Bradley still has many decisions to make for USA

Soccer Betting Lines

05/26/2010 - Princeton, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Even with the announcement of his final 23- man roster for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa on Wednesday afternoon, United States coach Bob Bradley has a lot of important decisions to make.

The versatility of a number of players on the roster gives Bradley several options in both formation and starting 11 leading up to the USA's first Group C match vs. England on June 12.

Will he use just one striker and five midfielders in front of his four-man back line? Who will start in the back line, and in what positions? Will Bradley go with a more traditional 4-4-2 formation? Who will start in the middle of the field, where there are a number of solid choices? Will the team's best attacking options - Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey - be playing out wide, in the midfield, or up top?

"There is a lot of versatility with a lot of the players here," Dempsey said. "You can put Landon up top, you can play him at withdrawn forward, you can put him on the right, on the left, you can do the same with me. [Coach Bradley] definitely has a lot of options. The most important thing is about getting the strongest 11 out there, whatever he thinks. Where ever he tells you to play you have to step up and do your best job in your position."

The back line makeup hinges on whether Bradley decides to use team captain Carlos Bocanegra in central defense or out wide in front of starting goalkeeper Tim Howard.

"In the center I feel like I can help organize a lot more, but I'm comfortable playing either position," Bocanegra said. "I think it will be tactically a situation where Bob kind of chooses whether he wants me to play on the inside or outside and maybe against our opponents, and how we go about our game plan."

If Bocanegra plays in the middle, it would force Bradley to break up the Jay DeMerit/Oguchi Onyewu tandem that was instrumental in helping the USA shock the soccer world by knocking off 2008 European Champions Spain in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup last year.

"Carlos, with his club [Rennes of the French Ligue 1] the last few years has played more as a left back," Bradley said. "For us, probably you would say that we have used him more as a center back. I think he feels that in terms of being a leader on the field he is able to do more from the center.

"The fact of the matter last year is that he came out of the qualifier against Honduras with a little bit of an injury and we got to the Confederations Cup and the first few games he wasn't ready. And then by the time he was ready we felt that Gooch [Onyewu] and Jay [DeMerit] were playing really well. So now you've got the flexibility at that point. That's a good thing there."

If Bocanegra plays out wide, it would force him to bench either presumed starting right back Steve Cherundolo, or Jonathan Spector, who may fit better as a substitute.

"One of Jonathan's qualities is his versatility," Bradley said. "That works well for him with our national team and it clearly works well for him with [his club team] West Ham. He can play anywhere across the back line.

"You always look around and see other players that have those qualities. John O'Shea from Manchester United is a player who gives them some versatility. He's a player who can play different spots, so I think that's a real plus and helps us when we put our rosters together."

As many options as Bradley has in the back, the midfield is still the most murky.

"I think over this cycle we have shown that there are a number of guys who, on any day, can step in and do a real job for the team," presumed starting central midfielder Michael Bradley said. "Whether it's myself, Benny Feilhaber, Maurice Edu, Ricardo Clark, Jose Torres ... I think we have good options in there. In a World Cup you know you are going to need every guy, from the first guy to the 23rd guy. The fact that we have good options is only going to help our team."

If the team goes with a traditional four-man midfield, Michael Bradley will probably start next to Maurice Edu, with Clark and Feilhaber as the top defensive replacements, and Torres or Stuart Holden as offensive replacements. That would leave either Donovan or Dempsey out wide, with the other playing either next to or behind Jozy Altidore up top.

Torres and Holden also have the ability to play out wide in a wing pool that includes DaMarcus Beasley, Donovan and Dempsey.

If Donovan had his pick, he would be playing out wide.

"On this team I have developed a comfort playing wide in the midfield on either side," he said. "So that would be my preference. But I also understand that in certain games and even within games that those things change and tactically those things need to change. I've always been very open to that, as long as I'm on the field I know I can make an impact and it doesn't matter too much where I'm at."

If Bradley goes with a five-man midfield, the options are plentiful, with the Dempsey/Donovan combinations endless.

"I think for both of us the difference lies in the defending aspect," Donovan said of the variables concerning him and Dempsey. "When we are on the field we are relied on to do certain things offensively that we're good at. The change comes defensively. When you are in the midfield you end up naturally doing a lot more running and at times you defend more. It is just knowing tactically where to be and how to play. But offensively we're pretty much the same in that we play a certain way no matter where we are playing."

As is usually the case with a U.S. roster, Bradley is most limited with his forward options. All four true strikers at his disposal - Jozy Altidore, Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez - will be playing in their first World Cup. Altidore is the favorite to have the most impact in a weak group, but look for Donovan or Dempsey to bolster the options.

While Bradley has his work cut out for him trying to figure out the best combination of players to put on the field for the USA, it is better than the alternative.

"A lot of competition brings out the best in players," Edu said. "I think that's what we all want, we all want to be playing at our best and putting ourselves in the best position possible to do well in this tournament. I think we are all trying to make the decisions as hard as possible for coach Bradley. That comes with us all working hard, training hard and pushing each other to be the best that we can be."

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MySportsbook.com: NFL draft - The NFC South


In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South.  Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC.  The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game.  For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft.  Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.

1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign?  New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1.  Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT.  Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.

Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami

2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season.  With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round.  LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems.  If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.

Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU

3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season.  The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach.  The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub.  High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career.  With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson. 

Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season.  The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age.  It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot.  This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.

Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas

It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season.  On the clock: the NFC North

Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2    

Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1

Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1

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