USA Copa America Roster
First off - there is no Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey or DaMarcus Beasley on this team.
But contrary to word from the coach a month ago, Kasey Keller is on the squad.
There are also a couple of guys with no USA experience at all - Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne & Herculez Gomez.
And then we get a big batch of youngster with very little experience - Brad Guzan, Bobby Boswell, Kyle Beckerman, Eddie Gaven, Sacha Klejsten, Lee Nguyen & Charlie Davies.
Wow!
The group of Jonathan Bornstein, Jay DeMerit, Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber, Justin Mapp & Heath Pearce will have to produce. They MUST step up.
And somehow guys like Jimmy Conrad, Ben Olsen, Eddie Johnson, Taylor Twellman & Danny Califf suddenly become grizzled veterans.
The largest hole that will have to be filled is that this team has only 25 USA goals scored between them.
The challenge is there for whoever wants to take it.
I really hope this doesn't get ugly.
Here is the full roster for Team USA (with caps included):
G:
Brad Guzan - 1
Kasey Keller - 100
D:
Jonathan Bornstein - 7
Bobby Boswell - 2
Dan Califf - 14
Jimmy Conrad - 21
Jay DeMerit - 3
Drew Moor - 0
Heath Pearce - 6
Marvell Wynne - 0
M:
Kyle Beckerman - 1
Ricardo Clark - 6
Benny Feilhaber - 7
Eddie Gaven - 3
Sacha Kljestan - 1
Justin Mapp - 5
Lee Nguyen - 1
Ben Olsen - 34
F:
Charlie Davies - 1
Herculez Gomez - 0
Eddie Johnson - 26
Taylor Twellman - 24
But contrary to word from the coach a month ago, Kasey Keller is on the squad.
There are also a couple of guys with no USA experience at all - Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne & Herculez Gomez.
And then we get a big batch of youngster with very little experience - Brad Guzan, Bobby Boswell, Kyle Beckerman, Eddie Gaven, Sacha Klejsten, Lee Nguyen & Charlie Davies.
Wow!
The group of Jonathan Bornstein, Jay DeMerit, Ricardo Clark, Benny Feilhaber, Justin Mapp & Heath Pearce will have to produce. They MUST step up.
And somehow guys like Jimmy Conrad, Ben Olsen, Eddie Johnson, Taylor Twellman & Danny Califf suddenly become grizzled veterans.
The largest hole that will have to be filled is that this team has only 25 USA goals scored between them.
The challenge is there for whoever wants to take it.
I really hope this doesn't get ugly.
Here is the full roster for Team USA (with caps included):
G:
Brad Guzan - 1
Kasey Keller - 100
D:
Jonathan Bornstein - 7
Bobby Boswell - 2
Dan Califf - 14
Jimmy Conrad - 21
Jay DeMerit - 3
Drew Moor - 0
Heath Pearce - 6
Marvell Wynne - 0
M:
Kyle Beckerman - 1
Ricardo Clark - 6
Benny Feilhaber - 7
Eddie Gaven - 3
Sacha Kljestan - 1
Justin Mapp - 5
Lee Nguyen - 1
Ben Olsen - 34
F:
Charlie Davies - 1
Herculez Gomez - 0
Eddie Johnson - 26
Taylor Twellman - 24
posted by brucio at 11:09
25 Comments:
How can it not get ugly?
This is awful. I have no doubt this team will be sent packing after three games... and the only way we can hope to play close to Argentina is if they go a man down or some miracle happens. I'm all for giving MLS'ers experience, but come on! THIS IS COPA AMERICA!
Sad, because if they have a poor showing, they will not be invited back. Stupidity by Bradley...why take the "veterans" to a truly idiotic tournament like the Gold Cup and then send youngsters to the true tournament?
I'm not putting this on Bradley. I don't think he made the decision on where to take his A and B teams. This is a typcial Sunil move. He wants to shield his first team squad from real competition. This is his modus operandi. Bradley is a competitor, and I feel pretty certain that he'd want to do everything in his power to put out his most competitive team for the most important competition they'll be playing in this summer.
To me, it's always seemed like the smart thing to do, taking our A roster to the Gold Cup. When we win on Sunday (barring a Mexican upset), we will have earned a place in the Confederations Cup, which will be *real* competition the year before the World Cup. But, we won't be ready for that real competition if we haven't embarrassed ourselves into improving before then. Hence, the B squad to Copa America. These young, inexperienced players will learn firsthand that chances have to be finished in international competetition before we're getting our asses handed to ourselves on a silver platter in group play in '10.
From the start it was known that Copa America was going to be a young squad. This is quite a bit younger than I anticipated, but I still agree that winning the Gold Cup is the priority here. I am fine with the three high-profile leave-outs; Dempsey, Donovan and Beasley, but I would have preferred to see Michael Bradley, Jonathan Spector and some of those young but future national teamers.
USA-Paraguay match should be a clinic in defensive tactics. Can't wait!!!!
I'm one of the few people who think that this is a very positive development for the US. My only question is: who plays right back? Marvelle Wynne - seriously??
What is the best (optimnal) XI? Here is mine...
GK: Guzan (I prefer youth and don't like Keller)
RB: Wynne / Pearce toss up (stay focus - get forward)
CB: Conrad (leadership)
CB: DeMerit (toughness)
LB: Bornstein (play simple)
RM: Kljestan / Nguyen (toss up, I would like to see Hguyen's creativity)
CM: Clark (destroy)
CM: Feilhaber (be creative)
LM: Mapp (must get involved)
F: Twellman (has to finish his chances)
F: Johnson (has to break out)
This lineup doesn't bother me. But let's win on Sunday so everyone can feel better about Copa America.
why are we even bothering with copa america with a roster like this? we're going to be the laughing stock of 3/4 of the world...
what happens if mexico wins sunday? I don't think they will--and hope they dont, but if they do...this will make the A/B scheme seem downright idiotic....moreso than it already is.
ahhhh....Confederations cup?? Thats when Argentina and Brazil field their second squads. Its the same year that Copa America takes place before the world cup. Teams stacked their team to go to the Copa America before the world cup. Look at who was playing in the finals and the players. Confederations cups a step up from the gold cup, but way below the Copa America. By the way, just because KAKA and Dihno are not going to be there, don't think Brazil is bringing a second tier squad, all their starters will be there besides those two. They have a sick player that is their new #10 and will play along with Kaka in the next WC, he is short and reminds me of Diego...LOL Matth you are the reason people make fun of Americans....Confederations cup being the *real* competition...HAHA Please don't pull a bush and just admit that they are making a mistake.
You also have to consider that at full strength, this U.S. team isn't that good yet. Even with Donovan, Beasley, Dempsey and Co., they wouldn't be close to favorites against Argentina and the other South American powers. This way, when an inexperienced U.S. team fades out early it won't ruin everybodies morale. Our expectations won't be raised and then shattered!
"anonymous said: LOL Matth you are the reason people make fun of Americans...."
at least matth has the guts to stand up and sign his name to his opinions, unlike morons like you who hide behind "anonymous" - what a complete loser.
matth - thanks to you and everyone else who signs their names to what they say.
i let anonymous people leave comments on this blog so the rest of us can see what kind of loudmouths hide behind the wall.
then we can all have a good laugh at their expense.
oh yeah, i also applaud bob bradleys long term vision for the usa.
and mock other peoples short term vision.
the goal is 2010 world cup in south africa.
not some minor cup competition as an invited guest in the summer of 07.
unless of course you personally feel inferior when your team loses things like this.
then yer not a real fan anyway.
Brucio...lol...you are exactly why American soccer has not become what it can in the USA and is disrespected throughout the world. From talking to many friends who actually play and coach, you are also in the minority. Your logic is so wrong that it would take me too long explain and its pointless to argue with people who just support their teams blindly. Not hiding, just don't have an account.
I'm fine with the idea of bringing in our more inexperienced nat team players. Heck if we really want to know if the kids are worthy of future Nats duty this is a much better test than the Gold Cup could have ever been. But a few of them just doesn't make since.
Herculez Gomez? Kyle Beckerman? Drew Moor? Granted I don't follow MLS as much as I'd like to but are those guys really having call up worthy seasons?
Also, this kinda feels like Eddie Johnson's last chance.
smatthew
As long as USA has not one striker worth a penny, Eddie Johnson will continue to get called up
yes, its so sad that the rest of us zipper heads are missing out on the brilliant analysis of the anonymous one.
you and your friends must be an amazing group of geniuses just sitting back and having at good old laugh at the world from on high.
oh how i wish i could be granted just a small dose of your abundant wizdom.
but alas, you dont have an account or the time of day for us silly little people.
i'm sure we are missing out.
(sigh/sob)
Brucio,
I'm not the same "anonymous" who has already posted in this thread, but you have made the same "you're a loser because you don't sign your name !" charge at ME in the past, as a result of some of my comments.
Brucio, your blog is pretty popular among the soccer community, so not everyone who comes here has a blogspot blog or account.
It's funny how when someone who posts a compliment to you under the name of "anonymous," you never challenge their anonymity.
You only challenge "anonymous" posters when they offer criticism !
Just because someone doesn't have a blogspot account, doesn't mean their criticism is any less valid.
Focus on the message, rather than the messenger.
With that said, you're right about the earlier "anonymous" being over-the-top in his ranting.
He ought to have made his points about the Gold Cup vs. Copa America rosters without resorting to being so snarky.
Sincerely,
Anonymous
My only hope is that with DeMerit on the roster his rags-to-riches story finally gets out...
Kevin A.--
Even if you're too lazy to create a blogspot / google account, it's easy to sign your name/nickname to the bottom of an accountless ("anonymous") post. See also the poster known as smatthew.
Anyway, I'm going to agree with Bruce on this one. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I think Bradley has planned this correctly.
The important thing is not "how will the world see us." Bradley is obviously focused on one goal: 2010 South Africa.
To this end, he has spent 2007 thus far getting many new players a lot of exposure to the international level. The Gold Cup roster was relatively young. The key is that Bradley is trusting these young players to be able to showcase themselves and step up to the challenge, all while gaining valuable experience.
In addition, my opinion is that the Gold Cup is the more important of the two competitions, and it's not even a close comparison in my mind. The Gold Cup is the regional championship tournament for CONCACAF. The US is, for better or worse, a member of CONCACAF. It is far more important to win your own title than to go to Copa America, CONMEBOL's championship, and attempt to win it--doubly so because as the CONCACAF champions, the US now gains a berth in the Confederations Cup, which could be lucrative as well as a fantastic opportunity for experience on the global stage. Even if the US makes a miracle run and wins Copa America, there is no further gain.
With that in mind, taking an inexperienced squad to Venezuela is a smart decision by Bradley. Copa America will be birth by fire for these kids. What better learning experience can be provided?
"Shocking the world" at Copa America proves nothing. But doing so at the 2010 World Cup? That, as they say, is priceless.
I'm glad people are so emotionally invested in the team, regardless of your stance on a particular topic.
you know, you are allowed to simply sign your name at the end of your message
and i usually dont care when people attack me
its when they attack other commenters that i care
i put myself out there to be criticized - but others dont, they are just having their say, and therefore are not fairgame on my blog
i make the rules, cuz its my blog
amen brothers & sisters
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