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Bumpy Road Ahead For Backstreet Bandwagon?

May 28th, 2006 | By: Daryl | 10 Comments »

There’s a definite groundswell of support for Bobby “Backstreet” Convey (that nickname’s been added to the list) to make the first eleven come World Cup time.

But you could make convincing arguments for Clint Dempsey and DaMarcus Beasley too.

Whichever way you combine things, it looks like two out of three from Convey, Beasley and Dempsey. Despite Convey’s excellent form, I suspect he may find himself on the bench come June 12th.

Arena’s recent quotes indicate that Convey is impressing him, though he still has doubts about the Reading winger’s defensive play and concentration:

What we want to see out of Bobby is that kind of play for 90 minutes and I think he lost his concentration a little bit in the second half and I’m hopeful we can continue to move him forward, because there’s no reason to believe that he can’t challenge to be in our first eleven. If he can piece together 90 minute games that would certainly help his cause.

Arena said similar things about Dempsey:

He’s got to be a little bit more experienced and understand when to pick his spots on the field in terms of going after people in one v one situations but he’s a confident player on the ball. He’s had a habit of scoring goals which is a real positive out of the midfield. I think that speaks well for him, I think he needs more experience in defending but I think he just did a lot of god things tonight. He needs to learn to play a little bit quicker.

He definitely trusts DMB’s overall game a little more:

He’s a very competetive player, he’s a winner on the field, he’s a player that can play equally as well on both sides of the ball so he’s a pretty complete player, for a young player. He’s a guy that you can stick on the field in a variety of positions and he can be very responsible.

But recognises that DMB is struggling for form:

I think he needs a little bit more time to find his game, he didn’t have a consistent run with PSV at the end of the year so he’s missed a number of games where it really would have helped him with his timing and all, and I think he’s a little bit behind, but you could see in training camp he’s getting better every day so I think by June 12th he’s going to be on top of his game.

Given the severity of the tests posed by Czech Republic and Italy it seems unlikely Bruce will want to play both Dempsey and Convey if he’s unsure about their defending. For the same reasons he’s unlikely to exclude Beasley.

It’s often mentioned that Beasley could play wide right, leaving the left flank for Convey, and Dempsey on the bench. Certainly Beasley can play on the right, but he’s more comfortable on the left, and I suspect Arena will be reluctant to play one of his favourites out of position while struggling for confidence.

For these reasons, I predict Beasley starting on the left, Dempsey on the right and a frustrated Convey ready to make a difference from the bench.

The picture should become a little clearer tonight when Arena names his team to face Latvia. We’ll be LiveBlogging the game (kick off 7 p.m. Eastern) so drop by and voice your opinion.

Tags: Bobby Convey, Bruce Arena, Clint Dempsey, DaMarcus Beasley, USA

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Comments

By Cajun Nick | May 28th, 2006 at 1:08 pm

I’m willing to allow Bruce to indulge DMB by playing him on the left (he says as though he has the power to change things), thus keeping Convey on the bench – for the first match.

Convey certainly could give a good shake-up if he’s brought off the bench. Dempsey could make way for Bobby, and DMB could move over to the right.

However, if we struggle offensively against CZE, then I think Bruce has to put Convey in the starting XI for the Italy match.

Posted from United States

By Seamus | May 28th, 2006 at 1:15 pm

I don’t see Demspey starting. I don’t know what the answer is, but he isn’t it. He’s worse defensively than Convey, and aside from opportune goals, he is totally anonymous in recent friendlies (including last summer’s England match). He looked slow against Venezuela–the team that made Convey “look like Maradona” as one of the better LiveBlog comments stated.

Count me as the #1 Demspey skeptic whether he scores or not.

If Arena is going to rely on out-of-form players that he trusts, I expect Josh Wolff to play on the right. Convey and Dempsey will be late subs. I believe the most telling comment about Convey from Arena is that he doesn’t think Convey can play 90.

Posted from United States

By Cajun Nick | May 28th, 2006 at 1:44 pm

Seamus,

I’m with you. My only problem is that I have less faith in Wolff.

I would prefer to see DMB moved to the right to make way for Convey on the left.

Posted from United States

By Stuart | May 28th, 2006 at 2:07 pm

I think you’ve nailed the line-up exactly. Look for Convey to be the fresh-legged sub in the 2nd half…a role I think he can/will exploit favorably for the US.

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By mirarchi | May 28th, 2006 at 2:28 pm

On their current form, I think Convey should start on the left for us, and Dempsey on the right. Beasley just hasn’t looked dangerous for us in recent memory, whereas Convey and Dempsey have consistently been our two most dangerous players.

I understand that Beasley is better defensively, and that we’ll need solid defense against the Czechs and Italy. But ultimately, I think it’s more important for us to be able to create dangerous chances against them. As between a lineup that is slightly better defensively but not as likely to create goal-scoring opportunities, and a lineup that is more suspect defensively but likely to create goal-scoring opportunities, I think Bruce should go with the latter.

In my mind, it would be a mistake to take a defensive mentality into the Italy and Czech games. Playing defensively just isn’t a recipe for success for us. So unless Beasley suddenly rediscovers his form against the Lats or in our closed-door scrimmage in Germany (I believe it’s against Angola), then he should start on the bench. First and foremost, our starting wingers should be able to attack effectively. And we just haven’t seen Beasley do that effectively lately.

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By Louis | May 28th, 2006 at 2:52 pm

I think that Beasley, Reyna (assuming fitness), Mastroeni will be starters in the midfield. the last midfielder, I think, will be donovan, or dempsey depending on Arena’s plans for forward. If Arena feels that ching, johnson or wolf will add more than dempsey, donovan will play midfield (right side). (If this happens, don’t be surprised to see ching next to McBride). If not, donovan will play in front and dempsey will play in midfield with JO pegged for 45 min or so (assuming fitness). O’Brien could come in as a replacement for any midfield spot while donovan moves up front if the sub is for a forward.

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By Cajun Nick | May 28th, 2006 at 4:37 pm

DMB maybe hasn’t been in the form that we’ve come to expect of him recently. And Convey is playing lights out. However, I don’t think that Dempsey has been so much better than Beas that he merits the start. Plus, Beasley has got the important exprience of playing at PSV that can’t be discounted.

He gets to train with Cocu and Michael Reiziger.

He played in the Champions League (and recorded an assist), including against AC Milan.

He played weekly against Henk Timmer (#2 NED keeper); Johnny Heitinga; Hedwiges Maduro; and Wesley Sneijder, just to name a few.

It’s that kind of experience that tells me DMB needs to be in the line-up, even on the right side, instead of Dempsey.

Now, if Beasley can’t (won’t) adjust to getting moved, and insists on playing on the left, where Convey has earned the right to play, then what can I say? Put Dempsey in.

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By LiveBlog: USA v Latvia - FIFA World Cup 2006 - USA World Cup Team Blog | May 28th, 2006 at 5:17 pm

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By Joe | May 30th, 2006 at 11:40 am

Pretty decent article on espn.com about potential lineups for the U.S. I think the deciding factor for the Czech game will be that their best playmaker, Nedved, plays outside left. Because of that I think Bruce will play DMB at outside right in their first match to try to neutralize him. The problem with that going forward is that Eddie Lewis is our most offensively aggressive defender and could really use DMB’s defensive help there. If Bruce does put Beasley wide right I think there is a chance that O’Brien gets the start at outside left with Convey coming off the bench at halftime or so.

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By Rick | June 2nd, 2006 at 9:21 am

I think these are great comments and observations by everyone. As I was reading, I didn’t see any comments about tactical lineup decisions based on the probable Czech lineup until Joe’s observations. I think that Bruce’s strategy is going to have a lot to do with that, but I don’t know enough (in fact, hardly anything) about the Czechs to comment intelligently about that. Hopefully Arena knows quite a bit more and will use our players to the best advantage.

Any way you slice the lineup, we’ve got some great players to bring in off the bench. Beasley gives the midfield energy, bringing an offensive spark as both a scoring threat and a creative influence, as well as defensive tenaciousness. Convey’s ball handling, passing, speed, and excellent crossing offer a different kind of offensive threat, although I can’t recall him contributing much defensively at all in these recent games. So relying on him is a much riskier proposition. Dempsey’s dribbling and ability to score (or disrupt a defense enough to lead to a score) make him valuable, too. However, it seems as though he’s been as much of a defensive non-factor as Dempsey.

In my mind, then, for the purposes of choosing starters, the defensive liabilities of Convey and Dempsey outweigh what they offer the offense. Beasley will ball-hawk and hustle back on defense for 65 minutes, and I have little doubt that’s he’ll create and contribute on offense as much as either of the other two might.

In the end, I guess I agree with Daryl. Beaz on the left, Dempsey on the right. Goals talk, and scoring against Latvia will help Dempsey get into the starting lineup against the Czechs. So what if Convey doesn’t start? He’ll spell DaMarcus in the 2nd half and quickly exploit the Czech defense for a goal.

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