Said it was '50/50' Howard v Guzan but bc Guzan didnt take a year off from the team he is the better keeper and deserves the start.Can anyone elaborate?
Said it was '50/50' Howard v Guzan but bc Guzan didnt take a year off from the team he is the better keeper and deserves the start.Can anyone elaborate?
Yup. PK at RM and Morales at LM. Williams and Bedoya in the middle.I wasn't able to watch this one, but I can't imagine there was much to be learned from a game against Puerto Rico?
Were Kitchen and Morales really used as outside midfielders?
Per Jeff Carlisle, it's because of the latter. HOWEVER....very soon after the announcement, Chandler was subbed off against Nürnberg with some sort of muscle injury. Ream, Castillo, Lichaj, and Acosta would be the replacement fullback options -- or "fullback" in Acosta's case.Kellyn Acosta has been added to the roster for the friendlies. That makes me wonder whether Fabian Johnson isn't recovering as quickly as hoped. Hopefully it's just because Chandler will show up to camp later and a bit more tired than most because of Frankfurt's relegation playoff.
It's Ecuador, one of the other two South American countries that wear red, gold, and blueWhat a boring line-up for tonight vs Columbia
GZ and GZ on the wings. All we need is Gedion Zelalem pulling the strings...What a boring line-up for tonight vs Columbia
Guzan
Yedlin - Birnbaum - Brooks - FJ
Beckerman (covering eight foot triangle)
Jones/Bradley
Zusi - Demsey - Zardes
WTF Birnbaum, head that to Guzan not shittily to the edge of the 18 where an Ecuador guy is standing.
It's almost as if he's not the most deserving CB in MLS to be getting these calls...Steve Birnbaum is fucking terrible, he makes Orozco look like a golden god.
It was awesome how he tackled the Ecuador guy on that first set piece...It's almost as if he's not the most deserving CB in MLS to be getting these calls...
He hasn't had a chance to show it, but it's true that he's a BEAST in the air, though. Might be useful on a set piece at some point.
Besler has been a top CB for a while, but he's been out of form for the last month or two. Another reason why this Copa is a big opportunity for Brooks to make the LCB position truly his own.It was awesome how he tackled the Ecuador guy on that first set piece...
Who is the best CB in MLS these days? Besler? Don't follow MLS much. And certainly not to your level of knowledge TB.
edit - on ESPN2
Your wish is Klinsmann's command. Pulisic time! I do think Dempsey wasn't put in a position to succeed this game - he's not a CF and I don't think the US can afford to have two slow clunkers in the attack in general (Dempsey + Zusi tonight).This looks better. Calm possession and probing. Bradley very comfortable pulling the strings from deeper. I'm pretty done watching Dempsey play for team USA and wish he'd get subbed now so we could play a more energetic attack
That's the weird part. Bradley is playing like a pure 6 in his positioning. Staying central and covering. Which would suggest a 4-1-xx formation. And Nagbe is very clearly staying on the attacking left. He's not dropping deep with Bradley and he's not drifting centrally as a 10. With Pulisic wide of him I guess it could be a 4-1-4-1 which probably best describes what they are doing with Bedoya central I supposeIt looks like a leftish CM.
4-2-3-1? With him playing the left in the 2? But told to attack more while MB hangs back.
Ya that fits. Which is frustrating as it seems awfully defensive. We put Nagbe Woods and Pulisic in for a reason. Let them spread their wings.That's the weird part. Bradley is playing like a pure 6 in his positioning. Staying central and covering. Which would suggest a 4-1-xx formation. And Nagbe is very clearly staying on the attacking left. He's not dropping deep with Bradley and he's not drifting centrally as a 10. With Pulisic wide of him I guess it could be a 4-1-4-1 which probably best describes what they are doing with Bedoya central I suppose
Which is why it is so weird that Twellman is talking about Nagbe and Bradley's communication. They're not the middle of a 4-4-2Ya that fits. Which is frustrating as it seems awfully defensive. We put Nagbe Woods and Pulisic in for a reason. Let them spread their wings.
Love Pulisic's confidence.
Yep, same old crew won't cut it. Nagbe and Pulisic bring touch and dynamism to the midfield, and Wood seems to have the knack. There's a potential identity staring JK in the face.That second half is certainly something we can build on over the course of this tournament. Wood, Pulisic, and Nagbe are badly needed new blood; it's clear all three need bigger roles than they have been given so far. Bradley was effective as a DM, which is huge if it continues.
That's 11 field players.I think the best line-up utilizes and facilitates two unique talents we have: our best player, Fabian Johnson and his speediest counterpart, Yedlin. Play them as wing-backs in a back 5, with 3 CBs in between - Cameron in the CB/DM flex role.
FJ gets to play more like the LM he can be and Yedlin covers the right flank, without being fully obligated to a defensive position.
3 CM (from Nagbe, Bradley, Jones, Bedoya) in front of them and two wide attackers (Pulisic, Zardes, Julian Green? Someone? please not Zusi) + Wood up top.
Just seems like the way to maximize what we have.
Nope, I don't think they have that data. Maybe something like that will pop up somewhere for the Copa America.I'm having a really hard time with that site on mobile do they have distance traveled? The few times I've watched Nagbe for club and country I've wished he'd put himself about more and work to get on the ball. But in this sport the eyes can really deceive on something like that so I'd love to actually know
Apparently I solved the Guzan/Howard debate.That's 11 field players.
I like this quite a bit.--------------Guzan----------
Yedlin---Cameron----Brooks----Chandler
-------Nagbe------Bradley
Bedoya----Dempsey-----Johnson
------------Wood---------
I'd have Zardez and Pulisic as my attackers off the bench and Kitchen/Jones/Besler in my DM/CM/CB bench spots.