I'd like to see as many of the MLS campers called in as possible. They've looked good, but it's been against crap competition. So, a) start integrating them with the euros, b) see if they can hang with a higher level of competition. I'd love to see a Dunivant, Pope, Conrad, or Hey Dude! tested against the Polacki. Especially Dunivant & Conrad. There will likely be a lot more pressure than they've faced in the prev. matches. And, put the Zav & the Dempster out there. It looks like the campers have built up a good chemistry. If a camper and a YA were even, my inclination would be to take the camper. But, I'd want to test them against Poland to see if they can hang. My starting line-up would be something like: 1st half - - - - - - - -McB - - - - - - - -EJ -------------------Lando Beaz---------------------------------Dempsey --------------------Zav Eddie L---------Gooch-----Conrad--------Dolo 2nd half --------------Twellman---------EJ ---------------------Lando Convey---------------------------Dempsey* ---------------------Zav Dunivant-----Gooch---------Boca------------Dolo *I'd sub in Klein or Noonan in the 60th min. Or, sub in Hey Dude for Dempsey, put him at right back, and move Dolo up to right mid. That might be our best combo on the right. Dolo can easily play right mid - as well as any right mid that we've got. Hey Dude, is our fittest guy & he did well at full back last time around. Plus, he looks like an old dog that's learned new tricks. For all the crap that he gets, he looks like a more skilled player than he was 4 years ago. Gotta find a right mid.
With Reyna and JOB on the mend, the only Euro midfielders we have available are Beasley, Convey and Lewis (who all play the same position). Arena answered a direct question in a conference call that Donovan is not ruled out for the Poland game. So I think he's definitely in. Since only the Germany-based Euros are available for the game in Dortmund, any Euro that's got a decent shot at the roster and doesn't play in the Bundesliga will likely get a call. Klein played on the right during the last game in Poland. I'd expect either he or Dempsey will play there in this one, unless Convey goes on the left and DMB moves over to the right. Mastroeni is still hurt, so I think Zavagnin and Olsen get the call-up. Here's my list... GK: Keller, Howard, Hahnemann CB: Onyewu, Berhalter, Gibbs, Bocanegra RB: Cherundolo, Hejduk LB: Lewis, Spector (?) CM: Donovan, Zavagnin, Olsen LM: Convey, Beasley RM: Dempsey, Klein ST: McBride, Johnson, Twellman, Wolff This is as close to the final roster as we can get right now. Keeping in mind that the game against Germany will be mostly MLS guys with the Bundesliga players mixed in, I think Dunivant gets left out of this one. Pope and Conrad will definitely go to the second game, one of the them might make this one. Pearce is probably done and won't get called to either game. Noonan should get the call for the Germany game, maybe not worth it for this one. My guess at a line-up... ----------------Keller-------------------- -Dolo---Onyewu--Berhalter/Boca---Lewis- ---------------Zavagnin------------------ ----Beasley------------------Convey----- ----------------Donovan----------------- ---------McBride--------Johnson--------- Dempsey or Klein sub for Convey (DMB moves to left) Twellman sub for McBride Wolff sub for EJ at half Olsen late sub for Zavagnin
Nice lineup. This is more or less what I've had in mind. Even though I like Boca better, I'm more curious to see what Berhalter's been up to... for whatever reason, his games are less televised than Fulham's. I also think that Arena really needs to see how the team plays with, who I think, are the potential starting outside backs and outside mids. I see Convey and Beasley both starting in Germany... and as it's been discussed before, Beasley's style of play is more easily adaptable to the right side than Convey's is.
I don't know that other Euros won't be made available. Reading (Convey and Marcus) should have clinched promotion by that time, and would be allowed to play. DeMerit (if wanted) is being put forward by his manager, so which would imply he'd be available. I agree with your lists, and starting 11 for poland, but it does make me think about heading into the WC without JOB or Mastro. I like KZ, and would like to see him with a spot on the roster, but KZ backed up by Olsen is not a dream setup for the US, IMO. I think JOB is unlikely for the cup, but mastro needs to be healthy.
i really hope Arena tries out Convey at CM and at RM some. with so much presence on that left side it would be nice to know that we are covered on the right side too.
Yes, of course you are correct about this, but we just don't know how Arena will act. Even good callups won't necessarily getted called for every friendly. He could be thinking that those 3 players are pretty much already on the final roster, and they will integrate them with the full squad in May. Or he may have already told Nicol and Sampson that players x,y,z will be with the USMNT for the March 1 Fifa matchday. Is Wednesday, 2/22 the day for the official release of the squad list to face Poland?
Ah yes, truer words could not have been spoken; trying to figure out the inner-workings of Bruce Arena's mind. Still, I think he'll want at least one game with all of his top players together before he names his roster. Poland is the only chance for that, and that leads me to believe those three will be there at the very least. Probably Pope too.
to suggest that a player is better for merely playing with a low level team, while another player sits behind the Holland #1 at one of the best clubs in the world is just as ludacris.
at what point in time were Hartman, Reis, or Hahnement EVER a better keeper than Tim Howard? never. that's the answer. I finally got to watch Hahnemen with Readin this past weekend. He's not close to as good as Howard IMHO.
What low level team? Reading is probably as good or better than the bottom third of the EPL at the moment. They will be playing there next year and given how dominant they are at the moment there is no reason to think they cannot duplicate Wigan's success. Hahneman is one of the leaders of that team and one of the reasons they are where they are. From what I've read everyone, teammates, coaches, fans, even his opponents, recognize his quality. No one should be arguing that Tim is not a good player, that would be false, but Hahneman has to be even with him a the moment in The Bruce's mind. We'll know tomorrow, but the Poland preparation and game will be, and should be, a tryout for some players.
Are you a goalkeeper or a goalkeeper coach? Judge Hahneman vs Howard with respect to the qualities or deficits each brings to the game, not whether Hahneman is good because he backstops the best team in the CCCL or whether Howard picks up splinters on the ManU bench. Howard plays weekly, but in reserve games, as everybody knows. It's how they play that counts; not for which team.
why are you so pro-sitting on the bench timmy howard? are you tim howard? are you related to tim howard? did you mistakenly poo on tim howard? is it the guilt?
"Ludacris" is a rap star/actor. "Ludicrous" is a word which means farcical, ridiculous or preposterous.
you might be right, but in this case Howard looks shaky when given the chance to play. I can't figure out what is the matter with him, but something is wrong.
I would guess that Hahnemann and Howard have about the same chance of being a regular starter at Man U.Hahnemann's chances of being a regular starter in the EPL are bout 5 times Howards at this point.
I guess I can him to my last of xxx-lovers that people accuse me of. Landon-lover Convey-lover Freddy-lover and now Timmy-lover. really, I love USA and all of thier players, but I'm going to tout the players I think are gonna do the best for the Red, White & Blue. I don't know any of these guys peronally and I base my opinionson what I see. My own eyes tell me that none of the the keepers in the pool match up to Howard in talent and ability (obviously not including undisputed #1 Keller), and only one player OUTSIDE the pool does (Joe Cannon) has his ability IMHO.
you ever play football in high school? try playing on the JV squad for 3/4ths of the season, and then get thrown into the Varsity in the 2nd half of a game and told you're starting, and oh by the way, it's away from home and it's hostile. No way Howard saw that kind of speed of play this year that he saw against Portsmouth. It was just rust IMHO. Plus, he didn't have the confidence of the back line, which is not his fault. They played awful infront ofhim.
And another three months of rust is why I don't see Howard going to Germany. Even if he is the US#2, that doesn't earn him a ticket to Germany. Just as Freddy Adu may be expected to lead the team in South Africa 2010, but not be on the roster this summer. The thing is, Hahnemann is currently the #2 in form if not in potential and talent. But it really doesn't matter. If Keller gets hurt before the World Cup, Friedel will almost certainly return. If Keller gets hurt or red carded in the World Cup, we've probably got more serious problems. And frankly, if our #1 did go out in the Cup, I'd rather the replacement be someone like Hahnemann or Cannon or someone who has been playing regular first team soccer. Unless Edwin heads to the bench for the close season and Timmy starts a bunch of games, I don't want Howard anywhere near Germany. I'm a fan of Howard's. But Timmy's time is later, not sooner, at this point. Of course, if he doesn't start playing for someone - somewhere, he's going to have to start looking over his shoulder at the next generation of keepers for 2010.
This is my feeling on Howard as well, except that I can see him being on the roster, but as the #3 choice behind Marcus.
OK Gun to your head, considering current form...Kasey goes down 20 minutes into the first match (God Forbid)...who are you choosing? I'm thinking Marcus!
i agree with whoever said it earlier, that dempsey and tt really need to be called into this game. as top bubble players who are near locks in my opinion i think bruce cant pass on the oppurtunity to see them against another WC-bound team, a tough euro-team at that. we will see tomorrow what the roster will hold for the boys. forza inter
This is a FIFA international date and well before the start of the MLS season so we'll be able to bring pretty much anyone we want into camp. No reason not to bring a bunch of guys along for the trip then make the cuts down to the 18-man squad for gameday, so I'd like to see something like this: GK: Keller, Hahnemann, Howard D: Cherundolo, Gooch, Gibbs, Lewis, Pope, Bocanegra, Conrad, Berhalter, Albright*, Spector, Hejduk, Dunivant MF: Donovan, Beasley, Reyna, Mastroeni*, Convey, Dempsey, Zavagnin, Olsen, Noonan, Klein, Feilhaber, Mapp* F: McBride, Johnson, Twellman, Wolff, Rolfe * - If healthy
I've only seen highlights of his games this season (including this past weekend), but I've got to agree with you. I don't see what he's done to win all these outspoken fans on BigSoccer, and I wonder how many of them watch him frequently. Howard may be "jittery," but that kick save he made against Portsmouth was a huge play. In the World Cup, we're likely to need someone who can make a big stop or two, and that's where Timmy stands out. So, while his rust is indeed a concern, I expect that the pre-WC training camp will give him the opportunity to sharpen up a bit.