Conor Casey in the WC picture...

[onlyifvickplayedsocr]

Looks like he is recovering and he

"remains intent on finding club form to re-enter Bruce Arena's World Cup frame"

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=news&id=001401

He does play in Germany. He might be a nice option to have on the roster.

[forza inter]

if he is indeed fit, or will be very soon then he is in a good spot to at least fight for a spot on the team. he is in germany, and bruce said the 2 friendlies in march in germany...1 will be for the euros (which conor is) and the second vs germany will be mainly mls he said plus guys who are playing in germany due to the difficulty of other euros getting freed by clubs (which again cnor is in germany, at least for the time being). so if he starts playin agan for mainz or another german team asap he does have a shot cerainly. i wish him luck regardless. i was not ready to cash in my chips on conor yet unlike many other here but im not sold either. we shall see though.


forza inter

[The Big Ticket]

This should give as another opportunity for a comparison between Ching and Casey - which one sucks more? On present form, I have to say Ching is awful, but Casey will be coming off an injury and could be equally poor. We'll have to wait and see.

[Ronaldo's Idol]

He is currently far far far away from making the final 23.

But if he finds lots of playing time and starts bagging goals in the Bundesliga (I don't think the 2Bundesliga will suffice) he can easily jump over someone like Twellman or Rolfe or Wolff.

That said, he wasn't bagging goals last season, and it seems that either Mainz are not a good fit for him or he isn't good enough to score regularly in the the Bundesliga.

I just don't see him making the squad.


It is interesting, though, that apparently in training Casey is the premier finisher in the USMNT pool. I think there was perhaps an all access video about it on ussoccer.com, but he can routinely hit upper or lower 90 with one time shots and volleys. Just needs to learn to translate that to the higher level play of the MNT and Bundesliga where if you can't get shots off in the first place it doesn't matter how accurate of a finisher you are.

[Galaxian]

This should give as another opportunity for a comparison between Ching and Casey - which one sucks more? On present form, I have to say Ching is awful, but Casey will be coming off an injury and could be equally poor. We'll have to wait and see.
man that would be a battle to the death , whos worse.... I think Ching might be a little worse ... Conor is a big strong guy , and I think is a little better than Ching. CHing is big , but got pushed around way too easily in the scotland game.

[helmzgk]

I still think Conor and Ching are long shots. They've both really got to hope that McBride convinces Arena that there needs to be a backup target forward. Right now, I don't think Arena is convinced, and the play of Ching lately and Conor last year probably hasn't helped either. We have McBride, who is a lock, with all other forwards fighting for spots. EJ gets in if his game recovers, Wolff has the experience and is still moderately young, two things that are going for him. If those two make it, that leaves one spot, so does Bruce bring along a target forward, who's only role is to either sub on late or backup McBride (which EJ could do reasonably well) in the event of fatigue or injury? I think not. Someone more versatile will probably be brought along, and I think Rolfe is going to be groomed into that position.

[strawberryfields]

I would rather take him than the lost Brian Ching to WC.

[Yankee_Devil]

I would rather take him than the lost Brian Ching to WC.

I would like to repharse that.

I would rahter take a four year old girl than the lost Brian Ching to the WC.

[VOwithwater]

Looks like he is recovering and he

"remains intent on finding club form to re-enter Bruce Arena's World Cup frame"

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=news&id=001401

He does play in Germany. He might be a nice option to have on the roster.


He is very very unquick.

[Autogolazo]

Neither Ching nor Casey should be on the squad, on merit. But...

Is Arena such a "system" guy that he must have a precise backup for every position (in this case McBride, target man), or could a more deserving player (perhaps Rolfe) get the nod?

It's really a tough question--the US is SO short in attack and midfield as it is.

[Bruce S]

Neither Ching nor Casey should be on the squad, on merit. But...

Is Arena such a "system" guy that he must have a precise backup for every position (in this case McBride, target man), or could a more deserving player (perhaps Rolfe) get the nod?

.
what is the evidence for THAT? At WC 2002, he used several systems.It is true that he probably wants a forward who MIGHT be able to win a ball in the air, but that is hardly a system.

[strawberryfields]

Neither Ching nor Casey should be on the squad, on merit. But...

Is Arena such a "system" guy that he must have a precise backup for every position (in this case McBride, target man), or could a more deserving player (perhaps Rolfe) get the nod?

It's really a tough question--the US is SO short in attack and midfield as it is.

We didn't have McBride's backup last time around, did we ?

[sidefootsitter]

what is the evidence for THAT? At WC 2002, he used several systems.It is true that he probably wants a forward who MIGHT be able to win a ball in the air, but that is hardly a system. Without a target forward, Bruce will have to play/advance the ball on the ground. Do you think the US can do that without Reyna and JOB?

[Martin Fischer]

Some of you just don't get it. Janauary and February are the months for fringe players. Casey is not available during this period meaning he will have to fight and play great just to get scraps of time during the March friendlies when time will go mostly to guys likely to play a lot during the Finals. He will have to have both luck and play great in limited time to even have a chance. It's a low probability.

[strawberryfields]

couldn't agree more.

[rgli13]

i would take casey before i would take any forward not named mcbride, johnson, or wolff...considering fitness and getting back in form, of course.

[SamsArmySam]

My 2 cents...

Casey's rehab has been faster than expected, and it sounds like his club will give him some sub minutes in February. That's decent timing for Bruce and the coaching staff to take a look at him in advance of both of the March friendlies. [EDIT - That was unclear. I think one month's sub duty is a very small amount of time. But if he's fit enough to get into games, then he's fit enough to get a camp invite. The timing is lining up...] So he has a real shot at making the squad.

In terms of what he brings, I see him as a closer backup to McBride than Ching. He knocks down balls to attacking teammates. Holds strongly with back to goal while waiting for attacking teammates to advance. Turns quickly. Has vision to spot attacking runs. Can make quality passes to connect with those players. And has some real bite to his game that keeps opposing defenses from hacking our smaller guys all game. Pros and cons on the last point, but I see him at this point in his career being mature enough to keep things in check. And if you saw the 2004 Mexico friendly, then you know the value his early physical play provided for Donovan, Beasley, and Convey the rest of the match.

He has never finished well for the US. For some here, that's the be all, end all for a forward, and if you can't do that then you're wasting a roster spot. But remember in 2002 when Arena took McBride, and his 2001-early2002 strike rate was comparably low coming into the Cup.

A word on opponents. We face Italy and Czech in the first round, and it's unlikely McBride can bring back-to-back 90 minutes against both. Casey is the logical backup if you want a McBride-style player in those games.

[lmorin]

Some of you just don't get it. Casey is a pretty good Bundesliga 2 player, but he has done very little in the top flight, just like he has done nothing in USMNT games. He is not and never was on my personal list of players likely to make the final squad, barring damage to McBride, Johnson, Twellman and Ching, of course. Only then would I look toward Casey, and at that point, things would be so outrageously horrible, that I be inclined to take yount, inexperienced guys instead of Casey. Yes, he's that bad at high level games.

[jsantarita]

I think that if he is playing again full time bruce will take him. He is a "Brian McBride type" of player that Bruuce seems to like up front

[MarioKempes]

CC has no chance. It's too late, baby.