I'll go with Clint Mathis. He's not doing well lately, but i think he still has the ability to make thing happen.
i intended to put Freddy on the list, but since he has never played a match for the USMNT, i don't know how he respond to the senior level.
Freddy. If we're down a goal in the last 15 minutes, we have no one that could create a goal as well as he... Mathis in his prime could do it, but he's long past his sell by date... Preki could do it as well in his day (and given Clint's current form, would actually be a better option ) Wolff is a better starter than sub, and the rest of that list are great goal poachers, but someone still needs to create chances for them...
Interesting poll Let's say you've got a lead and need to bring on fresh legs to run around, put a foot on the ball, get back on defense and maybe counter for a goal to put the game away (I thought Cobi was good for this role four years ago). I'd take Josh Wolff. What if you need a goal to tie, win or just to get out of the group? Then I would go with a proven scorer like Mathis, who could have a Cleatus flashback, score a goal, then face towards Hannover and point at his watch Either way, I would not want Dempsey, Ching or Twellman in this role. None of them have super speed to scare defenses late or a proven international resume. And, I'll ask Revs fans one more time, what is Dempsey? A scorer? A facilitator? Jovan Kirovski?
I think Adu would be good to send in running and just get knocked down for free kicks in dangerous areas. I think Cunningjam would be great , hes fast and strong and has good skill , and did great coming on as a sub in MLS all star game.
My dream is for Clint Mathis to get some humility, apologize to Bruce, get into super shape and fulfill the potential I thought he had coming out of the '02. Does anyone else remember that SI cover he had? Or that sweet finish against Korea. Why do people have to be so arrogant. Old dreams die hard. Sigh...
I knew that Clint Mathis was done after his antics in Hannover and that MLS overpaid for him. He was very poor last season with RSL. He's 29 now, it's over for Clint, and it's his own fault.
While paying attention to the context of the poll question here (and it is a great one, undoubtedly), I like the argument many of you are making for Freddy Adu. If he can score, create, and/or at least run at tired defenses from the 76th minute onwards, as he's shown to do at the WYC and at times in MLS, that's going to look like quite a masterstroke by Bruce Arena. However, might we be jumping the gun at this point in time? Let's wait to see how he does in next month's camp first. After all, this will be the highest level that he's ever taken part in before, and we'll have to see where the learning curve is at and how he adjusts to it.
Clint Dempsey, people are watching to many Nike ads. He would not, could not do the job. He is a worker not a creator.
I'll take a different spin on "Super Sub" and pick Mastroeni. Why? Because if Mastro is a Super Sub coming in during the middle of the 2nd half it means: * the US has the lead in the game. * Both Reyna and O'Brien are healthy and starting the games. All these other Super Sub picks mean the US is BEHIND in the game and needs a goal to win or tie. That's not what I want to see.