José Altidore cleared to play
- Thread starter 121Josey
- Start date
I'm thinking he's a sub unless he is 100%, which I doubt.
Belgium has much more depth than us and we will need someone fresh that can score as it gets late.
He was playing really well when he got hurt. Scored two goals in the last friendly against Nigeria and started off pretty well against Ghana, so hopefully the injury hasn't knocked him out of form.
Belgium has much more depth than us and we will need someone fresh that can score as it gets late.
He was playing really well when he got hurt. Scored two goals in the last friendly against Nigeria and started off pretty well against Ghana, so hopefully the injury hasn't knocked him out of form.
There's two lines of thought here
1. If he comes on as a sub, he's rested as fatigue sets in on others.
2. If he comes on as a sub, nobody really knows how much he can give.
I think that I would start him and see how far he can go. If you sub him in, you're pretty much counting on him being there for the rest of the match - extended period and all. If you start him, you can follow his progress and maximize substitutions. Plus, starting him will take some pressure off Dempsey in the front and hopefully allow for better possessions.
Klinsmann has to ask him if he can go 45. If not, depending on the situation, he's got to wait until late in the game - like around the 80th minute. If he can't go at all, it's nice mind games on Klinsmann's part.
1. If he comes on as a sub, he's rested as fatigue sets in on others.
2. If he comes on as a sub, nobody really knows how much he can give.
I think that I would start him and see how far he can go. If you sub him in, you're pretty much counting on him being there for the rest of the match - extended period and all. If you start him, you can follow his progress and maximize substitutions. Plus, starting him will take some pressure off Dempsey in the front and hopefully allow for better possessions.
Klinsmann has to ask him if he can go 45. If not, depending on the situation, he's got to wait until late in the game - like around the 80th minute. If he can't go at all, it's nice mind games on Klinsmann's part.
I just don't see him
playing, at all. I thing it would be detrimental to the team. "Running" in practice and playing in a knockout stage match against Belgium are two extremely different things. It would show extreme desperation to play him, I think.
playing, at all. I thing it would be detrimental to the team. "Running" in practice and playing in a knockout stage match against Belgium are two extremely different things. It would show extreme desperation to play him, I think.
