and with Convey playing lights out with Reading, I'm sure he'll get a look. Beasley is back and on the left but I imagine he won't play the full 90 so Lewis should get some good playing time as well. I imagine the right side will see Ralston more out of neccesity than due to his performances.

Here's hoping for a great US performance and a great win for them as well. The game comes on only 30 minutes before the A&M game but you can TiVo it or watch the replay on ESPN2. Personally, I think I'm going to watch the first half, then play some remote control games when the two coincide.

Just to make sure you got it right, ESPN CLASSIC is going to be showing it live at 6:30pm Central time.

Personally, I think the US team has not been playing as well as Mexico, but I hope we turn it up a notch against them on our home turf.

Isn't Convey suspended for this match because of his ejection vs T&T?

Yes ESPN Classic is showing the match live, but ESPN2 is showing the replay at 1:30 AM (I think). Sorry for the confusion. The US hasn't been playing as well as Mexico recently but I'm putting a lot of faith in Bruce on this one. He usually finds a way to get them up for Mexico and generally outcoaches his counterpart.

Good call on Convey. He is indeed suspended for this match. I imagine this camp will be for nothing for him as he can't play against Mexico and if we can beat Mexico, I don't think Bruce will keep him around to play Guatemala.

When you say lose john obrien...you mean he just isnt coming into the camp right...or is he hurt, if so thats a huge loss.
edit

just an abdominal strain, no big deal as far as world cup play is concerned. Still sucks for johnny boy though.

[This message has been edited by PatAg (edited 9/1/2005 8:26p).]

First off, I think Beasley will start. He got some minutes last week for PSV and is too important to the USMNT to not start at this point in time in a game of this magnitude. That being said I do think that he'll be subbed at some point in the second half.

To get our best team on the field I think our starting lineup will look like this:

Keller
Hejduk - Onyewu - Bocanegra - Lewis
Reyna
Ralston Beasley
Donovan

EJ - McBride

for subs I could see Cunningham for EJ, Santino for Ralston and one of Berhalter, Conrad, or Albright for Beasley and move Lewis up to LM and switch around the backline.

Honestly, if we're ever able to get our full team back I think the lineup will look entirely different and I think we'd switch our formation to a 3-5-2 where we'd be able to control midfield a little more. I don't think we can do that right now, b/c I don't think the defenders can go man-to-man against Mexico with who we have available right now.

With the buzz around this game being "Whoever wins qualifies" I think it will be a letdown. I see this game ending up as a 2-2 or 1-1 tie. The only way I see us getting out of Columbus with a win is if we play lights out the whole game, which I think is possible, being that the game will be played in front of a US majority.

I agree on the lineup with du bag.

you might see dempsey come in for Ralston though.


On the result of the game...call me a homer but I really think we are favored. I think that the US has done more in the past five years to develop its players and it is showing. Knowing the game of soccer, it very well could be a tie but I also think we score in the 60th minute after a brilliant sub is made by Arena and go on to win the game 1-0.

What happened to Cherundolo? I'd play him over Frankie in a heart beat. Is he in camp?

I would too but Arena has a big man-crush on Frankie.

Cherundolo is hurt and will be out for a few more weeks.

Oh yeah, Cherundolo is a definite starter when healthy.

Man, I wish we could get healthy, b/c a starting defense of:
Cherundolo - Onyewu - Bocanegra - Gibbs
would sound great against Mexico right now.

[This message has been edited by dubag (edited 9/2/2005 10:47a).]

That would be ideal!

Hopefully something similar to that is on the field next June.

I really don't think Lewis will play LB at this game. He did pretty well against T&T but Mexico its a completely different animal and he's played there exactly once in his career at any level...against T&T. I think Bocanegra should get the start there and Berhalter should pair up with Gooch. Unfortunately, you're probably right about Hejduk starting. He embodies everything that US soccer used to be known for as opposed to what they should be known for. An incredibly fit player with a high workrate that unfortunately has little in the way of credible soccer skills.

[This message has been edited by Dre_00 (edited 9/2/2005 12:17p).]

I could easily see Lewis not starting, but I'll stick with my lineup.

Not sure why everybody is ripping on Frankie. He plays steady in the back. Nothing spectacular, but that's not his job. Give me a consistent in position defender any day. We've got enough playmakers at every position.

2-0 USA

Frankie looks like crap compared to cherundulo(sp?). Plus he doesnt combine well with whoever is the right midfielder, this time it was ralston.

I like the way Chernoldo plays too. But I still think there is a spot on team for Frankie. Chemistry problems are due to Ralston not Hejduk. He can play 90 minutes and not make a single play, good or bad. Although last night, his goal was clutch.

I agree, frankie needs to be on the team. I also think we don't necessarily use ralston correctly. He is good in combo play down the flanks, and is an excellent crosser. He is not someone that should be playing as an attacking striker or attackign the defense on his own.

Frankie is the lesser of two evils(Albright). That might be a little too harsh though, as he showed what he does best against Mexico. You can beat him, but he's so fit and fast that he gets back to cover the attacker afterwards. He'll play as a backup to Cherundolo in the WC and probably start a game to give Cherundolo some rest.

Ralston supposed skill is his crossing, but that aspect of his game hasn't been there the past two games. I can see why he starts though. He's able to play for long stretches without making too many mistakes and has decent winger skills. I think he will hold on to this spot until Quaranta proves that he has the focus and drive to play for 70-90 minutes. Ralston is serviceable.

I think a decent formation for when we have everyone back will be:

Keller
Gibbs - Onyewu(who was a beast) - Boca

Cherundolo - Reyna - Obrien
Donovan - Beasley

EJ - McBride

This will allow Cherundolo to get back and play defense while also play a role in the attack. He's a better RM than Ralston and can drop back on D and play there admirably. Anyway, just a random thought.

So corey gibbs is good now? Not sarcasm, just wondering. Albright is someone that should get a look at right midfielder, IMO. not defense.

Gibbs isn't good? When healthy he starts on one of the top 3 teams in Holland that sees a lot of European tournament action and shut down van Nistelrooy when we played them last year. He's proven to be our 2nd best defender and I would have said best before Onyewu's breakout performance against Mexico.

Gibbs is good, but he's certainly not our best (or even second-best) defender.

As for my preferred lineup for the tournament: Cherundolo has RB sewn up if he's healthy. Frankie is a capable backup. Gooch obviously will start in the middle as long as he's playing like he has the last two or three games. For the other center back, Boca edges out Gibbs in my book. Their skills are comparable in defense, but Boca's wicked headers are good for at least one (often more) great chance off of a corner. Berhalter was great in his day, but he's over the hill and getting weaker. If Pope, Gibbs, Boca, and Gooch are all healthy, Berhalter won't even make the WC squad. Honestly, I like Lewis at LB until someone comes up with a better option.

I never said gibbs wasnt good. I was wondering if he had taken the next step up.

No love for Eddie Pope? I've yet to watch a game and think that he doesn't deserve to be out there.

Then you obviously didn't see the US-Mexico game in Mexico City. Pope can still play well but he's become very inconsistent. I think the injuries and his advanced age are starting to catch up to him.

dubag--Good call on Lewis starting. I didn't expect Arena to employ such inexperience at the position but he did well. I'd like to see him get more and more time back there. Onyewu completely neutralized Borgetti. That guy is going to be a rock for the US for the next 10 years. It wouldn't surprise me to see him become the first US field player to truly star at a world class level with a world class club. Beasley was excellent as well but Donovan needs to never play striker again. I don't think he's had a good outing there in the last 2 years. Hopefully the remaining games will give Cunningham and EJ a chance to impress which can allow Donovan a chance to move back to the attack MF role he does so well in. We'd essentially be improving two positions with one player.

Great win. Loved every minute of it.

P.S. Ricardo Lavolpe...shut your mouth and start writing your resume.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the game at Azteca. Wasn't he injured during the game or something, though?

Pope was just ineffective. When you watch him, you usually scratch your head and say "Is that the best we've got out?"

Would love to see Cunningham or somebody else develop into decent striker. As far as EJ impressing the coaches??? Dude has been fantastic.

Finding somebody to replace Landon at striker is good call. Hope we can learn something in next couple of games. Donovan seems to gum the flow up and just can't finish. Needs to take lessons from EJ or Beasley.

birdman your post was so good until your statements on Donovan. He's an A-mid, not a forward and once he's able to play his normal position instead of filling in for injured players he'll be back on his game. Oh, and to say that he can't finish? He's the USMNT's third all-time leading scorer(at 23) and has a better strike rate than Beasley at(70 caps/25 goals compared to Beasleys' 51/11).

I agree with dubag. You guys have been watching enough US Soccer if you think we need to replace Donovan. He may not always score but he brings so many intangibles to the team.

I know what Donovan's natural position is. I don't want him off the field, just not upfront. I want him in the same attacking midfield that everybody else does. I was refering to the above poster. If we develop somebody else up front, move back Donovan, we're better in two positions.

Saying Donovan can't finish was too strong a statement. I will say that finishing is a weak point. I know he scores tons of goals, but he squanders tons of chances. He needs to improve his "success rate". He is wonderful creator. Just seems that he out-thinks himself out there.

Perfect example in Mexico game. He received a great pass, 1-2 touches, used his speed, all alone. He only had the flat-footed keeper to beat. Landon didn't even get a shot off, ball just trickled away. You don't get many chances like that, gotta finish if you want to be elite team.

Put it this way...

Tie game, 88th minute. If you made a cross to open American at the 18yd mark who would you want it to be??? (not a header)

Not sure Donovan makes the top five.

quote:

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I know he scores tons of goals, but he squanders tons of chances. He needs to improve his "success rate"

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I can agree with that to a degree. The T&T game was another example when the keeper gifted the clearance right to him and the best he could do was hit it back in the one place the goalie could have saved it. That said, I think that's a function of him playing as a striker. It's no secret that Donovan plays a lot better when he gets regular touches and sees the ball frequently. I think his concentration and overall ability improves 1000% when he's in the MF. When he plays as a forward and he seems to switch off a bit. Put it this way, I think his "success rate" is much better as an attacking MF as opposed to a striker and that he finishes (or at least forces a good save) if he was in MF for both of the above situations.

quote:

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Tie game, 88th minute. If you made a cross to open American at the 18yd mark who would you want it to be??? (not a header)

Not sure Donovan makes the top five.

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He may not make the top five in finishing but chances are he made the pass to release the mid-fielder to the corner to set up the cross...