USA Roster for 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Jozy shouldn't go 90. He should go about 20.

I think Rogers was brought so we have at least one attacking left footed player. Our opposition won't be able to prepare for us with 100% certainty that we won't have any attacking lefties. I hope it's kind of a bluff.

I could also see him coming on in the 119th minute for a PK ala Brad Davis in the 2005 GK.

 

Yup. I have a feeling Goodson and Ream are both going to be critical to how our Gold Cup goes. If we reach the final, I expect those two to be starting.

 

And in that playing time has he been playing in central defense or at full back?

 

Teal : "Boonbooree, I like that Buuunbury" (playing Chile)
Mixx : "Diskerud does the... so much of the work" (playing South Africa)
Timmy: "Chandler delivers" (playing Argentina)

Now, all three may/should/could jump ship.
The one time switch rule is not what it used to be two years ago.

Wondo makes sence, he hasn't gotten too many chances YET.
Freddy makes YET no sence, hasn't he gotten too many .......?

 

I've had my problems with Bradley, but I'm liking him more and more lately..I would've changed a few names, but it's really not the end of the world..Chandler is very young, long season and if the club asked them not to call him then I really don't see a problem with it. It's not like the WC is next year and we need to test him out right away.

I really like the Adu call-up. Apparently he's been working hard, getting minutes, and improving and I coincidentally read a piece on him last week, and it seems like he's made some strides..I'm happy with most of the names..Now I wonder if we would ever play a diamond midfield with Adu in the game..

the real head scratchers are bornstein and wondo...Why not call up Burnbury..I've liked what I've seen of him, maybe KC asked Bradley not to call him up because of their putrid start..hmmm, head scratcher.


----------------altidore------------------------juan---------------



-------------------------------adu-------------------------------

--dempsye-------------------------------------------------landon---


------------------------------bradley---------------------------------


lichaj----------ream-----------------------gooch/carlos-------cherundolo

------------------------------howard-----------------------------------

not as a starting lineup, but as a lineup at some point during the game?? I don't know, I can see it, not too sure if Bradley would ever do it, but I can see it...It would be a more possession style, but it seems to me like we actually might have the horses to pull it off....

 

Okay the 3 GK are okay. In the defensive end, no Chandler that is a huge surprise but I think Bob wants to really see what Lichaj can do am cool with that...


In midfield: Rogers? HUGE waste of space, I perfer Brad Davis over this waste. No Bedoya is a crime....

In attack thats all we got for now... So besided Bedoya, chandler this is a good roster... Robbie Rogers... I has to look 3 times...

 

Bunbury cannot switch.

Diskerud is unlikely to switch, given that he is highly likely for the Olympic team.

If Chandler switches it will be his own decision, not because anything US Soccer did or didn't do.

 

I'd say rough guess 70-30 at LB.

 

What are you trying to say

 

Diskerud has actually said his realistic goal is the Olympics. Not this summers gold cup. I'd still rather have him than Adu but I don't think his omission will push him away

 

Well, another pretty poor job from Bob Bradley, but it's about what we expect, isn't it? He loyally keeps calling in some who don't deserve it (Bornstein, Kljestan, Rogers) instead of those who are clearly performing better (Convey, Bedoya, Gomez).

A glaring tactical error is not calling up a target forward. No Buddle. No Bunbury. Didn't expect Casey. But we need a target man and now we don't have one. Pretty much guarantees we won't even be able to run a 4-5-1 effectively, which severly limits his tactical flexibility (as if he every had any) and will impair the 4-4-2 as well, as Wondo/Agudelo clearly aren't equipped to lead the line, and neither is Dempsey. And Jozy always seems to come a cropper in that role.

Not blaming him for no Chandler, as it appears Chandler declined the call. But Tim's absence does take this down a level for me.

The Robbie Rogers does have two goals for the Crew this year, and just hit the post on Saturday, but as a Crew fan, I can say I think Eddie Gaven is a better player in every aspect except pure speed, and Robbie rarely runs all out, so even that isn't that much of a factor.

Count me as predicting BB will also play as many people out of position as humanly possible. Adu will be deployed on the wing, instead of as a CAM (in a diamond or in a 4-5-1). Though a WF wouldn't be too bad, it will appear so since we don't have a TF up front.

I doubt we'll see a genuine CAM in any game, despite we have 3 guys on the roster who are capable (Adu, Feilhaber, Kljestan) and despite the fact that most teams will bunker. I bet we see some combo of Jones/Bradley/Edu/Spector at the CM spots for every game. Yawn.

Hard for me to imagine why Bedoya isn't on this team. He's miles ahead of Rogers, despite not being a real winger. And he looks ahead of Kljestan too, though I haven't seen much of Sacha since the move to Anderlecht. I'd be much more excited to see Bedoya/Mix than Kljestan/Rogers.

And Wondo ahead of Buddle, Gomez, and Bunbury? Or even Cooper, and Casey? You've got to be kidding me. Look, he's a nice player and everything, but the others all have better goal scoring records, have played at a higher level, and/or better potential/more talent. WTF? Looks like BB got the memo on moving Dempsey to forward, it's only a year too late.

For one, I did like the inclusion of Adu, IF he's going to let him play CAM, or WF. Otherwise, he's setting him up to fail playing on the wings.

I would have went DeMerit over Ream in a NY minute. I don't think Tim is ready yet. But I do realize I'm in the minority there.

Despite all that vitriol, we should still have enough to beat everyone handily except Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras.

Here's our XI (BB's choice, not mine).

-------------------Howard-----------------
Cherundolo--Goodson----Bocanegra--Bornstein
-----------Bradley--------Jones-------------
Donovan--------------------------Feilhaber
-----------Altidore-----Dempsey------------

 

The idea that you have to have a target forward is a tactical fallacy. It provides further options, but it is in no way a requirement. None of the US target strikers appear to be in form.

While I like Bedoya, I do think it's curious so many people are elevating him to the heights while putting down Kljestan, who plays significant minutes at a much higher level. I put Bedoya in with Diskerud in the "get to a better league if you want significant NT play" group.

Bunbury and Gomez do not have goal scoring records anywhere near Wondo's. Bunbury has more talent, but unfortunately they count goals, not talent. I've watched most every SKC game this year, and Bunbury is not in goal scoring form. Gomez is the streakiest striker imaginable. As for Casey, I can only hope that you made a typo.

I seriously doubt that Demerit is healthy.

 

I think people are overreacting a bit much about CHandler. Have to remember he just turned 21 and just started to get first team action. Plus, it's best to give him a chance to really establish himself with his club... or get ready for potentially big transfers. Remember Freddy Adu left the Gold Cup early the last time and for training to try and make Benfica's first team. Yeah it didn't work, but he did leave to establish himself.

Mixx was boarderline, but not quite yet for the Gold Cup.

Bunbury was hurt and has struggled with form.

 

Unless you think the German second division is a clearly stronger league than MLS, I don't see how you say Buddle is better. Buddle's form has dipped in Germany... 3 goals/0 assists in 14 games vs. Wondo has 5 goals and 2 assists in 10 games this year. Last year you could argue Buddle is better than Wondo but not this year.

Gomez 10 month goal drought at the club level and then scores 4 goals in a month... does not suddenly put him ahead of Wondo.

Bunbury is not even close to Wondo's level right now. He is an exciting prospect and maybe in a couple years he will be our best USA forward, but that is not the case now. He needs to improve more. This ain't a friendly where we give prospects a run-out, this is a meaningful competition that we need to win with our top boys in order to earn a bid to the confed cup in 2013.

 

I really think Buddle turned down the call-up. Buddle admitted that he is exhausted. He has played for a year and half without a break. Remember last year he played a full season for the galaxy and he played every game in the playoffs, then he went over to Germany which was mid season and played there. I don't think he liked the idea of probably sitting on the bench for a month with a few sub appearances, but having to show up for training.

 

Sat Down. Had a little dinner. Over 30 minutes has elapsed.

And I'm still left wondering just how Bradley convinced himself that bringing in bornstein and adu was the proper thing to do.

 

Demerit over Ream? You are ignoring the fact that Ream needs only to distribute the ball from the back in his usual way to be more useful than Demerit who I suspect will not recover the last 5-10% of his depth perception and therefore hurt his chances for playing again for the USMNT. This not what I hoped for, for him, for us.
Adu is a confusing choice. A young player who is barely shining after ending up playing for a second division Greek club.
Wondolowski is a good poacher. He should do well for BB. Agudelo is also a poacher. Altidore has got to become our holding forward, since Dempsey isn't one. Nor is Donovan.
Rogers is included because he is so left-footed. Bedoya right-footed.
Kljestan is a BB favorite. Get over it. It has nothing to do with his mediocre performance for mediocre Anderlecht.
Bornstein, another BB favorite, is included despite the fact that Lichaj is better suited at LB now, despite being right footed.
Who knows why Chandler is off the roster?

There are 23 players, one or more has to go. I think it will be an MLS player:
Rogers, Feilhaber, Ream, Agudelo, Wondo and Rimando. More likely one of the midfielders. Agudelo isn't playing very much for his club, so he can stay.
Wondo is needed more by SJ. Perhaps he can go if Dempsey and Donovan can fill that spot?

 

Just wondering, does anyone trust Ream to stop Chicarito? I don't at all. I think Ream's defensive side needs help and he won't have a great partner like Marquez next to him to clean up his errors.

 

One could make the argument that Ream has actually outperformed Marquez for RBNY this season, certainly last week.

I don't know of any other defenders in our pool (or in the world) who wouldn't have a tough time with Cheech.

 

I keep hearing that Diskerud and Bedoya need to go to better leagues when Adu and Rogers play in the 2nd division of Turkey and MLS (roughly even with Norway and Sweden). Just like I said about Whitbread. The league does not make the player.

 

Really doubt that Ream starts the final.

 

Well with Wondo he's got a hot foot, and the rule with strikers are generally go with whose hot. Plus, weren't people saying Wondo deserved another chance since during his other call up he was used as a lone striker (which he is not)?

Kljestan got called up because of his connection with Bradley (same with Bornstein) but he is coming off of a solid season with Anderlecht and looks to be a starter next year. It's not like Anderlecht is just some random Belgium team. Hell Kljestan did play (and score) in a Champions League qualifier with them. Plus, for all his faults, Kljestan is still young (only a year older than Bedoya) and very talented... and with Stu Holden hurt a spot opened.

I really can't comment on Bedoya as I don't know his form nor do I know much about his team. All I can say is that IN MY OPINION both Kljestan and Rogers have shown more in the USMNT shirt than Bedoya (who has had a few poor games). Bedoya will get a chance though.

Bornstein just comes from the lack of LB options. I know Lichaj got some looks there for Leeds, but other than giving him a look, the other options aside from Bornstein are Boca, Heath Pearce, or Marvel Wynn until a few more come into the pool.

Zak Whitbread finished the season with a few injuries IIRC.

 

Doesn't Rafa play DM for the Red Bulls?

 

he switched back to CB this season

 

I think you guys are totally overestimating cheech. I've seen him play, I saw him in Chivas and now in Man U, don't get me wrong, I think he's very good, but he's not so forward I'm going to game plan for. He's no Ronaldo or Romario or E'to. He has great spacing which is half the battle, he's smart, and he can hurt you, but not to the point where u guys are saying...I think Ream would do well with him, Cheech won't overpower him and Ream tends to have trouble with big, fast forwards...