Italy meets the US in Group E encounter in Kaiserslautern at 9:00 PM German time (3:00 PM EST)
The biggest match that the US play to keep alive their hopes. This group has been blown wide open with Ghana’s upset over the Czech Republic.
1)The first thing the US needs to bring is energy. Arena has to get all his attacking players up. The US has to attack early with Eddie Johnson and Brian McBride. Dempsey will play the right and Bobby Convey on the left. Landon Donovan who has been to the US team as Michael Owen has been to the English. A very talented enigma. Donovan play’s the attacking midfielder, pushing forward creating chances through the middle. But if he doesn’t then Clint Dempsey offers a more solid option, hustling for the ball. Claudio Reyna has to get his captain’s groove on for this match and direct the attack. Switch the points of attack to open up the field.
2)You have to win a lot of the 50/50’s against the strong Italian defence. Gattuso is the holding midfielder. Nesta, and Cannavaro the central defenders are going to be physical. On the other hand the US has to defend against the twin attack of Luca Toni and Gilardino. Toni is the highest scorer in the Serie with 31 goals, is strong off the air, and an excellent finisher. Gilardino is a sniper around the box. Switch to the more flexible, 3-5-2 to give more variation in the attack and defence. The taller Carlos Bocanegra is in the starting line up to protect against the taller Luca Toni (6’3″).
Mastroeni might be substituted by John O’Brien in the second half. And Brian Ching could see his first cap.
Update: Italy gets back Gianluca Zambrotta at left-back, with Fabio Grosso dropping out, and striker Francesco Totti has been passed fit to start.
Italy: Buffon, Zaccardo, Nesta, Cannavaro, Zambrotta, Perrotta, Pirlo, De Rossi, Totti, Toni, Gilardino.
Subs: Amelia, Barone, Barzagli, Camoranesi, Del Piero, Gattuso, Grosso, Iaquinta, Inzaghi, Materazzi, Oddo, Peruzzi.
USA: Keller, Cherundolo, Onyewu, Pope, Bocanegra, Dempsey, Mastroeni, Reyna, Convey, McBride, Donovan.
Subs: Albright, Beasley, Berhalter, Ching, Conrad, Hahnemann, Howard, Johnson, Lewis, O’Brien, Olsen, Wolff.
Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Uruguay).
One comment on “USA- Italy: Clint Dempsey to start”
My oh my…there has been some suspect officiating in the Cup thus far, but the Red card on Pablo M. was absolutely ridiculous and an obvious make-up call. A yellow?…perhaps, maybe even definitely, but a straight red?? Absurd. No class, shameless…what a coward that official is. The first red was the right call, a direct, forcefull elbow to the bridge of the nose…but a slightly late tackle…one we’ve already seen in the game w/ no call made? Shameless. I hope FIFA is watching and sends him home.