John should be available since he resigned with Dallas my 23 GK-Rimando, Kennedy, Hamid/Johnson CB-Gonzalez, Besler, John, Berry FB-Beitashour, Morrow, Myers..................Parkhurst if he can make it MF-Diskerud, Gatt, O'Brien, Mccarty, Kitchen, DeLeon, Silva, Zusi FW-Boyd, Pontius, Johnson, Agudelo, Bruin hopefully Jurgen is done with Goodson and Beckerman If O'Brien cant make it I'd call Wondo/Gordon/Davis I'd like to see Brooks if he can make it, and maybe Wooten
I doubt it. JK likes Goodson even as a backup. Beckerman will be called for the January camp, I just don't see him making the HEX squad with the emergence of Williams AND if JK decides to begin incorporating players like Mix or Agudelo.
Correct. I don't like Goodson. He has hit his ceiling. He is what he is, but he really hasn't embarrassed himself when JK has put him in. There is NO reason for him to lose his place because others MAY pass him in the future. A year from now, Goodson could be on the outside looking in, but not this winter.
His games against Russia and A&B were embarassing imo. I would say we have at least 3 or 4 guys better than him right now that havent really been tried yet. He plays in a league probably not much better than MLS, on one of the worst teams and has been in bad form. Gonzo, Besler, John have all done really good in MLS. Playing good for LA>playing bad for Brondby. Also I would rather us start integrating a couple younger guys than stick with an older guy who isnt playing good enough right now to deserve a spot on the team
Other than your first sentence, I mostly agree with. Denmark pays more but isn't 'better' than MLS. I strongly disagree that he was 'embarrassing.' He was one of the worst performers out there, but he wasn't embarrassing. You don't drop 4 new players in there. You bring one or two along at a time. By next winter, Goodson may be gone, but not this February. It is possible he is #4 and not #3 any longer.
What I would do... I would call in two rosters. As the head coach, i'd focus on the team I players, and i would let my assistant focus on the team II players. I just believe we have too much talent right now that cannot be stagnant for these upcoming months. We need to go ahead and get guys like Hedges, Okugo, Sarkodie, and Kitchen into the system; even if they aren't ready for the prime time just yet. Plus, it would be good for these players as they begin their preseason. Team I GK: Rimando, Clark, Johnson FB: Parkhurst, Morrow, Beitashour, Myers CB: Goodson, Besler, Gonzalez, John MF: McCarty, Beckerman, O' Brien, Diskerud AT: Zusi, Pontius, Gatt, DeLeon FW: Boyd, Johnson, Wondolowski, Agudelo Back-ups: Kennedy, Pickens, Marshall, DeMerit, Sinovic, Pearce, Larentowicz, Evans, Gaven, Feilhaber, Davis, Nguyen (injured), Shea (injured), Lenhart, Gordon -----------Pontius----Boyd-----Gatt------------------ --------------Diskerud------Zusi----------------------- --------------------Beckerman------------------------- Parkhurst----------------------------------Beitashour -------------Goodson---------Gonzalez-------------- ----------------------Rimando------------------------ Bench: Johnson, Besler, Morrow, McCarty, O' Brien, Johnson, Agudelo Team II GK: Hamid, Hall, Meara FB: S. Williams, Sarkodie, Lade, Alston CB: Okugo, Hedges, Berry, Soares MF: Kitchen, Cronin, Clark, Bedoya AT: Magee, Adu, Duka, Silva FW: Bruin, McInerney, Sapong, Cooper Back-ups: MacMath, Opara, Meyer, Valentin, Gaddis, Beltran, G. Farfan, M. Farfan, Cruz, Rowe, Bunbury (injured), Salgado ------------------Bruin--------Sapong------------- ---------------------------Adu---------------------- --------------------Bedoya----Silva---------------- -------------------------Kitchen-------------------- Sarkodie----------------------------------------Alston -----------------Okugo------------Berry------------ --------------------------Hamid--------------------- Bench: Hall, Hedges, Williams, Cronin, Duka, Magee, McInerney, Cooper
As I was typing out my roster, I found is was virtually identical to your Team 1 roster, except for Hamid for Clark. I also really like the idea of two rosters, especially with the Gold Cup coming up. The USMNT vs. U23 team game last year was a concept I really enjoyed. Sadly, Klinsmann has given no indication of doing this, so I'll focus my comments on the Team 1 roster. - Beckerman, Goodson, Parkhurst and Zusi have been very regular call ups and don't need the evaluation opportunity that Camp Cupcake provides. But with the Honduras game around the corner, this camp is an opportunity to get them match fit, so like you, I agree with calling them up. - Goodson though is one to monitor, as he hasn't started in a few games. Does anyone know if he's hurt or out of favor? Personally, he's never inspired much confidence. If Klinsmann drops him, I'd take Berry for this camp. - I'd really like to get a look at O'Brien, though I suppose it'll depend on his club situation. He is out of contract this winter with a lot of interest in him. If he stays in Denmark, he'll probably be available, but he may be making a move to the low countries. - I like Dax, but it wouldn't be surprising to me if Klinsmann just didn't rate him and gave that other DM spot to a potential up and comer like Kitchen, or another MLS vet like Evans, Cronin or the recently returned Clark.
I'm hearing George John may have just had ankle surgery, and won't be ready for action until MLS pre-season.
Confirmed: http://www.fcdallas.com/news/2012/12/fc-dallas-defender-george-john-undergoes-minor-ankle-procedure FC Dallas defender George John had minor arthroscopic surgery this afternoon to remove bone spurs from his left ankle. Recovery time from the procedure is estimated at 4-6 weeks and will not affect the 2013 preseason for the defender. You know, one suspects that John's recurring ankle problems might be a reason he didn't get more interest on the European market................................
I would guess the CBs will be: Gonzo, Besler, Goodson and a surprise? Maybe Edu since he doesnt play for Stoke anyway, Brooks if he accepts and Hertha let him go, possibly Berry, Hedges, Okugo, Demerit or no one and just have 3 CBs
Parkhurst could be there as a RB/CB option. I have no idea if Klinsmann rates Hedges, Berry, or Okugo. We'll see. Every time it appears George John may be in line for a cap or a significant opportunity to break into the USMNT...................something happens. Whether it's an injury, or a loan to Europe, or something else, there always is a problem. At this point I don't know if it's ever going to happen for him.
Based on who Jurgen has called up/talked up in the past I would say the pretty safe bets are: Zusi, Gonzo, Diskerud, Gatt, Parkhurst , Boyd, Agudelo, Eddie Johnson, Beckerman, Goodson, Pontius, Besler, Beitashour, Rimando (barring transfers) Gordon and Wondolowski also have a good chance since they've been used before, Gordon was good in his 1 game then was dealt with injury, while Wondo went on to tie the MLS scoring record
gk: Rimando, Johnson, Hamid D: Gonzales, Brooks, Goodson, Beitashour, Parkhurst, Morales, Pearce M: Gyau, Pontius, Shea, Diskerud, Bedoya, Kitchen, Zusi, Gatt, Beckerman F: Agudelo, Boyd, EJ, Wondolowski
I think Steve Clark gets a call. The guy had an amazing season in Norway where he won the GK of the year in the league. He was the biggest reason why Honefoss avoided relegation - and they had no business staying up. Good keeper
That's the reason to skip the camp entirely. The real prospects will be auditioning for jobs with some Euro clubs and the rest are your basic no-hopers.
Gk: Hamid, Johnson, Clark Df: Okugo, Berry, Hedges, Besler, Gonzales, John, Morrow, Beitashour, Sarkodie Mf: Kitchen, McCarty, Evans, Obrien, Mix, Gatt, Pontius, Zusi Fw: Boyd, Agudelo, Bruin, Gordon, Johnson
GOALKEEPERS: Clark, Steve -The Norweigan Goalkeeper of the year. Right now, Klinsmann has been consistent with working with Johnson and Rimando, but the Norweigan goalkeeper of the year should be strongly considered for a call-up. However, note that Clark was not called against Russia. Regardless, I say that Klinsmann calls him in to see what he’s about. Hall, Tally -One of the top Goalkeepers in MLS who is pretty young too. However, he’s not as young as some, and most fans would not say he’s the best in the league either. That said, he’s unfortunate to be outside of his depth and will most likely not be called in. Hamid, Bill -Previously, Hamid was Klinsmann’s #2. After the Olympics, he has yet to regain that title. Furthermore, for young keepers, Johnson may be better right now or more favored by Klinsmann right now. Also, there is Clark who is doing everything to make a name for himself right now. Therefore, Hamid is my #4 choice or my alternate despite the fact that if I were the coach; I’d call him in regardless. Johnson, Sean -For some time now, Johnson has been Klinsmann’s favorite understudy. He had a good season after a disastrous showing in Olympic Qualifying. That said, I don’t see Klinsmann rocking the boat; he goes. Meara, Ryan -I’m mentioning Meara because I want to remind people that he was the best young goalkeeper in the league before he got hurt. I don’t think he’ll get the call, but if I were Klinsmann, I would monitor him closely. Kennedy, Dan -Kennedy had an amazing start to the season. He single handedly kept Chivas USA from being even more of an embarrassment than they already are. However, he slowed down as the season went on, and unfortunately for him, that knocks him out for my picks. Rimando, Nick -Personally, I do not have that much faith in Rimando. I may receive some flack for this, but when I see Rimando called in, I feel the same way I did when Perkins received so many calls for the national team. Nonetheless, Klinsy likes Rimando, and I see goalkeeper as a position that you do not rock the boat unless either one boat is sinking or a yacht approaches. My picks: Johnson, Rimando, Clark (Alternate-Hamid) Honorable Mention: Matt Pickens, Zac MacMath, Andy Gruenbaum, Joe Willis, David Bingham, Brian Perk, Jon Kempin Not Eligible: Brad Guzan, Tim Howard FULLBACKS: Alston, Kevin -Alston has made the most of being one of the best young fullbacks in MLS despite playing for such a terrible team. However, Alston is behind Beitashour, Myers, and maybe even Sarkodie and Williams who are younger so I do not expect to see Alston. Beitashour, Steve -Beita got the call against Mexico (although he didn’t play) which means that he is at least on Klinsmann’s radar. That said, he is perhaps the best right back in the league, and I would wager that he will receive the call. Lade, Connor -Lade isn’t a particularly impressive player for me and probably a longshot at best to make the roster, but he had a good rookie season, he’s very young, he plays left back, and Thierry Henry thinks he is pretty special. Morrow, Justin -Played both left back and center back for San Jose. Morrow was excellent this season and performed well in the MLS All-Star game. I believe he has a good shot to get a look not only as a reward for his performance this season but because there is a lack of other decent options at left back. However, I have a hunch that his inclusion is not as certain as a lot of fans would like to believe. Myers, Chance -Myers has all the physical tools to be an international quality fullback. But he is still raw in many ways. I say he has a 50/50 chance of making the roster and it will be swayed by the inclusion or exclusion of Parkhurst. Parkhurst, Michael -The best available fullback we have. Also, with Chandler coming back into the fold, Castillo rising, and Johnson and Dolo continuing to be a rock on both sides, Parkhurst could possibly use the extra minutes. Personally, I would like to see how some of the other players could hold up, but I say that Klinsmann doesn’t take that chance. Pearce, Heath -The most internationally experienced fullback available and perhaps, the most versatile. He stands a good chance of making the roster despite a lot of fans penciling in Morrow into their fantasy line-ups. Sarkodie, Kofi -Like Sean Johnson, had a poor showing at the Olympic Qualifiers, but showed well this season. In particular, Sarkodie had an outstanding post-season where he received rave reviews for his performances. Also, he is the youngest fullback listed. That said, I could see Klinsmann taking a shot on him as the #4 fullback if Klinsmann calls in the other older fullbacks. Sinovic, Seth -Sinovic might be the best left back in the league. He’s a solid, trusty, and reliable defender. However, I have some questions about his ability to translate that to the international l level. Therefore, I do not see him getting a shot just yet. Williams, Sheannon -Williams is not one of the best defenders in the league, but he’s very young, he’s versatile, and he has the physical tools to be an international quality defender. It would be a gamble to call him in that could prove fruitful, but I’m predicting that unlike Sarkodie, Klinsy is not yet ready to take his chances if he is limiting himself to such a small roster. My picks: Parkhurst, Beitashour, Pearce, Sarkodie (Alternates: Myers, Morrow). Honorable Mention: Zach Loyd, AJ De la Garza, Sean Franklin, Sean Cunningham, Brandon Barklage, Tony Beltran, Michael Farfan, Gabriel Farfan, Ray Gaddis, Chris Korb, Zarek Valentin, Corey Ashe, Daniel Woolard, Jorge Villafana Not Eligible: Edgar Castillo, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Jonathan Spector, Eric Lichaj, Greg Garza, Caleb Stanko, Juan Pablo Ocegueda CENTER BACKS: Berry, Austin -Right now, Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler should be considered locks. George John would be hard to ignore, and Clarence Goodson and Jay DeMerit are available veterans for what it is sure to be the first cap for some new central defender. That said, while the positions look to be filling up, it will be hard to exclude Berry after his rookie of the year performance. Besler, Matt -Like Beitashour, Besler was called in against Mexico (although did not play) which shows he is on Klinsmann’s radar. Rightfully so, Besler had an outstanding regular season and won defender of the year for it too. It will be a crime if Besler is not on the roster and does not receive ample minutes to prove his stock. DeMerit, Jay -DeMerit had an excellent season and he brings a wealth of experience. Also, note that the Hex begins immediately after camp so Klinsmann may be forced to look at defenders who are ready to contribute now and not later. If Klinsy is ready to pull the plug on Goodson yet he still wants a veteran presence, Jay DeMerit might easily be in. Gonzalez, Omar -If Omar is not a lock to be called and to receive minutes then the sky is falling on Klinsmann’s head. I am as hopeful that Gonzalez will be this year’s Geoff Cameron or player that becomes a full fixture with the A team following camp. Goodson, Clarence -He’s a veteran with a lot of experience which we will need, but I personally feel it is time to pull the cord on Goodson for now. He has been in pretty poor form lately, and we really need to see if some of the youngsters can play or not. Hedges, Matthew -Many fans are very high on the promise of Matthew Hedges and some rate him to be on the level of his partner, John, who is on the shortlist of players to receive playing time with the national team. However, defenders like Besler and Gonzalez should definitely receive time before Hedges which leaves only two spots where he will primarily be competing between DeMerit, John, Goodson, Okugo, and Berry. John, George -If John could stay healthy then I would wager that he would be playing in the EPL right now. However, the fact is that John struggles to stay uninjured which could hurt his selection process if Klinsmann figures that he’s not worth the trouble. Nonetheless, I am going to say that Klinsmann does in fact select John if he is healthy because of his tremendous upside. Marshall, Chad -Marshall had a very quiet year and he has always struggled with injuries. However, Marshall is as talented as any defender on this list, and could sneak on the roster if injuries, transfers, or other training opportunities present themselves to the other defenders. Okugo, Amobi -We certainly all wish that we would have discovered that he can play center back as well as he can before Olympic qualifying began. Yet, Okugo is still extremely raw, and his inclusion will depend if Klinsy wants to take on a project or not. I will guess that Klinsmann will wait to see how he develops and he will not be included. Soares, AJ -The often forgotten defender. Soares was unfortunate to be part of the train wreck that was New England Revolution this season. However, Soares was still solid and he will only be 25 when the World Cup rolls around. In the end, he has a long hill to climb to surpass some of the other names on this list. My Picks: Besler, Gonzales, John, DeMerit (Alternates: Berry) Honorable Mention: Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne, Nat Borchers, Jalil Anibaba, Stephen McCarthy, Ike Opara, Tommy Meyer, Bryan Gaul, Eric Brunner, Ugo Ihemelu, Andrew-Jean Baptiste, Jeff Parke, Ethan White Not Eligible: Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Seb Hines, Tim Ream, Michael Orozco, Zak Whitbread, Ventura Alvarado, Will Packwood, John Anthony Brooks, Geoff Cameron MIDFIELDERS: Beckerman, Kyle -Fans may want to see him retire from international play, but Klinsmann loves this guy. Also, know that Beckerman’s competition for the holding midfielder position includes mostly very young and very raw players. And like it or not, we will need some veterans. Bedoya, Alejandro -Fans remember Bedoya from his time under Bradley when he was with Orebro where he was a tireless midfielder under the national team that had some excellent moments and some poor performances, as well. Bedoya fell off the scene when he transferred to Rangers and struggled for playing time, but heBappears to have rejuvenated his career at Helsingborg. If Bedoya remains eligible, I do not see Klinsmann excluding him. Clark, Ricardo -The player who I say receives the most underserved hate of any player in USMNT history. Clark is a great tackler and covers a lot of ground when he is on the field. Personally, I would not hesitate to select Clark over Beckerman, but I feel that Clark is on the outside looking in on this one. Cronin, Sam -A player who is still young and is starting to come into his own at a position that we are deceptively lack depth in, holding midfielder. However, Cronin is still raw, and I believe Klinsmann is going to favor some of the more experienced players to pass up on him until he is consistently one of the best defensive midfielders in the league. Davis, Brad -Perhaps the best player in US history with a dead ball. Davis is a great passer, and I believe he has been one of the top five players in the league for years. Nonetheless, Davis is on the wrong side of 30 and does not have physical tools to push him into contention for a roster spot. Diskerud, Mikkel -Mix is one of our brightest and most promising midfielders in our entire pool. Unfortunately for him, he is competing with guys like Michael Bradley for playing time. Fortunately for him, he seems to be on Klinsmann’s radar after his call-up and his tying goal against Russia. Mix should be a lock on the roster. Evans, Brad -A player who is not a fan favorite, but he is on Klinsmann’s radar and is very versatile too. I will say that he makes the list if Bedoya becomes ineligible. Feilhaber, Benny -Feilhaber just cannot find a club where he can succeed. Feilhaber has all the tools to become an international quality midfielder and he has shown flashes of brilliance. However, Benny will need to figure out his club situation first before he is called in again. Gaven, Eddie -It’s hard to think that Gaven is only 26 years old. Gaven has been wildly inconsistent in his career which initially showed great promise. This year, Gaven reminded some folks why he was so highly touted. When he’s switched on, he has the ability to take a team on its back and lead them to victory. However, Gaven has been poor in all of showings with the national team, and is on the outside looking in for a call-up this January. Kitchen, Perry -Kitchen is the most promising center defensive midfielder we have in MLS. Kitchen is very young and had an excellent season and post-season with DC United. I do not believe he is a lock by any means, but the fact that he’s young and has a lot of upside, I could see Klinsmann calling him to understudy for this roster. McCarty, Dax -Dax had an excellent season this year. Moreover, I will personally add that McCarty is one of my favorite players in the league because of his tireless work rate and tenacity. He is Bradley-lite, in my opinion. McCarty has captained a camp cupcake before which should also bode well on his chances to be selected. However, he is not a pure defensive midfielder, and he will be competing with the promising Diskerud and O’Brien who is on a tear for a roster spot. Personally, I would like to see Klinsy make room for Dax, but logistically speaking, he’s just missing the cut. O’ Brien, Conor -O’ Brien is becoming one of the best player in the Danish league and at a young age too. From what I have seen, he is a versatile player but is more of a two-way midfielder than anything else. I feel like we will see what O’ Brien can do in January unless he becomes ineligible because of a transfer. Silva, Luis -Silva started off slow, but emerged as one of the more promising young midfielders in the league. Silva is unlikely to make the roster, but still has a chance. Zusi, Graham -Zusi forced his way into the picture this year and was the breakthrough player during the first round of world cup qualifying. If he stays in MLS, he should be looked upon to provide some leadership. Wildcard: Osvaldo Alonso My Picks: Beckerman, Kitchen, O’ Brien, Diskerud, Zusi, Bedoya (alternates: Evans, McCarty) Honorable Mention: Jeff Larentowicz, Sal Zizzo, Luis Gil, Michael Stephens, Cole Grossman, Ben Zemanski, Logan Pause, Brian Carroll, Jack Jewsbury, Nick LaBrocca, Shea Salinas, Eric Alexander, Eric Avila, Andrew Jacobson, Ned Grabavoy, Victor Pineda, Eric Gehrig, Kelyn Rowe, Danny Cruz, Sebastian Velasquez, Tony Cascio, Ethan Finlay, Sam Garza, Bryan Arguez, Brian Ownby Not Eligible: Stuart Holden, Michael Bradley, Jose Torres, Sacha Kljestan, Joe Corona, Jermaine Jones, Danny Williams, Maurice Edu, Alfredo Morales, Sebastian Lletget, Jared Jeffrey, Sergio Duarte, Lee Nguyen (injury), Marc Pelosi, Zach Pfeffer, Alejandro Guido FORWARDS: Adu, Freddy -Everyone knows the story about Adu. Unbelievable talent. No consistency. And no matter his club troubles, Adu’s potential goes beyond that of an international quality player; he has the tools to be an international star. I’m going to say that Klinsmann is going to wait and see how well his training stint with Galatasaray went, and see if he is ready to become the player he was destined to be. However, if I was Klinsmann, and I had any hunch that he’s not ready; I would quickly drop him for DeLeon. Agudelo, Juan -Like Adu, Agudelo has unbelievable talent, and he has the potential to be as good as Altidore despite not yet becoming a star in MLS. Furthermore, Agudelo had a poor season that was riddled with injuries and concerns over his development are in question since he was with Chivas USA this year. Regardless, given his strong showing against Russia and knowing his upside, he should be in camp. Boyd, Terrence -I did not know that Boyd would be eligible, but after Klinsy singled him out; the best bet is that he is going. Bruin, Will -Bruin is considered by some to be the young American forward in MLS. He certainly had an outstanding season this year and he was one of the best players in the post-season to prove that true. However, if Agudelo and Boyd are already set to go, and with Johnson most likely to get another call after his performances in the world cup qualifiers (not mentioning Gordon); all the tickets may already be gone. Hopefully, Klinsmann will bend from his rigid rules, and call him in regardless, but it’s highly unlikely. Cooper, Kenny -Cooper had an amazing season this year and possesses the raw materials to excel at the international level (which he has proven by his 0.4 strike rate). However, Cooper has not got any looks from Klinsmann so far and no signs point to an immediate call-up anytime soon. In other words, all the tickets look to already be booked. DeLeon, Nick -Had DeLeon not had a midseason slump, he would have been a shoe-in for rookie of the year. Moreover, DeLeon looks to be one of our most promising players that will have to fill the giant shoes left behind from Landon Donovan. While DeLeon will most likely never be at that level, he does appear to have the talent to be international quality. I will say that he goes if Klinsmann decides to not to wager on Adu or if one of the other outside forwards move abroad. Duka, Dilly -Duka is a longshot to make the roster, but he deserves a shout out. He has a lot of talent, and he is still very young. I would keep my eye on him. Gatt, Joshua -Gatt appears to be our most promising young winger and the call-up against Russia reveals that he is definitely in Klinsmann’s plans. It would be shocking if he was not only not called-up but did not start either. Gordon, Alan -Klinsmann seems to like Gordon as evidence by his call-up in the World Cup qualifiers. His inclusion in those matches left many fans initially scratching their heads, but he unquestionably put in a solid effort and had an amazing season this year. Regardless, I only see three center forwards making the roster with him being the odd man out given his age and limited upside. Johnson, Eddie -Who would have thought that Eddie Johnson would ever be a national team contender again? I certainly did not. I always thought of EJ as slow of thought, lazy, lead feet, and crumbles under pressure. I say these things because EJ made me eat crow this fall with his outstanding performance in World Cup Qualifying. I’m still not completely sold, but he needs to make this roster to see if that was a fluke or not. Lenhart, Steve -Lenhart was great this season for San Jose. Likewise, he is a very promising young center forward. However, his behavior often gets him in trouble and I have my doubts that he is international quality. He deserves a shout out but nothing more right now. Magee, Mike -Magee was a teen sensation with the Metrostars. I remember thinking that this kid was going to be a star. Things didn’t exactly go that way, but he has turned into one of the better role players on one of the best teams to ever exist in MLS. Regardless, we have other faces to look at right now, and I don’t see him getting a chance this January. McInerney, Jack -JackMac is an exciting young forward who had an excellent season this year. While many fans may struggle to remember, he reminds me of a young Josh Wolff before all of his injuries. That said, he has a long way to go to surpass some of his competitors on this list. Pontius, Chris -Like Besler and Gonzalez, if Pontius is not on the list then the sky is falling on Klinsmann’s head. We have waited and waited to see Pontius called up, and now, has to be the time. In my opinion, Pontius is one of the top five players in the league and also, one of the most ready players in the league to make the jump to a bigger league. If Pontius does not become ineligible because of a transfer, he should be a lock to start. Sapong, CJ -Sapong went through a bit of a sophomore slump. Last year, Sapong made noise by forcing Bunbury to the bench who many were comparing to Jozy Altidore at the time. Likewise, Sapong held his own last year during camp which should mean that he’s not that much of a longshot to make the roster. Nonetheless, I would say he’s currently behind Boyd, Gordon, Johnson, Agudelo, Bruin, and Cooper for the center forward position. Wondolowski, Chris -It must be strange that I did not include Wondolowski on the list of players given his record-tying goal scoring season this year. The thing is that Wondolowski has not exactly been able to translate his game to the international level. Strangely, this has been a common occurrence for many American forwards in MLS like Twellman, Kreis, and Lassiter. Wildcard: Darlington Nagbe, Danny Mwanga, Aron Johannsson, Shawn Parker (not eligible) My Picks: Agudelo, Boyd, Johnson, Pontius, Gatt, Adu (Alternates: DeLeon, Gordon) Honorable Mention: Edson Buddle, Eugene Starikov, Omar Salgado, David Estrada, Jack McBean, Jose Villarreal, Andrew Wenger, Justin Braun, Charlie Davies, Chad Barrett, Conor Casey, Chris Rolfe, Justin Mapp Not Eligible: Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Robbie Rogers, Clint Dempsey, Teal Bunbury (injury), Brek Shea (injury), Landon Donovan (on break), DaMarcus Beasley, Joe Gyau, Junior Flores, Benji Joya, Andrew Wooten, Bobby Wood, Jerome Kiesewetter, Julian Green, Villyan Bijev, Conor Doyle The 23: GK: Johnson, Rimando, Clark (Hamid) FB: Parkhurst, Beitashour, Pearce, Sarkodie (Myers, Morrow) CB: Besler, Gonzalez, John, DeMerit (Berry) MF: Beckerman, Kitchen, O’ Brien, Diskerud, Zusi, Bedoya (Evans, McCarty) FW: Agudelo, Boyd, Johnson, Pontius, Gatt, Adu (DeLeon, Gordon) Projecting the Starting XI: -------------Pontius------Boyd-------Gatt------------- -------------------Diskerud-----Zusi-------------------- -------------------------Beckerman---------------------- Parkhurst---------------------------------------Beitashour -----------------Besler------------Gonzalez------------- ---------------------------Johnson--------------------------- Bench: Rimando, John, Pearce, O’ Brien, Bedoya, Agudelo, Johnson
Great writeup, John is injured again though and wont be able to play for a while. Also I have to say Lade while promising kinda sucks right now, not even a good fullback by MLS standards
Marshall had off-season arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle at the end of October. I doubt he'll be fit. Never know, however. Initial reports had him sidelined from 6-10 weeks. We are at week 6.
They're our pet project. One of these days, Canada will emerge as the third best team in CONCACAF. but they need to get out of the first round of qualifying first.