Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com
U.S. men's national team head coach Bob Bradley has some tough decisions to make when he picks his 23-man World Cup roster, but even before he selects that final squad, Bradley will first have to pick 30 players for the U.S. national team's preliminary World Cup roster.
Bradley will name that group of 30 next week and the decisions aren't as easy as you would expect.
Here is my Fox Soccer take on the 30-man group Bradley will call in. The project squad I select has a few surprises, specifically Frankie Hejduk and Freddy Adu. Remember, not all players on the preliminary roster will actually make it to the national team's training camp in Princeton, and there are sure to be at least one or two surprise selections and omissions.
Here are some more thoughts on the 30-man preliminary roster:
Why Frankie Hejduk? Bob Bradley needs to look at fullback options and Hejduk's experience makes him someone Bradley could take a look at. Frank Simek has fallen out of the picture, Marvell Wynne has played well as a centerback but has been awful for the national team and someone like New England fullback Kevin Alston is promising but still too young. I don't see Hejduk making the 23-man roster, but I can see him invited to camp.
Why Freddy Adu? The fact that he is starting for Aris FC in the Greek League playoffs is a significant sign that Aris head coach Hector Cuper likes what he sees in Adu. That coupled with the fact that there aren't many other creative midfield options makes Adu a legitimate candidate. Robbie Rogers is not playing well in MLS play, which also helps Adu's cause.
Why not Robbie Findley? If Findley is finally over the knee injury he was dealing with for a while then he could still be a call-up. If Davies can't make it, then Findley's chances increase significantly. As it stands, Findley hasn't been playing well.
Why not Eddie Johnson? Truth be told, I have a feeling we'll see Johnson, but I couldn't figure out who Bradley would leave out. He's definitely a candidate to replace Davies if Davies can't go, but he could also be brought in over one of the two red-hot forwards, Edson Buddle or Herculez Gomez. Much like Adu, Johnson is playing in the Greek League playoffs, and his two goals in Aris' first playoff games could leave Bradley intrigued enough to bring him in.
Why not Jeff Cunningham? Have you seen him play in MLS lately? All his goals have come via penalty kicks because he's been missing chances in bunches.
Why not Sacha Kljestan? He's shown some good signs the past two weeks, but it may be too little, too late in a pool loaded with central midfield options. He does play on the wing for Chivas USA, but hasn't really been used there with the national team. If Bradley decides Kljestan is a better wing option than an out-of-form Rogers and Adu, Kljestan could head to Princeton.
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What do you think of the group? Which of the 30 players do you think won't be making the squad? Who do you think is the most glaring omission from the projected 30-player preliminary roster?
Share your thoughts below.
“I’d play to our strength 4-5-1 because of our midfield and lack of strikers.”
Since when has then been a strength recently? When the US played it in earlier 2009 they did poorly. That’s why the US wound up playing 4-4-2 with Davies and Altidore up front.
Altidore is better now, but he’s still not yet an international grade line leader.
We have a lot of midfielders but only two, Donovan and Dempsey, are above average. The rest , at the World Cup level, are unproven and mediocre. They don’t frighten anyone.
The US has some midfielders who seem to labeled “defensive midfielders” i.e Clark, , Edu and, to some extent Bradley but none of them are up to the international standard at that role.
That is why Bradley kept holding out hope for Jones who was advertised as international standard ( or was before he got hurt. The US center back tandem, whoever they are ar enot very moible or that good on the ball so JOnes would have been a huge help. Now, w/o him Bradley is going to have to improvise something.
I hope Adu gets a chance to come into camp, but I don’t see why you think that will happen Ives. Bradley has not called Adu into any of the recent friendly games, but he did call EJ in for the game against Holland. That leads me to believe he has no interest in Adu.
please no Casey. please
I can’t let this stand. I keep hearing how Rogers is good, yet I almost never see it–most of the time I see him playing badly. Yeah, he had a good shot off the post in a friendly awhile back, but the rest of the game he was terrible, turning the ball over left and right. And to say that he is quicker than DMB (who I am not a huge fan of) is ludicrous. Also, Adu is way more talented than Rogers. Although Adu has not gotten a lot of playing time in Europe, the few times I have seen him play, he has looked pretty good. That is a lot more than I can say for Rogers. In the end, this discussion is probably moot, but I am just amazed at the love Rogers gets on this board.
oops…saw the post below that reiterates my thoughts….
to anyone really: aren’t there injury rules where if someone goes down the coach can pick ANYONE to replace them, and not just from the 30, or is the coach limited to the 30 he picks for the camp?
Arena said he wished he’d played Ching, so I’m not sure I agree with your logic.
Joining this party late…I don’t see the need for a 4th GK. Better to use that extra spot to look at another wide middie like Rogers. Clint likely ends up starting up top so that leaves RM a little thin, especially with Holden recovering from a broken leg. Plus, how sharp is DMB from sitting out most of this year at Rangers? Rogers is quicker, can also play either side and is at least match fit despite his recent dip in form.
I’m not sold on the idea of Adu. Feilhaber and Torres are likely fighting over one spot on the WC roster. Adding Freddy seems to just congest the rotation on the practice field.
I agree with Josh. Casey is not good. Casey is only good for Concacaf teams only. That is all he can score on. He can not score on class teams. He is a odd player like his form will appear like once them diminish the next like twenty games then will come back. He only has done two goals and a assist in the MLS allstars game that is it. He does not deserve a place. In Tampa he did nothing against El Salvador and that was sad. 🙁
tell em
i just threw up a little. bornstein = blech. we’re done for!
tell em, though I’d say feilhaber and adu will give torres a run for that spot as a starter
Here’s why you bring three (even if the rules didn’t mandate it) imagine you’re bob Bradley. Timmy gets hurt. Bad. Blows a knee, etc. (god forbid) now you have either Marcus or Brad. Big loss, but whatever. So it’s the second half, a 1-1 game against England. Rooney’s on the breakaway. Marcus is at the 19…do you want him to tackle Wayne? Or use his hands to prevent a goal? Or let him score, knowing that without a keeper you will lose the next game? Going up against a goalie without a backup is like playing a center with four fouls. It’s easy pickins.
Does the US have the weakest defense heading to the WorldCup.. we need massive help
Big Soccer Yanks Abroad gameday forums always have a link or two… funny thing is the Greek feeds are usually pretty decent.. The Olympiakos feed was perfect and Adu played very well after the first 20 mins.
Honduras at home beat Mexico 3-1 and Costa Rica 4-0, I’m guessing SBI got a little confused by the topsy-turvy world of the hexagonal.
Honduras were also the only team in the hex to get all 6 points from El Salvador.
Castillo had a knee sprain and didn’t play the last few games with Tigres. It may well be healed by now. They decided not to keep him on and sent him back to Club América, who had sent him out on loan.
He has suffered a bit from a bad situation at Tigres; I hope he lands in a better situation where a)they’ll teach him to defend a bit better, even if he goes to left mid, and
b)the team plays with some cohesion so his confidence goes up.
I would feel much better seeing Maurice Edu as a central defender than I would seeing Bornstein as a central defender.
Hey we have the same starting line up^^^. Im liking the more holding striker for Dempsey.
When did Honduras smoke Mexico 4-0, I’d pay money to see that. After looking at Fifa’s head to head stats, I couldn’t find anything. Must have been a meaningless friendly.
(SBI-I got the score wrong, confused Mexico w/Costa Rica. Honduras smoked Mexico, 3-1, in Honduras in the Hexagonal (it was 3-0 when Mexico got a late penalty).)
I agree its gonna be
————-Howard——————-
Spector—-Gooch—Demerit—-Boca—-
————-Bradley—-Edu——-
Holden————————Donovan
———-Dempsey——-Jozy——-
Write that down because that is who will be starting against England. Even though Boca at LB at the international level that is where he has been playing all year for Rennes so i dont see him moving. Dolo starts for Spector for Algeria or Slovenia though.
My favorite thing about Gomez is that he scored a goal on Ochoa. It was more an awful attemped save from Ochoa than a good free kick from Gomez. Either way a goal is a goal.
Hahahahhaahhahah
amen to that
“But that’s not the way Bradley coaches”
how unfortunate 🙁
but your idea would get me really excited. I think that may make for some really fluid football.
I just wonder if we would get caught with too many upfield.
You have to have 3. Germany will have 3. Trust me.
I’m not discounting that Spector played poorly last weekend. However, he is starting week in and week out. Yes he made a bad blunder and yes he did not hold his line and kept Dempsey onsides. But all defenders have bad games now and then and he hasn’t had played so poorly as to take himself out of the starting lineup.
Maybe I’m just being stupid, but why do we need to have 7 defenders. I could easily justify having just 6 based on the players versatility.
CB/LB: Boca
CB/LB: Bornstein
CB : Onyewu
CB : Demerit
CB/RB: Spector
RB : Dolo
I totally like Goodson! But is he neccesary? There is quite a bit of versatility on that back line. I can really only think of a few games/circumstance where he will really play. With that said, I would like to see he and Gooch together against a team that needs a late goal by crossing into the box.
“Not gonna happen.”
He is like Gooch in most aspects of his game. Danger in the box. Cross killer. Big body. But equally prone to be beat my quick combo play. I don’t think he is as good an athlete or as confident on the ball as Gooch. Just saying.
I completely agree. I’m tired of speculating.
Maybe an open goal is exactly the kind of attack minded thinking we need. Hey, it seriously might work against Mexico. Did you see Carlos Vela’s miss in front of the net yesterday?
LOL!
Adu (10) has played more games than Bedoya (9). Just a little entree of fact to go with that side of hate.
It is also true that Bedoya has likely played more minutes since he has started each of his 9 games.
(No minutes log was available)
Regarding Buddle (9) and Bedoya (9) you are spot on.
haha no worries…this thread has been blowing up all day.
Torres over Adu. Torres is a stud for Pachucha and I could see him making an impact this year. Even if he rides the pine, in 2014 Torres will be big for the US. Adu over Torres, get out of here.
JoshD, exactly how does Bradley not coach the team to the players’ strengths? he does the opposite, frankly, thus the tactics and style so many posters like to hate on…but it’s to our strengths…rugged D, hyper fitness in mid-field and around the 18, counter-attacking with players who can, hold up players to corral the inevitable long balls out of the back because we are not adept at playing controlled out of the back…I could go on.
but I’m interested to hear your explanation.
isn’t that what we do? that is, stick 2 defensive mids in front of the back 4? or are you just making a joke? yes, MB gets forward, but the D posture is 2 defensive mids above the back line
Castillo is injured I believe.
Exactly. It is a training roster. Not their final 30.
By your statement, Onyewu out of form is one of our best CBs. Would the same not be true of Davies? Buddle is garbage, I don’t care how many goals he’s scored in MLS. Gomez may be good in a substitute role.
thanks, bryan. sorry i missed it!
i also posted it about 10 posts above.
not sure if i gave the impression i think casey or ching is better option than dempsey, jozy, buddle, gomez or EJ. if i did, i apologize. i can see ching and casey in the camp, but i dont see either going, personally.
bahhhh, im dumb. reading comprehension fail. haha
Sorry, no way does Bob take Sacha over Beasley. Beasley is a world cup vet and has proven he can contribute at the top level. He has not played for rangers recently but against the netherlands Beasley was our most dangerous player on the pitch. Sacha has been inconsistent against weaker concacaf teams. If he improves, we consider him for 2014.
This team needs someone who can come off the bench and provide world cup experience. OMG guys, this teams needs Brian McBride!!
the code word for sam’s army is STAND
Sub out “Hejduk” for “I”.
The movie is “Stepbrothers”. John C. Reiley at his best.
Great movie.
about Spector… yeah, I saw that against Fulham. Not sure where his head was… but still I think he is better than other options. I think we are really short on solid defenders these days. At least Spector is playing against some of the best forwards in the world week in and week out.
Algeria just named it’s 25-man squad. The list is on US Soccer’s web site. I’m sure Ives will have it up shortly.