2013 Battle of the States USSF/MLS style

Way back in 2003 we did a US soccer/MLS Battle of the States. Here is that thread:
https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/the-battle-of-the-states-usa-mls-style.592602/

It's time for a refresh a decade later to see any new trends that are out there.

Here's how I put this together.

1) I tried to use a players hometown as opposed to his birthplace. I don't know the personal history of every player so I did my best. (Stop breaking my balls already) This helps us get an idea of where the player was developed.

Some examples:

Kenny Cooper was born in Maryland, but was raised in Dallas. So he goes to Texas.
Bobby Boswell was born in Texas, but was raised in Tampa. So he goes to Florida.

Not every player is easy to classify. Michael Bradley is an example of that.

So I used a player's hometown or birthplace on his MLS page, US soccer page, or Yanks Abroad page.

2) I tried to assign foreign born players to a state if it made sense to do so. Some examples are Darlington Nabge, Michael Lahoud, Ramon Nunez, etc.

3) I used all MLS players, USMNT players, U23 pool players, members of the recent U20 WCQ team, and Yanks-Abroad. I didn't go down to the U18s or U17s.

OK, let's get this thing started..................it'll take me a while to type this all in. We'll start with the #1 seed which is California of course.

 

#1) CALIFORNIA: THE FAVORITES

California obviously dominates the US soccer landscape in terms of depth; but is their starting XI as dominant as it was a decade ago? Maybe. They actually are weak now in defense. I gave them the up-and-comer Okugo at centerback. [A decade ago they had Jimmy Conrad in there].

--------------Donovan--------Gomez---------
Pontius-------Edu--------Kljestan-----Feilhaber
Pearce------Bocanegra--Okugo---Cherundolo
--------------------Rimando----------------

The pool:

GOALKEEPERS
Dan Kennedy (Fullerton; ChivasUSA)
Chris Seitz (San Luis Obispo; FCD)
Brian Perk (Rancho Santa Margarita; Galaxy)
Nick Rimando (Montclair; RSL)
David Bingham (Castro Valley; Earthquakes)
Eric Kronberg (Santa Rosa; SKC)
Kendall McIntosh (Santa Rosa; US U20's)

DEFENDERS
Carlos Bocanegra (Alta Loma; Santander)
Michael Orozco Fiscal (Orange; San Luis)
Steve Cherundolo (San Diego; Hannover)
Jonathan Bornstein (Torrance; Tigres)
Jamil Anibaba (Fontana; Fire)
Carlos Borja (Anaheim; ChivasUSA)
Emilio Orozco (Oxnard; ChivasUSA)
Steven Purdy (Bakersfield; ChivasUSA)
Korey Kindle (Ventura; Rapids)
Marvell Wynne (Poway; Rapids)
Tyson Wahl (Newport Beach; Crew)
Mike Chabala (Fresco; Dynamo)
Sean Franklin (Panorama City; Galaxy)
Oscar Sorto (LA; Galaxy)
AJ Soares (San Diego; Revs)
Heath Pearce (Modesto; RBNY)
Amobi Okugo (Hayward; Union)
Tony Beltran (Whittier; RSL)
Kwame Watson-Siriboe (Chino Hills; RSL)
Ramiro Corrales (LA; Earthquakes)
Colin Mitchell (San Francisco; Earthquakes)
Patrick Ianni (Lodi; Sounders)
Chance Meyers (Thousand Oaks; SKC)
Danny Califf (Montclair; TFC)
Jordan Harvey (Mission Viejo; Whitecaps)
Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Riverside; Chivas)
Javan Torre (Santa Monica; US U20's)

MIDFIELDERS
Maurice Edu (Fontana; Bursaspor)
Sacha Kljestan (Huntington Beach; Anderlecht)
Joe Corona (LA; Tijuana)
Jeff Larentowicz (Pasadena, Fire)
Daniel Paladini (Van Nuys; Fire)
Carlos Alvarez (LA; ChivasUSA)
Daniel Antunez (Santa Ana; ChivasUSA)
Eric Avila (San Diego; ChivasUSA)
Marco Delgado (Glendora; ChivasUSA)
Jorge Villafana (Anaheim; ChivasUSA)
Chris Pontius (West Covina; DCU)
John Thorrington (Palos Verdes; DCU)
Andrew Jacobson (Palo Alto; FCD)
Rafael Garcia (Canoga Park; Galaxy)
Hector Jimenez (Huntington Park, Galaxy)
Ryan Guy (San Diego; Revs)
Gabriel Farfan (San Diego; Union)
Michael Farfan (San Diego; Union)
Sal Zizzo (San Diego; Timbers)
Luis Gil (Garden Grove; RSL)
Rafael Baca (Inglewood; Earthquakes)
Mehdi Ballouchy (Palo Alto; Earthquakes)
Steven Beitashour (San Jose; Earthquakes)
Benny Feilhaber (Irvine; SKC)
Luis Silva (LA; TFC)
Sebastian Lletget (San Francisco; West Ham)
Bryan Gerzicich (LA; Kiryat Shmona)
Alejandro Guido (Chula Vista; Tijuana)
Ernest Nungary (Anaheim; Toros Naza)
Benji Joya (San Jose; Santos Laguna)
Marco Pelosi (Sunnyvale; Liverpool)
Stevie Rodriguez (Bell Gardens; Tijuana)

FORWARDS
Herculez Gomez (Oxnard; Santos Laguna)
Quincy Amarikwa (Bakersfield; Fire)
Tristan Bowen (LA; ChivasUSA)
Julio Morales (Glendale; ChivasUSA)
Kamani Hill (Berkeley; Rapids)
Calen Carr (Oakland; Dynamo)
Landon Donovan (Ontario; Galaxy)
Jack McBean (Newport Beach; Galaxy)
Jose Villarreal (Inglewood; Galaxy)
Gyasi Zardes (Hawthorne; Galaxy)
Chad Barrett (San Diego; Revs)
Alan Gordon (Long Beach; Earthquakes)
Adam Jahn (El Macero; Earthquakes)
Chris Wondolowski (Danville; Earthquakes)
David Estrada (Salinas; Sounders)
Sammy Ochoa (Riverside; Sounders)
Andrew Wiedeman (San Ramon; TFC)
Isaac Acuna (Calexico; Atlante)
Adrian Ruelas (Fontana; Veracruz)
Mario Rodriguez (North Hollywood; Kaiserslautern)
Daniel Cuevas (Sacramento; Santos Laguna)
Villyan Bijev (Fresno; Liverpool)

 

#2: TEXAS: DON'T MESS WITH US!!!

A strooooooooooooooong midfield, but weak in goal. And they have been as long as I've been doing this. Sanchez is really shared with Cali, so I'll start Deric. [If you're not happy with Whitbread in defense, insert Burling in there]

--------Cooper------------
------------Dempsey-----
Shea-Torres-Holden-Nguyen
Garza-Gonzalez-Whitbread-Moor
------------Deric----------------


GOALKEEPERS
Tyler Deric (Houston; Dynamo)
Richard Sanchez (Frisco; FCD)
Lalo Fernandez (El Paso; RSL)

DEFENDERS
Hunter Jumper (Plano; Fire)
Bobby Burling (Clear Lake City; ChivasUSA)
Chris Klute (Grand Prarie; Rapids)
Drew Moor (Dallas; Rapids)
Daniel Woolard (Bedford; DCU)
Moises Hernandez (Dallas; FCD)
Ugo Ihemelu (Cedar Hill; FCD)
London Woodberry (McKinney; FCD)
Omar Gonzalez (Dallas; Galaxy)
Zak Whitbread (Houston; Leicester)
Stephen McCarthy (Dallas; Revs)
Josh Gardner (Brazosport; SKC)
Greg Garza (Grapevine; Tijuana)

MIDFIELDERS
Brek Shea (College Station; Stoke)
Jose Francisco Torres (Longview; UANL)
Stuart Holden (Houston; Bolton)
Jared Jeffrey (Richardson; Mainz)
Corben Bone (Plano; Fire)
Josue Soto (Fort Worth; ChivasUSA)
Dillon Powers (Plano; Rapids)
Kellyn Acosta (Plano; FCD)
Victor Ulloa (Wylie; FCD)
Alex Dixon (Bay City; Dynamo)
Bryan Salazar (Houston; Dynamo)
Blake Smith (El Paso; Montreal)
Lee Nguyen (Richardson; Revs)
Sam Garza (Carrolton; Earthquakes)
Shea Salinas (Lubbock; Earthquakes)
Mikey Lopez (Dallas; SKC)
Ramon Nunez (Dallas; FCD)
Marco Vidal (Dallas; Lubos BUAP)
Daniel Garcia (Dallas; US U20's)

FORWARDS
Clint Dempsey (Nacogdoches; Spurs)
Andre Akpan (Fort Worth; Rapids)
Bradlee Baladez (Mesquite; FCD)
Kenny Cooper (Dallas; FCD)
Jonathan Top (Fort Worth; FCD)
Davy Arnaud (Nederland; Montreal)
Omar Salgado (El Paso; Whitecaps)
Conor Doyle (McKinney; Derby)

 

#3) GERMANY!!!! BRING ON THE FRAULEINS!

No depth, but still a strong squad. Enough to give Bruce Arena an aneurism.
[If you're unhappy with Morales in the center of defense; insert Fennell]

---------Terrence Boyd---------Jerome Kieswetter---------
(Bremen; Rapid Wien)--(Berlin; Stuttgart)

Andrew Wooten-----------Jermain Jones---------Daniel Williams-------Tyrone McCargo
(Bamberg; Sandhausesn)-(Frankfurt; Schalke)--(Karlsruhe; Hoffenheim)-(Schwabach; Nurnberg)

Fabian Johnson------John Anthony Brooks-Alfredo Morales-Timothy Chandler
(Munich; Hoffenheim)--(Berlin; Hertha)--(Berlin; Hertha)--(Frankfurt; Nurnberg)

----------------------------------David Yeldell-----------------------
--------------------------------(Stuttgart; Leverkusen)

Other players in the pool:

Royal-Dominique Fennell (Goppingen; Stuttgarter Kickers)
Jann George (Nurnberg; Nurnberg)
Shawn Parker (Wiesbaden; Mainz)
Fabian Hurzeler (Munich; Bayern)
Julian Green (??; Bayern)

 

#4) O-------H--------I---------O

People always think about California and Texas............but Ohio is doing pretty well for itself. You can actually make a starting XI with players from Ohio.

We're starting to get to roster that you have to take some artistic license with. Have to move O'Rourke back to the midfield.................



---------------Chris Rolfe (Kettering; Fire)-----------
-------------------------Darlington Nagbe (Cleveland; Timbers)

Michael Nanchoff-------Danny O'Rourke-----Ben Zemanski---Ben Speas
(North Royalton; Timbers)--(Columbus; Crew)-(Akron;Timbers)-(Stow; Crew)

Justin Morrow-------Austin Berry-------Erik Brunner-----Kofi Sarkodie
(Cleveland; SJ)---(Cincinnati; Fire)--(Dublin; Dynamo)-(Dayton; Dynamo)

------------------Brad Friedel (Lakewood; Spurs)---------------------

Coach: Schellas Hyndman (Vandalia; FC Dallas)

Other players in the pool:

Troy Perkins (Springfield; Montreal)
Evan Bush (Concord Township; Montreal)
Marc Burch (Cincinnati; Sounders)
Chad Barson (Columbus; Crew)
Kyle Hyland (Lewis Center; Crew)
Josh Williams (Copley; Crew)
Chris Korb (Gates Mills; DCU)
Wil Trapp (Gahanna; Crew)
Konrad Warzycha (Dublin; Crew)
Kenney Walker (Cleveland; Galaxy)
Aaron Horton (Lweis Center; Crew)
Matthew Horth (Cleveland; Revs)
Matt Taylor (Columbus; Munster)

 

#5: FLORIDA: NOT BAD...............

We can make a starting XI with players from Florida, although we may need to move some pieces around. Eddie Johnson to midfield like he has been for the USMNT. No depth, but in fact this team might beat Ohio's.

---------Jozy Altidore--------Steven Lenhart
-------(Boca Raton; AZ)----(Jacksonville; Earthquakes)

Alejandro Bedoya---Graham Zusi--Dax McCarty--Eddie Johnson
(Miami; Hels.)---(Longwood; SKC)-(Winter Park; RBNY)--(Bunnell; Sounders)

Anthony Wallace-------Bobby Boswell------Tommy Muller--------Jeremy Hall
(St. Petersburg; Rapids)-(Tampa; Dynamo)-(Altamonte Springs; SJ)-(Tampa; TFC)

----------------------Zak MacMath---------------------
----------------------(St. Petersburg; Union)

Coach: Robin Fraser (Miami; RBNY assistant)

Other players in the pool:

Jeff Attinella (Clearwater; RSL)
Nathan Sturgis (St. Augustine; Rapids)
Tony Taylor (Jacksonville; Estoril)
Eugene Starikov (Palm harbor; Rostov)

 

#6: MISSOURI: ANOTHER MIDWESTERN STATE THAT YOU PROBABLY UNDERESTIMATE

You shouldn't underestimate St. Louis due to their past and present importance to US soccer. Now we've got some strength coming out of Kansas City as well.
Again, work with me here. We can make a starting XI out of players from Missouri with a little artistic license. Move Ream to the midfield where he's played for Bolton, and move Cole Grossman out wide right. (I guess we could put Barklage there also)

They actually have a damn good defense. Four MLS or better centerbacks for instance. No room for Tommy Meyer.

----------Will Bruin-----Tom Heinemann------------
-------(St. Louis; Dynamo)--(St. Louis; Whitecaps)---

Brad Davis---------------Jack Jewsbury---------Tim Ream-----Cole Grossman
(St. Charles; Dynamo)--(Joplin; Timbers)--(St. Louis; Bolton)---(St. Louis; RSL)

Seth Sinovic---------Chris Schuler---------Matt Besler----------Frank Simek
(Kansas City; SKC)--(St. Louis; RSL)--(Kansas City; SKC)--(St. Louis; Carlisle)

-----------------------Matt Pickins----------------------
---------------------(Washington; Rapids)

Others in the pool:

Andy Gruenebaum (Overland Park; Crew)
Joe Willis (St. Louis; DCU)
Luis Soffner (St. Louis; Revs)
Jon Kempin (Overland Park; SKC)
Brandon Barklage (St. Louis; RBNY)
Tommy Meyer (St. Louis; Galaxy)
Kevin Ellis (Kansas City; SKC)

 

#7) PENNSYLVANIA

We're starting to get to states you'd think would be stronger.......but aren't (otherwise called the Penn-NY-NJ triumverate)

Yes............we can make a team from Pennsylvania. Gotta take some artistic licesnse and use some youth. Gargan at left back for instance, and unfortunately we need to use a teenage goalkeeper.

-------Andrew Wenger--------Corey Hertzog--------
------(Lancaster; Impact)------(Reading; Whitecaps)

Bobby Convey-------Bobby Warshaw---Zach Pfeffer---Jimmy McLaughlin-------
(Philly; SKC)----(Mechanicsburg; FCD)--(Dresher; Union)--(Malvern; Union)

Dan Gargan--------Jeff Parke----------Zarek Valentin------Chris Albright--------
(Philly; Quakes)--(Abington; Union)--(Lancaster; Impact)--(Philly; Union)---

---------------------Zack Steffen--------------------------
--------------------(Downington; US U20's)

Coach: Ben Olsen (Harrisburg; DCU)

Other players in the pool:

Conor Shanosky (Pittsburgh; DCU)
Greg Cochrane (Holland; Galaxy)
David Horst (Pine Grove; Portland)
Adam Clement (Erie; Whitecaps)

 

#8) NEW JERSEY

Combine New York and New Jersey and you've got something. Separately they're kind of weak actually.

A bunch of high end talent, and that's why I have them ranked this high. [Howard, Bradley, Agudelo] And Michael Bradley may actually have spent more of his youth in Chicago than NJ, but I'll use him here.

Coach Bob Bradley's (Montclair; Egypt national team) going to have to really experiment in defense I guess. They've got Lade and nobody else as far as I can tell. Somebody help me here. In 2003 we had Greg Berhalter. They also lost Reyna, Eskandandrian, Szetela, etc. and haven't replaced them with as much elite talent.

[Also Giuseepe Rossi will have to lick my boots before being in this discussion]

----------Juan Agudel0-----Billy Schuler-------
------(Barnegat Township; ChivasUSA)--(Hamilton; Hammarby)

Matt Kassel----------Michael Bradley------Nick Labrocca------------Eddie Gaven
(Bridgewater; Union)---(Princeton; Roma)---(Howell; Rapids)--(Hamilton; Crew)

Connor Lade-----------??????????----------??????????-----------???????????
(Morristown; RBNY)

----------------------Tim Howard
---------------------(North Brunswick; Everton)

Others in the pool:

Ryan Finley (Lumberton; Crew)
Amando Moreno (Perth Amboy; RBNY)
Cristhian Hernandez (Union)
Chris Konopka (Toms River; Phi)
Byran Meredith (Scotch Plains; Brage)
Brandon Allen (Old Bridge; US U20's)

 

#9) ILLINOIS

Sorry...........I still can't get to New York.

Illinois has plenty of holes, but at least has Guzan, Lichaj, Spector, and Magee.
They've got good midfielders, but I'm not quite sure how to put them all together. I'll advance Husidic up, and play a 4-4-1-1.

Also they have a bunch of nameless defenders in Bryan Gaul, Andrew Duran, Dylan Remick, and Ryan Miller. Don't know enough about them to make it all fit. Maybe put Gaul at RB and move Spector to CB? There must be a better way to put these players together.

-------Mike Magee (Chicago; Galaxy)-------
------------Baggio Husidic (Chicago; Hammarby)

Brendan King------Michael Stephens---Ned Grabavoy----Will Johnson
(Naperville; Fire)--- (Hinsdale; Galaxy)--(Joliet; RSL)-----(Woodridge; Timbers)

Eric Lichaj------?????????--------????????------Jonathan Spector
(Downers Grove; Villa)------------------------(Arlington Heights; Birmingham)

---------------Brad Guzan----------
-------------(Evergreen Park; Villa)

Others in the pool:

Victor Pineda (Bolingbrook; Fire)
Shawn Sloan (Geneva; Crew)
Agustin Viana (Chicago; Fire)
Bryan Gaul (Naperville; Galaxy)
Brian Rowe (Chicago; Galaxy)
Greg Jordan (Naperville; Union)
Ryan Miller (Barrington; Timbers)
Brad Ring (Rockford; Earthquakes)
Andrew Duran (Mokena; Sounders)
Dylan Remick (Inverness; Sounders)

 

#10) New York

This pool is mediocre compared to what you'd think it would be.

We can conjure up a starting XI I guess.

--------Edson Buddle--------Mike Grella
Conor O'Brien---Shalrie Joseph--Mobi Fehr--Brian Spann
Warren Creavalle--Andrew-Jon Baptiste--Matt Hedges-Chris Wingert
-------------------Jon Busch

Coach Bruce Arena is really low on talent compared to this state's reputation in soccer circles. COME ON NEW YORK!

Goalkeepers
Tim Melia (Great River; ChivasUSA)
Steward Ceus (West Haverstram; Rapids)
Bobby Shuttleworth (Tonawanda; Revs)
Santiago Castano (Queens; RBNY)
Ryan Meara (Yonkers; RBNY)
Jon Busch (Queens; Quakes)
Josh Ford (Liverpool; Sounders)

Defenders
Matt Hedges (Rochester; FCD)
Warren Creavalle (Brooklyn; Dynamo)
Don Anding (Amity Harbor; Union)
Andrew-Jon Baptiste (Brooklyn; Timbers)
Chris Wingert (Babylon; RSL)
Jason Hernandez (NYC; Quakes)
Gale Agbossoumonde (Syracuse; TFC)

Midfielders
Mobi Fehr (NYC; Timbers)
Shalrie Joseph (Brooklyn; Sounders)
Conor O'Brien (Mount Sinai; Nordjaelland)
Brian Spann (Somers; Djugardens)

Forwards
Edson Buddle (White Plains; Rapids)
Mike Grella (Glen Cove; Scunthorpe)

 

Lunch time.......................

 

........................and let's finish this off now.

From here on out it's going to be very tough to come up with starting XI's.

There's a lot of parity between the next 5-6 states. I'm going to reward hi-end/USMNT talent.

#11) VIRGINIA IS FOR LOVERS.............AND SOCCER PLAYERS.

--------CJ Sapong (Manassas; SKC)------?????----------

Brian Ownby----------Tony Tchani------Brian Carroll------------Daniel Cruz
(Richmond; Dynamo)-(Norfolk; Crew)--(Springfield; Union)-(Petersburg; Union)

Corey Ashe---------Clarence Goodson---???-----????
(Virginia Beach; Dynamo)--(Alexandria; Brondby)

--------------------Bill Hamid (Annandale; DCU)---------

Other options:

Michael Lahoud (Annandale; Union)
John Stertzer (Fairfax; RSL)
Evan Newton (Virginia Beach; Quakes)

A bunch of guys that have been capped by the USMNT there..............

 

I was just thinking that I was very generous giving Herculez to California. He was born there, but was raised in Nevada.

Nevada doesn't have a single player in the USSF/MLS/Yanks Abroad pool...............so we're going to give Gomez to them.

California will have to start Wondolowksi.