YA Depth Chart

Gibbs belongs probably above bocanegra but for sure above demerit and spector and probably shouldn't include rossi.

 

You have never watched a Blackburn Rovers game and/or the 2002 World Cup.

 

It was constructive criticism. Don't be so sensitive. And tell me how you can prove Friedel or Keller or Howard or whoever has better skills than the other guy. Their skills are a byproduct of their accomplishments much like the team's they have played for. Tell me what Keller has done in his career that would merit being placed above Friedel in whatever category you want.

 

why are we even including players who have retired form international play or not wanting to play for the usa? include that american playing for sampradoria instead of rossi wherever he belongs on the list. and youd have to put howard above keller now as well.


forza inter

 

(Current age in parantheses, players retired from American team not included):

Goalies:
Tim Howard (27)
Marcus Hahnemann (34)
Kasey Keller (34)
Adin Brown (28)
Quentin Westberg (20)

Defenders:
Oguchi Onyewu (24)
Carlos Bocanegra (27)
Steve Cherundolo (27)
Jonathan Spector (23)
Jay Demerit (26)
Cory Gibbs (26)
Heath Pearce (21)
Danny Califf (26)
Gregg Berhalter (33)
Steve Purdy (22)
Frankie Simek (21)
Jamil Fearington (20)
Zak Whitbread (22)

Midfielders:
Clint Dempsey (23)
DaMarcus Beasley (24)
Benny Feilhaber (21)
Bobby Convey (23)
Michael Bradley (19)
Robbie Rogers (19)

Forwards:
Johann Smith (19)
Lee Nguyen (19)
Kamani Hill (21)
Gabriel Ferrari (18)
Conor Casey (25)
Jemal Johnson (21)
Jeremiah White (21)
Charlie Davies (20)
Josh Wolff (29)
Preston Zimmerman (17)

 

Once again, Ian Joy, Joe Enochs and Chaz Kaz get no love. Casey perhaps no longer YA according to recent reports?

 

Rossi doesn't deserve to be a YA because he doesn't want to play for the US? Wow! How come no one EVER thought of that before?

Rossi meets the definition of a YA as far as Yanks Abroad goes. I used to not necessarily agree with that myself, but you find if you actually read these boards very long that it's impossible to leave anyone with American ties off. There's a really nice option for you if you don't like seeing that definition used on these boards....and a juicy sticky thread at the top of the YA board for you to read before you make another comment like that.

 

So then is this a list pointing to US games, or just a list of our best players overseas.

I'd think Dempsey gets the RM slot.

 

Goalie - Sure

Defender - Fine except for Purdy, he's below Simek. Simek's close to a full nat callup if Brian Namoff is manning RB for us.

Midfield - How did Fielhaber pass Convey? Was it when he moved back to HSV's bench? Also honestly when did Beasley? Convey was our WC left mid and Beasley's scored I think 1 goal since then.

Forward - How in the world did you do this ranking. Wolff absolutely has to be above Casey and should be at the top. Johann smith has no skills, he's proving that right now in the U-20's. Charlie Davies dominated college soccer last year and signed a first team contract, Ferrari transitioned from high school to a youth team. While it's interesting to rank the players here based on the team they play for you have to consider their positioning within the team as well.

 

What has Convey done this season? If you say he has been injured fine, but you had to give Beasley the benefit of the doubt when he was injured then. DaMarcus I would say with Brian McBride's retirement is now the number one finisher on the US team. And don't give me Landon. He would have doubled Wynalda's total if he would have converted all the chances given to him.

 

Kasey Keller ain't thirty four no more.

And Spector ain't twenty three yet.

 

My forward rankings are more based on potential than current ability, with an eye towards developing the 2010 World Cup team. That's why I ranked Wolff so low, though in actual current quality he is probably above everyone on the list save maybe Casey.

Same goes for Feilhaber in midfield...i think he has the potential to be just as good if not better than Convey in a year or two's time.

 

got ya

As to Convey/Beasley here's how they stand so far per ESPN.com this year, since Convey was ahead head to head last as we saw in WC, clearly nothing in these stats here changes that:
GP 9 | G 0 | A 3 (2006/07 Premiership) Convey
GP 8 | G 1 | A 1 (2006/07 Premiership) Beasley
Subjectively I am more impressed with Convey and how Reading was doing early in the year with him. They are still doing well but they are lucky he's getting well again so that they can maintain a high position.

 

I'm sure playing for West Ham has given Spector his first grey hairs but the lad is still only 20!