re: US-Czech Republic | 8pm ET ESPN

i dont think demerit is gonna start

why is everyone trying to frick with a godo thing. spector needs to be playing one of the backs.

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Demerit is versatile enough to play anywhere on the back line

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Except the two outside back positions, because he's not remotely fast enough, and I don't now if I've ever seen him go forward, but other than that, yeah, he can play either center back position.

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Spector has said he would prefer to play center half though. I don't see why we can't try him there, but I don't know if we will see it happen

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If you have a time machine, you can go back to the end of 2009, where we started him in the center against Slovakia and Denmark.

And gave up four goals in two games.

Keep going, though. You're on a roll today.

I think Spector is probably under consideration as an emergency central defender just as Bornstein is, if Gooch, DeMerit, Bocanegra and Goodson are all raped and murdered by the locals. You never know what injuries and card accumulations will occur. That's why you give those guys exposure to it during the qualifying cycle.

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The times I saw Spector this season for West Ham, he looked pretty suspect. His ability to get forward and put in a great cross is better than Dolo, but Dolo is a much better defender.

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yeah well pearce might be too, but yall all know what bob ball wants to do and thats attack with the backs if possible. and spector is outstanding with his delivery

i dont think demerit has ever played left back for the us. why would it start now

spector/gooch/(boca/demerit)/(boca/dolo)

i guess im a little confused at the spector hate

I just said Demerit is versatile enough to play across the back line. I've always said my ideal line up is

Bocanegra Demerit Onyewu Spector/Cherundolo

Cherundolo is still a better defender than Spector, but he has declined A LOT offensively the past two years. I was watching the 2006 Italy game, and he clowned a greaser or two going forward.

Guess it depends on what you need from your respective outside backs. If Bocanegra is playing on the left, you can almost play a "slanted" 4-4-2, where Spector goes forward into offense (and to cover the part of the field that Dempsey won't), and Donovan covers more of the left side, as the three remaining defenders ease to the right.

We did a lot of this in the second half, vs. Honduras last summer, and it worked, for the most part.

If Bornstein is your left back, I think Cherundolo needs to play on the other side.

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I think the best time for Dolo will be in situations with Holden wide and Dempsey up top. Holden's cross is better than Spector's which allows Dolo to drop back and defend.

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To second this... I think if Dempsey is on the right, Dolo HAS to be there to cover his arse. I like Dempsey a lot, but I think he is at best, an opportunistic defender.

When Dempsey is at right mid, there is always a gap where he should be tracking back to, in front of the defenders. Brazil and Italy ate this alive. As soon as he was moved up top, and either Feilhaber or Holden were brought on, that hole disappeared.

Spector + Dempsey on one side, and Bornstein on the other is going to leave us wide open at some point.

Anyone have the starting lineups yet? Is this gonna be a Starting 11, World Cup preview OR a tryout for the guys on the roster bubble?

Yeah thats what i figured

Hopefully my boys JF Torres and Buddle can make a statement