We are less than two weeks away from the U.S. men's national team's upcoming friendlies against Poland and Colombia, meaning it's time to think about who U.S. head coach Bob Bradley may be calling in for those matches.
With the MLS schedule in full swing we aren't likely to see many MLS players called in for the two friendlies, but with so many teams having their playoff dreams all but ended, it might wind up being easier for Bradley to call in a players set to play in the New England-Houston and CHivas USA-Toronto FC matches that weekend (and he could also call in some MLS players just for the Colombia match).
The bulk of the U.S. roster for the upcoming friendlies will be European-based players, leaving us to ask the following question. Which players are you hoping get call-ups?
Who do you want to see? Eric Lichaj? Eddie Johnson? Jermaine Jones?
Share your thoughts below.
Please leave Johnson and Altidore off the Roster until they actually learn how to play the game – they’ve had their shot (and missed the goal by a mile). And if Davies ever gets fit (or we should find a real forward), lets go to a 4-2-3-1 with Edu and Jones as holding mids… Our attacking mids score more often than our forwards, this formation should allow the US to exploit that trend further. I’d also like to see Gonzales / Goodson in the C-defense. Gooch isn’t playing @ ACM, so he cannot be in form. Other than that, please consider our Generation ADIDAS players who are no doubt, our future.
Le Toux, Justin Braun, Ryan Smith, Hunter Freeman, Jermain Jones, Frankie Simek, Bobby Convey (if willing), Bedoya, Altidore, Johnson, Dempsey, Edu, Marcos Vidal, Mix, Goodson, Bocanegra, Spector( over gooch and Demerit, because he’s probably the sharpest at this point and most versitle), Lichaj, Guzan, Howard, Kljestan, Feilhaber, Holden, Bornstein and finally Brian Mcbride
and is eligible through his american father.
he’s certainly played better then Eddie Gaven
People haven’t noticed that we have a problem with capping some players who haven’t done enough to merit a call up. We’re spoiling them, and potentially setting them up for a downfall in my opinion. Players should work hard, earn spots on their team and consistently play week in and out before getting calls. Like Jermaine Jones, Mix, or Hunter Freeman, who have all waited patiently for their time.
Nobody say’s Braun isn’t going to be available. Chivas can survive without him at this point (lol) and besides the coach knows how much work he’s put into this season and that he deserves a call up. Besides, they’ll probably be looking at some of their younger players.
Shea doesn’t deserve a call up yet. He’s still progressing. And theirs a lot of work to do be done on his game. As a flank player, he can definitely service a good ball, but his first touch and finishing, need serious work, as does his decision making. This isn’t the january camp. These players are in actual contention to play! Brek Shea shouldn’t be out their for those friendlies
Not as someone who should be playing in the GC
Wondolowski deserves a look after the MLS season is over during the Jan. training camp, as an Ode to his MLS achievements and hard work, that BB usually provides to deserving players.
Just because every breathing thing surrounding has sucked this year, Quaranta doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve a call up and hasn’t played well individually. I can guarantee that that despite DC United’s season, people would be clamoring for call ups for Chris Pontius and Rodney Wallace either were healthy and Wallace eligible at this point.
I don’t know. Maybe because he’s the Christian Ronaldo of the V-League. How bad can the Vietnamese league actually be?
God, this isn’t even an argument. Brek Shea wont ever see time up top.
Those three players guarantee that we’re playing at least 1 goal down (Bornstein), a man down (Clark), and racking up goal kicks for the opposition (Findley).
throw Bedoya and Kljestan in there as well in there too
GK: Howard, Guzan, Cervi
DF: Cherundolo, Lichaj, Spector, Onyewu, Goodson, Parkhurst, Bocanegra, Castillo
MD: Bradley, Holden, Edu, Jones, Feilhaber, Torres, Vidal, Diskerud, Beasley
FW: Dempsey, Altidore, Gomez, Johnson
theres no need for any MLS guys to be here, especially in the midst of the playoffs.
What has Lee Nguyen done to deserve a call up ??????? Simple. NOTHINGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jozy needs a partner he is proven better having a striking partner.
CALL UP JUSTIN BRAUN!!!!!
eddie johnson! he’s fast!
robbie findley!
jonnie bornstein!
rickie clark!!
to read veteran and bornstein in the same sentence still seems surreal to me. will we say the same of clark one day?
Fully concur! He deserves either the first 10-15 minutes with a standing O or the final 10-15 minutes. It won’t hurt.
I hope to see bradley show a willingness to employ a 5 man midfield, even if we have to struggle through a few games learning how to play it properly.
Without davies, the ceiling for a 4-4-2 is just too low. We’ll only be as good as the subpar forward filling in.
In a 4-3-3 (4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1), we might look rough in the early going, but the long-term potential for quality play is much higher. Especially given the amount of talent that wasn’t available/went unused in south africa: holden, jones, benny, edu.
Very few MLS guys…keep them to the defenders…Omar and Ream perhaps? MLS has Jan camp.
Regulars that play and don’t need the PT only bring one…preferably Landon. So MB, Demp, Dolo, Boca, Howard, Bornsuck, etc leave at home.
I’d like to see Edu, Benny, Holden, Torres and Jones as our starting mid. Jozy needs the PT so he is the forward. Spector to see him as a central defender for 2 games.
Otherwise fill in with young guys like Lichaj, Diskerud, Lletget, GAle A, T Taylor, etc.
Finally throw out the invitation to guys like Hoyos, D Williams…fence guys that have dual countries.
I agree with your premis of having to earn a place on the USMNT. However, there are a few things which I think you are off base on.
1) RB not currently a position of Need for the US. You do realize that Dolo is 31 right? Spector has seen less PT than Lichaj so far this year. Who else do we have as a RB option not currently in MLS?
2) Mix is 19 and playing full 90 minute games in a league “arguably on part with MLS”. You’ve heard of depth right? Holden, Benny, Bedoya, & are probably the top candidates for taking on the roles that Landon & Dempsey have held with the USMNT. And personally I think that only Bedoya & Mix are the only true wingers of the 4, as Benny & Holden seem to do better centrally.
3) You do realize that the intent of friendlies is to gage the progress and ability of young talent and see how/if they work well with established players at the international level.
He’s a converted right midfielder who played a few games at left back for Freiberg. Hardly, the second coming of Ashley Cole.