BB's starting XI for CR/Honduras: ----------------Howard---------------- Hejduk-----Onyewu---Boca-----Beasley Dempsey----Bradley--Mastro----Donovan ------------Altidore----Ching------------ Confederations Cup GKs: Howard, Hahnemann, Perkins DFs: Wynne, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Spector, Califf, DeMerit, Pearce, Bornstein MFs: Dempsey, Bradley, Mastroeni, Donovan, Kljestan, Edu, Torres, Beasley, Adu FWs: Altidore, Ching, Davies My Starting Lineup vs. Italy --------------Howard-------------- Wynne---Onyewu--Boca---Bornstein Dempsey---Bradley--Edu---Donovan ---------Altidore----Davies--------- Gold Cup GKs: Guzan, Robles, Pickens DFs: Cherundolo, Parkhurst, Marshall, Hejduk, Simek, Goodson, Conrad, Orozco MFs: White, Clark, Feilhaber, Rogers, Holden, Szetela, Carroll, Convey FWs: Cooper, E. Johnson, Casey, Tracy
BB wouldn't make Hejduk play both and Columbus would fight for it. Convey won't get a sniff either. I'm looking for vidal at LB.
My thinking is that BB will let Hejduk take the Confederations Cup off and then have him captain the Gold Cup squad. I have no idea who BB's LM candidates are behind Rogers. Thus, Convey is my selection, although he probably won't be the guy in reality. Vidal has played well for Indios (btw congrats to Indios), but even as a left back he still has many players in front of him on the depth chart. (Hejduk, Beasley, Bornstein, Pearce, Orozco).
If he let Hejduk off of the Confed Cup, he would have to start Wynne, now I like the guy, but not enough to trot him out against Brazil and Italy yet. I do agree that Vidal has some competition at the LB spot, but I'll be honest, I'm a sucker for a dual-national.
Hejduk doesn't play left back, so that just doesn't make sense in terms of the national team, outside of BS forums. Orozco played LB in the Olympics and was red carded and out by halftime. So I believe that experiment is over. He's a left-footed player, but not a left back. Bornstein, Pearce and Beasley are in the conversation. Pearce has fallen out of favor for the moment, but I personally would like to see him back in the Gold Cup. Bornstein is playing well for Chivas USA, and personally think he should be starting for the 1st team again for the USMNT. He's actually playing (unlike Beasley and Pearce), playing at the position (unlike Beasley) and has started some big games against some strong competition at that position. To me he's the logical choice. However, I think BB believes Beasley needs to be on the pitch no matter what, and will force Beasley in at LB. But at the Gold Cup, where the choices of actual LBs are thin (besides MLS options that no one seems enthralled at), and Vidal could be a valid pick.
you didn't watch the 2002 World Cup? as a general rule, Hejduk (as any player who relies more on effort and stamina than on an amazing amount of soccer talent) is a guy who could pretty much play anywhere. he's certainly most useful as an outside player (either in d or in midfield) and one could say his preferred/best option (if he has one) is on the right. but he's certainly played as a left back in his career. as in this game, and some others at WC2002: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=4395/results/matches/match=43950016/report.html there's a fairly good chance he would/could have been the US's left back at WC2006 (had he not picked up an injury that year). and I'd even say that there's a decent chance that Hejduk could make the 2010WC roster (as a utility type player/leader) and he may very well get some playing time at left back in the next 14 months for the US team. I'd be fine if he didn't, but I do think it is a real possibility that he could. there's a career history recap at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankie_Hejduk here's part of the text: --------- Beginning with a February 1, 1998 victory over Cuba in the 1998 Gold Cup, Hejduk again became a regular with the national team. Since then he has remained a mainstay. Following the Gold Cup, Hejduk was named to the US roster for the World Cup, where he started two of the United States' three matches. Although Hejduk's role with the United States waned during his years with Leverkusen, he seized an opportunity to regain his starting role at the 2002 Gold Cup when he took over the left back position vacated by David Regis. Hejduk held onto it to play an important role for the United States in the 2002 World Cup, starting four games from a left back position. On May 2, 2006, Hejduk was named to his third successive US World Cup roster for the tournament in Germany, but was replaced after suffering a torn ACL. --------
The USA players will be notified tomorrow about the roster selections for the World Cup Qualifiers, Confederations Cup, and the Gold Cup
glad to know I'm not the only one on here with a twitter account! I'll just stir the pot a bit while in the lull. Dominic Cervi. Hes playing for Celtic, why not invite him to camp to see how he's been over the last year.
On FFF they just mentioned that Max Bretos is saying he has word that we will be taking a full roster to Confederations Cup.
Just a suggestion here, I'm not saying he should be starting in the World Cup or anything, but maybe a 3rd of 4th CB at Gold Cup. People may completely laugh about this I have no idea, and I know he is older and extremely under the radar probably even in MLS much less the national team but what about Carey Talley of Chivas, he has been the centerback of a team that has 6 shutouts in 10 games, he has decent size at I believe 6'2 but he is also very athletic and technical (played most of his career in the midfield) I could be way off but maybe he could be an ultimate sleeper pick and show really well?
I'll tell you what it (only half-jokingly) means to me. It means that money is tight but travel is cheap. When we went to South Africa for a friendly (late 2007) we brought just 17 players, and they all played.* We were too tight with a buck then to pay for anyone who wasn't going to play. The roster from that game is very instructive, because it forms a core group of players Bob Bradley hoped (and still hopes?) to bring to SA in 2010. {LD stayed home - I can't remember why. Injury? Exhaustion? Had To walk his dog?} What I remember is that BB traveled with a fairly small staff, not the usual dozen or more, but it was probably relatively much more expensive then. Anyway, we have to assume that the 'A Team' is going to SA this summer, minus those who are injured (e.g., Cherundolo). I want to say that Adu is 100% to go to the CC in SA this summer - he obviously should go - but ... Nah, Adu has to go - I'll explain why some other time. ---------- * http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_3932164.html USA: 1-Tim Howard (18-Brad Guzan, 46); 6-Steve Cherundolo (21-Jonathan Spector, 46), 22-Oguchi Onyewu, 3-Carlos Bocanegra (Capt.) (2-Dan Califf, 46), 14-Heath Pearce; 5-Benny Feilhaber (13-Jonathan Bornstein, 86), 13-Maurice Edu, 4-Michael Bradley,7-DaMarcus Beasley; 25-Freddy Adu (26-Sacha Kljestan, 73) , 8-Clint Dempsey (17-Jozy Altidore, 65) Subs not used: none. Head Coach: Bob Bradley
For the initial 23? My guess on what we WILL see is: GK: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann D: Hejduk, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Wynne, Califf, DeMerit, Spector, Bornstein M: Dempsey, Bradley, Mastroeni, Beasley, Kljestan, Torres, Edu, Rogers F: Altidore, Ching, Davies, Donovan *Bold are interchangable with other fringe players. I would like to see Adu on this team and he could make it instead of Rogers but with Beasley potentially being a LB, we don't have another natural winger to provide depth. However, Torres might suffice. I also think BB may leave Adu for the Gold Cup, where he would have a more prominent role. We'll see what happens soon.
To break it down, YA fashion, here would be my guess for CC. Locks (11). GK: Howard, Guzan D: Hejduk, Onyewu, Bocanegra, Beasley; M: Dempsey, Bradley, Donovan F: Altidore, Ching Near Locks (3) M: Mastroeni, Torres, Edu Good Bets (2): D: Califf M: Kljestan In a Battle (7) GK: Hahnemann D: DeMerit, Spector, Bornstein M: Adu F: Davies, Johnson Bubble Battlers: GK: Pickens, Perkins, Robles D: Wynne, Marshall, Parkhurst, Goodson, Freeman, Ward, Pearce M: Rogers, Holden, Clark, Arnaud, F: Cooper, Casey, Wolff, Rolfe, Findley
True Crew, I always think you do a good job with your lists. It would not surprise me to see Guzan go with the Gold Cup group, perhaps to get another look at him in a match situation. Were I Bob, I would put players on the Gold Cup team that I wanted to get a good look at in match situations. Guzan would certainly be in this category, for me.
I happen to agree. There's not much point bringing Guzan to the Confed Cup if he's not going to play. We'll use Howard against Brazil and Italy, and Hahnemann against Egypt. I bet Bob goes out of left field for the 3rd keeper at the Confed Cup. Not an MLS guy, because there's no reason to take an MLS starter over to sit on the bench. So perhaps a Euro guy he wants to take a look at, but doesn't really have a chance to make the World Cup roster. Maybe Troy Perkins. Then the Gold Cup could be Guzan and Robles, with both being being given a chance to start a match or two, and an MLS flavor of the week thrown in for good measure. The MLS flavor of the week can stay with his club and only fly into a match if injuries dictate he's needed. I remember last gold cup (could be wrong about this) we had Reis on the roster, but let him continue to play for the Revs.
Apparently Freddy and Jozy both made it to the Confed Cup Freddy to Jozy on Twitter: "boumba doggg your my roommate man.Tell pam."
twitter is an interesting source for news, not that i doubt it. but somebody needs to send in the grammar police.
Twitter is interesting indeed. I'm wondering if we are going to eventually see news stories on how a athlete made a _____ (insert racist, sexist, obscene) remark on his twitter. Will pro teams ban twitter from their players eventually? Who knows. Twitter is fun though.