(editor's note: I recently answered a call to start blogging for a website about soccer. I have been thinking of doing this for quite some time but needed an impetus to get going. This post below was my tryout post for the website. I figured that I spent a decent amount of time writing it so I might as well post it somewhere. So here it is. I created the tag Soccer Blog for this post in case there are more to come. Most likely if I do get the gig then I will point you in that direction or start another blog for this content going forward and this can go back to being a travel and winemaking adventures of Tobin spot. Enjoy:)
Later today (8 EST, BeIN Sport TV) the US Men’s National
team play a World Cup qualifier in Jamaica at Independence Park, the national
stadium commonly referred to as “The Office”.
In related news the Jamaican federation has recently announced that
firearms, knives, ice picks, glass bottles, machetes and drugs have been banned
from the stadium. So the US should feel
good that machetes will no longer be allowed although being Jamaica they might
have a different definition of drugs than we are used to seeing.
Let’s try to predict the lineup because predicting what
Jürgen Klinsman is going to do is normally pretty easy, right? I’m thinking that after spending a year
preaching the 4-3-3 and attacking soccer, Jürgen is going to pivot to a ‘it
would be really nice to get this result away’ and roll out a conservative
4-2-3-1 to start then go for the win at 60’ or 75’ as the game dictates.
Goalie:
Tim Howard
I should have listed Timmy last as this is the only starter
I am 100% sure of predicting.
Defense:
Fabian Johnson, Bocanegra, Cameron, Cherundelo
Bocanegra is a question mark here, Captain America has been
playing in the Scottish fourth division while looking for a new club. Not exactly great World Cup Qualifier
prep. Cameron has been playing in the
central mid spot since moving to Stoke but his heroic effort in Azteca stadium
earns him another start. Cherundelo and
Johnson should be locks on the outsides as they have made the positions their
own.
The 2:
Jermaine Jones and Kyle Beckerman
A guy who at 38 years old played in the PDL under the Jay Göppingen
alias will not pass up the chance to start Kyle Beckerman in Jamaica
right? And Jermaine Jones has more
minutes in a US kit than anyone this year, no way Jürgen doesn’t start him in
this lineup especially with Michael Bradley out.
The attacking 3:
Shea, Dempsey, Danny Williams
I could go three for three here or miss entirely. Keep in mind that Donovan is not available
and will miss his first meaningful qualifier since the Korea/Japan cycle. Dempsey has not played a competitive game in
almost three months, so this one is going to be decided by how Dempsey trained
since arriving at the US camp. Unlike
another prolific EPL scorer who admitted to somehow putting on 10 lbs from the
end of England’s run in the Euro’s to joining Manchester United for this
season, I don’t think that Deuce has it in himself to get that lazy (or fat). According to his twitter feed, Clint has been
spending a lot of time in Texas fishing and then has been staying in shape
training with Fulham’s youth squad. (Thanks Martin Jol, on a side note now that
Fulhamerica is over I would be fine if you get relegated.) If he doesn’t start then expect to see
Dempsey as the 60th minute impact sub. Speaking of impact subs, Brek Shea seems to
be back in the good graces after helping create the historic goal in the US’s
1-0 win in Azteca last month. Shea is
more of an offensive predication, if this lineup comes through expect Fabian
Johnson and Shea to create a large portion of the US’s attack on the left side. And to balance out an attack minded left I
chose Danny Williams on the right. As he
showed against Mexico he is not much of an outside winger going forward. But the man is a rock defensively.
The 1:
Jozy Altidore
I have little doubt that Jozy will start.
He’s been on form early in the season for AZ Alkmaar. The question is when do we see fan favorite
and new “He’s going to be the biggest thing ever for the USMNT” player,
Terrance Boyd? In this setup I see Boyd
as part of the 75’ attacking wave. If
Jürgen decides to start two strikers, Herculez Gomez would most likely get the
nod with Jozy. Herculez’s work rate is
fabulous and he pairs better with Jozy.
They do different things where Boyd and Jozy have not yet spent
significant time on the pitch together and the prevailing thought is that they
are a like for like option.
Kickoff is at 8 pm EST.
While he will never admit it, Jürgen would most likely take a point in
Kingston and count on getting 3 points Tuesday in the return at Crew Stadium.
That’s my prediction; let’s use the comment section to
ridicule how bad it was. Like I said it
could be as good as 11/11 or as bad as 1/11.
