pool party: Players who've earned an invitation?

[uniteo]

I wanted to see who everyone thought had earned a spot in one of the camps this summer...especially players with potential to play with the A squad at some point.

And this is for who has earned it through their play, not who had dual nationality or good buzz but has never actually been seen on the field.

As a DC fan two names come to mind;

Bryan Namoff. I think MLS's most underrated defender. Speed might be an issue, but his positioning and timing are exceptional, he knows when to get forward and his distribution out of the back has been very good this year.

Mostly though, Santino Quaranta is showing the promise he had as a 16 year old. He has been phenomenal this year in an understated way. Speed, endurance, defensive effort combined with having lived next to Jaime Moreno's brain for so many years...his distribution has been excellent (both the one-touch variety and out of possession) and he can hold the ball under pressure. I just wish he'd look for his shot a little more but it will come. He may be the best all-around attacking player in MLS right now.

It's funny, the commentary on DCU games goes something like this; "great ball by Q", "and there is Q with the pass", "great run by Q" for 90 minutes, and at the end the announcer says "how about those rookies?"

[TrueCrew]

As a Crew fan, I'd nominate two:

Chad Marshall (as always). And Eddie Gaven has been playing pretty well in a CM role. Rogers has been bothered by a hamstring early on, but is starting to look better.

I'd also say Colin Clark out at Colorado.

[ttrevett]

I wanted to see who everyone thought had earned a spot in one of the camps this summer...especially players with potential to play with the A squad at some point.

And this is for who has earned it through their play, not who had dual nationality or good buzz but has never actually been seen on the field.

As a DC fan two names come to mind;

Bryan Namoff. I think MLS's most underrated defender. Speed might be an issue, but his positioning and timing are exceptional, he knows when to get forward and his distribution out of the back has been very good this year.

Mostly though, Santino Quaranta is showing the promise he had as a 16 year old. He has been phenomenal this year in an understated way. Speed, endurance, defensive effort combined with having lived next to Jaime Moreno's brain for so many years...his distribution has been excellent (both the one-touch variety and out of possession) and he can hold the ball under pressure. I just wish he'd look for his shot a little more but it will come. He may be the best all-around attacking player in MLS right now.

It's funny, the commentary on DCU games goes something like this; "great ball by Q", "and there is Q with the pass", "great run by Q" for 90 minutes, and at the end the announcer says "how about those rookies?"

This is what I miss by not being an MLS regular viewer. Every time I tune into DCU games, I have heard Quaranta's name being mentioned a good amount of times, but thought maybe that was just an anomaly, so I'm glad to hear it's more than that. He did seem to be very active and involved in the game last night. Hope this continues. Not sure about Namoff.

[Jegao Paraiba]

As a Crew fan, I'd nominate two:

Chad Marshall (as always). And Eddie Gaven has been playing pretty well in a CM role. Rogers has been bothered by a hamstring early on, but is starting to look better.

I'd also say Colin Clark out at Colorado.

We gotta get some D-Mid help.
Brian Carroll (from Crew)
Clyde Simms (DCU)

Pablo has had a good run and has done a lot for soccer in the USA, but the other day he was really showing his age.

[Matrim55]

Geoff Cameron. Hands down.

[Nutmeg]

By team, IMO the standout US-eligible performers that haven't been recently capped. Players in BOLD I think should be given looks this summer:

CHICAGO: Rolfe, Ward
CHIVAS: Thornton
COLUMBUS: Gaven, Marshall, Rogers*, O'Rourke
COLORADO: Clark
DALLAS: Cooper, Wallace
DCU: Pontius, Quaranta
HOUSTON: Holden, Cameron, Davis
KANSAS CITY: Arnaud, Jewsbury, Wolff
LOS ANGELES: Buddle*
NEW ENGLAND: Alston
NEW YORK: -
SALT LAKE: -
SEATTLE: Jaqua, Evans
TORONTO: Cronin
SAN JOSE: -

[6 ft. Leprechaun]

By team, IMO the standout US-eligible performers that haven't been recently capped. Players in BOLD I think should be given looks this summer:

CHICAGO: Rolfe, Ward
CHIVAS: Thornton
COLUMBUS: Gaven, Marshall, Rogers*, O'Rourke
COLORADO: Clark
DALLAS: Cooper, Wallace
DCU: Pontius, Quaranta
HOUSTON: Holden, Cameron, Davis
KANSAS CITY: Arnaud, Jewsbury, Wolff
LOS ANGELES: Buddle*
NEW ENGLAND: Alston
NEW YORK: -
SALT LAKE: -
SEATTLE: Jaqua, Evans
TORONTO: Cronin
SAN JOSE: -

I agree with all of the bolded players except for Gaven and O'Rourke. I just don't think that Gaven has what's needed for an international CM. I haven't seen anything from O'Rourke that would justify bringing him up.

[tomásbernal]

Now, I have only been able to watch the quick kicks on mlsnet, but I always get excited to see the Rapids' highlights just to get a chance to see what Colin Clark does. He's looks quick, has good technical skill, sees the game well, makes nice passes, has a fine first touch (!!!), is calm and makes the runs. He seems like he's got it all.

[Grumpy in LA]

By team, IMO the standout US-eligible performers that haven't been recently capped. Players in BOLD I think should be given looks this summer:

CHICAGO: Rolfe, Ward
CHIVAS: Thornton
COLUMBUS: Gaven, Marshall, Rogers*, O'Rourke
COLORADO: Clark
DALLAS: Cooper, Wallace
DCU: Pontius, Quaranta
HOUSTON: Holden, Cameron, Davis
KANSAS CITY: Arnaud, Jewsbury, Wolff
LOS ANGELES: Buddle*
NEW ENGLAND: Alston
NEW YORK: -
SALT LAKE: -
SEATTLE: Jaqua, Evans
TORONTO: Cronin
SAN JOSE: -
Good list. I'd also like to see more of Casey this summer, esp. if he doesn't play much tomorrow.

Given our problems at left wing, I'd be interested to see Alvarez again. Rogers is a probably a better prospect, but we're in bad shape out there right now. I haven't watched the Smurfs much this year, but when I have Alvarez has looked pretty solid (even playing on the right).

Outside MLS, I'd be curious to see Marcus Tracy as well. Or at least to get him a camp invite a la Lichaj. Robles again as well.

[TrueCrew]

We gotta get some D-Mid help.
Brian Carroll (from Crew)
Clyde Simms (DCU)

Pablo has had a good run and has done a lot for soccer in the USA, but the other day he was really showing his age.

Well, I'd say Bradley, Edu, And Clark are all well above those two players. And Brian Carroll has a severly dislocated shoulder that will require off season surgery.

[TrueCrew]

Good list form nutmeg.

Maybe Talley as an anchor of the Chivas D?

Or outside MLS, White and Jemal Johnson come to mind. Zizzo. Szetala. Whitbread. Perkins.

[Matrim55]

Colin Clark is great for MLS, but he won't work for the international game. Spends too much time dribbling with his head down and rarely makes the right runs. He'll struggle exactly like Rogers struggled in the Olympics, except he's older and not nearly as good as Rogers. Same for Alvarez.

Nate Sturgis from SSFC should also be given a look, though that's more because we're so weak at left back right now than because of his play.

And I'm beginning to think that I'd prefer Houston's central defense to the USMNT's central defense.

[uniteo]

We gotta get some D-Mid help.
Brian Carroll (from Crew)
Clyde Simms (DCU)


Clyde would cover a lot of ground and support the defense, but his negatice passing would have folks here howling. DC can incorporate it because they're all about the slow build-up anyway, but he's not starting many counters.

I agree with all of the bolded players except for Gaven and O'Rourke. I just don't think that Gaven has what's needed for an international CM. I haven't seen anything from O'Rourke that would justify bringing him up.

have to agree on both counts...these two seem to hapve been young players with promise, not sure what else recommends them.

[Adam Zebrowski]

nutmeg's list is good, might be off by 1 or 2, but it's very close if not perfect

[El Naranja]

And I'm beginning to think that I'd prefer Houston's central defense to the USMNT's central defense.

Boswell might be a good, tactical sub for the Nats. He's a graduate of the Michael Parkhurst School of Defending. Not much of a danger though when it comes to offense.

Cameron is just an animal. Excellent defending and man can the kid slice through a midfield. Very rare to see from a Centerback.

[Hedbal]

I'll second the idea of Quaranta and Namoff. Santino had made Arena's last WC squad until he got injured. Then came the downward spiral and the recent redemption. He is playing out of his mind these days. I think he is the best passer over distance in MLS. Namoff would be his only competitor. And as an outside defender, Namoff has no peer, IMO. He is a great man defender and at 5'10" he wins almost every head ball because of his exquisite timing.

[Jegao Paraiba]

Well, I'd say Bradley, Edu, And Clark are all well above those two players. And Brian Carroll has a severly dislocated shoulder that will require off season surgery.
Good points, but I thought we were talking about people that were flying under the radar a bit.

I was unaware of the Carroll injury. Sadly, Edu comes off your list for the same reason.

Bradley would be a fine D-Mid if that's where he played. :eek:

Agreed on Clark, but not by much, and he played really well in the Honduras game.

I think Carroll sees the field as well as any pure D-Mid in the US pool and he seems to pass with < 90% efficiency. I guess I just like my D-Mids boring and reliable. Good team guy, too -- no 9 game suspensions for helping us all vicariously live the dream, etc. :D

Pity he's had such a set-back.

[dwsmith1972]

I am intrigued by Cameron but am not clear on what his best, most natural position is. Is it CB or can he play on the left as well?

[Marko72]

Colin Clark is great for MLS, but he won't work for the international game. Spends too much time dribbling with his head down and rarely makes the right runs. He'll struggle exactly like Rogers struggled in the Olympics, except he's older and not nearly as good as Rogers.

Admittedly I haven't watched as much MLS recently as I used to, but this is precisely my read on Colin Clark.

One thing that I've always noticed on this board, though it's not as blatant as it used to be, is a general overrating of dribblers. The biggest reason for this I've long felt is the fact that dribblers tend to show well in MLS in relation to the international game owing to the fact that the average level of MLS fullback is particularly weak. (By contrast, I'd say the average level of MLS center backs is quite a bit stronger than its fullbacks.)

[El Naranja]

I am intrigued by Cameron but am not clear on what his best, most natural position is. Is it CB or can he play on the left as well?

He played FW and RW in college, started off as a RW for Houston (the heir apparent to Brian Mullan's spot) and was tested at DMid, CB, RB, and FW for Houston last year before becoming a fulltime CB.

Still has things to learn about the position, but he gets better every game, and his runs from the back are beautiful to watch.