USA Roster For World Cup Qualifying In Mexico City on Aug 12
Here is the 20 player training roster for the USA, to be cut down to 18 on game day:
G:
Brad Guzan - Aston Villa
Tim Howard - Everton
D:
Carlos Bocanegra - Stade Rennes
Jonathan Bornstein - Chivas USA
Steve Cherundolo – Hannover 96
Jay DeMerit - Watford
Chad Marshall - Columbus Crew
Oguchi Onyewu – AC Milan
Jonathan Spector - West Ham United
M:
Michael Bradley – Borussia Monchengladbach
Ricardo Clark - Houston Dynamo
Clint Dempsey - Fulham
Benny Feilhaber - AGF Aarhus
Stuart Holden - Houston Dynamo
Jose Francisco Torres - Pachuca
F:
Jozy Altidore - Hull City
Conor Casey - Colorado Rapids
Brian Ching - Houston Dynamo
Charlie Davies - Sochaux
Landon Donovan - Los Angeles Galaxy
For me the surprises on this roster are Chad Marshall, Stuart Holden & Conor Casey.
I think if Frankie Hejduk & Maurice Edu were healthy we would not see Marshall & Holden here. And I think if Kenny Cooper had not just left for Germany this week we would have seen him instead of Casey on this list.
The only other guy I thought might be on this list who was not is Heath Pearce, but he is desperately searching for a new club team at this time, and has to get that sorted out if he wants a future on this team.
Are you surprised, disappointed, or excited by what you see here?
G:
Brad Guzan - Aston Villa
Tim Howard - Everton
D:
Carlos Bocanegra - Stade Rennes
Jonathan Bornstein - Chivas USA
Steve Cherundolo – Hannover 96
Jay DeMerit - Watford
Chad Marshall - Columbus Crew
Oguchi Onyewu – AC Milan
Jonathan Spector - West Ham United
M:
Michael Bradley – Borussia Monchengladbach
Ricardo Clark - Houston Dynamo
Clint Dempsey - Fulham
Benny Feilhaber - AGF Aarhus
Stuart Holden - Houston Dynamo
Jose Francisco Torres - Pachuca
F:
Jozy Altidore - Hull City
Conor Casey - Colorado Rapids
Brian Ching - Houston Dynamo
Charlie Davies - Sochaux
Landon Donovan - Los Angeles Galaxy
For me the surprises on this roster are Chad Marshall, Stuart Holden & Conor Casey.
I think if Frankie Hejduk & Maurice Edu were healthy we would not see Marshall & Holden here. And I think if Kenny Cooper had not just left for Germany this week we would have seen him instead of Casey on this list.
The only other guy I thought might be on this list who was not is Heath Pearce, but he is desperately searching for a new club team at this time, and has to get that sorted out if he wants a future on this team.
Are you surprised, disappointed, or excited by what you see here?
posted by brucio at 14:32
9 Comments:
I think the starting line-up is pretty clear with the exception of the back line. I was so impressed by the crunching tackles of DeMerit in the Confederations Cup (tackles that would make every Mexican forward afraid to receive the ball with him to their back), but I think we'll need Bornstein's speed at left back against Mexico -- meaning Bocanegra shouldn't play out wide. And I don't see DeMerit pushing Captain Carlos out of the starting line-up, so I think we'll line up in Azteca with:
Howard (is there any keeper in the world you'd rather have?)
Bornstein
Bocanegra
Onyewu
Spector (getting better and better)
Donovan
Clark
Bradley
Dempsey
Altidore
Davies
Is this the team to break the hex? I'd be happy with a point, to be honest -- a point gained for us and two-points lost for Mexico -- leaving them with a lot to stress over.
But 3 points for the USA from Azteca would be as good as beating Spain in my book.
Feilhaber needs to play.
That guy makes things happen.
Look at what he did in the Confederations Cup, and remember what he did in the 2007 Gold Cup VS Mexico.
Bob finally got it right, maybe even MORE so by who he left out. Unlike last time we may actually be in it to win it. My only problem is why train in Miami when L.A., Houston and even Colorado will give you a better feel for the type of air you'll be playing in?
Add Jerman Jones and Mo Edu, and maybe switch Kenny Cooper or Freddy Adu for Ching or Casey, and i think we've got our World Cup lineup locked up already.
Marshall is skilled. We need fullbacks more, but he is still very solid.
Mr. Brown,
Your point about training in similar air is a good one.
The smog in LA & Houston is each usually pretty bad(though there's unusually clear air in LA this week) but I think the altitude will be the key difference.
As you suggest, maybe our boys should be training in Denver.
I know that FIFA has altitude rules for qualifiers, but I don't see how Azteca can be deemed to be at a reasonable altitude---the elevation there is ridiculous.
Mexico has plenty of other places they could theoretically stage their qualifiers.
I realize every nation wants to have a home field advantage, but FIFA should re-visit the altitude standard to include whatever altitude Azteca may be.
Maybe FIFA should also consider a standard for air pollution.
Oh yeah, and maybe FIFA should consider some standards for officiating, while they're at it.
At the very least, they should keep the officials sequestered before and after the match at an undisclosed location.
In some of these banana republics, the officials for international matches are enticed with bribes, suggestions, and threats, prior to the games.
Mexico´s not a banana republic. Learn a little before you spout off...
-Hessian Obsession
I really like this roster as Holden and Marshall deserved to see the bench while Kljestan, Beasely, and Adu played themselves off the team. I also thought Pearce deserved a look but Bornstein is ok as well. Casey is by far the most questionable pick as he appears too slow and inactive for the international level. I was hoping Davy Arnaud could make the team but his performance trailed off in the latter stages of the Gold Cup.
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I hope Bradley starts playing an attacking central midfielder as opposed to two defensive-oriented central mids: possibly Feilhaber and Bradley.
Andrew, I think he was talking about other countries in the confederation. Not necessarily Mexico in that reference. I know it's your second country but ... easy does it.
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