I completely disagree. The captains of the last two World Cup winners were both in their early to mid 30s. I get the gist of your jive but the reality is that you want a team of experienced players with a few young wunderkinds thrown in, not vice versa.
I can't see a line-up without Donovan in it. It seems more and more likely that Donovan will leave the MLS after this season. I also believe that Dempsey will start to transition into more of a striker role. Here is my starting XI for Brazil 2014: [LINEUP-4-4-2]Dempsey,Altidore,Donovan,Bradley,Holden,Chandler,Lichaj,Goodson,Gonzalez,Cherundolo,Howard[/LINEUP-4-4-2] Strikers: Altidore Dempsey Agudelo Findley Midfielders: Bradley Holden Clark Diskerud Kljestan Donovan Chandler Adu Edu Defenders Lichaj Williams Gonzalez Goodson Ream Whitbread Cherundolo Goalies: Howard Guzan Hamid
Makes a lot of sense. I'd say move Chandler back, make Cherundolo a sub, and put Adu in his spot. I think there's a chance Mix finds his way into the lineup as well.
Way too risky to put Adu in front of a RB who likes to go forward. Adu doesn't back track much so if he plays a spot other than CAM, he'd have to have a stay at home defender behind him. Diskerud is highly underrated imo. Many teams in Holland and another nation wanted Diskerud but he decided to stick with his team in Norway for some reason.
I haven't been arguing for Larentowicz to start now. He's only recently started playing CB. In truth, I was oscillating between Larentowicz and Clark. The reason I chose Larentowicz is because of his distribution from the back and I think he'd be the perfect complement to Gonzalez. I'd be perfectly happy with either of those guys (i.e. Clark or Larentowicz) starting at CB in 2014. I also haven't seen enough of John to formulate an opinion. Also, if other people have thrown his name around at CB it shows I ain't that crazy
Actually, I'd have a ? mark after Stu Holden. The ACL tear he suffered is the kind of injury from which players seldom recover 100%. I wouldn't be surprised if that stunted his development. Evans studs were aimed exactly to the ACL and caused extensive damage.
By the time we get to 2013 Danny Mwanga should be in the mix at forward too. At the time he had a thread going here the information was that he would be eligible for U.S. citizenship in 2011. We might even be able to start calling him for our friendlies this Fall.
Jermaine Jones could be moved to CB as an experiment as he has the necessary tools and at 32 or 33 (world cup time) its a much better position for him.
Maybe a little crazy, but everyone's a little crazy. Jeff's a solid, smart player. May be a tad slow for CB at the next level. Again I think that he missed his window of opportunity (when Logan Pause was being called up). John's great. The past couple of games he's appeared to being carrying an injury of sorts... seems a tad slow and hesitant. Hopefully we won't lose him to Greece. I wouldn't be surprised if he's off to Europe soon (before Ream or Gonz).
This is the first time that I have seen this addressed on this board. Holden has now had two traumatic injuries in the span of a year. Additionally, he has also had a broken eye socket (2005, after being attacked), an ankle injury while at Sunderland (2005), and a hip injury that kept him out of a USMNT January camp (2009). All of those injuries will eventually start to take toll on him. We haven't been very lucky lately in terms of players returning from serious injuries (Onyewu, Davies). Hopefully Holden's case turns out differently.
I know it looks like an ACL based on the injury, but ... has it been publicly confirmed that the ACL is involved? I saw a Stu Holden interview some time ago where he stated that it was not the ACL but that it was a rare injury and he couldn't even remember the technical term for it.
ESPN and the EPL's official website both reported that its an ACL injury. What I haven't read is how severe the injury was. There is a new article with Owen Coyle stating that he doesn't believe Holden will begin playing again until October. I think it usually takes 6 to 9 months to recover from ACL surgery.
Stu is going to have a long road back in my opinion. It's horrible, because he was looking tremendous. I'm guessing we won't see him in a USMNT uniform until mid 2012. And even then, he's going to have to have quite a few solid Bolton games under his belt before making it back. He is a huge "?" for me. Not based on ability or desire, but based on the extent of this injury.
Early prediction: Goalies: Howard - obvious. Guzan - needs to get more playing time. Quentin Westberg - Good young goalie who will be in France's Ligue 1 next season. Defenders Goodson - centerback Whitbread - centerback Gonzalez - centerback Parkhurst - centerback Chandler - rightback Lichaj - rightback/leftback Pearce - leftback/centerback/rightback Lloyd - leftback Both Bocanegra and Cherundolo will likely be too old by 2014 at age 35. Neither will make it. I also believe Onyewu is on a downward trend that will be difficult to get out of. I think Belgium/Denmark is the level he belongs at. I don't know if Ream will be ready by 2014 - I think Parkhurst is just as good if not better. I prefer Gonzalez's physicality and height. Plus he will have more seasoning by 2014. The only problem is that with this line-up, only Goodson will have had World Cup experience, and he didn't even play in 2010. Which isn't an ideal situation. Midfielders: Donovan Jones Bradley Edu Holden Adu Shea Feilhaber/Bedoya/Diskeruud/Torres/Spector 2014 we will be very deep at midfielder. The last midfielder spot will have some tough competition. We'll need a winger who can serve in good crosses and has speed. Feilhaber and Bedoya will have the inside track. Diskeruud will have to compete with Adu, and Adu is ahead of him at the moment. Torres is in competition with Holden, with Holden far ahead of him. (Torres can't play as a winger.) I think Kljestan will fall off the map, he just doesn't do anything special or extraordinarily well to deserve a spot. Also very inconsistent. If Spector latches onto a good team and gets consistent starts in right-midfield, he could also make his back onto the roster. And don't even think about Ricardo Clark or Damarcus Beasley. Both are done. Strikers: Dempsey Altidore Agudelo Bunbury Dempsey will be a little too old to start at midfield by 2014, but will still be useful as a strike. He and Donovan might only be impact-subs come 2014. I could see a Conor Doyle or Tony Taylor making a lot of headway and sneaking onto the roster as a wildcard. Findley and Eddie Johnson are done. Kenny Cooper is also in the running for last spot if he has a great three years in MLS.
We haven't had a very good track record in general when it's come to players returning from 6+ month lower body injuries (JOB, Gibbs, Beasley, Convey, Onyewu, etc.). So I've been trying to temper my expectations a bit nowadays whenever I hear news of a major injury to one of our players.
I'm not sure the lists are as German as the final roster is likely to be. It's been rare that a player who has success in the Bundesliga didn't make our roster. For instance, from what I've been reading over in YA, it sounds like Fabian Johnson may get the opportunity to start this year. Likewise Daniel Williams is just 22 or so, and is already a frequent sub/sometimes starter for Freiburg, sometimes at left back. Then there are the young ones, espeically forwards, who are at the edge of the picture. If only one of them broke through, it would be good news.
This thread after our GC loss is timely. Bundesliga players who might defect to the USA are welcome. Jones has been a godsend. Too bad his support crew are not up to snuff. I expect Bob Bradley out, and whoever comes in to shake up things a great deal. Not only German-Americans but other foreign born players will come out of the woodwork. And that is as it should be. We have not had the infrastructure to create a promising generation of US players. Klinsmann might be ideal, but other foreign coaches might suffice. That is all one can expect in a country that does not have a soccer culture. I am sure I am not the only one who is ready to abandon ship.
Assume 8 defenders make the squad, maybe only 7, but let's assume 8. There might only be 3 guys on the Gold Cup roster that make the 8 right now. That's how big the task that needs to happen between now and 2014 is.
This thread should be called ZERO tickets to Brazil. Because that's what will happen as long as Bob Bradley is coach.
Insert John Brooks at CB. Hopefully the Ocegueda kid will become a player at LB otherwise Lichaj will have to do.
I know we're smarting after a loss, but that's ridiculous. This team absolutely still has the talent to make it through, and absolutely should, but most likely in 2nd if you judge based on today. It's a long road to 2014. I fully expect us to be in Brazil like usual - we absolutely have the talent. We need depth. It's funny, I would have said our striker problem was more important yesterday, but after today it's clearly our defense. We have a seriously stacked midfield with options, but we're light on other ends. I'm actually looking forward to friendlies, because unlike in 2006-2010, we have to do some serious evaluation of players in the next year. Our starting line-up is anything but obvious right now. And I hope the USSF sets up some friendlies with Mexico. It would behoove us to do that. My 23 as of today with some holes: GK: Tim Howard Brad Guzan - who needs to get some playing time or he's off this list ? - no earthly idea, and most likely it doesn't matter Defense: Timmy Chandler (RB) - we need him more than ever Lichaj (LB/RB) - his Gold Cup solidified his spot, as of now, he's our starting LB Gonzalez (CB) - door opened again for him today, there for the taking Ream (CB) - hasn't played himself out of contention Bradley (DM) - needs to find a decent club Jones (DM) - you need a veteran in this crew, I suspect he's it if he holds up well. Edu (DM) - needs to step up his game Unfound LB backup - making Lichaj another RB option - Loyd??? CB backup - ?????? Problem: ZERO VETERANS in the back line. Someone has to step up to marshall the troops. Midfield: Donovan - expect him at the least to be a supersub, most likely will start. Question is where. Veteran presence. May be 2014 Captain if starting. Dempsey - see Donovan. Veteran presence. If I had to choose which of LD and Clint is the supersub vs starting, I'm thinking Clint as supersub. Bedoya - needs to get out of Sweden Adu - out of nowhere, back on the map. Diskerud - needs to step up ???? - Feilhaber/Torres/Kljestan - no one has stamped their name on these last spots. ???? - I am not listing Holden anywhere here until he is back from his major injury. Striker: Altidore Agudelo ?? ?? Starting XI: Howard Chandler - Gonzalez - Ream - Lichaj (that is one young bunch back there - scary) Bradley - Jones/Edu Donovan - Adu - Bedoya/Dempsey Altidore/Agudelo/Dempsey Since we're stacked at midfield I like retaining the 4-2-3-1. Seemed to work today if our backline wasn't a sieve.
Our team has the talent to make it through to the round of 8 in the World Cup, to be honest. But I wasn't talking about our team. I was talking about OUR COACH, who I don't think can get us out of the hex. There was way too many obviously bad coaching and player decisions in this tournament for me to end all association with the USA as long as glazed-look Bob is still on the touchline.
Young players (who haven't been capped) who i not only see making the team but becoming starters are John Brooks at CB and Danny Mwanga at FW. I like Mwanga more than i do Agudelo. 2 more who will have chances are Joe Gyau and Daniel Williams of Freiburg who may be capable of playing LB.