These are based on what I think Bradley is thinking right now. Not what I prefer. Guys taken to the Confed Cup given preference over guys taken to Gold Cup, except for injury considerations. Bold = Players Projected to Make Final Squad Italic = Projected Starters Goalkeeper 1. Tim Howard 2. Brad Guzan 3. Brad Friedel 4. Troy Perkins Left Back 1. Jonathan Spector 2. Edgar Castillo 3. Jonathan Bornstein 4. Heath Pearce Center Back 1. Oguchi Onyewu 2. Carlos Bocanegra 3. Jay DeMerit 4. Danny Califf 5. Chad Marshall 6. Clarence Goodson 7. Michael Parkhurst Right Back 1. Steve Cherundolo 2. Frankie Hejduk 3. Marvell Wynne 4. Frank Simek Central Midfield 1. Michael Bradley 2. Jermaine Jones 3. Maurice Edu 4. Ricardo Clark 5. Gringo Torres 6. Pablo Mastroeni 7. Kyle Beckerman Attacking Midfield 1. Landon Donovan 2. Clint Dempsey 3. Benny Feilhaber 4. DaMarcus Beasley 5. Sacha Kljestan 6. Stuart Holden 7. Robbie Rogers Forward 1. Jozy Altidore 2. Brian Ching 3. Charlie Davies 4. Freddy Adu 5. Conor Casey 6. Eddie Johnson 7. Davy Arnaud Friedel is obviously the strangest choice I made, but I firmly believe he's the thrid most likely keeper to play for us next year behind Howard and Guzan. Obviously that scenario involves a serious injury to Howard before the cup, so nobody wants that, but I believe it would definitely be considered should that happen. The logjam in central midfield seems to suggest Torres is in some trouble in terms of making the team. His best chance is injuries or Jones being an "oil and water" situation. Our weakness at fullback is why I have Castillo making it. He's going to get his chance and he doesn't exactly have to beat out any superstars to win a backup left back job. He could get pipped by Bocanegra over there and Marshall being selected instead. Bornstein and Pearce both got extended opportunities this summer, and I suspect their performances will have Bradley continuing to look for other options. I realize a lot of folks won't like it, but I took Freddy over Holden, due mostly to his ability to play forward. Our quality at forward is a hell of a lot more shallow than our quality anywhere in midfield, and I suspect Freddy will have gotten himself into a better (if still not great) club situation by next spring. Holden can still quite easily pip Kljestan for a spot, but right now I'm going with what Bradley has shown his preferences to be so far (same with Ching over Davies for a starting spot). I suspect that Beasley will be going barring injury.
ummm dude, isn't Friedel retired? what about Marcus Hahnemann? you think Beasley will be considered? do you think Bradley is that set on him? and Kenny Cooper doesn't make the consideration list? i am not saying he's going, but not even considered? i swear if Kljestan makes the team and not Holden....
He's internationally retired, which is a notoriously temporary situation and should Howard get hurt, I definitely could see him being convinced to take the No. 1 job. And Cooper wasn't even a starter for _this_ team. Regardless of what you or I think of him, Bradley seems to be very underwhelmed by him.
I agree sure if Howard goes down, Friedel might come out of retirement, no huge stretch there. Heck if Altidore/Davies/Ching all go down they would probably ask McBride to at least give it a run out. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. I HOPE Beasley comes back. My brain tells me its unlikely, but I want to see the 'old Beaz' back again. Yes Bob obviously isn't high on Cooper. Arnaud didn't do anything the whole tournament yet he kept starting. Call it what you will but Bob doesn't like Cooper. I think the Holden/Sasha thing will work itself out at the end of the WCQ cycle.
I think Beasley will make the 23 for experience purposes if nothing else. Might not play, but I suspect he'll be there. Bradley more and more looks like the type to stick with about a 15 man roster and leave everyone else watching. He used as little of his bench as possible in South Africa, and after the group stage did the same in the Gold Cup.
OOPS! Thanks for the catch. Califf scratched off the list (though that just as easily could be Castillo).
Klestjan and Beasly replaced by Holden and Quaranta. The three goalies are: Howard Perkins Guzan Sorry Brad but Troy actually plays games. James
Jonnathan Spector is not our #1 LB Has he even played there for us yet? Granted I would love to see it happen because that could get our best 4 defenders on the field (Dolo, Gooch, Boca, Spector) but I just don't think that's the list yet. Also, that battle between Beasley-Kljestan-Holden is very close and will come down to the wire
Isn't that who I listed? Friedel is more likely to play than Perkins. The only way Perkins plays is if Howard and Guzan both get hurt, and if Howard gets hurt, you better believe the guy Guzan currently backs up becomes an option.
Yes, he has. Not in the Confed Cup, but before his injury, yes he did. We don't have a number one left back. Bradley continues to throw people out there hoping for something to work out. Bocanegra could be it (making DeMerit a starter like in the Confed Cup). Castillo could take the job. But Bornstein got benched in South Africa and Pearce didn't light the world on fire in the Gold Cup. Spector is my best guess at who will win out (assuming a full recovery from Cherundolo).
You say "what I think Bradley is thinking." Well, Bradley is biased toward his former players. Thus, Bob will never take Castillo over Bornstein, his boy. You're not really thinking like Bob if you say he's going to take a guy with a wild off-field life, even though he's more talented, over known-quantity and best buddy Bornstein.
He played there a few times in 2007 for us (started against Guatemala and Trinidad & Tobago, and subbed in for Bornstein against Sweden), and once or twice in 2005. He hasn't played there in nearly two years though, for either club or country.
This is silly. Bob likes Bornstein but Bornstein is far from "his guy" Bornstein has been far from a regular with the national team for awhile. He only started getting more looks again with the team since Pearce crashed and burned. When Bornstein looked weak at the Confederations Cup, Bob played Bocanegra at LB. Bocanegra had never played LB for the national team under Bob before and Bob put him out there against Spain in a huge game. That doesn't suggest a whole lot of confidence in Bornstein. Left back is still wide open. Bocanegra is the front runner but Bob is not thrilled with any of his options at the moment.
Close. Bocanegra played LB against Ecuador early on in Bradley's tenure. He also played plenty of LB under Arena (which I know you weren't disputing).
Once again, someone completely misunderstands the current left back situation. We have a defensive option against teams that are markedly better than us (Bocanegra), and an offensive option (Bornstein, whoever else) against teams that aren't. The lack of confidence in the knockout stage of the CC was in Bornstein as a 90-minute defender against the best in the world. And considering he's a converted attacker and useless in the air, that's a good decision. But for El Salvador at home, you really think Boca will be at left back? Left back is now a situational position for the USMNT, not a "hot and cold" one, as you're portraying.
oh i wasn't saying Cooper would get into the team, but i just see him coming into Bradley's thoughts/consideration over eddie johnson even if it is a straight no. unless johnson is able to turn around, blah blah blah, but i was just thinking as of now. and Friedel, it's just been so long since he's been in the team that i am skeptical. ....but i'd rather not think about losing Howard. that would be a dark, dark day.
I'm not sure what Bob's thinking - but at the moment, my 23 (as in the best team of 23 players we could assemble) would be... Bold = Players Projected to Make Final Squad Italic = Projected Starters Goalkeeper Tim Howard Marcus Hahnemann Brad Guzan I'd like Hahnemann more than Perkins if we actually had to use him. If not, Perkins for experience. I assume Friedel will not come out of international retirement, unless as you say something terrible happens to Timmy (God forbid). We will either start Timmy, Friedel or Keller come next summer. Left Back Jonathan Spector Jonathan Bornstein* * Edgar Castillo if he beats him out Center Back Oguchi Onyewu Carlos Bocanegra Jay DeMerit Right Back Steve Cherundolo Frankie Hejduk Central Midfield Michael Bradley Benny Feilhaber Ricardo Clark* Maurice Edu* * Jermaine Jones could bump either of these - most probably Edu - or JJ bumps Klejstan or Holden instead. I've moved Torres to AM and Feilhaber to CM. Basically we take 9 Mids, the four in italics are going, we take the best 5 out of the remanding 6 including JJ. Attacking Midfield Landon Donovan Clint Dempsey J-F Torres Sacha Kljestan Stuart Holden Beasley's got to come back big time or he doesn't go. If he does come back and have a great year, Kljestan or Holden gets bumped. Yes, as it stands right now I believe Holden gives us a better chance to win than Beaz. But not by much. Forward Jozy Altidore Charlie Davies Brian Ching Freddy Adu Ching starts or plays when we need his style of play or need him to soak up minutes. I don't know what to do with Adu. His position is relatively secure for the moment, but only because Cooper, Quaranta, etc. didn't do enough to bump him for 2010. If he doesn't pull his socks up pretty quick, it wouldn't take much for someone to come along and leave him on the outside looking in for 2014, but I think the Forward position is where I'd expect to see the most change before then anyway.
Quantara, Kljestan and Beasely haven't shown anything to even be considered. GK:Howard, Guzan, Hahnemman LB:Boca, Bornstein(possibly Castillo, allowing Boca to be a CB) CB:Gooch, DeMerit, Dolo RB:Spector, Heydude MF:Bradley, Dempsey, Donovan, Clark, Edu, Feilhaber, Jones, Torres, Holden FW:Altidore, Davies, Ching, Adu
Your list, like Voros' list, is perfectly reasonable overall. But I'm going to quibble with the following -- you have way too many of the same type of creative attacking midfield players on this roster: Feilhaber, Holden, Kljestan, Torres, and Adu. In BB's system these guys are all SUBS serving the same late game creative, skilled attacking and/or possession role. Feilhaber is BB's primary late-game change of pace attacking player, and at best only a spot starter, as was made clear in the Confed Cup. Holden, Kljestan, and Torres serve basically the same substitute function as Feilhaber. Adu is a hybrid withdrawn forward or attacking mid, too. BB simply will not form the roster this way.
GK: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann, Perkins (Friedel/Keller if something happens to Timmay). RB: Cherundolo, Spector, Hejduk CB: Onyewu, Bocanegra, DeMerit, Marshall, Conrad, Califf, Goodson LB: Bocanegra, Bornstein, Pearce, Hejduk, Spector, Castillo RM: Dempsey, Donovan, Holden, Kljestan DM/CM: Bradley, Jones, Edu, Clark, Mastroeni CM/AM: Bradley, Donovan, Feilhaber, Torres, Holden, Kljestan LM: Donovan, Feilhaber, Beasley, Rogers F: Altidore, Davies, Ching, Adu, EJ I'd be shocked if we see anyone not on the above list in SA (if we make it).
There are a couple players not on your list that I think are still in contention--Wynne and Cooper. Their chances are below 50% but I don't think it would be a shock for one of them to make it.
That's a good point. You're right. I'm probably trying to compensate for the lack of depth in the Forward pool by taking too many Attacking Mids, which is wrong. I guess that's why Clark and hopefully Jermaine Jones should have an inside track - we need to have the Defensive minded disruptors in the midfield as well. I like the idea of Holden on the right wing, backing up Demps though too. And Torres on the left backing up LD. Whereas Feilhaber, Klejstan and Adu I see as more in-the-middle distributors. I tried to sneak Adu on the roster as a Forward, because I'm hoping to see him fufill his potential between now and then but right now I have to admit it's not happening. EJ could sneak in there and bump Adu back to the midfield battle (where he probably belongs anyway) with a good year in the EPL, with Fulham or on loan. I kinda hope he does it. I think EJ's issues are things that he can address and this probably is his make or break year. If he plays his way onto the team with a good club season, he would be a welcome addition to the striker pool. Yeah - I wasn't trying to guess that. Personally I'd rather read posts from people on how the roster *should* be, not what the think Bob will do. That's my beef with "23 tickets to SA", et al. Just my own personal preference. And I like the way TrueCrew's done it as well - I nearly did the same, because you can play some tunes with things like Bocanegra at left back. He probably is our number 1 LB at the moment as long as DeMerit and Marshall are playing well.