Monday, December 31, 2007

Yes, Russell Crow In Gladiator 2 News

Only a couple things for ya today, and no links involved.


50 players have been called into two Team USA camps this month. One is for the senior team and the other the U23 aka Olympic Qualifying team.
-Many of the biggest Euro based players were not called in due to their club commitments. But you can expect many of those players to be on the senior roster form the Feb 6 game v Mexico in Houston. It's a FIFA international date.
-The senior squad will also play Sweden on Sat Jan 19 at Home Depot Center. You can expect the Swedish team to be made up of their domestic league players as well, seeing as they are also currently not in their regular season.

USA - camp starts on Fri Jan 3 at The Home Depot Center in Carson CA
G:
Brad Guzan - Chivas USA
Will Hesmer - Columbus
Matt Pickens - Chicago
Zach Wells - DC
D:
Dan Califf - Aalborg
Jimmy Conrad - Kansas City
Ramiro Corrales - Brann
Todd Dunivant - Toronto
Clarence Goodson - San Jose
Drew Moor - Dallas
Michael Parkhurst - New England
Eddie Robinson - Houston
Marvell Wynne - Toronto
M:
Kyle Beckerman - Salt Lake
Ricardo Clark - Houston
Brad Davis - Houston
Maurice Edu - Toronto
Sacha Kljestan - Chivas USA
Justin Mapp - Chicago
Pat Noonan - New England
F:
Josmer Altidore - New York
Landon Donovan - Los Angeles
Eddie Johnson - Kansas City
Chris Rolfe - Chicago
Taylor Twellman - New England
Jeremiah White - Aarhus

USA U23 - camp begins on Mon Jan 6 at IMG Academies in Bradenton FL
G:
Chris Seitz - Salt Lake
Chris Brown - Boston College
Billy Chiles - Towson
D:
Sean Franklin - Cal State Northridge
Steve Purdy - 1860 Munich
Patrick Ianni - Houston
Greg Dalby - Charleroi
Julian Valentin - Wake Forest
Pat Phelan - Wake Forest
Mike Randolph - Los Angeles
Chance Myers - UCLA
M:
Stuart Holden - Houston
Johann Smith - Bolton
Dax McCarty - Dallas
Stephen King - Maryland
Alejandro Bedoya - Boston College
Eric Avila - UC Santa Barbara
Arturo Alvarez - Dallas
Robbie Rogers - Columbus
F:
Robbie Findley - Salt Lake
Charlie Davies - Hammarby
Preston Zimmerman - Hamburg
Chad Barrett - Chicago
Kamani Hill - Wolfsburg

So, any surprises for ya on those two rosters? Who should have been included? Who should have been left off?

Here are my notes on the 2 teams::
USA
-I did not expect to see Hesmer, Pickens & Wells as USA keepers. Looks like Kevin Hartman, Matt Reis and Joe Cannon are done with the national team. I say good move.
-Todd Dunivant gets another shot at the senior team, interesting, just not sure about it though. Clarence Goodson gets his shot too. He was a big surprise to me in 07.
-Great to see Eddie Robinson getting his chance again with the national team.
-And Ramiro Corrales. Is this foreshadowing of his return to MLS this spring?
-I am almost shocked to see Pat Noonan's name on this team. He is very talented, but nearly 2 straight years of injuries took him off my list.
-Did Rico Clark deserve a shot even though he is suspended from MLS for kicking Carlos Ruiz? I remember when Clint Dempsey had that altercation with teammate Joe Franchino at New England, was suspended, and then not included in the USA squad. I would have left Clark off.
-I am sorry to say this, but Kyle Beckerman is just too slow for the international game, and the USA is loaded at D-mid.
-Jeremiah White! Wow! Great for him!
-The word is that Brian Ching & Jonathan Bornstein are injured.
-Interesting to see Jozy Altidore, Kljestan & Marvell Wynne to the senior squad instead of U23 team. But then again, maybe their spots on that roster are secure already.
-I am happy to see Drew Moor, Michael Parkhurst & Chris Rolfe on the team. I like them all quite a bit.
-But what about these guys: Chris Albright, Davy Arnaud, Wade Barrett, Nat Borchers, Marc Burch, Conor Casey, Ryan Cocharane, Kenny Cooper, Ty Harden, Nate Jaqua, Jeff Larentowicz, Pablo Mastroeni, Devon McTavish, Carlos Mendes, Brian Mullan, Richard Mulrooney, Brain Namoff, Ben Olsen, Dasan Robinson, Clyde Simms, Wells Thompson, Lawson Vaughn & Brian West. Why aren't they included?
U23
-Johann Smith listed as midfielder on U23 team? I thought he was a forward.
-Surprising how many college players are on U23's when the MLS combine & draft are going on.
-No Adam Cristman, Yura Movsisyan, Ray Burse, Corey Ashe, Colin Clark, Jacob Peterson, Gabriel Ferrari or Eddie Gaven? How about Jason Garey - long shot I know. Or Kurt Morsink?
-What about Hunter Freeman, Aaron Hohlbein, Michael Harrington & Tim Ward who were all just in China with the team 3 weeks ago?
-I think Sal Zizzo, Eddie Gaven & Nathan Sturgis are injured. Right? If not, where are they?
-Good to see a horror author make the squad.
-Kinda thought we would see Lee Nguyen since he is not playing for the first team at PSV.
-Is Kamani Hill auditioning for a new team?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Americans in Europe last weekends games (almost exclusively England) & Tue/Wed schedules:
-Carlos Bocanegra - Fulham - started & went 90 as they drew 1-1 at Birmingham. He scored their goal on a header from a corner kick. Game v Chelsea on Tue Jan 1.
-Michael Bradely - Heerenveen - was suspended due to Yellow Cards, while the team drew 1-1 with first place Feyenoord. League now off until Jan 12
-Bobby Convey - Reading - started & played 84 minute but lost 6-4 at Tottenham. Game v Portsmouth on Tue Jan 1.
-Jay DeMerit - Watford - went the full 90, but lost 2-4 to Queens Park Rangers. Game at Southampton on Tue Jan 1.
-Clint Dempsey - Fulham - started & went 90 as they drew 1-1 at Birmingham. Game v Chelsea on Tue Jan 1.
-Benny Feilhaber - Derby - continues to play under new coach Paul Jewel. Came on at half time, but they lost 1-2 to Blackburn. Game at Bolton on Wed Jan 2.
-Brad Friedel - Blackburn - played the whole match and won 1-2 at Derby. Game v Sunderland on Wed Jan 2.
-Marcus Hahnemann - Reading - went the whole game and lost 6-4 at Tottenham. Saved a PK - but the rebound went in. Game v Portsmouth on Tue Jan 1.
-Tim Howard - Eveton - went the full 90, but lost brutally 1-4 to Arsenal. Game at Middlesbrough on Tue Jan 1.
-Eddie Lewis - Derby County - started and played the whole game as they lost 1-2 to Blackburn. Got himself a Yellow Card. Game at Bolton on Wed Jan 2.
-Jonathan Spector - West Ham - started, went 90 and won 2-1 over Manchester United. He gave up a PK on handball - but Cristiano Ronaldo missed it! Game at Arsenal on Tue Jan 1.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See ya next year!

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eddie Gaven's absence?

He's getting married.

http://theoffsiderules.blogspot.com/2007/12/eddie-gavens-big-fat-new-jersey-wedding.html

5:31 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

On the senior side the biggest names missing are Kenny Cooper and Clyde Simms. When he has been healthy he has been one of the better MLS forwards, is he the next McBride. Simms impresses me, but as a central midfielder there are too many guys in front of him. Could Bradley convert him to defense, ala Sanneh?

11:04 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

god please no. i don't want Bob Bradley screwing with Clyde Simms game and likely messing up one of DC United's better US players.

2:54 PM  
Blogger Wendel said...

hunter freeman is injured. thats why he wasn't included. he blew his knee in china.

3:51 AM  

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