Great post! i live in Dallas, and was going to drive up to see the game... but im thankful that im not going to see this Copa AMerica squad play...
That's also the camp roster. Not the game day roster. You are reading too much into a camp roster almost two weeks before the game itself.
I think we'll see a strong team on game day. I can't see Bradley calling in a fringe unit for Mexico when he knows full well they'll be bringing a good portion of the heavy artillery. But who knows for sure. We'll find out in due time. I'll be at the game and I'm pretty damn fired up about that.
It's pretty much the old roster so I'll wait to see on who they call. Unlike must people I have faith in Bob.
Who are the possible YAs who will round out the squad? Doubt it will be the Fulham boys. Dolo? Can Moor really be depended on at LB? Adu? Why not? He's not on the Oly squad. Bradley and Feilhaber? Maybe. I am disappointed that Corrales and Dunivant are our LB choices vs Mexico. Figure coach Bradley will decide in a week and bring whatever YAs he chooses 4d prior to "revancha en la cancha (sic?)"?
I'd be surprised and rather pissed off if Bradley fails to bring back Altidore and Edu for this game. Wynne didn't even make the Sweden roster, and Klejstan kinda sucked ass. A handful of Euros should do, they're much stronger than the pesos. The gameday roster should be very decent with the Euro-based guys plugging the holes. I expect Dolo, Gooch, hopefully Subotic (hopefully being the operative word) Adu, Spector, and Bradley, maybe Pearce and Feilhaber. Davies is off too and that should do it. I do not expect anyone from Fulham. Lineup will probably look something like this: -----------------------------Altidore--------------------------------------- -------------------------------Adu----------------------------------------- Convey------------------------------------------------------------Donovan ---------------------Edu-----------------Bradley--------------------------- Pearce-----------------------------------------------------------------Dolo ------------------Parkhurst--------------Gooch----------------------------- -------------------------------Guzan--------------------------------------- I'd be awfully surprised to not see this assuming these guys are available. Bradley and Feilhaber have proven to be the best CM pairing since the second half of the GC Final, but Feilhaber's injured. Convey is pretty much our only option at LW. Donovan's really good at soccer. Adu is our best creative force behind the striker with the exception of maybe Dempsey. Pearce might be put to the bench by Spector (in good form but might also play CB which wouldn't dissapoint me at all) or Corrales for putting in the work in camp. Cherundolo gets to show Moor how it's done, and Parkhurst tells Gooch in which order he should eat the Mexican attackers.
Are you sure about this. This is bigsoccer after all. Man, I am having a hard time keeping all these names straight. We have a very large pool of players and it just seems to be getting bigger. With more and more guys going abroad and more MLS guys called into camp this player pool is loaded. US soccer has come a long way!
Because with all that attacking firepower in the squad, the defense gets worn down in camp practices. Bob needs a large defensive squad to keep them fresh for game day.
Bob should add Heath Pearce to the training roster. The guy really has nothing else to do at the moment.
As much as I'd love to beat Mexico, the reason it's harder for us to call people in is because of the increased difficulty of traveling to and from the US from Europe.
this is the current roster for the extended camp at HDC. it is going to be MLS guys and guys from the Scandinavian leagues that are also on break. once the Fifa date approaches and the clubs (in Europe that are currently in season) have to release players for a certain number of days prior to the match on the Fifa date of Feb 6, then Bradley likely will add some of those guys to the group that will be in Houston. although, the travel involved and the interests of keeping players with their clubs in Europe may factor in to US Soccer's decisions not to call in some YA's for this friendly. it will be interesting to see Mexico's game-day roster, and from which clubs their players will be called.
Based on the USSF article's implication that more Euro-based players may be added, understanding the logic that there may only be a few Euros due to the relegation battles, given the training roster's thin defensive quality and the fact that more Euro defenders are on winter break, and given the Jozy quote that Bradley may still add him, I could see the following lineup: ------------Altidore---Twellman------------- Davis------------------------------Donovan ------------Bradley----Clark---------------- Pearce-----Conrad--Onyewu-----Cherundolo -----------------Guzan-------------------- The names in red are not on the current training roster. I'd pop Convey in at left mid in a second if he were also called up, but the conventional wisdom seems to be that only a few addtional Euros would be joining the squad and I think the needs on defense are bigger than in midfield. I really hope Adu also gets called, but I would bet he is used as a 2nd half sub and Twellman still gets the start (not my preference, but my best guess). Jozy really HAS to start and try to play the full match. The player pool is so thin at striker, and with Johnson just joining Fulham and Dempsey needed at Fulham I can't see either of them being called. Plus, Jozy is obviously the "Great Hope" and needs to play with the full team in tough matches. What's the story with Ching? Still recovering and not in shape? I'd prefer him up top with Jozy. Lastly, I want to see the Bradley/Clark pairing in central midfield (I don't think they have been together yet), but I also hope Edu rejoins the team for the match and plays in the 2nd half. http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_4947971.html
mcnaulty21 has it spot on , a camp, NOT the roster... whatever euro gets called in is likely the starter... people who want altidore now, need to get perspective...he got his time versus sweden. NOW the u-23 are his primary gig from now till september... i suspect the starting 11 versus mexico will be the best 11 bradley can field... if you see altidore as the starter early on in june and august of this year, it ain't gonna happen... jozy time will come without being rushed... i'd think usa A list up top would be DONOVAN plus EITHER CHING or JOHNSON... dempsey at right mid....or they flip... some perspective on altidore...he'll be the guy but it isn't gonna be real fast... can you wait a bit??
First off, its an unbalanced roster, so I'd expect some reinforcements, breaking it down by position, correcting for the usually US Soccer errors (which continues to be a disgrace). ROSTER BY POSITION GOALKEEPERS (4) – Steve Cronin (LA Galaxy), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Will Hesmer (Columbus Crew), Zach Wells (D.C. United) DEFENDERS (8) –Dan Califf (Aalborg BK), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Ramiro Corrales (SK Brann), Todd Dunivant (Toronto FC), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Drew Moor (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Eddie Robinson (Houston Dynamo) MIDFIELDERS (6) –Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Jeremiah White (AGF Aarhus) FORWARDS (3) – Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution), Pat Noonan (Aalesund FK). Even further GK: 4 CB's: 5 LB's: 2 RB's: 1 CM's: 2 LW's: 2 RW's: 2 F's: 3 Looks like we are set at GK and CB, at least in terms of numbers. I'd expect Euro reinforcements at RB (Spector, Simek, maybe even Dolo), LB (Pearce), CM (Bradley, Feilhaber), and up front (Altidore). I think relegation threatened Convey, Boca, Johnson, and Dempsey all stay home, along with Howard. Taking no chances w/ injury.
I hate to say this, but I think the U-23's would beat the senior roster if one took Donovan and Guzan out of it. Even with them, I'd would still be a good game. Senior Line-up: -----------Guzan----------- Moor--Conrad---Califf--Corrales -------Clark---Beckerman----- Donovan------------------Davis ------Twellman---Noonan------ Bench: Cronin, Robinson, Parkhurst, White, Mapp, Rolfe. U-23's -----------Seitz----------- Wynne--Sturgis--Ianni--Wallace ------------Edu--------------- Gaven----Kljestan-------Alvarez -------Altidore---Findley------- Bench: Hall, Hill, Randolph, Holden, McCarty, Rogers, Davies. There is a lot of midfield depth and versatility (Kljestan, Gaven, Holden, Rogers, McCarty, Edu, and Alvarez), more depth up front (Altidore, Findley, Davies, Rogers, even Hill) than the seniors. Seriously, take Landon and Guzan out, and which team would you want?
I think the only one that would present any danger to the senior squad would be Altidore. Don't think a team with Eddie Gaven in the starting lineup could beat the senior team. Might see a scoreless draw though.
Gaven and Rogers on the outside might be more than they could handle. It would depend on who is in the middle.
I have a feeling Feilhaber will be called up. He was just dropped from the Derby squad, so this game will not only give him a chance to boost some confidence, but it will also give some other teams (including MLS) to watch him, and talk to him 1 on 1 in the states... oh, and he has nothing better to do right now. he's jobless.
I think that Cherund is confirmed and Johnson and Dempsey are staying home for sure. Altidore, Edu and Klestjan are out for U-23s too. Beckerman is hurt so he won't be on the squad. I do not want to see Noonan, Mapp or Twin Turbo out on the field. Would love to see Adu get a call. Don't think Feilhaber should be starting. He is not game ready -- Derby pine atrophy has set in. Wanna see Clark and Bradley. I think that Erob/Conrad and Goodson would be a good start. With Dolo and I guess Boca at Left back... Up top, I would like to see ?????? and ??? Mercy, I can't believe our good ole USofA is so thin up there. Looks like a half eaten plate of spaghetti. Needs some rogaine and/or Giuseppe Franco special.