US Soccer V. Argentina: Preview
The United States Men's National Soccer Team will line up tomorrow night against one of the world's top national sides, Argentina, at the New Meadowlands Stadium, just outside of New York City. This is the first match in quite some time for the Americans, having had a scheduled friendly against Egypt in Cairo abandoned due to the unrest in the nation.
The USMNT will use this match as a way to ramp into this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup, the top international tournament in the region. More importantly than regional bragging rights, however, is a berth in the 2013 Confederations Cup, a tournament to be held in Brazil as a warm-up for the World Cup a year later.
The United States took advantage of this tournament in 2009 to go on a stellar run, shutting out eventual World Cup champions Spain en route to a tough loss to Brazil in the final. The Americans would like nothing more than to have that tournament on their calendar again as it appeared to provide a great deal of confidence for the Yanks moving into the summer of 2010.
Without much further preamble, DTOT's Matt Bick and Sean Monaghan will take you through a brief preview of the encounter that is set to debut the new American #RedAllOver jersey.
What Formation Are We Likely to See from the Yanks?
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Sean Monaghan: I think the formation we are most likely to see is a 4-4-2, however, I think we will play Clint Dempsey as a withdrawn striker, right behind Jozy Altidore like he does sometimes for Fulham. I think with the right people around him, Clint could really thrive in that role instead of playing on the wing.
Matt Bick: I do like how Dempsey has been playing lately—he's the first guy to reach double digit goals in the Premier League for an American, so that's something to be pleased with if you're Deuce—but what I'd prefer to see is a 4-5-1, modified into a 4-2-3-1.
That's a lineup that Bradley has experimented with a little bit in the friendlies to end 2010, and I think it could work quite well. Altidore would remain up top as a lone striker, but he'd have support on the wings with runs from Dempsey and Donovan. Having two central mids running up the gut behind him would make for a pretty potent attack.
Who Will Be the Most Exciting Player to Watch on Offense for the US MNT?
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SM: I'm really excited to watch Mixx Diskerud at center midfielder. He had a great game against South Africa in his first friendly and has been a very solid player for his club team in Norway, Stabaek.
If he gets the chance for some significant minutes in this friendly, or even the upcoming one against Paraguay, he will have the opportunity to play with guys like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Jermaine Jones and Michael Bradley.
Playing with guys of this level of quality will really make Mix a better player, or at the very least, get him even more used to playing with these guys on a pretty large stage. Diskerud has a fantastic first touch and excellent field vision. I really rate Mix as one for the future.
MB: I think for me, the most interesting guy to watch on offense is going to be Jermaine Jones. In his first friendly with the US, he sent a great ball to Jozy Altidore for the American goal. I think with him now getting more settled in the American set-up, he could be one to really be a catalyst for the Americans.
We already know what players like Dempsey, Donovan, Altidore, and Bradley can do—each of them has been spectacular for the Yanks at various times. Jones, however, is a player who we still don't know a ton about yet as far as international play goes.
As I said, the first look we got at him was tantalizing, and now he'll have a full strength squad around him. If he can continue to make plays like he did in his first cap, he'll be a very bright star for the Yanks moving forward. And of course, with his penchant for very physical play, I anticipate that he'll take some pressure off of what could be a very young American defense.
Who Will Be the Most Exciting Player to Watch on Defense for the US MNT?
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SM: On defense, I'm very excited to get a chance to watch Tim Chandler. Chandler came out of total obscurity in the last few months, breaking into his club's first team just this winter. He's been starting with Nurnberg FC of the German Bundesliga at both right back and right midfield.
It's great to have somebody in the player pool that can play both positions and is starting most of his games in one of the best leagues in the world. Maybe Bradley will even try him out at left back, considering we've been looking for a long term replacement in the position for quite a while now.
He's in a similar position to Jones in terms of international eligibility, having had a German mother and an American serviceman for a father, meaning that he has the opportunity to play for either Germany or the US. Apparently, though, he has wanted to play for the Yanks for a while now, so welcome!
MB: I'd love to see Chandler, but since this is his first international camp period, and he apparently doesn't speak a ton of English yet, I'm not sure how many minutes we really get to see him on the pitch. For me, the most exciting guy to watch will be Tim Ream. The New York center back has proven himself domestically in MLS since day one, literally.
Ream started every game for his club in his rookie season, and some even think he was a snub for not being named rookie of the year. Ream proved himself again on the international level with games against South Africa, but really shined in a 1-1 draw with a fast and dangerous Chile squad. Bob Bradley threw youngster Omar Gonzalez into the fire against Brazil in August of 2010, and I'm anticipating seeing Ream get the same treatment with a start against Argentina.
Who Is the Most Exciting New Player for the US MNT?
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SM: This is an interesting one, because the person I'm really look forward to seeing is a player that hasn't been in national team camp for a while, Sacha Kljestan. After Mbark Moussoufa's move to Russia, it looks like Kljestan might finally be getting some more minutes with his club team, Anderlecht.
I think while he's on top of his game, he still has something that our midfield pool lacks: he can really make that one pass to open unlock a defense. His playing style reminds me a lot of Zidane; he might not be the fastest player, but a great first touch, a good soccer brain and knowing how to pick out the final pass can really set Sacha apart if he starts playing the way he was when he was on top of his form.
MB: For me, the most exciting new face has to be Chandler. He's a player that obviously has a good deal of skill—Nurnberg is pushing for a spot in the Europa league next season thanks in part to Chandler's contributions on the pitch.
He has the ability to play either of the wing back positions, and if he can demonstrate a lot of skill in camp, and perhaps in meaningful minutes against Paraguay next week, he might well be a player to watch going into the Gold Cup.
Also, although he's not a new face, I'm excited to see Eric Lichaj back in camp. He's had a rough go of it lately in England, but he still is a player with a ton of promise and could be equally helpful at solving the left back problem.
Projected Starting XI?
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SM: Howard, Chandler, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Bornstein, Feilhaber, Jones, Edu, Donovan, Dempsey and Altidore. Dempsey should be playing as a withdrawn striker. I think Bob Bradley will go to Bornstein at left back since he's been playing well for Tigres in Mexico, although it's been mostly as a center midfielder.
It's really unfortunate that Stuart Holden was injured last week against Manchester United; I would definately have him start in this game since he's been in the form of his life this season with Bolton Wanderers.
MB: Howard, Spector, Onyewu, Ream, Bocanegra, Edu, Jones, Dempsey, Bradley, Donovan and Altidore. I think Bob Bradley, for a game as potentially big as a matchup against Argentina, starts a guy who has a pretty good amount of international experience in Spector at right back over Lichaj. Spector was awful in the immediate run-up to the World Cup, but he has since reclaimed his form in England for West Ham.
Bradley will, I think, go with Tim Ream at center back to partner Onyewu instead of Jay DeMerit simply because DeMerit only recently began training and playing again after a several month layoff. In the midfield, we see Jones and Edu getting a lot of action clogging the midfield to make it more difficult for Argentina to get inside the US defense, but those two will also look to provide good service for the rest of the attack.
I think we eventually see one of them subbed off, though, to allow Juan Agudelo to partner Altidore up top, as I think Bradley is curious how those two could combine.
