Quote:
BY US FAN - TrueCrew
Well, I poked my head in and took a look about for about 1.5 hours this morning at the USMNT open practice. First time for me to see a practice. I have no idea if anything I saw portends what we will see on Tuesday, but, to the best of my recollection, here it was. Corrections welcome, of course. Mods, if this isn't N&A worthy, please move it and accept my apologies.

I got there a little after 10:30 AM. Team was broken up into 3 groups. 1 group of 10 field players, the remaining field players (9), and the GKs. Basically doing some light fitness stuff. Clarence Goodson was the only person I didn't see out there. And one group of 10 looked to me like the A team: Dolo, Boca, Dempsey, Edu, Jones, Johnson, Altidore, Torres, Spector and I think one more whom I couldn't identify or can't remember. Again, I don't know if how the players were divided up is significant or not. But that looked to be most of the A side to my mind.
Team then broke up into groups to do 5 v 2 one touch stuff. We were short 2 field players, so a couple coaches jumped in to play, including JK, who looked the most energetic of the bunch, as he attempted the only tackle I witnessed the whole time!

Team then broke up to do some full field practice moving the ball around. From the back, up through CM, and then alternatively out to the left or right wing, and then hitting crosses to the forwards for combo/shots or layoffs back to advancing CMs. Players would cycle through after completing their turn while another built up completed. Team was basically set up 2 deep at every field position, save CB, since Goodson was absent. Here's how it broke down:

CB: Boca, Cameron, Orozco
RB: Dolo, Parkhurst
LB: Johnson, Spector
CM (2): Edu, Jones, Beckerman, Williams
RM: Zusi, Corona
LM: Shea, Torres
F (4): Altidore, Dempsey, Gomez, Boyd

I have absolutely no idea if practicing this way is just standard fare, or offers any indication whatsover of tactics, formations, etc. Ran this drill for a while. Then broke up into a short field game on one side, and FK practice on the other, with some guys doing stretch work or juggling. I took off at that point.
In terms of the stadium, pitch looked great. A dedicated section for Jamaica has been set up on green and yellow bleachers on the stage at the north end. Sam's Army has frequently been at that end for Mexico games, don't know if Nordecke will be Sam's Army or not, as that would put them right next to Jamaica supporters. Any insight there would be appreciated.