Post US-Australia Starting XI

Submitted by 60blue on

 

England’s superiority complex is larger than their beer gut.

-- Alan Black, co-author of The Glorious World Cup: A Fanatics Guide 

After my knee-jerk Starting XI, and my Post US-Turkey Starting XI, it is time for a final look at my proposed lineup for this Saturday.  Nothing really changed for me as the game itself was not very telling with both teams playing not to get hurt and adjusting to the altitude and weather.

Starting XI

                            Howard

Cherundolo   DeMerit   Onyewu   Bocanegra

  Donovan       Edu         Bradley      Dempsey

                     Findley     Altidore

top subs, Torres, Holden, Goodson



Changes:

None

 

Thoughts

Still Findley up top? Yes, still Findley up top.  Dempsey is much more effective on the wing mid (as is Donovan) and having the speed forward paired with a holding forward is a very lethal combination.  Dempsey and Donovan on the wings makes the opposing fullbacks conscious about their runs down the flanks which, in turn, opens up the middle of field for Altidore to check into and Findley to make through runs behind.  This causes havoc for the defense and opens seems for players to run through unmarked.  Dempsey is a better forward than Findley.  Buddle is a better forward than Findley.  Donovan is a better forward than Findley.  Heck, Gomez may be a better forward than Findley.  However, Findley is the only one of that group that has the speed to play the counterpart to Altidore.  Even though he didn't capitalize, he showed how effective it is and should have easily had at least 2 goals because of it.  On a different day with a nicer pitch, maybe he nets both of those.

Neither Australia or the US seemed to care much about this game so to get a 3-1 result is mildly encouraging with Buddle playing the Altidore role very well.  It is very likely that we see significant changes in the lineup between the England and Slovenia games due to their difference in both skill and style of play.  The most largely contested point here is going to be Findley and I firmly believe he will be on the field at kickoff Saturday and relieved around the 70 minute mark with the score determining who comes on.

In a reversal of roles for most sports, the United States is the underdog in this match and we will have the world on our side.  I hate England.  I think we pull this one off 2-1 and soccer takes over the country forever.  Well, maybe not the last part. 

U-S-A!

Comments

NomadicBlue

June 7th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^

I would feel better about it if he would have capitalized those two huge opportunities.  I'm afraid Bradley may give Buddle a little too much credit for those two goals which wer more a product of sloppy defending. 

I just hope we are healthy come Saturday.  It sounds like Altidore will be ready to go, but Onyewu doesn't seem to be progressing as quickly as I thought he would.  Regardless, no excuses come Saturday.  Play with what you got.  That came out wrong.  nevermind.  Just win. 

ken725

June 7th, 2010 at 5:01 PM ^

I would be nice to have Gooch fully ready come Saturday, but Goodson has played well in his place.  I think Findley will start @ forward with Jozy.  Hopefully England's fullbacks will respect his pace and stay back.

 

Also just keep an eye out for card accumulation.  We all know Bradley is good for at least one yellow.  Also the news about the ref for the England match doesn't help either. 

Needs

June 8th, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^

Yeah, I just don't see how you can start Gooch if he hasn't played 90 since October. You're basically guaranteeing one of your subs at CB, which significantly reduces your tactical flexibility, not to mention risking all kinds of communication issues by changing the CB pairing halfway through the 2nd half.

Demerit scares me more than Goodson at this point. He looked really shaky against AUS.

ken725

June 7th, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^

  I would like to see Torres start, but I think BB ends up picking Rico.  He has more int. experience than both Edu and Torres.  IIRC, he played decently in the confed cup.  What scares me are his inaccurate passes and how uncomfortable he looks with the ball at his feet sometimes.

Needs

June 8th, 2010 at 10:13 AM ^

He's also more reckless/clumsy than either Edu or Torres. Witness the sending off against Italy, which, while a very marginal red card, showed his propensity for going in late and high when beaten, the two things FIFA refs seem to penalize most harshly.

He's a poor passer, uncomfortable on the ball and a card risk. (On the plus side, he shoots very well from distance). The only rationale I can figure out for starting him is that Bradley doesn't want to start two 22-year olds in the center of his midfield.

uofmmarcum

June 7th, 2010 at 6:22 PM ^

Buddle may not be the burner that Findley is, but he sure is athletic.  His two goals were definitely the product of some poor defending but that is what the US is going to have to hope for.  England look to be weak at the center back position and Buddle seems ready to pounce.  You also can't discount his chemistry with Donovan, something that could come in very handy on any counter attack (basically the only way the US are looking to score).

The wildcard is absolutely the second center midfielder.  Torres has been the most impressive, while Edu and Clark make the most sense as far as defensive disruptors.  My prediction is that Bradley sees England for what they are, quick on the wings with some great goalscorers.  Past that they are vastly overrated.  Why not break out an attacking line-up that includes Torres in the middle with the hot Buddle up top?

Musket Rebellion

June 8th, 2010 at 1:18 PM ^

I don't know if I would say that England is weak at center back. Even with Ferdinand out (who has looked shakey all year) they still have Terry and King back there. If it weren't for King's knee he would probably have usurped Ferdinand as the starter already. England is perhaps overrated when you compare them to Brazil, Argentina and the like, but they are still a great team. If we can avoid being dirty worked by England's wings then we have a chance, but that is a big if, regardless of who starts.

GoBlueBrooklyn

June 8th, 2010 at 2:18 PM ^

Barring a miracle game like the Spain Confederations Cup match, we are losing this match by at least two goals. The reason? The US back four is not good enough and we lose the midfield match up with Bradley/Edu or Clark or Torres vs Gerrard and Lampard. In order for Findley or Buddle/ Donovan/ Altidore/ Dempsey to make an impact, we need to get them the ball in dangerous areas and use their pace. I only see that happening a few times in this match, with Cole and Johnson eating up Dempsey and Donovan. both of them can run, we have to catch them out on a counter to have much say on the wings . I run this game in my head and I see the US totally getting bossed; fan arrogance is one thing, ability on the pitch is another and despite my hopes for some sort of come-uppance for the Brit supporters who talk shit forever, I can't see it. 

England 3-1 USA 

PurpleStuff

June 8th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^

I agree with a lot of your thoughts if the matchup looks like you (and the OP) suggest in terms of formation and personnel.  Our back line has no chance on their own to stop Rooney and his strike partner operating with Lampard and Gerrard in support.  However, I think you overestimate the England midfield, namely Lampard.  He is a goal poacher who gets a ton of chances at Chelsea hovering around the 18 yard box.  In the middle of the park he is basically useless.  He gets away with it at the club level because Chelsea has had great holding midfielders (Essien, Makelele, Mikel) and has turned Ballack into a non-factor offensively who concentrates almost entirely on the midfield area.  By leaving Walcott at home, England also lost a lot of the speed/talent on the wings that scared me going in. 

The Lampard/Gerrard pairing has caused all sorts of trouble for England (not qualifying for the Euros in 2008) and there is no sign that Capello will stray from it in South Africa.  If we play a three man triangle in the center of midfield (two holding players and Torres would be my pick) I think we'll have a chance to slow the game and maintain possession (Gerrard is good but I don't think he could overcome those numbers).  Losing an unproven striker doesn't scare me when our best goal scorers are Dempsey and Donovan playing on the wing.  The English are not solid enough defensively or in goal for Bradley to take chances trying to score.  We will get our chances but they won't matter if we concede two or three times. 

We have a chance if we can control the center of midfield numerically and turn England into a long ball team.  Capello would be forced to either take his chances slowly breaking us down and leaving himself open to counterattack, or he would have to put a player like Carrick on the park while abandoning Rooney up top (a recipe for frustration on the part of England's favorite John).

http://sports.xin.msn.com/football-channel/photos/photogallery.aspx?cp-…

ken725

June 8th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^

The thought of having Lampard and Gerrard in the midfield is a scary thought.  Like you said, in the end it doesn't work out to their advantage.  If Capello does start them both, one of them is going to have to take a more defensive approach.  I don't see Lampard doing that so that responsibility might fall on Gerard. 

BKam144

June 8th, 2010 at 9:22 PM ^

Putting Findley on the field means Holden is off, which is a terrible switch given that both Donovan and Dempsey can play the 2nd forward role just fine. In fact, Donovan was often popping up in the middle of the field against Australia instead of staying on the right wing where he was in name. I would put him behind Altidore with Holden on the right. Dempsey would be fine as a 2nd forward too as he showed in the Confed Cup last year.

 

@ PurpleStuff

Walcott is not a good winger. Lennon is nearly as fast but with a far better end product. I agree that playing 5 mid-fielders isn't a bad idea, though. If England plays Gerrard and Lampard in the middle they will seriously lack steel in the middle and we'll be able to keep possession easily. I suspect they'll play Gerrard on the left though with Carrick in the middle with Lampard.

 

England playing long ball still scares me. Crouch knocking it down for Rooney and Lampard in the box is going to get them a goal or two.

PurpleStuff

June 8th, 2010 at 10:25 PM ^

Lennon is better than Theo, but Walcott is far more dangerous than Joe Cole (who is required to perform 8 step-overs before falling down or lashing the ball 30 yards wide whenever he's in possession), SWP (a complete donkey), and Milner (almost no offensive game). 

A team with Walcott and Lennon and great open field strikers like Rooney and Defoe would have been far scarier to me than the team England brought (which I am totally fine with).

A.B.E.

UPDATE: If Carrick (who should only be employed as Darren Fletcher's personal valet) and Lampard are running the middle of the park for England, I will piss myself with delight.  That would save me at least a week of waiting until the quarterfinals to watch them get booted on penalties.