OT: soccer thread

[BeesWax]

Anyone else catch the USA v Ecuador game tonight? First half was a snoozefest, but second half US looked pretty solid, especially once Nagbe and Pulisic came on for Beckerman and Zardes. Dempsey needs to be used as a super sub.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/735658149294804992[/tweet]

I agree on the Dempsey front. He is best used as a scoring threat off the bench to come in and attack up top. I liked the Wood, Pulisic and Nagbe additions. We got more creative and were able to hold the ball better.

[Flip Murray]

Anyone else catch the USA v Ecuador game tonight? First half was a snoozefest, but second half US looked pretty solid, especially once Nagbe and Pulisic came on for Beckerman and Zardes. Dempsey needs to be used as a super sub.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/735658149294804992[/tweet]

I agree on the Dempsey front. He is best used as a scoring threat off the bench to come in and attack up top. I liked the Wood, Pulisic and Nagbe additions. We got more creative and were able to hold the ball better.

Guzan
Yedlin---Cameron---Brooks---Johnson
Bradley
Bedoya-------Nagbe-----------Pulisic
Dempsey-------Wood

or


Guzan
Yedlin---Cameron---Brooks---Johnson
Bradley-------Jones
Zusi-------Nagbe-----------Pulisic
Wood

Zusi or Bedoya I don't care that much

[BeesWax]

Anyone else catch the USA v Ecuador game tonight? First half was a snoozefest, but second half US looked pretty solid, especially once Nagbe and Pulisic came on for Beckerman and Zardes. Dempsey needs to be used as a super sub.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNFC/status/735658149294804992[/tweet]

I agree on the Dempsey front. He is best used as a scoring threat off the bench to come in and attack up top. I liked the Wood, Pulisic and Nagbe additions. We got more creative and were able to hold the ball better.

Guzan
Yedlin---Cameron---Brooks---Johnson
Bradley
Bedoya-------Nagbe-----------Pulisic
Dempsey-------Wood

or


Guzan
Yedlin---Cameron---Brooks---Johnson
Bradley-------Jones
Zusi-------Nagbe-----------Pulisic
Wood

Zusi or Bedoya I don't care that much

Completely agree with your back line. I like the 4-2-3-1 formation for us because of Johsnon and Yedlin being able to attack up the wing letting the outside mid squeeze in some. Zusi, Bedoya and Zardes for me would be a matchup call. Zardes if we are worried about the other teams speed and physicality and the other guys depending on what we need creativity wise. I like the Jones and Bradley pairing because it means Jones doesn't handle the ball as much and he and Bradley slow the game down in the middle third to stop counters. I worry about Pulisic playing 90 at his size so I would also consider starting two of Zusi, Zardes and Bedoya and bringing him on as an offensive sub if needed. I always fear playing a guy you doubt can go the full length because injury may force it to happen and he may also end up hurt.

[fatlever]

The backline should be set in stone

----------------Guzan
Yedlin--Cameron--Brooks--Johnson

But, we all know JK makes lineup decisions that make absolutely no sense, like starting Orozco over either CB. Only 3 CB should play for us in this tourney with Besler being the 3rd. Would be great if we had another LB to push Johnson to midfield, but we don't.

In midfield I feel like Bradley and Nagbe are two must starts if we care to generate any kind of attack. I hate HATE the trio of Bradley, Beckerman and Jones. They have proven over and over again that it doesnt work. Beckerman should only play if we are trying to close up shop when leading of if we expect to be giving up 75% possession and just need to sit deep and defend all game. I'm still on the fence about Jones. Its been so long since he and Bradley have looked good together. Jones can't be the deeper of the two, that has to be Bradley (but JK, until last night, was doing the opposite). I'm kinda indifferent on Zusi vs Bedoya. I'd maybe lean Bedoya if I needed someone in the middle and Zusi if I needed width. I'm not a fan of Zardes. Start Pulisic, let him go 70 mins.

----------Bradley
Zusi--Jones--Nagbe--Pulisic


Up top, I'd much rather play Wood over Dempsey. Dempsey is useless unless the ball is at his feet. He made that one nice lob pass in the 1st half and that was basically his only contribution. He can't press, so playing him just gives the other team so much time to build from the back.

-------Wood

Kinda like a 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1

[BeesWax]

I would be ok with that but I do really hate playing two guys on the wings who are poor defenders. Politic and Zusi/Bedoya will get pushed around against south american teams. I would like to see Dempsey in front of Nagbe some as well because he seems to be the midfielder who can get the ball to the guy up top the best.

Still would not start Politic if I was not sure he was good for 90 and at his size I am not sure he is. I would bring him in fresh at the half and have him attack for a full 45.

[fatlever]

JK staring 4 centerbacks tonight, because...

Orozco, Cameron, Brooks and Besler. Never change Jurgen, never change.

[JDR720]

he is like me on FIFA, i start players at the wrong position all the time.

[BeesWax]

Like the flow of the top three but Besler has looked very uncomfortable at times out wide.

Bedoya showing out for Fats tonight.

[Buzzed_Hornet]

It kills me we cant (ever) get a consistent left back so Fabian Johnson can move into the midfield. If only Steve Cherundolo could be 20 years younger and left footed...

[driveandkick]

-----------------------Guzan------------------------
Yedlin----Cameron------------Brooks--Johnson
-----------------------Bradley--------------------
------------Jones---------------------------------
----------------------------------Bedoya--------
--------Pulisic---------------Nagbe------------
--------------------Wood------------------------

Get out haters. Probably too early to be starting Pulisic but I just want to see this lineup at some point soon. Bradley sooooooooo much better when JK isn't trying to play him as a 10 got damn man

[BeesWax]

I have thought Ream could play the LB with Johnson sliding up but after the last game I liked the 4-3-3 the way it was set up. Start that lineup and see how we progress from there with the new LB and RB.

[fatlever]

So much soccer on TV this month. Schedules for both Euros and Copa

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/06/01/euro-2016-copa-america-centenario-tv-viewers-guide-espn-fox

[fatlever]

so, this just happened in the England v Portugal "friendly"

[JDR720]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/hornets/status/738774669302632448[/tweet]

[fatlever]

^That's pretty cool.

[fatlever]

this is pretty cool

[tweet]https://twitter.com/davidscott14/status/739887502719373314[/tweet]

[JDR720]

will team USA get our of their group?

[fatlever]

will team USA get our of their group?

tough to say, the draw between Costa Rica and Paraguay certainly helped. I'm still not convinced we can win vs either of those two, let alone win both. JK once again played so many guys out of position on Friday. Dempsey isn't a center striker in a 4-3-3 and Woods and Zardes are certainly not wingers in a 4-3-3. If we are going to play Dempsey (and we have to because despite his faults he can still score a goal at any time - evidenced by the fact that he pretty much had all our chances), then we need to play him either as the 2nd striker in a 4-4-2 or as the #10 in a 4-2-3-1. And damnit, what does Nagbe have to do to get a start? And wow, how bad was bradley? He'll never get benched, but he has to be better.

My lineup for Tuesday

4-1-3-2 (more of a midfield diamond with width coming from Yedlin and Fabian)


-------------------------Cameron-----------------------Brooks-----------------
Yedlin---------------------------------------------------------------------Fabian
----------------------------------------------Bradley
----------------Jones (or Bedoya)----------Nagbe---------Pulisic (or Bedoya)
------------------------------------Dempsey--------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------Woods----------------------------

[JDR720]

I dont think they will honestly. should've had Morris on the team, he has been playing well for Seattle.


and also http://soccer.realgm.com/wiretap/4138/United-States-Could-Become-Permanent-Copa-America-Host

CONMEBOL and CONCACAF are considering making the Copa America a once-every-four-years tournament permanently hosted by the United States.

They could essentially merge the Copa America and the Gold Cup into one tournament.

The United States have the infrastructure to host such a major tournament on a regular basis, though CONMEBOL countries would have concerns about no longer hosting it on a rotating basis.

[fatlever]

I dont think they will honestly. should've had Morris on the team, he has been playing well for Seattle.


and also http://soccer.realgm.com/wiretap/4138/United-States-Could-Become-Permanent-Copa-America-Host

CONMEBOL and CONCACAF are considering making the Copa America a once-every-four-years tournament permanently hosted by the United States.

They could essentially merge the Copa America and the Gold Cup into one tournament.

The United States have the infrastructure to host such a major tournament on a regular basis, though CONMEBOL countries would have concerns about no longer hosting it on a rotating basis.

Yeah, I never understood the Wondo over Morris pick. It was dumb on 1000 levels. For starters, put Morris in the team to groom him for the future. It would have been a great experience for him.

That would be awesome to really build a tournament with the prestige of the Euros hosted here in US. Every 4 years would be perfect for an event.

On a side note, Mexico still has the most awful fans in soccer.