23 Tickets to Germany-Oct. Edition

[Peretz48]

The good folks at yanks-abroad are updating the pool every month. Moving down from 'pack your bags' to 'nearly a lock' is Dolo, due to injury. Mastro moved up from 'fairly safe bet' to 'nearly a lock.' I'd put him in 'pack your bags.' Another injury casualty moving downward is Gibbs, from 'nearly a lock' to 'fairly safe bet.' For those who are wondering, young Mr. Adu has been in the 'bubble battlers' (the lowest category) in every monthly survey.
http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=extratime&id=001173

[VTSoccerFan]

I usually like what YA has to say, but looking at their list it seems incomplete. It actually has me feeling like we are very vulnerable at many positions and do not necessarily seem to be aware of it or have an open mind about finding solutions. Sorry this turned into a rant...

How have some names been left off of their list? What about Ricardo Clark, Martino, Spector, Califf, Carroll? I don't think these have great chances to make the team, but they did at least appear in a qualifier. Shouldn't they be somewhere on the list in some category?

A list that includes Gomez, West, Mapp, and Cannon as "Moving Up the Ladder". At least Mapp played in a qualifier, albeit the same one as Clark, Martino, Spector, Califf, Carroll. How are Gomez, West, and Cannon moving up the ladder?

A list that mentions Wolff, Noonan, Ralston, Conrad, and Vanney as "Moving Out of the Frame". We have injuries in the center of our defense (where Boca is referred to as a starter on this list), no solid left back, no solid right midfielder, and no reliable strikers, and a midfield that is a few injuries away from being quite shaky... how can anybody who plays these positions be considered to be moving out of the frame? Have they shown that poorly?

The list considers the following as "Bubble Battlers":
Freddy Adu, Adin Brown, Conor Casey, Brian Ching, Ramiro Corrales, Brad Davis, Eddie Gaven, Nick Garcia, Chris Klein, Richard Mulrooney, Ben Olsen, Heath Pearce, Peter Philipakos, Matt Reis, Kerry Zavagnin. I say invite them all to camp in January, what can it hurt? The more the merrier. Make it a sort of soccer training combine. Let's see how people's skills compare head to head then weigh some options.

While we are at it maybe there could be other categories:
"Voted off the island": Kirovski, Razov
"Hamburg Headcases": Buddle, Mathis
"Rookie Raring for a lookie": Rolfe
"Get Healthy and Get a look": Esky
We are pretty thin up top so why not consider anybody who could help?

Watching that great Wynalda video somebody posted reminded me of what it was like when our strikers has more than just one skill to offer and could dribble, pass, shoot, and create their own opportunities... and were not necessarily target guys, or speed guys, or good in the room, or situational veterans, etc.

All I am saying is that I think that many of the players considered by many fans as locks are overrated and their standing should be challenged. Why give anybody a free pass? Bring in anybody that might be able to help and give them a fair shot.

[flash1316]

Is Chad Marshall anywhere on the list. Cause he's making a case for fairly safe bet.

[cleansheetbsc]

"John O'Brien - D/M, Den Haag (Holland)

Arena has lately stated that O'Brien and Claudio Reyna are the only two players he would name to his roster if they were carrying an injury. (NT)"

Well that statement alone should move JOB from "almost certain" to "Pack your bags."

[appoo]

damnit, I thought you were OFFERING 23 tickets to the World Cup :(

[Peretz48]

Maybe in hindsight I shouldn't have started this thread. Whatever one thinks of the categories and where players were placed, it is unacceptable to completely omit some names (e.g.,Califf, Carroll, Clark, Martino, Spector), and whether they belong in 'bubble battlers,' 'slipping out of frame,' or 'moving up the ladder' is open to discussion, but given the fact that they've recently played for the USMNT is justification enough to mention them. And there were several contributors to the piece, so you would think that collectively nobody would have been left out.

[Matrim55]

Maybe in hindsight I shouldn't have started this thread. Whatever one thinks of the categories and where players were placed, it is unacceptable to completely omit some names (e.g.,Califf, Carroll, Clark, Martino, Spector), and whether they belong in 'bubble battlers,' 'slipping out of frame,' or 'moving up the ladder' is open to discussion, but given the fact that they've recently played for the USMNT is justification enough to mention them. And there were several contributors to the piece, so you would think that collectively nobody would have been left out.
Yep. As it is, the piece is sloppy and laughably amateurish and is clearly less about analyzing Bruce's pool than it is about analyzing the writers' preferences.

[Adam Zebrowski]

I thiunk ching is much closer to being a fairly safe bet versus being a bubble battler, mainly because who else is the 2nd target forward??

[Peretz48]

I thiunk ching is much closer to being a fairly safe bet versus being a bubble battler, mainly because who else is the 2nd target forward??
Yeah, but unless he comes all the way back from his injury and begins to show a glimmer of his former ability, he'll have a hard time moving up the chart, target forward or not. I think he can do it, and I hope by the January camp we see a rejuvenated Ching.

[MJ 19]

I would say the backup options to McBride as target forward would be Twellman and then Ching. It is hard to say who has performed better for the National Team, I would say that during the Semifinal round Ching performed better, but Twellman has gotten more chances of late. Twellman technically has one goal, but I have to say that the goal that was disallowed (clealy onside) against T&T should merit some points. I was so frustrated when it was not even mentioned during each of his last two starts while harping about his not having a USMNT goal.

[bostonsoccermdl]

WHAT?? No mention of Rossi?? <ducks thrown tomato>

[FirstStar]

FWIW, I e-mailed YA.com and gave them a broadside over omitting Spector from the list. Greg Seltzer replied that they left Spector off because of a last-minute editing error.

Doesn't explain why they haven't fixed the problem, though.

[John_Harkes_6]

Biggest problem I have with the list is that Santino Quaranta is Moving Up the Ladder and Steve Ralston is Slipping Out of Frame. Who do they propose play left wing since these two are the only ones who have seen action in a qualifier at RW in a game that matters for a long time running?

[sidefootsitter]

Pack your bags - Keller, Howard, Cherundolo, Onyewu, Lewis, Reyna, Donovan, Beasley, McBride, Mastroeni.

Near lock - Gibbs, Berhalter, Convey, Johnson, O'Brien (you Nazi bastard), Hahnemann.

Safe bet : None.

On the bubble : Bocanegra, Reis, Hejduk, Spector, Califf, Pope, Albright, Marshall, Armas, Ralston, Noonan, Twellman, Ching, Dempsey, Mapp, Quaranta, Wolff, West.

Loooooong shots - Jaqua, Clark, Carroll, Conrad, Garcia, Adu, Philipakos, Simek, Demerit, Gomez, Mullan, Cunningham, Vanney, Klein, Gaven, Russell, Johnny Walker.

Special case : Rossi. (if he wants it, he's probably in)

[cleat/less]

I once quoted a yank-abroad piece that mentioned simek as a possibility, realized after words how ridiculous that was and now realize that yanks-abroad is completely full of it. for god's sake they only now dropped marvell wynee off their bubble list.

[sidefootsitter]

I once quoted a yank-abroad piece that mentioned simek as a possibility, realized after words how ridiculous that was and now realize that yanks-abroad is completely full of it. for god's sake they only now dropped marvell wynee off their bubble list. Simek's been playing very well lately and made some All Colaship Teams of the Week. In other words, he's been performing on the level of Eddie Lewis and Bobby Convey.

That should make him a possibility.

[Maldini#3]

I would say the backup options to McBride as target forward would be Twellman and then Ching. It is hard to say who has performed better for the National Team, I would say that during the Semifinal round Ching performed better, but Twellman has gotten more chances of late. Twellman technically has one goal, but I have to say that the goal that was disallowed (clealy onside) against T&T should merit some points. I was so frustrated when it was not even mentioned during each of his last two starts while harping about his not having a USMNT goal.

I put Twellman barely ahead of Ching in this race for the McBride's backup. Ching had a great semi-finals, got injured. Twellman sucked it up, then finally got his official goal against Panama. Playing Twellman and Ching together on a weak side away at Costa Rica was really unfair to both of them. They're both the same type of player (more or less) and to evaluate them based on that performance is quite ridiculous. In the Panama game, Twellman got something like 75 minutes and Ching only got 15. Seems like he has the upper hand for the moment, but I think January camp will settle it ...

[2ndstarright]

FWIW, I e-mailed YA.com and gave them a broadside over omitting Spector from the list. Greg Seltzer replied that they left Spector off because of a last-minute editing error.

Doesn't explain why they haven't fixed the problem, though.


they put him up there now...as slipping out of frame.

"every week that he doesnt play for charlton weakens his case. looks great for 2010."

hopefully things will change with playing time after tomorrow. he is starting at LB

[HartwickFan]

hopefully things will change with playing time after tomorrow. he is starting at LB

Do you have any inside info, or are you just going off of what's on the Charlton web site?

http://www.cafc.co.uk/newsview.ink?nid=22894

In any case, I really hope that Spector gets his chance tomorrow. And as far as premiership teams go, Portsmouth is probably a good one when it comes to breaking in a young defender.

[cleat/less]

Simek's been playing very well lately and made some All Colaship Teams of the Week. In other words, he's been performing on the level of Eddie Lewis and Bobby Convey.

That should make him a possibility. ok, but ahead of who? hasn't he been playing right back? if so, you think he needs a shot to beat out cherundolo, heydude, albright, and quite possibly spector? I think he once played center back, but to think he'd get a shot over the current deapth there seems a bit of a stretch.

too bad he's not left footed.....