Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Taking Stock
Since a few days have past since the last two matches, I figured that rather than breaking those down individually, it would be more fun to see what we’ve found out so far:
What we know
1) Bruce likes Jimmy Conrad. OK, we may have suspected that when he got picked for the squad, but to start two games and be named captain for one of them, he obviously holds him in high regard. So, for now, he seems like he’s your first option in central defense. It will be interesting to see if that remains true once Berhalter gets up to speed (Note: Can anyone explain to me why Berhalter decided to sign with Munich 1860 (a marginal 2nd division squad) after he just helped his former club gain promotion?).
2) Ching will most likely be the first forward off of the bench. In the two games that he didn’t start, he was brought on around the 80th minute. Presumably, this is to get him used to that role.
3) Convey is going to play a huge role for the US. Whether he will be brought into the game around the hour mark to replace JOB or if he starts, he’s a handful for any defender on that left flank…even his defense has improved. With the exception of Donovan, there’s no US player who has that combination of speed and ball control. Reading may not only have to fight to keep Steve Sidwell for next season. If Convey has a good WC, he will get plenty of interest in the transfer market.
4) Other countries would kill to have the plethora of left sided attacking players that we have. Between DMB, Convey, O’Brien, Lewis and Dempsey, we have a veritable stable to choose from. Wish that I could say the same about left back.
5) Dave O’Brien is terrible, just terrible. He’s so bad, I don’t even want to get into it.
What we think we know
1) Bruce is grooming DMB to play on the right side of midfield in order to match up with Pavel Nedved. That will leave the left side for him to choose between JOB and Convey. I do agree with people who have been saying that DMB seems to be over thinking his offensive maneuvers. However, he started to show some signs of life in the second half which is great because we need him. The more that I think about that Nedved match-up, the more that I like it. You can’t through a real physical player at Nedved because he’ll start flopping and drawing fouls or cards. The great thing about DMB is that he has the quickness to neutralize him. Plus, if he frustrates Nedved, Pavel has been known to take stupid fouls and get cards which could be huge.
2) Bruce thinks that Bocanegra is too small to match up with the big Czech and Italian forwards in central defense. Boca is pretty good in the air, but I think Bruce is worried that he would be giving up too much height to Koller, Gilardino and Toni. He’s most likely destined for the subs bench where he can back up both Lewis and central defense.
3) Bruce doesn’t believe in EJ yet. Sure, he’s giving him chances, but I still feel that when push comes to shove, he opt for someone else up front with McBride. I disagree with Balboa saying the EJ was opening things for McBride. All of McBride’s chances were due to his tremendous aerial play, not to EJ’s presence.
4) JOB is a starter on this team and will only play about 60-70 minutes per game. Depending on the situation, he will either be replaced by Convey (if we’re behind) or Olsen (if we’re ahead with DMB shifting from the right to the left side).
5) Balboa is already annoyed with Dave O’Brien and has corrected him when he states an opinion that Celo (and the rest of the soccer world) knows is wrong.
What we don’t know
1) What’s Dempsey’s role? Does he have a chance to start at this point?
2) Who is Keller’s back-up? Did he play Howard just because he hasn’t seen much game action this year (compared to Hanneman) or is Howard our clear #2?
Another interesting benchmark coming up for the US, Costa Rica plays the Czechs today. While Ghana’s win over Jamaica is impressive, I’m less worried about them because both teams’ fates may already be decided by that point. The Czech game is huge for us as if we can get a good result, this will give us confidence for Italy and Ghana. It will be interesting to see how they do against the Ticos. I have already set up the TiVio as the game is on Setanta. (George)
What we know
1) Bruce likes Jimmy Conrad. OK, we may have suspected that when he got picked for the squad, but to start two games and be named captain for one of them, he obviously holds him in high regard. So, for now, he seems like he’s your first option in central defense. It will be interesting to see if that remains true once Berhalter gets up to speed (Note: Can anyone explain to me why Berhalter decided to sign with Munich 1860 (a marginal 2nd division squad) after he just helped his former club gain promotion?).
2) Ching will most likely be the first forward off of the bench. In the two games that he didn’t start, he was brought on around the 80th minute. Presumably, this is to get him used to that role.
3) Convey is going to play a huge role for the US. Whether he will be brought into the game around the hour mark to replace JOB or if he starts, he’s a handful for any defender on that left flank…even his defense has improved. With the exception of Donovan, there’s no US player who has that combination of speed and ball control. Reading may not only have to fight to keep Steve Sidwell for next season. If Convey has a good WC, he will get plenty of interest in the transfer market.
4) Other countries would kill to have the plethora of left sided attacking players that we have. Between DMB, Convey, O’Brien, Lewis and Dempsey, we have a veritable stable to choose from. Wish that I could say the same about left back.
5) Dave O’Brien is terrible, just terrible. He’s so bad, I don’t even want to get into it.
What we think we know
1) Bruce is grooming DMB to play on the right side of midfield in order to match up with Pavel Nedved. That will leave the left side for him to choose between JOB and Convey. I do agree with people who have been saying that DMB seems to be over thinking his offensive maneuvers. However, he started to show some signs of life in the second half which is great because we need him. The more that I think about that Nedved match-up, the more that I like it. You can’t through a real physical player at Nedved because he’ll start flopping and drawing fouls or cards. The great thing about DMB is that he has the quickness to neutralize him. Plus, if he frustrates Nedved, Pavel has been known to take stupid fouls and get cards which could be huge.
2) Bruce thinks that Bocanegra is too small to match up with the big Czech and Italian forwards in central defense. Boca is pretty good in the air, but I think Bruce is worried that he would be giving up too much height to Koller, Gilardino and Toni. He’s most likely destined for the subs bench where he can back up both Lewis and central defense.
3) Bruce doesn’t believe in EJ yet. Sure, he’s giving him chances, but I still feel that when push comes to shove, he opt for someone else up front with McBride. I disagree with Balboa saying the EJ was opening things for McBride. All of McBride’s chances were due to his tremendous aerial play, not to EJ’s presence.
4) JOB is a starter on this team and will only play about 60-70 minutes per game. Depending on the situation, he will either be replaced by Convey (if we’re behind) or Olsen (if we’re ahead with DMB shifting from the right to the left side).
5) Balboa is already annoyed with Dave O’Brien and has corrected him when he states an opinion that Celo (and the rest of the soccer world) knows is wrong.
What we don’t know
1) What’s Dempsey’s role? Does he have a chance to start at this point?
2) Who is Keller’s back-up? Did he play Howard just because he hasn’t seen much game action this year (compared to Hanneman) or is Howard our clear #2?
Another interesting benchmark coming up for the US, Costa Rica plays the Czechs today. While Ghana’s win over Jamaica is impressive, I’m less worried about them because both teams’ fates may already be decided by that point. The Czech game is huge for us as if we can get a good result, this will give us confidence for Italy and Ghana. It will be interesting to see how they do against the Ticos. I have already set up the TiVio as the game is on Setanta. (George)
Comments:
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I think I disagree with you on a few points, most of all about what these games mean for what Bruce is actually thinking:
1) Bruce may like Conrad, but he's not going to see any starting time at the WC. Not big enough, not experienced enough, not fast enough to be anything other than an emergency fill-in. Bruce may have just been running him out there for experience and fitness. Gooch probably needed some rest.
2) Ching is McBride's fill-in, end of story. Unless McB tires or gets hurt, I see Ching being the last forward off the bench. The first forward needs to be a spark, hence someone with speed. EJ fits the bill perfectly, but I do agree with you that Bruce isn't sold on his current form.
3) Bruce has been downplaying Convey all year long--doesn't play defense, needs to push DMB, etc. I don't buy it for a second. A few years ago people were complaining that Convey was Bruce's little boy and getting undeserved callups. Bruce likes him, likes him a lot, and I think he's playing mind games with everybody. Bruce wants to play LD, DMB, and Convey all at the same time. The problem is that they're all small, DMB has been terrible lately, and LD doesn't have the killer instinct to play forward. I like your idea of DMB against Nedved, but other than that I think Convey beats him out to start on the left, and Dempsey replaces him on the right against the Italians. Landon does start at withdrawn forward because no one else has distinguished themselves next to McBride.
4) JOB can't and shouldn't start. We can't affort to start a guy who can't go 90. It's too big a risk, and his form doesn't warrant it.
5) Interestingly, the storm about Pope seems to have rightly quieted down.
Basically, I see us running out in a 4-2-3-1 with MCB up top, Convey/LD/DMB behind him, Mastoeni/Reyna holding the middle, and a back line of Lewis/Gooch/Pope/'Dolo.
1) Bruce may like Conrad, but he's not going to see any starting time at the WC. Not big enough, not experienced enough, not fast enough to be anything other than an emergency fill-in. Bruce may have just been running him out there for experience and fitness. Gooch probably needed some rest.
2) Ching is McBride's fill-in, end of story. Unless McB tires or gets hurt, I see Ching being the last forward off the bench. The first forward needs to be a spark, hence someone with speed. EJ fits the bill perfectly, but I do agree with you that Bruce isn't sold on his current form.
3) Bruce has been downplaying Convey all year long--doesn't play defense, needs to push DMB, etc. I don't buy it for a second. A few years ago people were complaining that Convey was Bruce's little boy and getting undeserved callups. Bruce likes him, likes him a lot, and I think he's playing mind games with everybody. Bruce wants to play LD, DMB, and Convey all at the same time. The problem is that they're all small, DMB has been terrible lately, and LD doesn't have the killer instinct to play forward. I like your idea of DMB against Nedved, but other than that I think Convey beats him out to start on the left, and Dempsey replaces him on the right against the Italians. Landon does start at withdrawn forward because no one else has distinguished themselves next to McBride.
4) JOB can't and shouldn't start. We can't affort to start a guy who can't go 90. It's too big a risk, and his form doesn't warrant it.
5) Interestingly, the storm about Pope seems to have rightly quieted down.
Basically, I see us running out in a 4-2-3-1 with MCB up top, Convey/LD/DMB behind him, Mastoeni/Reyna holding the middle, and a back line of Lewis/Gooch/Pope/'Dolo.
# posted by 
: 11:54 AM CDT
: 11:54 AM CDT
Kerry,
Thanks for your thoughts, they're pretty good ones.
1) I should clarify my comments about Conrad. I don't see him breaking up the Pope-Gooch partnership in the middle, but I think he will make the subs bench and will be first on if something happens to one of them.
2) Perhaps Bruce has been grooming Ching to replace McBride in the 80th minute, but I would not be surprised to see them play together. They are both great in the air and can draw fouls, two real important things against a packed-in defense trying to protect a lead.
3) I agree with you that Convey is too good not to play, but I feel that for that first game, it will be JOB. Obviously, he's an injury risk, but I think Bruce will opt for his experience in the Czech game. The worst thing for us is to fall behind in the first half vs. the Czechs. I also think that Bruce is concerned that Convey, in his excitement over his first WC, may come out too fast and perhaps run himself ragged. So he'll play JOB 45-60 minutes and then bring Convey to change the game totally.
As far as your proposed line-up, I love it. In fact, I had suggested the same in our post on 3/25. I love having the three speed demons playing right behind McBride. That would be a tough line-up to defend against.
Thanks again for your comments. There's nothing more that I love right now than to discuss the World Cup and our chances there.
My official one week countdown starts on Sat night...I can't wait! (George)
Post a Comment
Thanks for your thoughts, they're pretty good ones.
1) I should clarify my comments about Conrad. I don't see him breaking up the Pope-Gooch partnership in the middle, but I think he will make the subs bench and will be first on if something happens to one of them.
2) Perhaps Bruce has been grooming Ching to replace McBride in the 80th minute, but I would not be surprised to see them play together. They are both great in the air and can draw fouls, two real important things against a packed-in defense trying to protect a lead.
3) I agree with you that Convey is too good not to play, but I feel that for that first game, it will be JOB. Obviously, he's an injury risk, but I think Bruce will opt for his experience in the Czech game. The worst thing for us is to fall behind in the first half vs. the Czechs. I also think that Bruce is concerned that Convey, in his excitement over his first WC, may come out too fast and perhaps run himself ragged. So he'll play JOB 45-60 minutes and then bring Convey to change the game totally.
As far as your proposed line-up, I love it. In fact, I had suggested the same in our post on 3/25. I love having the three speed demons playing right behind McBride. That would be a tough line-up to defend against.
Thanks again for your comments. There's nothing more that I love right now than to discuss the World Cup and our chances there.
My official one week countdown starts on Sat night...I can't wait! (George)
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