I think Karbasiyoon has a good chance of making it as a LB, LB is our weakest position, Boca doesn't belong there, JOB can play the position well but is more valuable in the midfield, Hejduk and Vanney aren't World Cup material, it doesn't look like Arena is intersted in trying out Dunivant or Burciaga, Spector has a cap and is well ahead of Karbassiyoon now, but Karby is going to be getting first team minutes in the colaship this season so he's got a good chance to prove himself Other than that, I'd like to see Mapp, but doubt we will, we also need another striker so if someone proves they can get the ball in the net, then theres a good chance there as well.
Three goals against Dallas last Sat with Arena in the house. He's tied for first in the league for goals and first overall if you add in assists. Dallas is not an easy team to score upon unless your name is Twellman. In some ways though I'm just as glad he hasn't been in this Gold cup. The offense overall has been struggling. If Twellman were to have played with the service the forwards have been getting, it would have hurt him more then helped him. As it is, it may have done in Noonan.
Arena's Post-WC Qualifying Debutants... 11/11/01 Marsch 12/9/01 Bocanegra, Cunningham, D. Gutierrez, Lagos, Mulrooney 1/19/02 Califf Once qualification was clinched, Arena did look at a bunch of new players. Most of them were unimpressive, however, and promptly disappeared. The only ones who stuck around for a while were Mulrooney and Bocanegra. If not for injuries, Bocanegra might well have reached Korea. So, if we're using history as our benchmark, we ought to expect several uncapped players to get a look. Their chances of playing in Germany will depend on how they perform and whether they stay healthy.
I've mised the fact that The Cartographer's been in camp. If so I'll raise his chances and agree with Geordienation that he may be The One. In part because he's being tracked by Arena but also because the competition at right wing is less than at left back. What's that? Are you mad Skip? Well that is probably true but here's how I see the competition at the two positions: Right wing Right now we have Steve Ralston as really the only true right winger here. Other folks can be shifted here: Among the vets, Noonan or Beasley, even Hedjuk or Albright possibly. Then you have two other young 'uns: Gaven and Quaranta, both of whom coulds also be forwards (especially Quaranta). But that depth chart underscores the fact that there's just little talent here and that talent is mainly young ands has little experience over Mappy. I think Arena has a better feeling about Ralston than most folks share but even still there's so little behind Steve. Arena is also pointedly not trying out other right winger vets like Chris Klein or even Ben Olsen there which remoinds me of something that Arena has said a couple of times: What he's doing now is concentrating on the WCQs, leavibg the WC proper for later. If there's one position that screams out by Arena's actions that he's gonna change things after we've qualified it's right wing. So my guess is that we will see some serious Mapp time soon. Or perhaps we'll be seeing a competition with Mapp, Gaven, and Quaranta, none of whom Arena felt could help for the WCQs but could for the WC. Left back The position is much cloudier here. Bocanegra, Vanney, Hedjuk, Convey have all seen real time here. And, like Ralston, Arena has a better liking for these guys overall than many folks here. (I/m not saying that these four will all make Germany but I'd lay serious money on two of them and that will make it harder for anyone uncapped. Then you have Spector who hasn't played here but could. So for an uncapped player to barge his way in here will be tougher. Karby, Dunivant or Burciaga are all just too far back in the pecking order. I wouldn't be surprised to see one or more of them eventually getting capped this winter or spring, but by then it will be too late.
Jose Burciaga has a shot, esp. if Bocanegra loses his starting spot. And Justin Mapp has a shot at right wing. (The sale of SWP opens the possibility of Reyna playing RW for Man City like when SWP was hurt. If so, and Reyna succeeds, that solves both the RW problem and the central midfield logjam.) Let me throw another name out there. I hate when guys pump players they haven't seen. But I'm not pumping him, I'm naming him. Peter Philipiakos. It's a longshot, but a scenario in which he is great with his club team, Greece doesn't qualify for the WC, Reyna doesn't work out at Man City, and Mapp falls off the, um, map, opens it up for someone, anyone who can play right wing. Backup at right fullback is another need position, but it's probably too late for Robbie Russell (another guy I have never seen). It'll come down to Albright or Hejduk, probably Frankie.
Although I think he's been capped (per mention above) as a substitute earlier this year (can't recall the opponent), Spector has a great shot at getting one of the last spots. If he shows well as a regular in the PDL, he's in there considering the lack of depth in the backline.
Tim Ward, if he bounces back from this injury, has to be taken into consideration for uncapped left back candidates to maybe possibley make the 06 squad.
I have debated ursula about this subject before, but I think he's about right here. I don't think KArbay has that much of a chance b/c 1) there's enough guys who could possibly play left back (Spector) or sorta left back (JOB) that Danny K isn't going to be high enough in the pecking order or in the level of his competitive league to make up the gap. Mapp seems the most likely. First, he can fill in at right wing, which might give us a front five of Mapp, DMB, LD, BMB and GAM. That's a lot of speed, and it pins the defense back. He might also be used as the first offensive sub. Think about chasing DMB for much of the day and then suddenly having to keep up with a fresh-legged Mapp. A forward is still possible, somewhere in between the two. Yoiu can never dismiss the possibility of a scorer making the team. So Jaqua is still possibly alive.
All this talk about the mystery at left back, but I would say Boca is basically a lock there, unless he ends up playing centrally. Bruno seems to love a guy who can move around a little so I think Boca is our left back. I saw Ralston in the Gold Cup last week. He is just not fast enough. He cannot be an outside half for a top 10 international side who hopes to perform. Too bad, because he plays nicely, he is just too slow. I like Gaven there, but realistically we are gonna see DMB on the right with Eddie Lewis on the left.
Beasley already had 2 caps at this point in 2001 so I'm not too sure what you are talking about: 1/27/2001 vs China at Oakland, CA 2/3/2001 vs Colombia at Miami, FL Mastro was the last player capped that made the roster. 6/7/2001 vs Ecuador at Columbus, OH Bocanegra is a good example to use for the uncapped guys still having a chance. IIRC Bocanegra was going to be on the final roster but missed out because he was injured. His 1st Cap was: 12/9/2001 vs South Korea at Jeju, Korea Someone might still squeeze in but it's a long shot.
Spector's only cap was on 11/17/2004 vs Jamaica at Columbus, OH as a sub. He was also in camp in May and was an unused sub for the England game. I agree he still has a good chance because he should get playing time this year and he can play LB, CB and RB. If he plays well in England I think he will make the cut, but he is capped.
I think Mapp gets taken. Especially if we have no more competitive qualifiers after Mexico, then he gets capped and goes to Germany. He's versatile can play either side of midfield and up top, excellent technical ability, and fast. Doesn't play defense though. Arena will have to overlook that. And I think Mapp knows he has a chance too, a motivated Mapp is a scary player.
Both Mapp and Jaqua have a shot. Mapp is having a great season so far, so I'm sure he'll be brought back into camp. If I remember correctly, Arena brought him into camp before the MLS season started so Arena couldn't possibly have made up his mind about Mapp just yet. Let's not forget that Sarachan and Arena go way back. Sarachan is a big fan of Jaqua so once Jaqua gets back from injury, if he continues to play well and score goals, no doubt Arena will take a very good look at him. I'm looking forward to the day I see Beasley and Mapp on the opposite wings. Beasley is faster but Mapp is also VERY fast. Has insane dribbles sometimes... can weave through defenders effortlessly. Mapp's only weaknesses are defending (non-existent) and finishing, which he may improve on significantly by WC '06. His utter lack of any defensive skill may be easier to swallow having Cherundolo behind him though. Imagine teams trying to defend a midfield and forward squad like this: --------------------Johnson----McBride-------------------- ---Beasley-----------O'brien------Donovan---------Mapp---
Herculez Gomez will finish this MLS season with 25 goals and be starting along side Ante Razov in WC06.
I agree with most here that it will be very hard for anyone to make it on the squad at this point. Left back is a weakness, but I wouldn't be too disappointed with Boca out there, especially against stronger teams where defense is going to be much more important than going forward. I'm also optomistic about Spector's chances of being a possibility there. Between those two, I think we'll be fine. Just please god, save us from Greg Vanney. Frankie's the utility man for either side. Right mid is a bigger gap, but I think we are overlooking that Reyna is likely to play there this season with Wright-Phillips going away. He's been away from the US for a while, so maybe we forget all too quickly, but even if like many here, you're not a big fan, you've got to admit he's at least a solid enough player to plug one of our biggest holes in a position he is likely to play regularly. After him, it's still pretty open in my mind because I'm still not sold on Ralston. I've only seen a little of Mapp this year, but he does look very dangerous. Up front is probably the biggest opening in my mind, just because the team is so weak at the position. If Johnson ever comes back, we have him as a serious threat. McBride is aging but solid, although he's not really striking fear into anyone's heart. Donovan may play up front with O'Brien coming back into the fold, and then we have a variety of mediocre options, led by Wolff and maybe Ching. If anyone really stepped up here, he'd have a shot, but really we don't have much on the radar that is all that likely to explode.
Perhaps a better question would be does anyone have a shot if they're not capped before the end of WC qualification?! I can see a Mapp, Adu, Jaqua, etc... getting called into a camp after we qualify. Arena will not want to affect club positions for games where those Euro-based players aren't needed, and we'll turn to MLS, where the season is ending. It seems odd, but some of those guys might benefit from their MLS teams going out quickly in the MLS playoffs, and making themselves available for the USMNT. The other question is how many qualifiers do we have available for such trials - perhaps as many as three, I hope. I don't think we're going to see new faces for the Trinidad and Tobago and Mexico games. We're so close that these become "all hands on deck" games. But given that MLS doesn't start until next April, if you're not in camp this fall, what can you realistically do to get noticed during the winter if you're an MLS player?! Bruce won't do a Sampson and screw around with the roster with two months to go. The window is closing, and with the Gold Cup opportunities gone (Conrad, Santino, and Davis all get first caps), early qualification would seem the next and last opportunity to get yourself into the mix for the World Cup as 2006 will be all about getting a team ready, not about putting a team together....
our right wing will be david beckham. and i quote, or paraphrase: "Amazing. Amazing. The best part was when they sang the national anthem. I love L.A. It's a great place to live. I come here a lot on vacation..." superdave, that avatar is killing me. i like all the mapp talk, people. i hope he gets a shot in qualies 8-10 and winter friendlies. he could be an electric second-half sub if not a starter. can he cross as well as ralston? how is robbie russell? i've yet to see him play. physically, he looks like a stud from the picture on YA.com. i'm a little nervous about reyna as a winger due to insufficient speed. i think he could get the job done most of the time, but would be struggling mightily against a team with a good left wing. as might anybody we have.
Yeah I think we- BS posters and Arena- all hope we qualify ASAP so we can use the remaining games to look at one or two players.
i don't think we'll see wolff in germany. If he's there it's because somebody is hurt. It's one thing to see him do well in the gold cup but, against bigger more physical teams he will get lost.
That's an interesting thought, but look at it this way: In Korea Wolff played two games, starting vs Mexico and subbing vs Korea. (Notice he didn't play in the three games vs European opponents.) In other words, as a players who wasn't counted on being in the nominal starting lineup, Arena used him in specific situations. I would think the same would apply in Germany and would be true for a good half of the players Arena selects.
I've mentioned this before, but no one gave any thoughts. I think our best line-up in the WC, barring injury will go something like this: -------------------Keller/Howard--------------------- --------------Gooch---------Gibbs---------Boca------ --Dolo----------------------------------------------- ----------O'Brien----Donovan-----Beasley------Lewis- ----------------McBride----------------------------- ---------------------------Johnson------------------ Let Dolo run up and down the right flank, cuz he can, and O'Brien to cover. Gooch and Gibbs, if they can gel together, will be intimidating as hell as CBs. Boca's more than capable at LB (not a problem there unless he's out for some reason). Lewis runs the left wing like a champ, better than Beasley for services to the second six-yard mark. Donovan and Beasely will have co-operative freedom of the pitch. McBride a decent target. And Johnson the finisher. Obviously, GK is the least of worries. Does anyone see problems with this starting XI? I think it eliminates most of our concerns (LB and RW) and puts our best players on the field.