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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.