Post Reply to Clark's Pitch

This is not a vent board or any other kind of therapy. Before you hit the POST button, ask yourself if your contribution will add to the level of discussion going on.

Important notes on articles:

Handle:
Password:
Subject:

Message:

HTTP Link (optional):

Poster's Email (optional):

 


Post being replied to

Jesse Gonzalez at GK is interesting by plaid_pants

GK:
For years Jesse Gonzalez said he wanted to play for Mexico. If we could cup tie him, that would be a plus because he is very young and the current starter for FC Dallas.
I'd really like to see what Hamid could do in a USMNT game. He is handicapped with the worst team in the MLS making him hard to evaluate. I don't think Howard is in good form this year.
It should be OK for Arena to not select him without causing a stir, but I don't know if his personality could handle that.

Defenders:
Justin Morrow is having a very good year with Toronto. Eric Lichaj was named player of the year for Nott Forrest in the Championship (I think it may actually be two years in a row). Jonathan Spector is playing very well with Orlando right now. I have hyped up Jorge Villafana before. Gold Cup seems like a great place to see if the success of these players translates to international play.
Many MLS fans say Matt Hedges of Dallas is the best defender in the league. Having watched numerous Dallas games this year, I don't even know what he looks like or what is his number. It may be that he is like a lock-down corner, so good that he never gets tested and so doesn't appear on your TV screen. I just don't know.

Midfielders:
I'd love to see Dax McCarthy get a turn instead of Bradley for a bit. Red Bulls just can't seem to put it together since he left and Chicago is play-off team since he joined. I think Nagbe is a better version of Bedoya. Pulisic is clearly the best player for the USMNT right now.
The other choices are certainly interesting. Zardes does not look in form following his injury. McNamara is not even starting for NYCFC. I don't think Kellyn Acosta is quite ready yet, but I like him as a central midfield substitute (do we ever do that?). Kelyn Rowe is having a good year, but I'm not sure he is at international level. I don't see us using Pontius if we have Pulisic or Dempsey on the field.

Will Trapp is an OK selection at center midfield but I feel like I would rather see Dillon Powers as a #8 instead. Power's size would be good for the Gold Cup.

Forwards:
The list looks like Arena wants to play a 442. Jordan Morris can play advanced Forward. CJ Sapong is the only target man we have. Wondo is the best poacher. Dempsey is the best False 9. Dwyer is a pit bull as a defensive harrier type forward. Altidore is good facing the goal.
None of these guys, except for maybe Dwyer, can play up top by themselves. They need to work off of another player to be effective. I think Zardes works best as a forward working with a partner as well. If we are going to play 442, we need the Gold Cup to figure out who partners well with each other.
Dwyer is the closest thing resembling Giovinco's energy, so we could try him with Altidore to recreate the Toronto offense. Dempsey could hang back off of either Sapong or Morris. I like the thought of Demspey feeding balls to Morris better than passing to Sapong. Sapong can be the Route 1 plan B of the 88th minute.

Putting it all together, and letting Bradley roam in the Jermaine Jones role:

-----------Dwyer---Altidore-------------
Nagbe---Bradley----McCarthy------Pulisic
Morrow---Hedges----Spector--------Lichaj
---------------Hamid--------------------


Save the more conventional line up for the World Cup qualifiers.