[bluewolverine]

Taking a cue from a certain English footie site, after watching last night's successful-if-not-pretty victory over T&T, here's a look at which players are guaranteed spots (or should be) on Bob Bradley's roster should we finish the job and qualify for SA2010...

1. Landon Donovan
First name on the roster sheet for every US international, and the best outfield player we've ever produced (sorry, Claudio). Still a little too pass-happy, but his motor never stops.

2. Tim Howard
The latest in a long string of top-notch Americans between the pipes.

3. Ricardo Clark
Way, way down this list prior to the Confed Cup, Clark is now the de facto D-Mid we haven't had since Chris Armas.

4. Michael Bradley
One of our best midfielders, a lock at starter even if he weren't the coach's kid.

5. Jozy Altidore
Another player who has skyrocketed up this list in the last year, and the first true American goalscoring threat since Brian McBride. At 19, his upside is astonishing and he'll be on this list for years. The fans at Hull already love him.

6. Oguchi Onyewu
His play in the Confed Cup got him the big-money move to AC Milan, but he'll struggle to get on the field there, at least at first. That won't keep him off the plane to Jo'burg, but he may not be the lock at starter he once was.

7. Carlos Bocanegra
Guaranteed to be in one of the back four spots come June.

8. Brad Guzan
Pretty clearly the #2 in goal, although a lack of playing time behind Brad Friedel at Aston Villa means he won't be challenging Timmay for the starting spot.

9. Clint Dempsey
Last night wasn't the first time Clint was sleepwalking most of the game until being bumped from midfield up to forward, where he contributed far more. Still, his goalscoring ability guarantees him a spot on the plane.

10. Charlie Davies
Like Altidore, Davies has used 2009 to go from a virtual unknown to a regular starter.

11. Jay DeMerit
Injured against El Salvador, DeMerit missed the T&T match, but he's still a lock to join the team in South Africa.

12. Steve Cherundolo
A veteran defender on a fairly young back line, 'Dolo will be on the plane if he's healthy.

13. Brian Ching
the Flyin' Hawaiian provides Bradley with a strong target forward up front. Could see time against European opponents in South Africa.

14. Kenny Cooper
The move from Dallas to Germany looks to suit Coop well. Not known for his workrate, Cooper is a likely late sub when down a goal.

15. Jonathan Spector
Sure to be one of the defenders on the plane, although he may not be one of the four starters.

16. Benny Feilhaber
Now that Benny's getting playing time in Denmark, he's no longer the invisible man in the midfield corps. One of the few genuine playmakers on the team, Benny will be on the roster if he's healthy.

17. Jonathan Bornstein
Left back is a weakness for the US, and Bornstein--who is decent going forward but not an international-quality defender-- is the best of a weak group.

18. Jose Torres
A skilled midfield player who has shown to be a bit of a defensive liability, Torres wasn't on the Gold Cup roster but played pretty well in the Confed. Personally, I'd love to see him get more field time, but he won't be taking it away from Donovan, Clark or Bradley...

19. Sasha Kljestan
I'll admit, I'm not a Sasha fan. Once much higher on this list, he's played his way down and at this point may not make the trip.

20. Stuart Holden
One of the up-and-coming players. If we don't see him on the world stage in 2010, we'll see him in 2014 for sure.

21. Chad Marshall
Playing well for Columbus, and in the picture at defender for his country.

22. Robbie Rogers
See Stuart Holden.

23. Freddie Adu
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Needs to get on the field, any field, and in a game. Should still make the bench, as he's one of the few late-game impact players the US has, but he's so deep in BB's doghouse he may not see daylight.

24. Troy Perkins
In the mix for the #3 goalie spot, Troy has the advantage of having played fairly well in the Gold Cup games.

25. Jon Busch
Also in the mix for the #3 goalie spot.

26. Santino Quaranta
Still pops up on the US Nats radar from time to time, although he hasn't ended up being the wunderkind people envisioned when he joined DC United as a kid. Gee, who else had that happen?

27. Logan Pause
Capped 5 times this past year, Pause gets on the field now and again but isn't likely to figure in South Africa.

28. Chris Rolfe
Soon-to-be-ex-Chicago player who struggled this year when played out of position. Can be an effective striker. May be one to watch for 2014.

29. Davy Arnaud
Scorer of some spectacular goals over the years for Kansas City, but Arnaud is just a fringe Nat and shouldn't figure for South Africa.

30. Conor Casey
Bob likes him, so he may make the roster.

31. Marvell Wynne
When he was drafted by the MetroBulls, Wynne was expected to own the right back spot on the USMNT for a decade. Hasn't happened.

32. Clarence Goodson
Played a few games in the Gold Cup, and working his way up the list slowly.

33. Luis Robles
Probably won't be the #3 goalie this time around, but a player to watch for the future.

34. Pablo Mastroeni
As the Brits like to say, well past his sell-by date... but if anything happens to Ricardo Clark, Pablo could be on the plane.

35. Kyle Beckerman
Unspectacular in the Gold Cup, and badly in need of a haircut.

36. Jermaine Jones
The great unknown, still working out his paperwork after growing up in Germany. If he's cleared to join the US Nats, he may spring far up this list.

37. Jay Heaps
He played basketball for Duke, did you know?

38. Heath Pearce
Could be called up, if every other American defender in the world is sick with Swine Flu.

39. Jimmy Conrad
See Heath Pearce.

40. DaMarcus Beasley
Please, God, no.

[Mullet&Talon]

[QUOTE=bluewolverine;18757457]Taking a cue from a certain English footie site, after watching last night's successful-if-not-pretty victory over T&T, here's a look at which players are guaranteed spots (or should be) on Bob Bradley's roster should we finish the job and qualify for SA2010...

1. Michael Bradley
I love you son.

2. Landon Donovan
Second name on the roster sheet for every US international, and the best outfield player we've ever produced (sorry, Claudio). Still a little too pass-happy, but his motor never stops.

3. Tim Howard
The latest in a long string of top-notch Americans between the pipes.

4. Ricardo Clark
Way, way down this list prior to the Confed Cup, Clark is now the de facto D-Mid we haven't had since Chris Armas.

...
QUOTE]

fyp

[Arid_Torpor]

bluewolv,

Your list sucks hardcore.

Holden and Marshall, both of whom have been making the 18 for the last few matches, are below Kljestan.

Rico Clark is #3 overall, despite the fact that he's #3 at his position when there are no injuries to contend with.

Kenny Cooper #14. Need I say more?

[bluewolverine]

Originally Posted by Arid_Torpor

bluewolv,

Your list sucks hardcore.

Holden and Marshall, both of whom have been making the 18 for the last few matches, are below Kljestan.

Rico Clark is #3 overall, despite the fact that he's #3 at his position when there are no injuries to contend with.

Kenny Cooper #14. Need I say more?

It's not a list of who I would start-- I agree with you, I like Holden much better than Kljestan, and I'm no big Kenny Cooper fan. But I'm predicting who Bob Bradley would take.

Do you really think Rico is our #3 D-Mid? Really?

[bluewolverine]

I will grant you, however, that I completely blew it on forgetting to add Maurice Edu to the list.

[clashcityrocker]

Ladders are a nice device, but you need to look at it positionally and take into account the needs of the team in a situation where you are playing a good number of games in a short period of time. Flexibility is important (meaning that one-position players are at a disadvantage, all things being equal), and once you get past the top players, you have to compare the costs/benefits of disparate players in fairly complex algorithms. For example, assuming Maurice Edu is healthy and in form, and is on the team, is the team stronger by taking a fourth central defender, a fifth forward, a fifth central midfielder, or a fifth attacking midfielder?

My predictions for the 23, with dependencies noted.

Nominal starting lineup:


------ Altidore ----- Davies -------
Donovan ---------------------- Dempsey
--------- Bradley ---- Jones -------
Bocanegra - Onyewu - Demerit - Spector
------------- Howard -------------


Backups:

Forwards (2): Ching, and either Cooper or Casey, depending on form.

Attacking midfield (2): Holden, Torres

Central midfield (2): Feilhaber, and either Clark or Edu, depending on form.

Outside backs (2): Cherundolo, and one of Castillo, Bornstein, Hejduk, and Pearce

Center backs (2): Marshall and one of Conrad, Goodson

The big assumption that I make is that Jones integrates successfully and takes a starting spot, and the big question for me is Maurice Edu: if he is healthy and in form, he provides exactly the kind of hard-nosed two-way play that Bradley likes. But if he is taken, then you have to ask a whole series of cascading questions: Is Edu a better central back than Goodson/Conrad/Parkhurst, and if so, does Clark provide more utility as a fifth central midfield option than Goodson, for example, would provide as a fifth or sixth central defender option? Does Edu provide the cover in central midfield and defense that allows you to leave Clark at home and take an extra attacker like Casey or Adu?

We shall see.

[soccermusician]

I don't think JR would get 90 minutes every game if someone like bruce or anyone else was coach...

Bocanegra is out of form and i predict Jay will take his spot for 2010

i would not take ching, perfer cooper or casey any day casey is mvp candidate in mls for crying out loud!!!

sacha 19? way to high

[soccermusician]

Originally Posted by clashcityrocker

Ladders are a nice device, but you need to look at it positionally and take into account the needs of the team in a situation where you are playing a good number of games in a short period of time. Flexibility is important (meaning that one-position players are at a disadvantage, all things being equal), and once you get past the top players, you have to compare the costs/benefits of disparate players in fairly complex algorithms. For example, assuming Maurice Edu is healthy and in form, and is on the team, is the team stronger by taking a fourth central defender, a fifth forward, a fifth central midfielder, or a fifth attacking midfielder?

My predictions for the 23, with dependencies noted.

Nominal starting lineup:


------ Altidore ----- Davies -------
Donovan ---------------------- Dempsey
--------- Bradley ---- Jones -------
Bocanegra - Onyewu - Demerit - Spector
------------- Howard -------------


Backups:

Forwards (2): Ching, and either Cooper or Casey, depending on form.

Attacking midfield (2): Holden, Torres

Central midfield (2): Feilhaber, and either Clark or Edu, depending on form.

Outside backs (2): Cherundolo, and one of Castillo, Bornstein, Hejduk, and Pearce

Center backs (2): Marshall and one of Conrad, Goodson

The big assumption that I make is that Jones integrates successfully and takes a starting spot, and the big question for me is Maurice Edu: if he is healthy and in form, he provides exactly the kind of hard-nosed two-way play that Bradley likes. But if he is taken, then you have to ask a whole series of cascading questions: Is Edu a better central back than Goodson/Conrad/Parkhurst, and if so, does Clark provide more utility as a fifth central midfield option than Goodson, for example, would provide as a fifth or sixth central defender option? Does Edu provide the cover in central midfield and defense that allows you to leave Clark at home and take an extra attacker like Casey or Adu?

We shall see.

Mine

------ Altidore ----- Davies -------
Donovan ---------------------- Dempsey
--------- Bradley ---- Jones -------
Castillo - Onyewu - Demerit - Spector
------------- Howard -------------

bench:
holden
torres
benny
adu
steve
boca
guzan
clark
marshall
adu
cooper
casey

[judodono]

Torres didn't play a second in the Confed Cup. Are you confusing him with someone else?

And, like someone else mentioned, any list will require MB first. Not going to happen any other way. MB is #1. Then the ladder begins..

[arkjayback]

Originally Posted by bluewolverine

It's not a list of who I would start-- I agree with you, I like Holden much better than Kljestan, and I'm no big Kenny Cooper fan. But I'm predicting who Bob Bradley would take.

Do you really think Rico is our #3 D-Mid? Really?

Um. DUH. Jermaine Jones and Maurice Edu would both be higher than Clark on the depth chart. Most people would also count Bradley as a DMid too because he's not a pure attacker. Those people, me included, would really say that Clark is the #4 defensive midfielder. If you think he is above #20 on any kind of ladder you want to come up with, then you're oblivious.