USA vs. England Running Diary

2:16 PM (Eastern Time) - I'm back from spending the morning watching the preliminary matches elsewhere - KOR/GRE at the gym and ARG/NGR outdoors with a surprisingly large crowd in Dupont Circle in downtown DC.  Watching the studio show on ESPN and it isn't bad - Alexi Lalas is just a natural in front of the camera despite his shameless homer pick of the US.  Ruud Gullit also apparently knows where his bread is buttered and picks a draw.  Macca seems to know that he has to go home to England and predicts a 3-1 win for the Three Lions.

2:20 - Starting line-up analysis: About what we all expected for the US.  Would have liked to see Torres over Clark but Bradley has been leaning this way throughout qualifying and the warm-up matches.  The England line-up is very odd, especially in midfield with three players - Milner, Lampard, and Gerrard - who are at their best attacking through the middle and two - Milner and Lennon who do or have played on the right.  They are the best 4 midfielders that England have but not sure they work well together.  I guess we'll see.

2:25 - Based on club performance, I'm not sure why Capello wouldn't have gone with Hart over Green.  Seems that national team managers get too risk-averse when it comes to playing younger players.  An entire season playing against the likes of ManYoo, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea is enough seasoning to face off against the US.

2:29 - Captains shake hands

2:30 - And we're off...