I would play this more like a 4-1-3-1-1 with Altidore playing the role of the lone true striker and Boyd being a possibility there also if Altidore doesn't match his play with the USMNT with what he's done for his club. I have Dempsey playing his preferred withdrawn forward/inside left mid role. I don't see Dempsey as a true winger which I think we desperately need so I include Shea there, who I realize has been up and down. But he possessses the rare skills (for a US player) to go at defenders with pace and beat them one on one and create chances . We don't really have anyone else on the left that can do that. Maybe Gyau down the road. I put Zusi in on the right because of his precision in crosses and the likliehood that Donovan's career may be winding down. Josh Gatt could be a possibility here down the road also. Bradley was a no brainer at CM and will go box to box. He is the engine of this lineup. He will dictate the game. I like Danny Williams as the #6. With our weakness at CB, its essential to have a true #6 for us I believe. The fullbacks are a no brainer assuming Chandler sticks with the US. At centerback I am concerned. I picked these 2 by default but hoping they continue to improve or someone else steps up. Obviously Howard is the guy at keeper. I like this lineup because it utilizes our strength at central mid with 3 guys included in the lineup (Demps, Bradley, DW) playing on top of eachother basically, but not out of position out wide which Klinsmann has tried (and failed) to experiment with. The weakness is that we don't have any true wingers that are International quality right now but I think/hope Zusi and Shea could be by 2014. We do have 2 fullbacks that can help serve in that winger role also with their ability to make overlapping runs.
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Clint
almost 12 years
I would play this more like a 4-1-3-1-1 with Altidore playing the role of the lone true striker and Boyd being a possibility there also if Altidore doesn't match his play with the USMNT with what he's done for his club. I have Dempsey playing his preferred withdrawn forward/inside left mid role. I don't see Dempsey as a true winger which I think we desperately need so I include Shea there, who I realize has been up and down. But he possessses the rare skills (for a US player) to go at defenders with pace and beat them one on one and create chances . We don't really have anyone else on the left that can do that. Maybe Gyau down the road. I put Zusi in on the right because of his precision in crosses and the likliehood that Donovan's career may be winding down. Josh Gatt could be a possibility here down the road also. Bradley was a no brainer at CM and will go box to box. He is the engine of this lineup. He will dictate the game. I like Danny Williams as the #6. With our weakness at CB, its essential to have a true #6 for us I believe. The fullbacks are a no brainer assuming Chandler sticks with the US. At centerback I am concerned. I picked these 2 by default but hoping they continue to improve or someone else steps up. Obviously Howard is the guy at keeper. I like this lineup because it utilizes our strength at central mid with 3 guys included in the lineup (Demps, Bradley, DW) playing on top of eachother basically, but not out of position out wide which Klinsmann has tried (and failed) to experiment with. The weakness is that we don't have any true wingers that are International quality right now but I think/hope Zusi and Shea could be by 2014. We do have 2 fullbacks that can help serve in that winger role also with their ability to make overlapping runs.