USA routs China, 4-1

Goals from DaMarcus Beasley, Benny Feilhaiber, Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu gave the US national team a 4-1 win against China in San Jose on Saturday.

Solid performances all around, particularly in midfield, where Feilhaber and Michael Bradley looked good in making their cases to start in the Gold Cup. Clint Dempsey didn't have a great game before his goal and the back-line was okay.

So what can we gather from this match? We can start to talk about a starting lineup for the Gold Cup. Here's one guess:

-------------Johnson----------------

Beasley---------------------Donovan

-------------Feilhaber----------------

Bradley----------------------Dempsey

Bornstein------------------- Spector

--------Onyewu----Bocanegra-------

---------------Howard----------------

Interesting lineup isn't it? It's nice to look at but it is to see that lineup and formation working against top Gold Cup teams like Mexico and Costa Rica. The reason a 4-3-3 was okay for tonight's match vs. China was because the game was on a narrow field and the Chinese weren't overly dangerous in the middle of the field. Yes, Bradley and Feilhaber offer enough of a defensive element in midfield but I see this group working better lined up this way:

------------------Johnson-------------------

Beasley----------Donovan---------Dempsey

------------Bradley-------Feilhaber---------

Bornstein---------------------------Spector

------------Bocangra---Onyewu------------

-------------------Howard-------------------

I know, I know, the last thing US national team fans want to see is a 4-5-1 but they need to get over the myth that last year's World Cup woes were formation related.  This lineup is pretty solid and with Johnson's current form and the way Bradley and Feilhaber are playing I think the attack could work well. I know some of you will lobby for a Twellman but I just don't see who he replaces on here.

For those of you who like pictures, here are a couple more from the US-China match:

What did you think about today's match? Post your thoughts below:

Comments

[Tony M]

Just back from the match. i may post some comments later, but for now I have to say that the Benny - Bradley combination in midfield looks like it can mature into a great tandem. Dempsey did try to dribble through defenders too much, but he did make a lot of nice passes in close quarters. I think he hung on to the ball too long sometimes because there was no one in front of him or near by. A couple times I think he was dribbling trying to get fouled. As for Bocanegra....the guy is good.

[shaj]

very dissapointed nyguen got only 10 minutes esp since there was so much more hype about him than davies and hill, who came in before him! he did have a few nice moments, including a nice lob to dempsey who should have scored at the end.

[scaryice]

I would be willing to bet Mastroeni and Clark start in the midfield for the Gold Cup.

[Tim]

--------Johnson--------Donovan--------

Beasley--------------------------Dempsey

------------Bradley-------Feilhaber---------

Bornstein---------------------------Spector

------------Bocangra---Onyewu------------

-------------------Howard-------------------

[Harp]

Mastroeni cannot play the first two games of the Gold Cup due to the red card he got in the World Cup against Italy.

[erik]

Why wouldn't you start Simek at RB and Spector at LB?

[Dave]

I like the look with Dempsey sitting back with Bradley and Feilhaber. When he was in New England, he was at his best paired with Cancela and Joseph in the middle of the field, not as a dedicated A-mid or out wide. At the time, he showed a lot of promise as a two-way midfielder, letting the game come to him and making dangerous late runs.

[Ben]

That was a really fun game to watch. I know it was mostly die to the fact that it was basically an Indoor Soccer game, but it was really entertaining, especially with the 4-3-3 Bradley put out there.

Ives, you have the exact same Gold Cup lineup I would put out there. Good thinking!

Erik, Simek is great and it would not be a bad thing to start him, but he doesn't seem to have the offensive side to his game that Bornstein and Spector do. With teams like Guatemala that are going to be playing one-forward, defensive soccer, we're going to need the fullbacks to help the wingers because they're not going to be as needed in defense.

[Jonathan]

I hate the 4-5-1. Not because of World Cup '06, I have always disliked it. The midfield gets too bottled up and the forward is on an island. Why not make it a 4-4-2 and move Donovan or Dempsey up top?

[Ben]

The forward is not really on an island if the wingers and number 10 are playing where they're supposed to be. A 4-5-1 is more designed for ground based passing football than the English-style swingers into the box game that US seems to unfortunately emulate. We need to learn to play different formations and styles if we're going to compete at high level international competition.

That 4-3-3 yesterday was great. I know there isn't really a way to fit our best player, Donovan, into a 4-3-3, but I feel confident in that if he gets injured. Bradely and Feilhaber were great and with Beasley and Dempsey on the wings, you really can't go wrong.

[Tony M]

Jonathan:

I hate the 4-5-1 too, but with Beasley, Donovan and Dempsey behind EJ, it would be a pretty attack minded version of it. It could wind up feeling like a 4-4-2 or even a 4-3-3 at times with the added unpredictability of never knowing which of that trio is going to move up into the attack. So in principle I'm with you, but in this instance, it might be interesting.

[Ben]

And now that I think about, the 4-5-1 Ives and I are suggesting can really be classified as a 4-3-3 in a way if you think of the positioning like this.

Beasley-----Johnson-----Dempsey
-----------Donovan------------
------Bradley-----Feilhaber------
Bornstein-----------------Spector
----- Bocanegra----Onyewu------
------------Howard-------------

[Jonathan]

Ben:

I understand how the 4-5-1 is supposed to work. It just seems like it doesn't always work that way. Thinking back to World Cup '06 and the last time we played Guatemala (they ran a 4-5-1) the game seems to get slowed up a lot. The U.S. is way to fast to alow the game to get that slow. Though, with Donovan, Beasley and Dempsey in the midfield maybe that won't happen. Either way, Bradley is a great coach and he will put the best team out there for us to win.

[Dan]

Ben - I've never really seen Dempsey show some speed and work the flank like Beasley does. I think calling it a 4-3-3 is a stretch.

Also, @ 4-5-1 and why it shouldn't be a 4-4-2: Donovan is at his best when he's running out of the midfield. He and EJ have terrific speed, and everyone has seen Donovan dice a defense sprinting out of the midfield (esp. v. Ecuador).

[Lalique]

Anybody notice that Bornstein gave up the free kick that led to the first goal? He also got burned a number of other times that led to great opportunities - any other team besides China would have converted. Definitely not convinced by his play, especially since as a defender his defense and marking should be better than his offense.

[Ben]

Well then have fun with Simek and Spector in the back farting out crosses and letting the front 4 do all the work.

[Ben]

Why do people hate Bornstein so much?

Everyone says they want more of an attacking mentality in the 'Nats, but then they pick apart a guy like Bornstein. If you want more attacking and you don't want 4-5-1s, you're gonna have to deal with the blowback, too.

[Ben]

I know, I know, HEATH PEARCE. Once he starts playing somewhere higher than a mid-level team in a league below MLS, we'll talk.

[Eric]

4-5-1 vs 4-3-3

It's about the team attitude, more so than the formation in making it offensive or defensive. The US in the last WC, as well as those disappointing-though-tense Champions League specials, were never going to take chances anyway. An attack-minded 4-5-1 is as fun to watch as any.

And speaking of CL, I've been let down by too many PSV Eindhoven matches to harbor the illusion that 4-3-3 means daring attack.

Eric

[Jonathan]

You want attack minded defenesmen? I got two names for you: Frankie Hejduk and Steve Cherundulo (I know Cherundolo is not on the Gold Cup roster). Why is everyone leaving them out of right back. Hejduk is way more offensive than anything I have seen out of Spector. Hejduk plays hard for the whole 90+ minutes and plays both sides of the field. I honostly feel that if it wasn't for his knee he would have made a huge difference in the World Cup.

[Skaven]

I have an off-shore team in Guangzhou, China and I bet one of the team members on the game. If the USA side won, he had to wear a USA jersey for a day and sing the US national anthem. Same for the Chinese jersey and anthem if the Chinese side had won. Thank God they didn't! :)

[newton he]

China uses to be good in the 50s but now since the loss to the us and not very talented players on the field makes the coach unhappy. America can't even do well in copa America so i think they should just China and the US should meet again in 2008 not just soccer but every sport.

[newton he]

Why don't you be quiet okay China has bad leadership in the soccer league only chicks are better.