Not a fan of the US lineup today
GK - Howard
RB- Johnson
CB - Besler
CB - Cameron
LB - Beasley
CDM - Jones
CDM - Beckerman
RM - Dempsey
CM - Bradley
LM - Bedoya
ST Jozy
Beckerman and Jones on the field at the same time is largely a waste. If you're gonna do that throw Cameron up there with Gonzalez and bench Jones. I also don't like taking Dempsey out of his best position for us. He will be out of his poaching position.
I wasn't sure about the lineup either.. but I think it is the right type of lineup for the first two games... plenty of cover for the defense... to help against the speed of Ghana and then against Christiano.... (who I hope still has a nagging injury....)
Jones and Beckerman were both really good today.. and of course Bradley was great after the first fifteen minutes...
Beckerman is a nice, comfy, solid, safety blanket there just in front of the defenders....he isn't great at anything, but is above average across the board... and has a huge engine.
Jones made a nice pass to start the first goal... and his run to the top of the box kept the attention of one defender allowing the pass from the line to get across to Jozy for the easy tap in. It was a beautiful team goal!
The second goal...two great plays from Bradley and Jozy... great pass by Bradley... great first touch and switch to his right foot... then crushed a right footed shot past the keeper.... so nice!
Nigeria is no slouch..... they may not have played their best today... but a lot of that was because of how well the USA played.... Nigeria did nothing the second half until the subs were made late in the game.
Gonzales... I don't expect to see him play in Brazil at this point, unless there is an injury to one of the other three center backs.
F. Johnson at right fullback has been amazing... his attacking skills from that position give the US something they've never really had there...
Also.. did you see the burst of Chandler towards the end of the game.. he was screaming down the left side with the ball... Nigeria isn't slow... but he just left them in his dust... that is why he was brought back into this team.
Anyway, this was a great way to head into the Cup... take down Ghana and then see what happens!