So this came up in the Landon at Everton thread. The idea that success with the USMNT wouldn't come by finally developing an American world class superstar, but by having enough talent and depth across the team at the level that Landon and Clint currently play at. So I wondered, what would the USMNT look like if the starting XI was full of players at their level, and how would it do in a fictitious World Cup. So here's the premise, pick an XI out of current players from across the world who you feel play at LD/CD's current level, then describe how you think that team fares in a WC. In my view, both Landon and Clint are playing at the level of a top 100-250 player in the world, obviously depending on one's preferences and what not. So that's my baseline. In terms of the current US pool, only Timmay also plays at this level, so he's in my team with the other two. You could make an argument for a healthy Holden, but I'm not. My team of similar level players: Asamoah Gyan Clint Dempsey Ji-Sung Park Charlie Adam Landon Donovan Joao Moutinho Leyton Baines Brede Hangeland Neven Subotic ( ) Stephan Lichtsteiner Tim Howard ---------Dempsey------Gyan-------- -----------------Adam-------------- Park J. S.-------------------Donovan --------------Moutinho------------- Baines--Hangeland--Subotic--Lichtsteiner --------------Howard---------------- I think that team is capable of winning a group and competitive up to about a QF. Certainly a level better than we currently are, and a team that can compete with anyone. I'm interested to see what others can come up with.
This line up is better than our 2010 roster and that roster had a real chance to go thru to the Quarters. Shouldn't Bradley be in there somewhere?
Do you think Bradley is as good at his position as Dempsey and Donovan (and Timmay) are at theirs? I'm a fan, but I think he's still a level below.