Pretty much illustrates the area that Nagbe needs to improve on

Don't think Arriola is quite there yet?

Curious to see what people think are the depth chart for the MF options. I guess it all depends on if we play 4 MF's or 5.

Defensive midfield: Bradley, McCarty
Box to Box: Acosta, Bedoya, Corona (?)
Left Side: Johnson, Nagbe, Rowe, Zardes
Right Side: Pulisic, Johnson, Arriola, Bedoya
Attacking: Pulisic, Dempsey, Corona?

I'm sure I screwed that up but curious to see what y'all think.

You can add Cameron, Jones and Williams to def mids.
I guess Lletget would be more an attacking mid.

Hickory High said:

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Don't think Arriola is quite there yet?

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I think, like Bedoya and Nagbe, opponents and strategy are going to dictate playing time. I love his speed and aggressiveness. But I'd like to see him against better competition and see how he works with Yedlin/Johnson on the wings.

I think Yedlin would start in place of Villafana on your team.

I think I see our Starting XI in Russia (assuming we make it) looking like this:


-----------Altidore-------------


Nagbe-----Pulisic------Bedoya


------Bradley-----Acosta-------

Johnson-Cameron-Brooks-Yedlin

--------------Howard-----------


Then have a bench that consists of:

Dempsey
Arriola
Besler
Gonzales
Villafana
Williams (hope he gets another shot) or Dax
Morris
Wood
one more defender (please no Zusi--Lichaj? DMB?)
one more midfielder (lots of options, whoever starts MLS on fire next year)


That is a pretty talented squad. You have three midfielders in advanced positions that can possess and maintain possession in Pulisic, Bedoya and Nagbe, that will help keep pressure off of Bradley and Acosta.

tysker said:

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Hickory High said:

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Don't think Arriola is quite there yet?

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I think, like Bedoya and Nagbe, opponents and strategy are going to dictate playing time. I love his speed and aggressiveness. But I'd like to see him against better competition and see how he works with Yedlin/Johnson on the wings.

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I think Arriola improved his standing during this tournament, but his crosses/service really need work. I think Zusi does far better in that department, although we've been playing him as a RB lately. I'm not arguing for more Zusi here, just saying that Arriola needs to sharpen up in actually getting the ball into the danger zone.

If we're looking for more mids who play on the opponent's half, I'd like to see more Kelyn Rowe. He had some great shots on goal, kept possession in the face of defenders, and assisted Dwyer.

That said, I think we actually have more talented mids than we have in a long time - too many I'd like to start, which is a nice change.

Pulisic and Bradley are musts. Nagbe is right after them, for me.

Fabian Johnson is a guy I want to see starting every game, regardless of position.

That's four already (if Johnson plays as a mid), but Arena sure seems to be planning on Acosta starting.

After thinking about it some more, I wouldn't mind seeing the US experimenting with three at the back, Bradley and Acosta on top of them, then Nagbe/Pulisic/Johnson, and Jozy and Wood up top.

We are actually starting to develop some depth. Nice.

Aston94 said:

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I think Yedlin would start in place of Villafana on your team.

I think I see our Starting XI in Russia (assuming we make it) looking like this:


-----------Altidore-------------


Nagbe-----Pulisic------Bedoya


------Bradley-----Acosta-------

Johnson-Cameron-Brooks-Yedlin

--------------Howard-----------


Then have a bench that consists of:

Dempsey
Arriola
Besler
Gonzales
Villafana
Williams (hope he gets another shot) or Dax
Morris
Wood
one more defender (please no Zusi--Lichaj? DMB?)
one more midfielder (lots of options, whoever starts MLS on fire next year)


That is a pretty talented squad. You have three midfielders in advanced positions that can possess and maintain possession in Pulisic, Bedoya and Nagbe, that will help keep pressure off of Bradley and Acosta.

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No Wondolowski? GTFO!

I'd use the following:


-------------Altidore----Wood----------------

Johnson----Bradley----Acosta----Pulisic

Villafana---Brooks---Cameron---Yedlin

----------------------Howard---------------------


Pulisic would likely tuck into the middle allowing Yedlin to push forward to provide width. I'm pretty leery of leaving Jozy up top as a single striker for long stretch of the game.

Aston94 said:

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I think Yedlin would start in place of Villafana on your team.

I think I see our Starting XI in Russia (assuming we make it) looking like this:


-----------Altidore-------------


Nagbe-----Pulisic------Bedoya


------Bradley-----Acosta-------

Johnson-Cameron-Brooks-Yedlin

--------------Howard-----------


Then have a bench that consists of:

Dempsey
Arriola
Besler
Gonzales
Villafana
Williams (hope he gets another shot) or Dax
Morris
Wood
one more defender (please no Zusi--Lichaj? DMB?)
one more midfielder (lots of options, whoever starts MLS on fire next year)


That is a pretty talented squad. You have three midfielders in advanced positions that can possess and maintain possession in Pulisic, Bedoya and Nagbe, that will help keep pressure off of Bradley and Acosta.

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Bedoya starting over Dempsey is going make some people very unhappy (though I could totally seeing it happen)

akm91 said:

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I'd use the following:


-------------Altidore----Wood----------------

Johnson----Bradley----Acosta----Pulisic

Villafana---Brooks---Cameron---Yedlin

----------------------Howard---------------------


Pulisic would likely tuck into the middle allowing Yedlin to push forward to provide width. I'm pretty leery of leaving Jozy up top as a single striker for long stretch of the game.

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I like the possibility of Cameron playing higher up on the field as kind of a false d-mid though I'm uncertain if Yedlin or Villfana have the discipline needed to stay back

-------------Altidore----Wood---------
Nagbe------Pulisic----Johnson
-------------Bradley-------------------
-------------Cameron-------------
Villafana---Brooks----Yedlin

----------------------Howard---------------------

There is a zero percent chance we play two forwards with Pulisic sitting behind them. He is not a defensive mid type, when you play a 4-4-2 the two CM really have to be great defenders. Just don't think you will ever see Altidor-Wood and Pulisic in playing together like that.

If you have all three on the field Wood or Pulisic would be on a wing and you would bring in an Acosta or Dax into the middle to assist Bradley, otherwise we would get killed in the midfield.

Bedoya and Dempsey are two different players, I think Dempsey is going to naturally move to the super sub position. It really makes the most sense for him at this point in his career.

akm91 said:

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I'd use the following:


-------------Altidore----Wood----------------

Johnson----Bradley----Acosta----Pulisic

Villafana---Brooks---Cameron---Yedlin

----------------------Howard---------------------


Pulisic would likely tuck into the middle allowing Yedlin to push forward to provide width. I'm pretty leery of leaving Jozy up top as a single striker for long stretch of the game.

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I think I would rather have Nagbe on the field over Villafana, and move FJ back to the defender, placing Nagbe on the wing. I want to see Nagbe and FJ together on a wing, Nagbe likes to come inside, and it would open up space for FJ to make runs and crosses, which is his strength.

I jus don't think we will see Pulisic, Wood and Altidore on the field together, all three are too offensive minded. Pulisic is a great young talent, but needs to work on tracking back as a defender.

I don't think you give Pulisic enough credit for tracking back on defense.

Quote:

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Sources say that one reason Pulisic has earned the trust of coach Thomas Tuchel is Pulisic's commitment to tracking back on defense, which has separated him from Dortmund's other attacking options. While that defensive duty may have hindered Pulisic's own attacking play at times, it has also made him someone Tuchel feels like he can call on in tight situations like the one Dortmund could be facing at Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League's round of 16. He'll begin the match on the bench, a rarity for him in the competition after starting five of six games in the group stage.

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Pulisic and commitment to defense

I agree, Pulisic frequently tracks back and takes the ball off of the other team.

akm91 said:

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I don't think you give Pulisic enough credit for tracking back on defense.

Quote:

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Sources say that one reason Pulisic has earned the trust of coach Thomas Tuchel is Pulisic's commitment to tracking back on defense, which has separated him from Dortmund's other attacking options. While that defensive duty may have hindered Pulisic's own attacking play at times, it has also made him someone Tuchel feels like he can call on in tight situations like the one Dortmund could be facing at Benfica on Tuesday in the Champions League's round of 16. He'll begin the match on the bench, a rarity for him in the competition after starting five of six games in the group stage.

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Pulisic and commitment to defense

I guess I wasnt't clear in my point. Pulisic's defense is fine for an "attacking option", as the coach said. In a 4-4-2 the two central midfielders are not attacking options, they both need to be defensively minded players.

I do not think you will ever see a 4-4-2 with Wood and Altidore up top, with Pulisic behind as a mid. I don't want Pulisic to have to play a central mid in a 4-4-2 because it would take away his offensive abilities.

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