COPA AMERICA: US lineup vs. Argentina?
So there is a US national team starting XI for tonight's game against Argentina floating around the web. I haven't gotten confirmation of it (ESPN.com's match tracker and the Copa America site have it but USSoccer.com's matchtracker isn't up yet) so I'm not buying this one. I figured I could still toss it out to see what you folks thought of it:
--------------Johnson----------------
Mapp--------Kljestan---------Gomez
--------Feilhaber---Clark-----------
Moor---Califf------Conrad----Wynne
----------------Keller-----------------
This group doesn't make much sense since it doesn't include either of the team's natural left backs, Bornstein and Pearce. That's the biggest problem I have with it. Well that and the absence of DeMerit.
What do I see the lineup being? After some more consideration I think this is what we'll see:
------------------Johnson-------------------
Mapp------------Feilhaber---------Nguyen
--------------Olsen------Clark-----------
Bornstein--DeMerit----Conrad----Wynne
---------------------Keller-----------------
Why this lineup? Johnson has the speed to at least bother the Argentina central defense (though actually finishing is another story). I like Nguyen and Mapp on the flanks and I think a Feilhaber-Clark-Olsen central midfield could work well (although I have to say that I like the Kljestan-Feilhaber-Clark triangle in the lineup circulating the web).
I'm not down in Venezuela so I don't know what kind of form certain guys are in at the moment but I think this group could do well. Pearce has to get some consideration to start but I see Bradley going with his guy. If neither Bornstein or Pearce start then I'm really at a loss (though Bornstein has to be somewhat fatigued after playing in both the Gold Cup semis and final). I would also wonder about not choosing DeMerit, who looked solid in the Gold Cup.
I'm not sure about Nguyen's fitness either. He's out of season and is just coming back from shoulder surgery. I know he saw time in the China friendly but that's about it. Gomez might be worth a look there considering he's in-season. Actually, the Starting XI being floated around isn't that crazy except for back-line.
As soon as a lineup is officially announced (or I get good word on the lineup) I'll post it. If the above lineup really is the starting lineup then I'll stamp it as official when I get the word.
