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Pretoria - U.S.A.~ Algeria - June 23

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Tough game this purely on the basis of what is at stake for both teams so you'd think that neither team will have a cavalier approach. The USA have been the more impressive, as you'd expect, of the both teams and I would expect them to carve a way through this and into the second round.

Algeria, to their credit, looked incredibly comfortable against a disjointed England and moved the ball around well, with good movement and defended tight. I just think that when the USA get going they will have too much for them, the likes of Donovan, Dempsey and Bradley need to really step up to the plate for this one as they would be the difference between the two teams.

The good thing about this group is that it is still very wide open, it has to be said largely due to England not playing like they can and the other teams being more than capable and certainly obstinate. If you go into the final game with fate in your own hands then that's all you can ask for, hopefully the US can grasp it and move on, it's hardly as if any team has performed well enough to give anyone a real fear of what the draw could hold.
 

chicoazul said:
Tough game this purely on the basis of what is at stake for both teams so you'd think that neither team will have a cavalier approach. The USA have been the more impressive, as you'd expect, of the both teams and I would expect them to carve a way through this and into the second round.

Algeria, to their credit, looked incredibly comfortable against a disjointed England and moved the ball around well, with good movement and defended tight. I just think that when the USA get going they will have too much for them, the likes of Donovan, Dempsey and Bradley need to really step up to the plate for this one as they would be the difference between the two teams.

The good thing about this group is that it is still very wide open, it has to be said largely due to England not playing like they can and the other teams being more than capable and certainly obstinate. If you go into the final game with fate in your own hands then that's all you can ask for, hopefully the US can grasp it and move on, it's hardly as if any team has performed well enough to give anyone a real fear of what the draw could hold.
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This... Im not worried about Donovan, he's been our best player this tournament (with Bradley a close 2nd)... Dempsey needs to do something other than take up space on the field... I get the feeling that unless he is scoring, he's not doing anything.
 
Hopefully there aren't anymore over the top dives from the North Americans, I saw Altidore's little tumble against Slovenia.
 
The US has shown they can score goals, something Algeria hasn't been able to do yet. I hope to God they don't find their scoring touch in this game. But given our defense.....yikes.

Donovan, as usual, is the key to everything. He's been our best player, followed closely by Bradley (if there's one thing I wish Bradley did different, it would be his over-commiting on defense, lunging in when he should just stay his ground). Dempsey needs to step up. We need him to contribute as well.
 

jhf14 said:
Dempsey needs to do something other than take up space on the field... I get the feeling that unless he is scoring, he's not doing anything.
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When Fulham signed him I said they just got the next Cahill. I've gotten used to the fact that Dempsey is going to do nothing for 89:55 and hopefully do something awesome in the other 5 sec.
 
Well, there are quite a few selection dilemmas...

Does Gooch get the start, or does Goodson? Or does Bradley (gasp) move Bocanegra over and insert Bornstein or Spector? I really hope not, but I almost think that Bocanegra is needed in the middle.

Who plays opposite Bradley in the center of midfield? Redcardo, or Edu? I don't see Torres getting another start. I think Redcardo gets the start. I don't see Feilhaber being an option with Algeria playing 5 in the midfield.

Dempsey with Altidore? Gomez? Buddle? Donovan???? It's not his best position and I doubt he'd be put there, but wouldn't mind seeing Donovan run behind into the channels. I can't see Dempsey and Altidore up front, they like to operate in the same spaces.
 
Start Edu and Buddle. Everyone else same as started against Slovenia.

Thing is Buddle and LD work very well together and it will, strangely enough, give Donovan an INSIDE strike capability. They've done that before, with Buddle laying the ball back as LD crashes in on the slant.

Of course, they've worked it the other way, too. And if Buddle doesnt snatch it, Edu and/or MB can follow and collect the goal.. Brilliant, WOT?

And Jozy circles round to collect rebound garbage from the other side.

I agree it would be better if Boca was in the middle instead of Gooch, problem being who replaces him at LB? I dont rate Boca highly there but IMO he's better than anyone else we have.

And sorry folks I dont even want to see Beasley on the pitch ANYTIME this WC.
 

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