I disagree. If an American player has talent and big game experience like those two, the he is missed. Maybe their absence isn't the devastating blow that it would once have been, but I'm betting that Bruce sure as hell wishes they were available. I know I do.
Agree, with one exception. I see Eddie Lewis starting. Haven't seen him play recently, but he's apparently playing well at PNE. And Arena wants as many game sharp players as possible. Eddie on the left, DMB on the right.
Wouldn't suprise me if it is longer before O'Brien plays for the US, but he was on the bench for Ajax on Sunday, the fact that he did not play is not suprising as Ajax played from behind much of the game. He has played a 90 minute outing and a 75 minute outing for the Ajax reserves. So I think he is close to fitness again, if he can stay that way is another question.
Here's what I'd run Keller Hejduk-Pope-Gibbs-Bocanegra Mastroeni -- Dempsey Donovan -- Beasley McBride -- Wolff
any list of the T&T roster? - Stern John, Avery John, Cornell Glen, Scott Sealy, etc. edit: just found this http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=59082143 Shaka Hislop, Clayton Ince, Marvin Andrews, Kenwyne Jones, Carlos Edwards, Dwight Yorke, Brent Sancho, Atiba Charles, Densill Theobald, Cornell Glen, Anton Pierre, Derek King, Marlon Rojas, Anthony Rougier, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Stern John, Scott Sealy, Angus Eve, Nigel Pierre and Keyeno Thomas
Shaka Hislop, Clayton Ince, Marvin Andrews, Kenwyne Jones, Carlos Edwards, Dwight Yorke, Brent Sancho, Atiba Charles, Densill Theobald, Cornell Glen, Anton Pierre, Derek King, Marlon Rojas, Anthony Rougier, Leslie Fitzpatrick, Stern John, Scott Sealy, Angus Eve, Nigel Pierre and Keyeno Thomas GK Hislop, Shaka Portsmouth, England 2/22/69 GK Ince, Clayton Crewe_Alexandra 7/13/72 D Andrews, Marvin Glasgow_Rangers 12/22/75 D/F Jones, Kenwyne Southampton 10/5/84 M Edwards, Carlos Wrexham 10/24/78 F Yorke, Dwight Birmingham_City D Sancho, Brent Portland_Timbers 3/13/77 Charles, Atiba M Theobald, Densill Caledonia_AIA F Glen, Cornell FC_Dallas 10/21/82 D Pierre, Anton Defence_Force 9/23/77 D King, Derek Joe_Public 4/12/80 LD/M Rojas, Marlon Real_Salt_Lake(soon) M Rougier, Anthony 7/17/71 Fitzpatrick, Leslie F John, Stern Coventry 11/30/76 F Sealy, Scott Kansas_City, MLS Eve, Angus F Pierre, Nigel Joe_Public 6/2/79 D Thomas, Keyeno Joe_Public 12/29/77 http://www.tnt.fifa.com/cda/cda_con...D=102_siteCategoryID=2219_siteID=1002,00.html will continue to update the list that T&T website is out-of-date, so some of those may be old clubs
When your making your lineups, Clint has NEVER been seen in better shape according to one of the coaches in Carson.
FWIW, Dempsey said himself that he doesn't think he will be in the final 18: ""I assume that I won't be dressing for the match," said Dempsey" article here. My guess is: -------GAM----McBride------ ----DMB---------Donovan--- ----Masteroni---Olsen------- Boca---Gibbs---Pope---Dolo -----------Keller------------
more correct T&T roster: GK Hislop, Shaka Portsmouth;England 2/22/69 GK Ince, Clayton Crewe_Alexandra;England 7/12/72 D Andrews, Marvin Glasgow_Rangers;Scotland 12/22/75 D Sancho, Brent Dundee;Scotland 3/13/77 *formerPortland;A-League D Pierre, Anton Defence_Force;T&T 9/23/77 D Thomas, Keyeno Jabloteh;T&T 12/29/77 *formerColorado;MLS D King, Derek Joe_Public;T&T 4/12/80 D Charles, Atiba W_Connection;T&T D/M(LB) Rojas, Marlon Real_Salt_Lake 11/11/79 *final-announcementRSLsoon D/M Rougier, Anthony Nanjing_Yoyo_FC;China 7/17/71 D/M/F Jones, Kenwyne Southampton;England 10/5/84 M Eve, Angus Jabloteh;T&T 2/23/73 M Edwards, Carlos Wrexham;England(/Wales) 10/24/78 M Theobald, Densill Arima_Morvant_Fire;T&T 6/27/82 F Fitzpatrick, Leslie Atlanta;USL1 11/11/78 F Glen, Cornell FC_Dallas 10/21/81 F John, Stern Coventry_City;England 10/30/76 F Pierre, Nigel Jabloteh;T&T 2/6/79 F Sealy, Scott Kansas_City, MLS 6/4/81 F Yorke, Dwight Birmingham_City;England 11/3/71 still no club found for Atiba Charles, as of 5/17/2003 he was with W Connection, T&T edit: http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_sports?id=55526294 and was a month ago some players not on roster: Gary Glasgow (Gaungzhou FC;China), Avery John (New England Revolution), Cyd Gray (Jabloteh), Jose Luis Seabra (Brazililan that hasn't gotten citizenship I think), Daurance Williams (Jabloteh GK). That socawarriors site has some reviews of their preparation matchups here's all there lineups http://www.socawarriors.net/T&T_squad_line-ups.htm latest match http://disc.server.com/discussion.c...77;title=SOCAWarriors Online Discussion Forum.
How about their o-fficial link? It's been kept up quite well.... They're a frosty bunch - ready to go. http://www.socawarriors.net/ Good thing we have a long time between this game and Mexico. We can still get out of the first three games with two wins and tie - respectable and possible!
Boy, how much better does this lineup looked than the prospective lineup a month ago... We should have a great shot at getting a point in TNT and better than average odds at taking 3 in Trinidad.
eddie has been lights out for PNE this year, his 'contract year'. with both him and da beas playing so well, why cant they play left and right respectively, with LD and pablo or olsen as Dmid? another big question is which of the MLS'ers are in game shape. ...
I think I'd go with the following: Keller Dolo Pope/Gibbs Boca Pablo LD Mathis DMB EJ BMB Just seems to me that getting a point or three in that first match means going with the more experienced players. While I think I'd prefer LD in the middle, I think Arena goes with Mathis for some reason. And even though Lewis seems to play better for the nats all the time, Bruce has never been too keen on starting him. Plus look at that lineup coming at you... you can't favor one side.. you have speed coming at you from each side, down the middle and then a big target in the middle and a player that can take the long shot. If you're T&T you have to keep the field balanced against a lineup like that or someone will smoke you.
THe more I read up on the Soca Warriors the more my hope rises. I was born in Port of Spain but grew up in Minnesota. Weds. I'll be cheering on T&T becuase to make the World Cup would mean SO much to that country. At the same time saying that, win lose or draw I think Team US will make it to Germany. Here is hoping Yorke, John and the rest of the fine Soca Warriors show us a great game!
So the US roster is 10 MLS (10 starters) 2 EPL (1 starter, 1 sub) 2 Coca Cola (2 starters) 3 Bundesliga (2 starters & Donovan,'Dolo is captain) 1 Bundesliga 2 (1 starter/captain) 2 Dutch Eredivisie, to make the 23. (2 starters) Good chance of dropping 5 MLS players. 3 EPL (Portsmouth, Birmingham City, Southampton) 2 Coca Cola (Coventry, Crewe) 1 England League 1 (Wrexham) 7 T&T (would guess 7 starters) 2 Scotland 3 MLS (2 new players and 1 sometime starter) 1 A-League (USL1) 1 China, to make 20. I don't know what T&T players abroad are starters.
US Squad: Goalkeepers Joe Cannon (Colorado) Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, ENG) Kasey Keller (M'Gladbach, GER) Defenders Chris Albright (Los Angeles) Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, GER) Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, ENG) Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, GER) Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City) Cory Gibbs (Feyenoord, NED) Frankie Hejduk (Columbus) Eddie Pope (Salt Lake) Midfielders DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven. NED) Clint Dempsey (New England) Landon Donovan (Bayer Leverkusen, GER) Eddie Lewis (Preston, ENG) Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado) Clint Mathis (Salt Lake) Ben Olsen (D.C. United) Forwards Brian Ching (San Jose) Eddie Johnson (Dallas) Brian McBride (Fulham, ENG) Taylor Twellman (New England) Josh Wolff (Kansas City)