Love it or hate it, here is your US National Team Roster for the match against Brazil. http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_2228239.html
Roster: Announced http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=460154&cc=5901 This roster is profoundly disappointing. Josh Wolff? Really? Davy Arnaud? Huh? And could someone please tell me what is so great about Heath Pearce? Perhaps Altidore wasn't selected because of an injury-- thoughts? According to the AP, this is a "full strength" squad. If by "full strength" you mean "safe and likely to play like they're scared of Brazil"... Forgive me, my cooler head will prevail later. But I was hoping that Bob would be creative this time.
Re: Roster: Announced Not sure if Pearce is great, but Bornstein hasn't exactly locked down the left back spot, so I am actually glad that he was called in. Wolff is in good form with 1860 and I wouldn't be shocked if Bradley experimented with him playing some midfield, maybe right wing. The Davy Arnaud thing is confusing, so I am with you there. I am not disappointed, other than Altidore, I'm not sure how else he would get creative at this point.
Re: Roster: Announced Not sure if Pearce is great, but Bornstein hasn't exactly locked down the left back spot, so I am actually glad that he was called in. Wolff is in good form with 1860 and I wouldn't be shocked if Bradley experimented with him playing some midfield, maybe right wing. The Davy Arnaud thing is confusing, so I am with you there. I am not disappointed, other than Altidore, I'm not sure how else he would get creative at this point. And, I am a little tired of Mastroeni getting called in so much. Why no Rico Clark?
the fact that Ricardo Clark isnt on here. regardless of houston playing or not (cuz and MLS game should not be more important than a USMNT game at this point since they are having to prove their true level of play) makes it seem bob hasnt figured out who the players that actually try are, LD is probably gonna be nonexistant and will continue to start, Mastroeni is ANCIENT, start using young players the WC is 3 years away, if you start the young players now in 3 years they will be at a good level, we know Mastroeni isnt gonna make it to the WC why waste the time with him, Onyewu is probably gonna commit a penalty, Kaka, Robinho and Ronaldinho will most likely run circles around him and he wont have any other option but to foul, and he will have a hard time with Julio Baptista uptop as well
hmmmm...not bad, but not impressed either. 1) I'm glad Bornstein wasn't called up. We need to see what our other options are. 2) I really wish Parkhurst and Clark would have been called up. If it were me, i would have called up Clark instead of Mastroeni. 3) And i would have also like to have seen Adu and Altidore thrown into the camp as well (even if they didn't play). 4) I don't have a problem with the Wolff call up since it is possible that he could be on the 2010 roster if no one else can score. (scary i know) 5) Davy Arnaud is a bit of a shock, but he's a good player so i'm not upset. 6) Glad to see Seitz get the call since there isn't a chance in hell he's going to play. 7) I'm glad there's no Twellman. 8) I don't know if i would have called up Convey. 9) I'm glad Davies isn't on there. He doesn't deserve to be on the national team yet. line-up i think we might see: --------------Johnson---------------- Beasley-------Donovan--------Dempsey -----Feilhaber----------Bradley-------- Spector-----------------------Cherundolo ---------Bocanegra--Onyewu---------- ---------------Howard---------------- Subs made: Pearce (Spector) Simek (Cherundolo) DeMerit (Bocanegra) Mastroeni (Bradley) Convey (Beasley)
Rico Clark is staying with the Dynamo because he spent half the summer with the national team this year. Think it through. Yes the WC is 3 years away. Yes we need young players to get ready for it. However, WCQ is less than a year away. We'll have some tough games coming up. Remember last cycle? Cobi Jones, Earnie Stewart, Steve Ralston, Chris Armas, Frankie Hejduk, Gregg Berhalter etc all played their part in an extremely successful qualfying campaign. Eddie Johnson, Bobby Convey, Oguchi Onyewu and Clint Dempsey all emerged to play big roles on the team. Maintaining a good mix of core players (Donovan, Beasley, Dempsey, Bocanegra, Howard), young players (Spector, Pearce, Seitz, Bradley, Feilhaber), and veterans (Mastroeni, Wolff, Cherundolo) is a key part of a national team setup. There has to be some continuity...you can't just reset at the beginning of each cycle. Oh, and BTW, Ronaldinho, Kaka and co. will run circles around EVERY player in our pool. At least our veterans would have the presence of mind to commit a tactical foul.
Yeah, Mastroeni never tries. Also, he's ancient... Now Clark... That guy has played well in some high-stress wins for the national team. I agree that Mastroeni will probably not be a starter in 2010, and probably won't even make the team, but he isn't that old and he does provide some veteran leadership. Other than LD, Beaz, Howard, and Cherundelo, there aren't that many guys who have been playing for the nats regularly for that many years on this team.
Arnaud is probably called up because the Wizzers are off next weekend. Given the LB lamentations here, why not give Burciaga a look?
Arnaud is irrelevant, he won't play. Altidore has no other options, fine. But what about Adu? This is the guy who's greatest achievement over the last two or three years is a sombrero over the Brazil U-20 side, and, more importantly, a guy who is arguably free to play for Ghana unless he plays next weekend. On what possible basis was he not called up? He better play for Benfica next weekend is all I can say.
Re: Roster: Announced Haha, you beat me to it. It is disappointing, but these are the guys we've got. Meantime, those guys are conspicuously absent and I for one suspect locker room drama is at play.
Arnaud and Seitz = couple of new (uncapped) faces....just maybe not the two some were hoping for (Altidore & Adu) I do expect both to get a cap this year though.....Altidore when he gets healthy and Adu soon as well.
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Interesting . . . anyone see that roster and think we may just go 3-5-2 against Brazil. Certainly unlikely as Bob has not done it before, but I could see something like this: ------------------Howard---------------- -------DeMerit----Gooch------Boca----- Dolo--------------------------------Beasley --------------Bradley----Mastro-------- -------------------Feilhaber------------- ----------Donovan---------------------- ------------------------Dempsey-------- Obvious downsides are that it makes Beasley do too much defending and it puts too many biguns on the field against a very quick Brazilian team -- perhaps that lineup would have been best suited against Sweded. I suppose something conventional like the following would more likely be in order: ---------------Timmy------------------ Dolo-----Gooch--------Boca------Spector/Pearce? Donovan---Bradley----Mastro-----DFB ----------Dempsey------EJ------------- I suppose he could start Benny over Mastro or Bradley but I assume he will want to start more defensive against Brazil. Likewise, whether Donovan is listed at right mid and Dempsey at forward or visa versa, I'd assume those two will do a ton of switching anyway . . .
Where is Ricardo Clark? Was it not enough to completely change the outcome of a game that the U.S. was destined to lose? Really, as much talent as Michael Bradley has, he is absolutely not ready yet, and won't be for several years. Starting him against Brazil would (will?) be a disaster.
Bob saw that that McClaren called in Emily Heskey and so Bob decided to one up (down) him by calling in Davy Arnaud.
I think we all agree that Michael Bradley is a good player, but is it just me, but wouldn't Ricardo Clark be your first choice?
Re: Roster: Announced Yeah...........and where is Drogba and Essien? Seriously, all the hyperventilating on here is hilarious. Altidore? DNP Saturday because of injury so why call him up? Adu? What has he done to get a call-up exactly? At this point, Adu has been all sizzle and no steak. Not sure why he is bringing Seitz in.........how much has he played? For the folks crying about bringing Wolff in.........lighten up. You got any better ideas? Twellman cannot cut it and I think that has been obvious.
Re: Roster: Announced I agree with you but to be fair what did Zizzo, Nguyen or Hill do to deserve a callup? Actually, Freddy has played more first team minutes than all three of those players combined this season. And the injury thing with Altidore is not the reason. At least it better not be because if it is Benny should not have been called in. MLS schedule kinda F'd with this roster.