Howard Hahnemann Guzan Bocanegra Gooch Cherundolo Demerit Spector Goodson Bornstein Donovan Dempsey Torres Edu Bradley Feilhaber Holden Clark Bedoya Ching Altidore Davies Gomez
Good team but I don't see Davies and Ching beating out Buddle. I'm pretty sure, in fact, that Davies will NOT make the team, as are most people here. It's too bad, it's very sad, but that's what's likely to happen Casey, Altidore, Buddle and Gomez more likely forwards than the 4 you've got there.
I'm following you on Davies, but I will go on thinking wishfully until his situation becomes more clear. If he can't go however, I think Buddle will be in. Wasn't the latest news on Ching's health status positive? If Ching gets back for a game or two with the Dynamo before the camp, he's in front of Casey. Especially if Casey inability to score from the run of play keeps up.
Here's are my 23: Howard Hahnemann Guzan Boca Demerit Cherundolo Spector Pearse Bornstein Goodson Donovan Dempsey Bradley Clark Torres Benny Edu Bedoya Altidore Buddle Gomez Guchi (not sure. I hope you're feeling better and getting plenty of good training) Holden (not sure. I hope you're feeling better and getting plenty of good training)
Nearly two weeks on to roster selection. If that's our 23 then we are going to struggle not only against the Czechs, Turks, and Aussies but at the WC. We are far from being #14 according to FIFA. We will depend too much on Dempsey both as a midfielder and striker. The Holland game derailed Holden as the midfielder to slot in for Dempsey. Buddle needs to be more of a target forward if no Ching or Casey. BTW Casey seems to be better at PKs than Donovan. And, Pearce and Bornstein as our left wingbacks makes me ill.
I've stayed away from making picks because of so much UNCERTAINTY recently. But time is running short, so here goes, by positions (starters in bold): Keepers (3): 1. Howard 2. Hahnemann 3. Guzan Defenders (7): 4. Bocanegra 5. Onyewu (he'll be there, but how fit???) 6. Spector 7. DeMerit 8. Cherundolo 9. Goodson 10. Bornstein (or #24 Pearce, but not both) Midfielders (8): 11. Donovan 12. Bradley 13. Edu 14. Feilhaber (starting at LM or RM unless Holden gets 99% fit) 15. Clark 16. Holden 17. Torres 18. Beasley (or #25 Bedoya, but not both) Forwards (5): 19. Dempsey (yes, starting here because he is our best forward) 20. Altidore 21. Ching (or small chance for Casey; a pure "target" is going) 22. Buddle (or #26 Johnson) 23. Davies (or #27 Gomez) Alternates (7): 24. Pearce 25. Bedoya 26. Johnson 27. Gomez 28. Marshall 29. Adu 30. Perkins
I think Mr. Martin has nailed it. I am a bit mystified about what is happening with Beasley at Rangers and think it opens up a chance for Bedoya. A couple minor quibbles. I think Kljestan gets on the list of 30, probably at the expense of the fourth goalie. And I think it might be Casey not Adu on the list of 30.
You make a good point about Casey on the alternate's list instead of Adu. Kljestan makes sense if you want another mid on the alternates list. I think he's a slightly better choice than Beckerman. That 4th keeper may be totally unneccessary.
First, have to agree with the Kljestan theory. He is a Bradley disciple from his Chivas days, and his current form will get him into camp. I have not recently been a huge fan of his, but if he can find his previous form, that would be a huge bonus for us. I don't know what happened to DMB, but he is off the map at Rangers right now, in fact he seems to be under the map without a GPS device. He was doing very well up until the most recent injury, and then just completely lost the plot. I bet we see Bedoya go in his place based on current form. I am going to give Bradley the benefit of the doubt here, hoping he remembers that dreadful giveaway to Brazil in the Confed Cup. Otherwise, the 'keepers are set, defenders are essentially set, given the lack of any other options (whether it's Pearce or Bornstein, it matters not because neither is the complete package, and a good LB isn't materializing out of thin air in the next month). The midfield would seem set aside from the DMB/Bedoya debate. The frontmen are just a mess. Of course, Altidore will go, likely Ching and Davies, with Dempsey listed as forward, and one of either Gomez or Buddle. Our only real solid option is Dempsey. Altidore may have a year of the Prem in his rear view mirror, but the guy scored 2 goals, only one against a Prem club. How does his form make him a lock starter, and if it does, that speaks VOLUMES about the current state of our forwards. All the juicy rationalizations on this board about his production in other areas don't change the fact that he couldn't do his primary job, nor was he trusted to perform that job regularly as a starter for the 2nd worst team in the league. I know everyone seems to agree that he will go and will almost certainly be in the 11 against England, I'm just arguing that against a side made up of defenders that have seen him all year and have clearly done a job at keeping him off the scoresheet, he might not be the best option. Thinking out of the box, maybe a 4-5-1 with the 1 being Dempsey or if Davies is back 4-4-2 with Demps and Davies. My 2 cents, have at it.
mr martin is close i think... but 7 defenders and 5 forwards... with cards in the backline and any injury, i'd be uncomfortable ... i think another outside back is needed, and the ever popular hejduk might be the guy, as he can do both sides.. 4 forwards, as i see 3 really playing...buddle over davies as injury risk for davies is huge
Jozy's main striking competition at Hull, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, is a erstwhile Dutch international who had been a fairly successful striker at PSV and Celtic. He scored a grand total of 3 goals this season in more starts than Jozy. Does that mean he sucks, too? This argument has played out in several other locales on BS, but here it goes again. It's awfully hard to score goals when you're team spends 90% of the match absorbing the opponent's build-up play and your wingers couldn't get a ball into the box if they had a gun to their head.
i look at jozy against holland where he showed enough for me... and his goal against spain showed him at his best... if usa has a better forward, BB would start him over altidore
I honestly was thinking that Frankie could be our final fullback chosen (not only could he ably back-up, but a great "intangibles" guy) until I saw him in the Danish friendly. There he really began to look like he's just past it to my eye. I doubt he's seriously in the picture even for the 30.
Wynne has a chance of nosing out Marshall on the alternate's list. Given the roster, we actually are less deep at right back than most other positions. The fact that Wynne has also been playing center back this season and in a reasonably competent way is a bonus.
Hesselink was signed on a free after Celtic let him go due to better options, so while he may have been a quality player, he is not currently, so having him as the main competition who was more often favored when healthy, sort of proves my point. The only reason Jozy started that last game was b/c JVofH was knocked unconscious the game before. Again, Jozy is probably one of our best striking options currently but that being said, his production is worrisome. I agree that his service was woeful, but that excuse is usually reserved for a single game, not an entire uninterrupted year. Granted Hull's midfield performance was subpar and part of the reason for their relegation, but so was that of the defence and strikers as well. I'm not being negative about Altidore b/c I have an axe to grind about him in particular, it is just that everyone sees him as an automatic part of the 11, and I'm not sure that is such a given. But for sure, the guy is in the 23.
Goaltenders 1. Howard 2. Hahnemann 3. Guzan Rimamdo 4. Bocanegra 5. Cherundolo 6. Onyewu 7. Spector 8. Goodson 9. Bornstein 10. Demerit 11. Pearce Hejduk Marshall Hejduk could beat out Pearce somehow, but no way is Bob rolling into SA with seven defenders, including one who hasn't played a meaningful game in forever. Our best players aren't defenders or forwards, but we still need to roster guys in those spots alas. 12. Donovan 13. Dempsey 14. Bradley 15. Edu 16. Clark 17. Feilhaber 18. Holden 19. Beasley Torres Kljestan Bedoya I am very torn between Beasley and Torres, but I think ultimately that if Bob needs to go to the Dempsey up front route, he'll see Beasley as a more natural fill-in wide. Maybe if Holden was 100% and in form that would have made that null, but that is not the case. 20. Altidore 21. Casey (seriously…unless Ching can go of course; Casey has been consistently picked by Bob ahead of most of the rest of these guys, I don't see how that changes now) 22. Buddle (LD's word will help) 23. Gomez (I don't think he'd be here if they weren't doing this mini-camp, but I have to think he'll show better than EJ, if for no other reason than I don't want to face how terrible we are at this position if he can't!) Ching (if he's 100% he is #21 on this list, and I could see Bob taking Ching and Casey over any flavor of the month) Johnson Davies Findley Buddle and Gomez will have a chance to prove they belong thanks to the injuries. I don't even know if Findley, Rimando, or Marshall will make it to a camp; I don't see them in any sort of position to win a spot on the team this late.
1. Howard 2. Hahnemann 3. Guzan 4. Onyewu 5. Bocanegra 6. Spector 7. Demerit 8. Cherundolo 9. Bornstein 10. Goodson 11. Pearce 12. Donovan 13. Dempsey 14. Bradley 15. Clark 16. Feilhaber 17. Edu 18. Beasley 19. Holden 20. Altidore 21. Buddle 22. Davies (Johnson if Davies isn't ready) 23. Casey (maybe Adu instead... and making Dempsey the 4th forward)
6.Altidore 5.Buddle 17.Davies 15.Casey 1.Donovan 2.Dempsey 1.Donovan 3.Bradley 2.Dempsey 9.Beasley 14.Feilhaber 14Feilhaber 19.Holden 1.Donovan 20.Holden 7.Clark 16Edu 18.Mastroenni 4.Bocca 14Goodson 10.Demerit 11.Spector 13.BornPearce 4.Bocca 8.Onyewu 12.Cherundolo
GK: Timmy Hahnemann Guzan Center-backs: Boca Gooch DeMerit Goodson Fulbacks: Spector Cherundolo Bornstein Central Midfielders: Bradley Edu Clark Feilhaber Torres Outside Mid: Donovan Dempsey Holden Beasley Forwards: Jozy Ching Johnson Buddle Now here is my order: 1. Howard first up on the ESPN News video. He's the man. 2. Landon Donovan 3. Clint Dempsey appears to be fully healthy 4. Michael Bradley, all nepotism aside. 5. Carlos Bocanegra the captain 6. Josmer Altidore 7. Gooch Onyewu strength, health and form all concerns 8. Steve Cherundolo 9. Jonathan Spector 10. Maurice Edu 11. Marcus Hahnemann 12. Stuart Holden 13. Ricardo Clark 14. Brian Ching (target option) 15. Jay DeMerit 16. Benny Feilhaber 17. Jonathan Bornstein 18. DeMarcus Beasley 19.Edson Buddle 20 Eddie Johnson (speed option) 21. Brad Guzan 22. Goodson 23. Torres (a midfielder, Pearce if 8 backs go)
GK: Howard Hahnemann Guzan CB: Boca DeMerit Gooch Goodson Outside back: Cherundolo Spector Bornstein CM: Bradley Edu Torres Feilhaber Outside mid: Donovan Dempsey Holden Beasley FW: Altidore Ching Buddle Gomez Johnson I pick DeMerit ahead of Gooch only because of the remote chance Gooch might have a setback. However, if he is selected, he obviously starts ahead of DeMerit (and DeMerit starts too if Boca gets moved to LB).
Switch Dolo for Spector and I agree. Dolo has been on an upswing - he's healthy, has been starting, and has shown generally better form. Spector ended his EPL season in pretty awful form though he was getting PT. Right now, I think Dolo's return to health/form and experience make him more valuable.