This Wednesday, we'll get a good look at some of the younger players in the national team pool. For perspective, here's a great article about what Klinsmann did with the German national team: Jurgen's flushed with youth The closing line in this article is fantastic:
That's an exciting German Back four. Volz and Lahm are the kind of fullbacks that Bruce Arena messes his pants dreaming about at night. Steve Cherundolo is just as good as Volz in my mind, maybe as good as Lahm. We just need another fullback. I think we're fine in the centerback position. Especially if Oguchi Onyewu turns out to be as good as advertised. What makes me happy is that we have guys like Donovan and Beasley who are almost as young as these German players but they have a world more international experience.
I think that the US defineately outpaces them on the back line (Dolo, Gooch, Boca, Convey/Spector/Gibbs) while not giving much up in the air, which Germany has had on us in the past. In the last U-20 Germany had a great 16 minutes against us, had to clear two balls of the line, and benefited from a Less Than Grown Ass Man. That was it for them, we made it to 95 minutes in the quarters leading Argentina, until Maschereno scored, and got a PK called going away from goal, which Cavenaghi scored despite Cronin's touch and all tournament form. I think we are pretty even on the youth level but our current young players are a bit quicker.