Ok, at the conclusion of Year 1 of the cycle, I think this is an appropriate time for us to look back at what we learned of our players and make our own 23 Tickets to South Africa in the manner of Yanks Abroad. I'm giving my opinions as to how things seem to be shaking out and progressing. It's not really a roster based on who will be who in 2010 (much too much can still happen, and 2008 will be a big year in terms of our personel taking shape, particularly given the U23 qualifying and Olympics tournaments still ahead of us). Nevertheless, 2 summer tournaments, a bunch of friendlies, a U20 World Cup and most of a year with a new coach has revealed some things, methinks. ("*" Denotes a near-lock.) GK: Howard (*), Hahnemann, Guzan (or about 3 or 4 others, this last place is very much up for grabs, but Guzan seems the favorite) D: Cherundolo (*), Bocanegra (*), Onyewu, Bornstein, Pearce, Spector, Demerit, Conrad (Simek, who had a good but brief Nats summer, and Parkhurst seem to be on the outside looking in at the moment. This could soon change. Gibbs's health has taken him out of the running but I won't totally discount him yet.) M: Bradley, Edu, Feilhaber, Clark, Beasley (*), Dempsey (*), Adu, and the last spot methinks is a toss-up between several players. (With all the strong young talent in the center of pitch, a lot of it rather defensive-minded, Mastroeini will find it increasingly difficult. As to the wings, well a lot of that talent is young, and 2008 is the big year for the U23 contingent to show they're up to speed. The following I think are the most likely contenders, in no particular order: Convey, Kljestan, Zizzo, Alvarez, Holden, Mapp, with Hill, Nguyen and Beckerman less so.) F: Altidore, Donovan (*), last two spots up in the air. (We've talked 'til we're blue in the face about who those last two guys could be. Johnson? Ching? Twellman (I hope not!)? Davies? Cooper? Rolfe? Wolff (crazy, I know...)? Someone else like Preston Zimmermann who's not yet in the picture? Lots still to be shaken out here.) I used the formula of 3 GK spots (which are mandatory), 8 defender spots, 8 midfielder spots, and 4 forward spots. Placing a guy like Donovan in a forward spot and Dempsey and Adu in midfielder spots was basically arbitrary. You could just as easily decrease the forward slots by one and give that one to the midfielders by moving one of them up, but then you pretty much need a target guy for the last slot. Ok, your picks.
If the Word Cup was in three months: Howard, Keller, Guzan Bocanegra, Gooch, Conrad, Demerit, Spector, Dolo, two of Bornstein, Pearce or Parkhurst Donovan, Beasley, Convey, Klejstan, Feilhaber, Edu, Clark, Bradley Ching, EJ, Dempsey, Adu
Here's my line up with starters in bold: GK: Howard Guzan, Hahneman D: Dolo, Bocanegra, Gooch, Bornstein Spector, Conrad, Demerit, Pearce M: Donovan, Edu, Clark, Bradley Dempsey, Feilhaber, Bradley, Convey F: Altidore, Adu Ching, EJ Toughest calls for me: 1) I'm drinking the Freddy Adu and J. Altidore Kool Aid. I think these kids can play. 2) As such, Dempsey's on the bench, but he's the first man in either at RM or for Adu. 3) I'm actually LEAST comfortable with the backline. I could build an argument for any of the 8 above or Parkhurst to start. Whatever we have back there - they need to gel. Arena never did this and bit him in the ass in 06.
I take it you meant "Beasley" on the left and that's a typo, correct? As to the rest... Yeah, I'm inclined to drink the same Adu/Altidore intoxicant. They both have much to prove, but they're loads more promising than what we have up front, and they still have time to prove it. As exciting as it sounds to have Dempsey, Donovan and Adu on the field at the same time, I really doubt that will work, unless you want to put Adu out on the left wing. But Beasley's faster than Freddy, he works harder on defense, and Freddy has let it be known by his words and his play that he hates it out there; he prefers a central role and his talent's most suited for it. Therefore, one of them has got to be on the bench as a supersub. I really don't care which one it is in 2010 at this point, because any way you look at it, that looks like a potent 60-70th minute attacking sub-on. And that's a good thing to have. And yeah, the backline, this time out, is our weakness (aside from our forward problem, which the kids just might solve).
I don't see how Spector could be left off of any 23-man roster Bradley (or any other manager) puts together. He can play anywhere in the back, in midfield and even push up top late in games if you need a goal really, really bad. During a - hopefully - long tournament he's about as valuable of a player as we're likely to have. Hell, Bruce was going to take him to Germany if he was healthy. To me, he's a lock.
I'm a Spector-backer, I like his ball control and his poise on ball and man, but keep in mind that there's still a number of years left to go. The knock on him, IMO, is that he's a bit slow and hesitant for a fullback, and a bit smallish for a center back. That said, I think his versatility will see him through to the roster, one way or another, and I'd think he'd probably be the first defensive sub off the bench.
Agree. Guzan has passed Hahneman. Hard to blame '06 on Arena alone. D was in a state of flux. Pope was fading fast. Boca wasn't playing nearly the way he is now (or as much, at Fulham), Conrad was Conrad, and Berhalter was Berhalter. And there really weren't any other options. DeMerit did pop on the radar, but too late.
Howard, Hahneman, Guzan Dolo, Simek, Boca, Parkhurst, Demerit, Onyewu, Spector, Bornstein Bradley, Edu, Feilhaber, Clark, Beasley, Convey, Adu, Donovan EJ, Altidore, Dempsey, These are the best 22 players that we have now, and I think these are 22 players(injury pending obvioulsy) that will make the 2010 roster. Aside from a couple other defenders that could possibly replace my 8, i cant really think of anyone else that deserves that last spot. I'll leave that spot open to Zizzo, Szetela, or some other young player.
Yeah, I mistakenly left Szetela off my "midfielders that must prove themselves for the remaining spot(s)" list.
One more point that I think relates: At this point a year ago, I really wasn't expecting us to be a particularly good team and play great soccer this year, nor in 2008, what with a new coach (and who knew who it would be at first) and with the departure of guys like McBride and Reyna and a lot of unblooded young talent. As it is, I don't think we were that great. I think we've been slightly better this year than I thought we would be at this stage, with the exception of the Copa, which was dreadful but expected. And I don't expect us to be great in 2008, though I hope the U23s do well and I think they can. I think that sometime around 2009 is when we can and really MUST begin to put it all together and reach the next level of play. I think that's the schedule we're on, in my book.
I think Beasley is no better than questionable until we're sure how he recovers from his knee injury.
My mistake leaving off Altidore, he is worth taking even if he is a risk. I would drop Beasley if his injury is long-term or Klejstan if not. Tallavena: Are you serious with the Spector stuff? Really? I picked the guy because of his versatility, but there are many valid reasons to leave him off. 1. He often has played poorly for the USMNT, most notably his last time out. 2. He has no position -- too slow for outside back, too small for center back, not active enough as a dmid, not skilled enough for any other midfield position. 3. He doesn't play enough for his club team to perform well for the USMNT.
if wc was in three months: (i'm including Bease as healthy) GK Howard, Hahnemann, Guzan DF Cherundolo, Spector, Bornstein, Pearce, Simek, Bocanegra, Onyewu, DeMerit, Parkhurst MF Donovan, Beasley, Convey, Adu, Edu, Feilhaber, Bradley, Clark FW Dempsey, Ching, Altidore Alternates: GK Reis DF Conrad, Dunivant, Hejduk MF Alvarez, Mapp, Kljestan, Mastroeni FW Johnson, Rolfe, Cooper ------Adu--Dempsey----- Beasley-----------Donovan -----Edu------Bradley---- Pearce-------------Cherundolo -----Boca----Onyewu---- ---------Howard----------
GK: Howard, Guzan, Canon DEF: Bocanegra, Onyewu, Cherundolo, Bornstein, Pearce, Parkhurst MF: Donovan, Beasley, Dempsey, Feilhaber, Rico. Clark, Bradley, Edu, Rolfe, Alvarez, Convey F: Adu, Altidore, Ching, EJ
If WC was in 3 months: GK: Howard, Hahnemann, Guzan DEF: Cherundolo, Spector, Bocanegra, Conrad, Onyewu, DeMerit, Pearce MID: Dempsey, Mapp, Feilhaber, Clark, Bradley, Edu, Adu, Beasley, Convey FOR: Ching, Donovan, Johnson, Altidore
With so much talent in the midfield and not much depth up front, wouldn't we be better off in a 4-5-1 and bringing up the front three mids to be creative with the ball and create some opportunities? Maybe Altidore up top with Donovan, Adu, and Dempsey behind him making runs and taking 1x1s.
I will note the number of players at each role, to make sure the numbers work in total and to make sure each role has the logical number. A few posters have displayed too few defenders, for example. At this point (NOT in 2010) 4-5-1 formation. Starters in Bold. Goal (3) = Howard, Hahnemann, Guzan Def (8) = Cherundolo, Simek, Oneywu, DeMerit, Bocanegra, Conrad, Pearce, Bornstein Mids (9) = Donovan, Dempsey, Beasley, Bradley, Edu, Feilhaber, Clark, Adu, Convey Forw (3) = Johnson, Ching, Altidore Players likely to become starters by 2010 = Hopefully Adu and Altidore. Maybe Bornstein, Clark, or Feilhaber. **************** Players in danger of dropping out of the top 23 by 2010 = Hahnemann, Conrad, Simek, DeMerit, Pearce, Convey, Johnson, Ching. Players who could push themselves into the top 23 by 2010 = Cannon, Reis, Seitz, Parkhurst, Spector, Kljestan, Zizzo, Rogers, Szetela, Findley, Cooper, Alvarez.
---Nutmeg---Segroves (is there anyone more offensive?) --------SandonMibut -Revolt----MartinFischer---BillArcher ----------TimB4Last -Kevin8833---sidefootsitter--asdf2--KarlK -----------cleansheetbsc (duh, anyone with cleansheet in his name better be a great keeper) I'll go to war with this lineup.
In 3 months: Starters in BOLD Keepers (3) = Howard, Hahnemann, Guzan Defenders (8) = Conrad, Parkhurst, Boca, Cherundolo, Simek, DeMerit, Gooch, Pearce Midfielders (8) = Dempsey, Beasley, Edu, Feilhaber, Clark, Adu, Olsen, Convey Forwards (4) = Johnson, Ching, Altidore, Donovan
2010 is what counts, so the intermediate rosters are so tentative...projecting a bit to 2010: howard, guzan, seitz bocanegra, onyewu, spector, parkhurst, pearce, bornstein, cherundolo, wynne convey, beasley, dempsey, adu, bradley, feilhaber, szetela, edu altidore, rolfe. davies, donovan... emerging from from behind are spector, parkhurst, wynne, szetela and davies to get final 23 slots... each of these is MORE skilled than guys left off the final 23....
I had forgotten about Simek. He's looked good and is a true RB in a country which has an amazing problem producing right backs.
WC in three months: GK: Howard, Hahnemann, Guzan - although if Keller were healthy it would be tempting to take the three experienced keepers. D: Bocanegra, Gooch, Conrad, Parkhurst, Spector, Dolo, Bornstein, Demerit - Pearce just loses out here because, hey, in a WC I'd still move Boca or Spector out left before I'd play Pearce. M: Donovan, Bradley, Edu, Adu, Convey, Klejstan, Clark, Rogers - Beasley will be hurt alas, so I'd take a flyer on Rogers. You know, were it not for his surgery I'd have taken Olsen as my fourth center middie. Yes, Benny and Pablo would my nos. 6 and 7 there now. F: Dempsey, Altidore, Ching, Johnson - Twellman would still be No. 5. Man, we need strikers.