Big forward(McBride's spot)- Buddle Casey Twellman Johnson Little forward- Wolff Mathis Donovan (first three in no particular order) Jeff Cunningham Quaranta Johnson(can play here too) I think Brad Davis can play somewhere up top too in addition to left midfield. Huge competition for our forward spots now should lead to even more quality for the next go around. Someone's going to have to get left off, and that player will be one who can only play forward. Mathis and Donovan have great shots at making the 2006 team because they can also play in the midfield. Bruce loves this type of player because it allows him to be flexible with regards to formations(4-4-2 for group stage, then 3-5-2 vs. Mexico and Germany). Early candidates to be left off are the one dimensional type smaller forwards.
Someone once referred to Twellman as a tweener because he plays in the big spot but is not really that big. He has a bit of the Lineker and Romario in him but I don't know if he has the McBride in him. He can play the pressure game. He is good at finding space and a predatory finisher. He doesn't have the Jason Kreis long range gift. Nor does he have the jets to stretch the d like a Wolff. He can hold the ball. He is tough as nails. As talented as he and as much as I rate him, I do see him as up in the air for the WC. For now, he certainly deserves call-ups and even starts.
I don't know, I've seen him hit some from the edge of the 18 yard box that could qualify as long range blasts. What he has going for him is that he doesn't blow many chances and that he hustles his arse off. He plays much bigger than 5'11" and it wouldn't surprise me if he could get up there close to McBride in terms of vertical leaping ability.
When you add in the fact that there may be another guy or two not even on the radar yet (fess up: how many had Twellman pegged as an auto callup for the next set of friendlies back in March?), there's no doubt some of these guys will be left off. Donovan is probably the only lock...if he's healthy.
As far as McBride's spot, I would not count out McBride yet. Even the people who hate him, admit he busts his balls.....which means he will work justa s hard in four years which could put him on the roster. He would not start but is not out of the picture quite yet....
Mathis and Donovan are pretty much locks as long as they stay in shape and aren't injured. I suspect we might see 3 other forwards on the team and its way too hard to tell who they are. Buddle and Casey are high on my radar right now. They are both young and have shown flashes of nat quality play in 2002. Twellman has had 1 great season. Let's leave it at that until he can either put some results up for the nats or have a 2nd great MLS season. Right now I don't see him challenging for a starting spot, but possibly being a 5th forward. Kirovski is on the radar. He's playing in the EPL and even playing now. He's the same age as Clint and if he gets 3 years of EPL under his belt as a starter he'll probably be on the team. Jovan has the skills but he has to prove he can do it on the club level. Ed Johnson and Josh Wolff are both going to be distant choices for 06. Ed Johnson has the physical abilities but he needs to learn to read the game and develop a lot better touch. Josh Wolff has been plagued by injuries and got very few minutes at this world cup. Josh is good, but not great and his speed is his best attribute, but that probably won't be enough in 06 unless Donovan moves into the midfield or we have a player or two injured. McBride's day is done. The only way McBride makes the 06 team is if we develop no physical forwards between now and then which would basically mean that neither Casey nor Twellman pan out AND no new big forwards come through the ranks. Expect there to be at least one young player in the running that isn't on the roster yet. So in summary Clint, Landon - as locked as you can be 4 years away Buddle, Casey, Twellman - developing into challengers Kirovski - finally going to make his mark? Wolff, Ed Johnson - In contention on speed, will they have the skill level? McBride - Only if neither Casey nor Twellman pan out
In 2006, Mathis and Quaranta will start at forward, Donovan will be a midfielder and Beasley will be at left back. You heard it here first. And Adu will make the team as a backup midfielder/forward and score at least one goal.
Amen (if by left back you mean left wing-back) And a possible nobody who could make the team is Jon (or John) Welsh. I have heard some people say he is pretty good.
Just curious--who's going to be playing left midfield then? Mapp? Beasley is very close to locking down a left midfield spot IMHO.
i tell you this now... if edson buddle stays healthy the next few years you will see him starting up top for the us squad in germany in 2006; i can and have predicted the future...
of course not seriously though. this man is huge, has speed and has very good ball control and can turn on a dime with the ball in the box. give him a few more years and he will be dominating mls... ...in 13 starts he had nine goals and five assists this past year and with more time on the field in the coming year i think you will see even more improvement...
Mathis and Wolff If these guys can make a full physical recovery, and stay big-injury free for a few years, they'll be phenomenal. We have not seen their limit yet.
I think we have to start actually contemplating Adu. Every time he steps on the field for the U17s, he scores. If he were 16, we would be talking about him. I called Twellman a tweener. I meant that more in the sense of whether or not he would start. He doesn't have the obvious qualities of the speed forward or the target forward. But I think he will probably be a valuable memberof the team over the next few years. IT's just that I think we need one speed forward --- LD probably --- to keep their backs from being too excited about pushing up. .Then we need either a creator --- Mathis most likely -- or a target player -- Buddle, Casey, etc. Bruce hasshown a propensity to a target forward, particularly with Friedel's distribution skils, and the quesrtion is whether Twellman could play that role. HE would be best in the creator role, but he needs to show it. Still, I think he'll be a valuable player forthe US inthe coming years.To me, the question is whether he will start against hte top level opponents.
Let me throw my hat into the ring for Buddle. He was awesome for a stretch last season for the Crew, especially when he played up top. Then Andrulis stuck him at right mid where he was still solid, but not quite as productive. Buddle is the real deal, a real horse with flash. Of course 2006 is a long way away...
Folks keep mentioned Donovan as a forward, but didn't Bruce play him almost as often as a midfielder in 2002?
Some at forward and some at midfielder. He's not a true control the game type midfielder, but in an attacking role he can be effective.
Count me among the Buddle fans. Haven't really seen enough of him to get a great read, but you only need to watch him for a few minutes to see he has all the tools to be excellent. Buddle and Casey up top would be an interesting experiment.
Can you imagine them up top together with good service against a smaller Latin type team? Murderous springs into my mind as a good adjective....
Who is the 20-year-old Jonathan Welsh guy I've read about training with some Spanish Third Division team? He seems pretty confident, talking about playing for the Nats, etc. This guy has seemed to come out of nowhere. I'm sensing this may be some sort of a hoax or something. Any news on the fella?