Boca–Oneywu–Edu–Spector

Your last post looks pretty close to the starting XI that I would throw out there if I didn’t worry about our long ball tendencies. Ultimately, I would love to see a 4-3-3:

———Altidore———-
Dempsey————-Donovan
———–Adu————-
—–Torres—-Bradley—–
Spector–Boca–Gooch—Dolo
———-Howard———–

For it to really be a 4-3-3 versus a 4-5-1 Dempsey and Donovan’s trackback responsibilities would have to be reduced to obvious defending (set piece) situations. As you can see, I’m not opposed to attacking formations. But I still question our ability to not serve up a dozen long balls against a team that pressures our defenders.

As a last point, I’m a huge believer in consistancy of formation and style. Playing a formation or style that is dependent on one player being match fit is a scary proposition with the number of injuries that occur in the game. As we’ve seen with Cherundolo’s injury, there is not a lot of depth at the back, especially backliners that would avoid the long ball as a primary passing option.

Thanks for a great conversation. Most of my friends are typical Americans who I try to educate, but this level of conversation is way above their level.

Adu has that confidence. So does Dempsey. Dempsey’s mentality if you have ever heard him speak is phenomanal. He doesn’t give a cht and wants to beat Brazil, Argentina, Spain, etc. He isn’t going out there for a tie.

I have lived abroad for over 4 years. Spain, Argentina, Brazil and Germany.

Spain: Excellent technical skill and the first time I realized how far behind young US players were in terms of understanding the passing and acting to maintain possesion of the game.

Argentina: No team or people in my experiences have a bigger heart for the game. They, at times, just will themselves to victory. They don’t complain (not too much diving as a Portugual, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc.) and they foul the crap out of you when you have the ball in transition to stop any possibility of counter-attack, or gaining tactical superiority in the mid-field by Argy errant passes. They have very good technical skill. In recent years something is missing. I would argue it is an extremely creative mid-fielder. Requilme is getting older. Ortega is pretty much gone. So is Veron.

Germany: I have never seen in my experiences kids understand the structure of the game better than the Germans. Structure in terms of defensive integrity is unbelievable and the kids learn this at 4 thru 9. Why? Parents and coaching.

Brazil: LOL–these kids love the game. They just love it and they love attacking and showing off. But the showing off provides for the best technical skill in the world and the ability to work in tight places. The “support” players NEVER run away from the ball. You have 3 to 4 players running to the ball at all times, which allows for the Brasileros to build attacks like China is building their infrastructure. They attack and their defenders are good. I would say Brasil’s best defense is their ability to attack.

I ask why not play with a combination of the above? Why not? Because we are from the US? BS!!!

Take it easy.

Paul

What is the alternative? Lose 2 to nothing, or 2 to 3? I would prefer to be dangerous on the attacking mid and striker level with a solid back-line. The US’s problem has NEVER been defense.

Defense is not the answer. Defense has never been the answer for the US. It has always been ball control, technical skill and finishing. We have the ball control IMO with respect to past teams. The technical skill is coming slowly but surely. Finishing is not there at all except for Altidore.

The US Olympic team was very good and should’ve advanced out of the group stage except for a ridiculous foul by a sub and an unlucky jump of the wall against the Dutch. That team had Altidore, Adu, Sacha and Rogers, among some other decent players. That team was dangerous and they were able to lock down the back. The Olympics is not the U-20, but it isn’t the WC. I would argue it is much closer to the WC level than the U-20 by far.

I think the only problem is coach Bradley is gun shy from putting the younger generation in (partly because of the latest Copa America showing) because he is worried about his job and they won’t gel as well as they should.

Again, focusing on defense is not the answer. The US has always produced solid defenders. Always.

——-Altidore—???(I still don’t know)
Torres(Bradley)—Adu—Dempsey(Bradley)—Donovan
Bocanegra—Specter—Gooch—Cherundolo

Have Dempsey/Bradley backtrack for defense. To say the above would be shreaded is ridiculous. You are going to tell me the back 4 would get torched? Specter is big, as is Gooch and both have enough technical skill and speed for big guys at the center back positions. The only reason I choose Bocanegra is for his experience. Cherundolo has more technical skill than Heijduk and has very solid euro experience.

If you are going to freak out about not having a true defensive mid-fielder, insert who you want and leave out Torres. You can tinker without touching my base, technical players.

I look forward to your reply and I honestly appreciate the response even though I will throw words around. I just feel very passionately about this subject as I have been talking about it for over 8 years now.

Paul

Also, there is a lot of talk about long ball. With Freddy Adu in controlling mid (as long as Donovan can stop being a premadonna and trying to play coach…also overrated imo…) then the US can work the ball up with a Torres. Both would be like Spanish mid-fielders, Xavi et al (obviously not the same at this time), and put Spector and someone else on the other side in the back who has some technical skill and you can easily work the ball up.

If Donovan would stop being a panzy and play a role instead of insisting on being the “center” of the US attack, then I think the US could be a stronger force.

I would like to see something like the following in a 4-4-2:

Altidore – ???(Adu)

Torres(Rogers) – Adu(Bradley) – Dempsey – Donovan(Zizzo)

Spector – Bradley(???) – Gooch – ???

Fill in the gaps. I think the team above could easily work the ball out of the back through the mid field and to the attacking 3rd. The team above, if given time to gel as long as Donovan (and Dempsey to a lesser extent) can let Adu be Adu. The idea that technical skill doesn’t get you anywhere is retarded.

I would bet the above team would be much more dangerous than the current USMNT (which is pathetic imo)

GLT the USMNT.