Okay, who wants to take a stab on picking our World Cup Squad? Let's see if all you wanabe soccer managers can pick the team. Here's my prediction as of this date(3/23/06): GK: Keller, Marcus, Howard Defenders: Gooch, Pope, Cherundolo, Lewis, Bocanegra, Hejduk, Gibbs, Spector MF: Reyna, JOB, Landycakes, Mastro, Dempsey, Convey, DMB, Noonan Forwards: Bake, Wolf, Twellman, EJ
If I had to pick the team now... GK (3): Keller, Howard, Hahnemann DEF (8): Gooch, Gibbs, Cholo, Hejduk, Lewis, Spector, Bocanegra, Pope MF (8): Convey, Beasley, Reyna, O'Brien, Mastroeni, Olsen, Dempsey, Ralston F (4): Donovan, McBride, Johnson, Twellman
GK- Keller, Hannemahn, Howard D- Pope, Oneywu, Gibbs, Hejduk, Lewis, Bocanegra, Cherundolo, Dunivant (if healthy, forgot what his injury was. Mids- Donovan, Beasley, Reyna, Mastroeni, Convey, Dempsey, Noonan, Ralston Strikers- McBride, Johnson, Twellman, Wolff I just don't think we see JOB back, hope I'm wrong. As for Spector, I would like to see him there but he seems to be having an up and down season and I'm not sure he's ready. Dunivant showed well vs. the weaker teams we've played but there was just something about his style of play that makes me think arena will take him, same could be said for Noonan. I guess we'll see May 1st.
Wednesday brought back some memories of old...Ouch! Keller, Hahn, Howard Cherundolo, Onyewu, Pope, Gibbs, Lewis, Bocanegra, Spector, Hejduk After Wednesday, can anyone stomach the thought of Conrad and/or Berhalter in the back? Dempsey, Reyna, Mastroeni, Convey, Beasley, Obrien,...Noonan? Ralston? If 3 of the first 6 are hurt, we're in trouble, big trouble. McBride, Donovan, Twellman, Wolf Have you seen anyone else pass the ball backward as much as Johnson? Ching, Mr. Invisible. Instead of volleying, if he slides a pass into the box for Johnson, EJ has a 1 on 1 with Kahn...OK, so maybe a weak volley was the best option. Ching and Johnson both get pushed off the ball far too easily. A lot of commentators talk of the USA's depth, but after Poland and Germany, I don't see it. Perhaps there is enough depth to beat up on CONCACAF, but not against the top tiers. All in all, ten years ago, we would have taken this and be happy.
You know, I can't pick the 23 yet. I can take the easy path out and pick the bubble players who are now out for sure, though: Berhalter Conrad Pearce Ching Klein There. The real 23 are way too hard to pick right now. At the fringes of the midfield and defense it is wide open IMO and to choose anything now is purely arbitrary. That said, Arena claims he could pick his 23 right now. But I'm sure he doesn't think he could confidently say those 23 were the best choice possible. It would be the best 23 based on incomplete information. He needs more time. So do we.
I've got 21. I think that Bruce will probably use Donovan alongside McBride in an attacking role. Additionally, I see Beasley as more of an attacking midfielder and Convey on the left mid. These three guys along with McBride should make for a strong attack. All can finish as well as EJ, Wolff or Twellman. Convey, Beasley, Donovan also have tons of experience and their passing/ballhandling skills should be better than anything a second target forward can add. GK: Keller, Howard, Hannehman D: Pope, Onweyu, Gibbs, Lewis, Cherundolo, Hejduk, Spector, Bocanegra M: Beasley, Convey, Reyna, Mastroeni, O'Brien, Donovan, Dempsey F: McBride, Wolff, Johnson As for the two remaining spots, I guess that Bruce will pick up another mid and another forward, though with the arrangement I've discussed above, I really don't think that we need four forwards anymore... I think that one of the guys who was written off after Germany will probably get a call. In any event, I don't see how we can be harmed by just taking whichever two guys from MLS are hottest after April...