Who would you consider to be in the U.S. national "A" and "B" teams heading towards WCQ's? Why? Select 23-man rosters for each. Assume all players are healthy; which doesn't happen in reality. In case you're dense, that is why national teams have player pools. "A" Team GK: Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Kasey Keller (Tottenham), Tim Howard (MetroStars) DF: Greg Vanney (Bastia), Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago), Eddie Pope (DC United), Tony Sanneh (Nurnburg), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus), Danny Califf (Los Angeles) MF: DaMarcus Beasley (Chicago), John O'Brien (Ajax), Claudio Reyna (Sunderland), Earnie Stewart (DC United), Eddie Lewis (Preston North End), Chris Armas (Chicago), Chris Klein (Kansas City), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado) FW: Landon Donovan (San Jose), Brian McBride (Columbus), Clint Mathis (MetroStars), Josh Wolff (Kansas City), Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham) "B" Team GK Nick Rimando (DC United), Joe Cannon (no club), Adin Brown (New England) DF: Wade Barrett (Aarhus), Cory Gibbs (St Pauli), Nick Garcia (Kansas City), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover '96), Sasha Victorine (Los Angeles), Brian Dunseth (Columbus), Mike Petke (DC United), Ryan Suarez (Dallas) MF: Bobby Convey (DC United), Richard Mulrooney (San Jose), Kyle Martino (Columbus), Ben Olsen (DC United), Brad Davis (Dallas), Peter Vagenas (Los Angeles), Steve Ralston (New England) FW: Taylor Twellman (New England), Jeff Cunningham (Columbus), Edson Buddle (Columbus), Ante Razov (Chicago), Conor Casey (Karlsruher) Honorable Mentions (for an even 50 player pool): Oguchi Onyewu (Metz), Kelly Gray (Chicago), Ricardo Clark (MetroStars), Santino Quaranta (DC United)
Switch Stewart with Convey. Cherundolo for Berhalter. And Twellman in for either Josh Wolff ,who has done nothing in club or country since the world cup. I'm praying that another forward steps up to over take Jovan Kirovski.
Re: Re: USNT "A" and "B" Squads You have Chris Klein on your A list! Today with an A and a B team, I'd have to include Preki and Cobi. They're still playing at a pretty high level. Wolff is recovering, and scored his first goal since Korea on Saturday. Sanneh finished the season injured and is not full speed yet. Pope is out for a while too.
Re: Re: USNT "A" and "B" Squads Twellman doesn't belong on either team when will the Twellman defenders realize this guy ain't it?
Re: Re: USNT "A" and "B" Squads Really now, you don't think Stewart is still a starter? I think Stewart, at this point in time, is still better than Convey. At worst he would be a key sub off the bench; which is where Convey is now if included in a "A" squad for a game. But I could see this (Convey over Stewart) happening soon. Wolff, if healthy would be part of the "A" team. Probably should have stated this caveat in the original post: If all players are healthy. He and Edson Buddle would have been called up by Arena for a squad or two if they were healthy. Until one of the younger forwards I have in the "B" team steps up Kirovski is border line A/B material. He is still better than Twellman and Cunningham. Buddle and Casey are still six months away (with USNT experience) and I just don't see Razov surpassing him.
The whole point of this thread is to draw a demarcation line in the player pool being utilized by Arena; creating what could be considered the "A" and "B" teams. There is a player pool (I'm limiting it to 50) to help fill in the gaps created by injuries to players such as Pope, Reyna, and Sanneh. But these players are not necessarily out of the player pool or off the "A" team (which is where I have them).
Do you plan for the future? In a year the USNT could be knocked out of WCQ for the 2006 World Cup! Not likely, of course, but a possibility.
i like the list -- but 2 things: 1) i think convey deserves to be somewhere on the "A" team list by now, he's played in every game in 2003, started most as well, even as a defender. 2) i like B.Davis as well, but i don't think he can even be considered on a "B" team if he hasn't even been called-up to the full Nats yet. heck he wasn't even called in for the most recent U-23 match. Sasha is almost on his way out -- Davis can have his spot -- for all i care.
In my personal opinion Id have Chris Gbandi on the A squad for Vanney....Gibbs for Califf....Martino, Convey, Cunningham, and Buddle for Stewart, Armas, Wolff, and Kirovski respectivley....Clark over Vagenas....Gavin Glinton over Quaranta for HM....Razov gone for Quaranta and Lisi for Armas....Sorry guys but Armas is no better than Mastroeni, Clark and even Wes Hart he slows the attack for USA cant tackle and is slow as molasses...as for Lassiter, I mean Twellman peace brother not nat material, Kirovski=Gone, Razov=Youre cut.....For the near future Mike Magee= Welcome, Dema Kovalenko=Welcome with citizenship please, Justin Mapp=Welcome Thank You
Re: Re: Re: USNT "A" and "B" Squads Yea I went too far with Stewart, Kick Klein down to B team for Convey. If Completly healthy, I am of the firm belief that Josh Wolff is the best striker we have. More talented and better than both McBride and Mathis and Donovan (as a striker). I've argued this before (but met with much opposition, usually from the Mathis Camp), and I still take a 100% Wolff over anyone. But it really saddens me to see how much injury he has gone through. I really do believe that he has been the most underrated National teamer over the last 2 or 3 years. From his great play at the Olympics to his red hot start during qualifying before breaking his ankle. His run of play at the beginning of qualification was AT LEAST as good was Mathis' start was. And no one gives him the credit due to him for that amazing assist he had in the Mexico game in the World Cup. I hope he catches fire and makes the Gold cup squad
I really like Taylor Twellman. He has a grit and toughness that no one else seems to have one out national team with the exception of Brian McBride. He was robbed of a goal by a great save from the New Zealand keeper and he makes everyone else around him a lot better. His weakness is that he is reliant upon his service, Its not all that uncommon of a weakness. Its something that McBride has to. He doesn't get half the service that McBride did. Let's see him getting some run with a bunch of our first teamers to draw the pressure away from him (LD, DMB, Convey).
O.K. Then lets look at the player pool being utilized by Arena. Not an exact science because of injuries/availability/compitetion and such, but based on minutes played we can get a good idea of who Arena's A and B teams are. I'm using the 5 WC games and the 8 friendlies since then (1170 total minutes). Here would be the first 11 based on minutes played (min. in parens). ---------Mathis(587)---McBride(535)---------- ----------------Donovan(994)---------------- -----OBrien(540)------------Convey(450)----- ----------------Mastroeni(676)--------------- -Boca(603)-Pope(615)-Califf(450)-Sanneh(450) ------------------Friedel(450)---------------- The second 11... ---------Twellman(240)---Stewart(394)------ ----------------Beasley(445)---------------- -----Lewis(375)------------Klein(394)----- ----------------Reyna(360)--------------- Hejduk(434)-Agoos(306)-Berhalter(270)-Cherundolo(246) ------------------Howard(360)---------------- I think if you add Armas and take out Agoos, plus Keller for the extra keeper, that probably is the 23. Wouldn't line up that way just having fun with it...i.e. bored stiff. Here's the "B" Team and minutes... Kirovski 239 Victorine 222 Rimando 180 Armas 180 Vanney 180 Olsen 166 Mulrooney 145 Garcia 143 Jones 114 Keller 90 Brown 90 Ralston 90 Barrett 90 Saurez 78 Cunningham 74 Wolff 66 Moore 47 Hahnemann 45 Cannon 45 Cullen 45 Martino 37 Vagenas 30 Gibbs 27 Ching 15 Petke 12 Llamossa 10 Buddle 9 Lagos 7 Eskandarian 1 ADU 0
Re: Re: USNT "A" and "B" Squads Opinions are like @ssholes, everybody has one and they all think their's don't stink. Armas and Masteroni are 1 and 1a at that D-Mid spot. Pablo has better ball skills, but I think that Armas has the edge in expierence. If healthy, I want both of them on my roster, even if only one of them is starting.
PNE - I am going to revise your proposal a little bit... Instead, I will select an A, B, and C starting 11. No player could play on more than one edition. "A" Team GK: Brad Friedel (Blackburn) DF: Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Tony Sanneh (Nurnburg), Eddie Pope (DC United), Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago) MF: DaMarcus Beasley (Chicago), John O'Brien (Ajax), Claudio Reyna (Sunderland), Landon Donovan (San Jose) FW: Brian McBride (Columbus), Clint Mathis (MetroStars) "A" Formation **********McBride********Mathis********** Beasley***O'brien***Reyna***Donovan Boca***Sanneh***Pope***Hejduk *****************Friedel***************** "B" Team GK: Kasey Keller (Tottenham) DF: Steve Cherundolo (Hannover '96), Danny Califf (Los Angeles), Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus), Greg Vanney (Bastia) MF: Chris Klein (Kansas City), Kyle Martino (Columbus), Bobby Convey (DC United), Eddie Lewis (Preston North End) FW: Josh Wolff (Kansas City), Edson Buddle (Columbus) "B" Formation **********Wolff********Buddle********** Lewis***Convey***Martino***Klein Vanney***Berhalter***Califf***Dolo *****************Keller***************** "C" Team GK: Tim Howard (MetroStars) DF: Nick Garcia (Kansas City), Ryan Suarez (Dallas), Cory Gibbs (St Pauli) MF: Ben Olsen (DC United), Chris Armas (Chicago), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham), Sasha Victorine (Los Angeles) FW: Taylor Twellman (New England), Jeff Cunningham (Columbus) "C" Formation *******Twellman********Cunningham******* *****************Kirovski***************** Victorine***Mastroeni***Armas***Olsen ******Gibbs***Suarez***Garcia *****************Howard*****************
...remarkable depth. bora and sampson had a relatively easy job choosing an A team- now bruce is really going to earn his keep. if nothing else, his choices (and non-choices) are going to keep us very busy here.
posted by Preston North End: "A" Team GK: Brad Friedel (Blackburn), Kasey Keller (Tottenham), Tim Howard (MetroStars) DF: Greg Vanney (Bastia), Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago), Eddie Pope (DC United), Tony Sanneh (Nurnburg), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus), Danny Califf (Los Angeles) MF: DaMarcus Beasley (Chicago), John O'Brien (Ajax), Claudio Reyna (Sunderland), Earnie Stewart (DC United), Eddie Lewis (Preston North End), Chris Armas (Chicago), Chris Klein (Kansas City), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado) FW: Landon Donovan (San Jose), Brian McBride (Columbus), Clint Mathis (MetroStars), Josh Wolff (Kansas City), Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham) "B" Team GK Nick Rimando (DC United), Joe Cannon (no club), Adin Brown (New England) DF: Wade Barrett (Aarhus), Cory Gibbs (St Pauli), Nick Garcia (Kansas City), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover '96), Sasha Victorine (Los Angeles), Brian Dunseth (Columbus), Mike Petke (DC United), Ryan Suarez (Dallas) MF: Bobby Convey (DC United), Richard Mulrooney (San Jose), Kyle Martino (Columbus), Ben Olsen (DC United), Brad Davis (Dallas), Peter Vagenas (Los Angeles), Steve Ralston (New England) FW: Taylor Twellman (New England), Jeff Cunningham (Columbus), Edson Buddle (Columbus), Ante Razov (Chicago), Conor Casey (Karlsruher) Honorable Mentions (for an even 50 player pool): Oguchi Onyewu (Metz), Kelly Gray (Chicago), Ricardo Clark (MetroStars), Santino Quaranta (DC United) __________________________________ Convey switch with Stewart- Clark switch with Davis- Santino swith with Razov- Convey has been one of the best players in MLS this year, no question, and has played in every NT game this year. Clark has been one of the most consistent holding midfielders in MLS to date. And I really think you need to take into consideration his age; because he will be a fixture in the NT for years to come, I think he should get some experience now, and he may even prove he can play at this level now. Santino, when not hurt, is one of the best American forwards in MLS. Razov will not be going to WC 2006, so I don't think Arena should waste roster spots on him in the upcoming friendlies, tournaments, and qualifiers. Santino has the potential to be a special player and definitely be in future world cups. Those are all the definite changes I would make. Other considerations: Losing Wolff from the A team. Losing Vagenes from the B team. Losing Dunseth from the B team. And as much as I love him, losing Ralston from the B team because he really has no shot at 2006. I think the guys on the roster have to be guys who have the potential to play in WCQ and in WC 2006. So, instead of these guys, I would bring in younger guys, such as Mapp, Magee, Gray, and others. I wouldn't play them now because they are not ready. But I would bring them into camp over guys like Razov, so the could train and get the experience.
And don't think I'm trying to knock guys like Razov. I'm not. He's a great player. I just think that for a variety of reasons, he will not feature in WCQ and definitely not in WC 2006. And because, guys that could be on the team in 1.5-3 years should get some experience now.
I really think it's hard to have an A, B, and C 11 man sides because you really have to set your squad to your tactics, which are based heavily on the opposition. I think it's better to name your top 23 (18 bench, 5 alternates) and your second 23, and then make your lineups based on your opposition. Assuming all are healthy and not looking at ages for 2006, but current form: "A" Team GK: Friedal, Keller, Howard Defenders: Sanneh, Bocanegra, Pope, Hejduk, Califf, Cherundolo Midfielders: Donovan, Beasley, O'Brien, Reyna, Armas, Mastroeni, Lewis, Stewart, Klein, Convey Forwards: McBride, Mathis, Wolff, Twellmann "B" Team GK: Rimando, Hanehmann, Brown Defenders: Gibbs, Berhalter, Suarez, Garcia, Vanney, Petke, Agoos Midfielders: Jones, Martino, Mulrooney, Davis, Olsen, Vicorine, Quaranta, Clark Forwards: Kirovski, Buddle, Razov, Casey, Cunningham Alright all you Twellmann-haters, let me have it!!!! I think his current club-form, which most international coaches go on, puts him on the A team. Califf has really impressed me of late and Berhalter really lost some status during the N.Z. game which has led to his demotion from my A team. Martino has a ton of talent, but not enough international experience to bump hiim up to the A side, but given a year of full internationals and qualifying he should be up there, especially since we're sure to have injuries to some of our ehem, elderly players in the midfield, you know of whom I speak.
I'd switch Gibbs and Califf. Yes I know Gibbs has only played 30 minutes but I think he has alot more potential, not to mention mobility, than Califf. Other than that ttrevett I agree with all of your picks. Twellman does deserve to finally be put on with the best team to see if he can produce. I'd like to see what he can do when he is on the field with both McBride and Donovan.
Re: Re: Re: USNT "A" and "B" Squads Mlsnet says he was born in Brentwood. I'm glad his jersey number isn't 32.
I'm officially on the Bobby Convey, Ricardo Clark and Brad Davis bandwagon. Convey to A-team and Davis and Clark to B-Team. Convey is quickly raising his status to LD and DMB levels as the future of the US team. Davis is having a break-out year, extremely good first touch and knows what to do with the ball when he receives it. Clarke will replace both Armas and Pablo by 2007 I'm officially off of the Berhalter and Cherundolo bandwagon. Dispite the reality that we are woefully understrength in the back, Berhalter made three glaring mistakes that would have cost goals against a quality side. Little Stevie isn't there yet... we still need help. Lastly, Kirovski to b-team. Obviously Confed Cup will make or break his future with Bruce. Right now he deserves a look.