Ok so lets start with the obvious, Rolfe is in no way a wing midfielder, he is a striker, plain and simple. I also think that Donovan will be dropping back into the #10 spot with Rolfe up front with Cooper and thus putting Freddy on the bench and Quaranta on the right. Otherwise Mapp has proved he can play either wing so Freddy could play on the left with Mapp on the right depending on how the coach wanted to work the lineup. I still dont think that Wynne is ready to play on the national team. He is tactically horrible, he has all the tools but needs a couple more years of coaching up from Arena before he will be ready to step in and be a solid contributor. Since this is an all MLS team I wont argue to much with the general selections, though i would rather see Parkhurst than Ugo in the back he has shown very well with New England and i think has definitely earned a call up.
ive seen two wolverhampton games, and both times i have been impressed with jemal johnson. this kid could be our fastest player in the pool and was a threat in the games ive watched him. he can shoot with both feet with power and is a decent finisher. Cooper J.johnson Convey Donovan Dempsey Feilhaber pearce gooch gibbs wynne timmy
Should also be mentioned that JJ's strike against Sunderland last weekend earned him Goal of the Week honors in the Championship. Saw that on the Championship highlights show last week -- and yes, it was a stunning strike!
Everyone counts out Ching and that seems unfair. He had another great year in MLS (11 goals in 20 starts, goal of the year, game winner in the domestic league final not to mention his PK). I know he's 28 but to me he's as good as McBride at 28. His play for the nats was great early in qualifiers and then he played a lot of mediocre games when injured. Arena brought him to Germany but never played him. I'm not saying he would have won us the world cup but he's our best target forward right now by a mile, much better than Jacqua or even Cooper who I fear is too slow anyway.
I think for the first one you need to leave guys who are playing in Europe out of it. I also think you really need to start evaluating talent for 2010 qualifiers in a hurry. GK: Joe Cannon / Brad Guzan D: Carlos Bocanegra (if available), but probably Michael Parkhurst D: Chad Marshall D: Marvell Wynne DM: Ricardo Clark LM: Lee Nguyen RM: Clint Dempsey (if available), but also Santino Quaranta (is he really still only 22?) AM: Landon Donovan AM: Freddy Adu ST: Eddie Johnson CF: Kenny Cooper Sub: Justin Mapp Sub: Brian Carroll Sub: Jozy Altidore Sub: Kyle Beckerman Sub: Brad Davis
-----------------Cannon---------------- --Wynne---Marshall--Parkhurst--Dunivant- ----------------Feilhaber----------------- Quaranta----------Adu--------------Lee- --------------------Rolfe--------------- --------------Cooper-------------------- Subs: Bradley Mapp Beckerman Bornstein Ugo Johnson Dempsey
I don't understand why people keep putting people like Quaranta and Adu ahead of Mapp. Mapp has proved to be a much better player right now than either of them. Mapp is one of the most creative players in the system and should not be listed behind Adu in the middle. Mapp was the key to the Fire's success in the second half of the season when he was moved to the middle in a CAM role and every chance the Fire had went through Mapp. Just because Adu is supposed to be great and the poster boy of American soccer does not mean that he deserves to be given the CAM role just to see how he does. Especially when people like Mapp are more deserving.
I know everyone is looking to 2010, and the last World Cup was a letdown for some, but how about some continuity? We want some players who have worn the kit a few times, been through MLS a bit, etc. Make these kids fight their way in and not be told 4 years in advance we are trusting them with a job. I say we roll out something like this: Twellman Ching Adu Donovan Mapp Clark Dunivant Boswell Conrad Wynne Perkins Subs: Rolfe Altidore Sturgis Albright Cannon The idea is that this mixes some vets and some youngsters, and really, the goal is to develop all of these guys into competitors for the combined squad with the overseas players. Still, this is not the U-20 side, and getting a cap on the USMNT should mean something. I think this side has young players who have shown enough ability that they get developed through being on the squad, while still having people who have earned there way onto the pitch or at least earned there way onto the bench. I want to see a little more from Sturgis and Altidore before I would roll them out to represent my ocuntry in the starting 11. Boswell won defender of the year, Perkins keeper of the year, Adu learned how to play two ways as part of a total team (he's terrible going back too much still, but he's clearly imporving at it and working on it), I thought Justin Mapp had a terrific year and a great series against the Revs. And Marvel Wynne's speed at fullback adds SOOO much, you have to play him. I think if the WC 2010 squad had to be named tomorrow, I'd call it as something like this: Adu Altidore Convey Dempsey Mapp Bradley Pearce Onyewu Boswell Wynne Howard Bench: Rolfe Beasley Donovan Boswell Hahneman
Code: Altidore Kirk Adu Donovan Bradley Feilhaber Pearce Onyewu Ugo Wynne A box midfield would be fun with that group.
------------------Hiddink------Klinsmann----------------- --------------------------------------------------------- -------Kinnear--------------------------------Sven------ --------------------Novak------------------------------- ----------------------------Bradley---------------------- --------------------------------------------------------- ---Peckerman-------Yallop--------Nicol----------Clavijo--- --------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------Arena--------------------------