Thursday, January 24, 2013

USA v CAN: Predicted Lineup


With a pair of USMNT games fast approaching, I figure it’s time for me to put in my two cents.. 
These are always hard to predict, because none of us get the chance to be there while these guys are practicing, so who really knows what the heck is going on out there… *man I wish I knew what was going on out there*

GOALKEEPERS (3): Tally Hall (Houston Dynamo), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson
(Chicago Fire)

I see all of these guys as being pretty equal, with Hamid being my pick for lesser of the three (everytime I see him it’s like he’s making a bonehead move) and Johnson as the frontrunner. It’d be nice for Hall to get the nod since it is at the BBVA in front of his home fans, but then again Jurgen isn’t really keen on sentiment. Remember that time we played in Belgium…? Sacha Kjlestan doesn’t.


DEFENDERS (8): Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), A.J. DeLaGarza (LA Galaxy), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Connor Lade (New York Red Bulls), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin), Justin Morrow (San Jose Earthquakes), Jeff Parke (Philadelphia Union)

I think the toss up here will be between Besler and Parke, because I’m almost certain that Omar will be starting. I’d give the nod to Besler as it’s the more likely CB pairing for the future and he’s left footed. Not to take anything away from Parke, I still hope he gets some clock and represents well for the U! Beltran on the right, Morrow on the left.

MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (out of contract), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Benny Feilhaber (Sporting Kansas City), Joshua Gatt (Molde), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)

The midfield is just so damn hard to predict… I love it! I’m thinking of this two fold, Jurgen knows that the Canada team we’re playing really isn’t that strong, but at the same time he’s keeping an eye on players with the WCQ on Feb 6th in mind. Conventional wisdom tells me that Beckerman without a doubt will be starting at CDM (him not in the starting lineup would be the biggest shock for me). Mix and Zusi bring the best attack minded combo to the middle of the field with Benny first off the bench.

FORWARDS (4): Juan Agudelo (Chivas USA), Will Bruin (Houston Dynamo), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Will Bruin scoring two goals against Tijuana has gotta count for something right? He’s really started to grow on me, especially after his playoff display. I just don’t see Wondo leading the line in any single striker variation that Jurgen may concoct (4-3-3/4-5-1/4-3-2-1…) So doubt he gets the start. Agudelo seems to really shine in that late sub role so that’s where I see him again and I don’t really like EJ wide on the left, but it worked in that last round so why not try it again. That leaves us with the right side of the field. Now Gatt has tremendous potential and a ton of speed, but I still have not been able to get over Bedoya’s performance in the 2011 Gold Cup. I thought he was a terror down that right side and filled in admirably for Landon, which wouldn’t ya know, is where we find ourselves again in 2013. Gatt has the slight edge in actually playing in a Jurgen camp before (Russia game), but I think that Bedoya had a better ending to 2012 than Gatt and will parlay that into a starting nod come the 29th in Houston. Or… I’m way off, neither of those guys line up out there and JK throws Zusi out there and Benny in the middle with Mix ??? Either way, can’t wait to see what Klinsman does with the roster. I’ll do another one of these for Honduras too it’ll be great, see yall then!

Oh and here’s my USA v CAN lineup. Thanks to @ThisIsASN for these lineup creator doohickey #bestthingever