Top Stories

Bradley: Altidore fit, Onyewu can go full 90 against England

USMNT052910901

Photo by John Todd/ISIphotos.com

Bob Bradley told reporters Wednesday that both Jozy Altidore and Oguchi Onyewu are fit for Saturday's World Cup opener against England.

Even more, the U.S. coach suggested that Onyewu, who hasn't played 90 minutes in any match since tearing his left patellar tendon last October, would be ready to go the full 90 on Saturday.

"The fitness program that we put our players through to prepare for the World Cup I think has every player in our 23 ready to play 90 minutes if asked," Bradley said to the Associated Press.

What do you think of this development? Hope to see Onyewu out there for the full 90? 

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Yep, that level of incompetence is just unimaginable. I mean, can you imagine a president with little experience, thinks the US has 57 states, can’t speak coherently without a teleprompter, does not understand and appreciate the Constitution, goes around the world apologizing for the country he represents, and is hellbent on fundamentally transforming the Union?

    Oh wait…

    Reply
  2. It’s not any worse than ESPN Mag’s 6 Teams that could win (but won’t) and 6 Teams that won’t win (but could) or some BS like that.

    Reply
  3. Well, you are going to need him at some point in the competition and how do you suppose he is going to get better if he doesn’t play at least some minutes?

    If you don’t play him against England then you should not have brought him along at all.

    The England game is the one game where the US is playing with house money. We would all love to win but the Cup isn’t over if we lose.

    If we win then great, if we tie then that’s good and if we lose, so long as there are no cards or injuries and it’s not a blow out, then okay. Chances are England will beat both

    Slovenia and Algeria.

    We still have 6 points left to win and 6 points will probably get you out of the group. The Slovenia/Algeria games are the real must wins and, since you brought him, you want Gooch ready for them.

    Gooch is the single biggest dilemma for the US. Personally,I would have left him at home but we do need what he brings, if he can bring it.

    Reply
  4. The caption reminds me of a question I have: Considering the newness and bad press around the World Cup ball, WHY DID THE US NOT USE IT IN THE SEND-OFF GAMES!? The Czechs and Turks didn’t qualify, so I doubt they had a real care either way. So, that leaves … Nike $’s??? Please tell me I’m wrong, but considering the USMNT was forced to wear Nike’s warmup jackets (zipped up, to boot) in at least TWO press appearances in 90+ degree heat, I doubt it. I truly hope and pray that the USMNT is AGAIN sacrificing its players for a pittance of cash.

    Reply
  5. For someone that went out of their way to discredit/oppose my opinion, that post screams of concession.

    Suddenly have a change of heart? It wouldn’t appear as if you’re as adamant about your original opinion/view.

    Incredibly disappointing, from a friendly-debate standpoint but great job at listing…every…single…possibility imaginable in the scenario.

    (Bound to get one right, I guess.)

    Reply
  6. “The coach is there, you’re not. The coach MUST be right.”

    Its intended as an argument killer, but to me suggests that every single coach is infallible. Was Sven right on when he was coaching Mexico? Was he not to be criticized for not calling in players like dos Santos because “he’s the coach, he was there.”?

    How about Sampson in ’98? Was his decision in the Harkes/Wynalda saga correct because “the coach knows better than everyone else.”?

    ______________________________

    Actually, I think Sampson was right. The point is not the the coach is always right but that the coach has much beter information than you the fan.

    So he has a better chance to be right.

    Reply
  7. There is no conceivable way Gooch starts against England. You people who actually think he has a chance of playing, let alone stating, are insane. The guy might be “healthy” but he is nowhere near fit, nor is he sharp. How on earth could he be having played fractions of three games in 10 months? Gooch is the best defender in our player pool but he’s not so good that the first full game he plays back from a 10-month layoff is against England in the World Cup. You can’t seriously be so stupid to believe Bradley’s going to play him.

    Reply
  8. Given the problems with the new ball and a suspect keeper for England(whoever they start) I think we need to push the defenders back and take some shots from the top of the box to test them. I agree you need Altidore to do this most effectively.

    Reply
  9. Another question is who comes out alongside Jozy? Demspey stays in the midfield so that means Jozy’s strike partner will probably be Findley due to his speedy runs. Oh BTW on the other side of the defense is Ledley King who’s knees are on the verge of failing again. I prefer Gooch’s chances. Let the games begin already!

    Reply
  10. Not exactly on topic, but I was over on SI.com looking at their WC predictions…what are these guys thinking?? Most are picking England to make the semis, the same England that is now without Rio Ferdinand and Garreth Barry, that will now have to play a historically unsuccessful Gerrard/Lampard central midfield, and that has looked very sub-par in it’s warm-ups. A lot of these guys have Argentina going deep as well…we all know how well they’ve done in qualifying.

    At least most are picking either Spain or Brazil to win…hard to argue with that. However, two teams I would not count out are Holland and Germany. Both are extremely talented, well-coached, technically sound, and experienced. Two other dark horses would be Serbia and Paraguay.

    Reply
  11. Hey Second City – Where are you watching Saturday’s game? I’m thinking Small Bar, but I know it will be jammed.

    Reply
  12. Based on recently friendlies all may be able to play 90 but some (you know who they are) at very low energy levels. Maybe the fitness improve for them since Australia?

    Reply
  13. Ya this week blows. I’ve had finals and the only thing keeping me going is the promise of a great game on saturday haha

    Reply
  14. I’d me fine with that so long as he keeps his studs down while doing it.

    Don’t want to get sent off early, you know?

    Reply
  15. best case scenario (using a system that takes advantage of our strength in midfield) and assuming everyone is healthy

    Altidore

    Donovan-Torres-Dempsey

    Bradley-Edu

    Boca-Oyewu-Demerit-Dolo

    worst-case (trying to fit a system onto our talent) and assuming that Gooch, Jozy and Demerit aren’t quite up for it…

    Buddle-Findley

    Donovan-Clark-Bradley-Dempsey

    Bornstein-Boca-Goodson-Dolo

    Reply
  16. (rant mode on)

    You’re absolutely right that it is intended to kill the argument, but that is because this argument is played out and dumb. Most of it revolves around fitness, and on that count we truly have no basis for discussion. The friendlies were not a test of fitness. They were a test of pairings and a familiarization excerceise for the entire squad. Gooch might not be fit, but until he plays a game and cramps in the 64th minute, any fan saying he’s not fit is BSing. Conversely, anyone who says he is fit for 90 is as well.

    On the other hand, BB and the US staff are watching these guys every day. They have myriad information on the status of the players. It is not unreasonable to accept their pronouncements as probably true, while reserving a bit of skepticism that they such pronouncements might be calibrated to throw off the opposition. It has nothing to do with the fallability of the coach but rather the vacuum of information available for cross-checking.

    One of three things is true:
    1) Gooch is fit. Outcome: He plays 90.
    2) Gooch is not fully fit, but has fooled Bradley. Outcome: He plays but requires substitution.
    3) Gooch is not fit, and Bradley is lying. Outcome: Gooch doesn’t play.

    On Saturday we’ll find out which one.

    Reply
  17. Gooch should NOT be starting. If he makes mistakes and lets Rooney run circles around him and scores, people will make excuses that he not match fit, bs, etc. no more excuses or free passes for this guy. You don’t start him so there won’t be excuses made when he doesn’t play well.

    Reply
  18. For the love of God please do not let Gooch on the field Saturday. I can already see him getting caught out of position and lunging at the ball only to draw a red and ruin our chances.

    Reply
  19. Gotta be Donovan. One great goal (like the one vs Brazil last yr) one cheeky deflection off a shot and one PK. Three’s quite enough to steal that award.

    Reply
  20. It would of bee nice to see torres out there vs Australia in the second half to confirm that he indeed is the pacemaker of the team in the second half. We didn’t have anything in the first half in regards to possession yet still found the goal on some interesting altitude varialbes happening with crosses and shots going longer than normal. In my heart I am hoping BB wasn’t playing edu/torres at all to conceal the real starting lineup come Saturday. Knowing how straight forward BB is though I suspect he still thinks Clark and Borenstein are magically going to re-show up in form. I care about the U.S. players. BB cares about the U.S. players but I am expect my coach to not be so blinded by loyalty over in-form players. Such a strange thing. If you care about the players so much BB then you would know the guys working hard and in form have to be pissed when you start someone else that isn’t over them.

    Reply
  21. I think he can go 90 minutes. The real question, though, is how effective he will be. Will his body begin to tighten up and lag around the 68 minute mark? A lot of players can give a very unproductive 90, but a full 90 nonetheless. Let’s hope BB doesn’t start Gooch out there just for the sake of having him back out there in the first team. He’ll go 90 minutes if BB asks him to, but at this point it’s up in the air as to how he will perform. For all we know he may crash home a header to put us up 15 1-0 in the first 15 minutes. Then we, and BB, are all thinking “Wow, it’s so good to have Gooch back in there starting”. Seriously, who knows?

    Reply
  22. It all comes back to the question of whether you should hold off a good team by deploying stronger defense (i.e. Bradley with Edu or Clark) or by putting out a better possession team (Bradley with Torres). I think B Bradley will opt for the former.

    Reply
  23. Good points. If we go down with card trouble early, which all signs are pointing to, we could have a short tournament. I too would rather have England last, but thems the breaks.

    Reply
  24. Who knows? That may be. Whatever happens, I hope Bradley’s decision works for us. I know what I would do based off of the games we all have seen. No need to see the training sessions based on that.

    Go USA.

    Reply
  25. Also, Demeritt needs to watch it with cards to. If the Australia game wasn’t a friendly I definitely think he would of gotten carded once if not twice. So there is no doubt the depth at the center back spot is going to be tested perhaps before we even get out of group stage. By the time we get to Algeria its going to be a hodge podge back line. This is one big problem with playing England first. We are sure to do some desperate defending ending up in cards of all colors. 🙁

    Reply
  26. I think the real question is to put in torres or edu/clark? My prediction is that if they don’t go with torres are possession % will be in the dumps and we will get destroyed. If they put in Clark I can almost guarantee a redcardo. If they go with Edu I can see the other team playing through the wings instead of the middle but the U.S. dying with possession. Our team never has any rhythm except for when Torres is in the game. He did good enough on the d side of life to. Funny thing for me is I’m not nervous about playing England I am nervous about BB taking 2 games to figure out the correct lineup like he did in the Confed Cup.

    Reply
  27. I’ve been comparing it to a kid around the second week of december. you just want to go to bed and wake up on saturday.

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Mason Cancel reply