US vs. Swedes 1/19 @ HDC

[cjk1975]

Did not see a post on this. If it's a double I apologize.

The U.S. soccer team will play Sweden in an exhibition game on Jan. 19 at Carson, Calif., as part of its preparation for the start of World Cup qualifying in June.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/10/04/bc.soc.sweden.us.ap/index.html

[AiRandy415]

The U.S. soccer team will play Sweden in an exhibition game on Jan. 19 at Carson, Calif., as part of its preparation for the start of World Cup qualifying in June.

We have a couple games scheduled in the early part of the year, and we will be focusing on getting the players fit and making sure they understand what is expected of them."

I wonder what other countries we are playing?

[El Duderino]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere, sorry if it is. Bob-o says it's going to be mostly domestic players.

[babytiger2001]

All related threads merged.

[FirstStar]

A January friendly will mean a long out-of-season MLS camp and mostly domestic players in the match. We'll probably schedule 2 more friendlies for that time frame.

It's pretty good practice for 2009 when we hold the long off-season camp as a prelude to the final round of WC qualifiers.

[OWN(yewu)ED]

Sweden will always give us a good challenge im glad theyre coming. They played some good looking ball and deffinetly gave us a game so i like this one. So itll probably be the MLS boys, and as for the scandinavian guys i dont see Califf or Davies coming along for this one, and no Pearce cuz he's in the Bundesliga now. Curious who the others are though. Only thing im concerned about is if Jozy is overseas at that point. It certainly is a possibility.

GK: Guzan, Seitz, Perkins, Reis

D: Conrad, Parkhurst, Bornstein, Harrington, Wynne, Freeman, Boswell, E Robinson

M: Clark, Edu, Klejstan, Mastroeni, Holden, Alvarez, Mapp, Beckermann

F: Donovan, Ching, EJ,Twellmann, Cooper, Rolfe, ?Altidore?

Biggest thing is we need some no nonesense shutdown defenders to win this thing. Conrad and Parkhurst in the middle would be absolutely ideal. I think it will be surprising how well these guys perform. Out right itll be Wynne or Freeman, out left itll be Bornstein n Harrigton. Im very concerned about our flanks, i really dont think they will fare well against the big aggressive Swedish players.

Midfield looks okay depthwise with Edu, Clark will probably be back in this thing despite the Ruiz deal, and Holden and Alvarez i think wll be very surprising on the outside and make BB really think about both of them. And a substantially improved Klejstan by the looks of things, the kid is on fire.

As for forward, it will probably be the same drab, dismal groupd we always have. Altidore will probably be overseas at this point, he hasnt exactly been keeping his ambition to play overseas a secret, so there goes that. Donovan is for sure a forward, Ching on paper is his best partner. But lets give Chris Rolfe and particularly Supa Coop some good run ups up top, particularly ahead of EJ ad Twellman. Ching, you can make a case to keep around because of his ability to make Donovan explosive. EJ and Twellman, well, theres nothing left. Camp fodder, but its time to look somewhere ese. If Altidore is still there, theres no question he should be the highlight feature in our frontline, if not then Ching and Coop off the bench for him. Chings nothing special, but the wheels look like theyre starting to come off too in terms of him staying healthy, his USMNT career might be coming to a close because of it. Dude just cant stay healthy. And id take him oer EJ and Twellman no question.

[russ]

I wonder what other countries we are playing?

Catalonia,Chechnya,Quebec,and Tibet.

I'm sure they'll all go off without a hitch.

[IndividualEleven]

The best team available would be:

----------------Rolfe-----Altidore-------------
-----------------------------------------------
----------------------Kljestan-------------------
-----Bornstein------Edu-----Clark-----Donovan----
---------------------------------------------------
------------Conrad---Parkhurst----E. Rob-----------
---------------------------------------------------
----------------------Guzan----------------------

[ECUNCHATER]

I wonder what other countries we are playing?

My guess is there will be a home game vs Mexico somewhere in there and probably some of the CONCACAF middle weights like T&T, Canada, Jamaica, Guatemala, etc.

[inflames]

My guess is there will be a home game vs Mexico somewhere in there and probably some of the CONCACAF middle weights like T&T, Canada, Jamaica, Guatemala, etc.

if we play Mexico I hope its down there, Azteca, Jalisco, El Volcan, anywhere, see how the team handles it

[ECUNCHATER]

if we play Mexico I hope its down there, Azteca, Jalisco, El Volcan, anywhere, see how the team handles it

That would be cool to take a CONCACAF road trip and play down there and maybe at Costa Rica too.

[ysantos]

Am i the only one who'd like to see the US take on Canada at BMO field and have it billed as somekind of grudge match?

[russ]

Toronto in January?

An indoor match at the ACC,perhaps...

[OWN(yewu)ED]

upon watching the Crew match on fox soccer channel, i hereby replace Beckerman on my list with Robbie Rogers. Kids got skillz that killz

[Missionary]

upon watching the Crew match on fox soccer channel, i hereby replace Beckerman on my list with Robbie Rogers. Kids got skillz that killz

Watched the game as well and he deserves a call up for sure. Amazing.

[IndividualEleven]

Rogers sure puts up nice highlights type stuff. Wonder why Sigi didn't give him more run.

[FirstStar]

Rogers sure puts up nice highlights type stuff. Wonder why Sigi didn't give him more run.

Because Sigi hates soccer . . . oh wait, that's ESPN.

Sigi is like Bruce-- no matter what they say, deep down inside they don't trust young players.

[ugaaccountant]

Kids got skillz that killz

that's pathetic analysis.

[IndividualEleven]

Because Sigi hates soccer . . . oh wait, that's ESPN.

Sigi is like Bruce-- no matter what they say, deep down inside they don't trust young players.

I think they both prefer 'lunch pail' type players who are robust and/or run all day.
Thus Beez and Donovan were fine, but Freddy couldn't get any run with Bruce. Wolyniec gets a camp and a start with Bruce, but Buddle who drops a four-bagger in with Arena in stands can't get a cup of coffee despite the frienldy being in Columbus.

Guys like Ward and Gaven found the bench when they moved from the Metros, though Gaven has since become a consistent starter.

[Bill Schmidt]

Catalonia,Chechnya,Quebec,and Tibet.

I'm sure they'll all go off without a hitch.

Son of a ****! The USSF ignored our petition to play Gibraltar. Maybe next year.