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Goodson out for Mexico friendly with strained hamstring

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Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com

Clarence Goodson is the latest of original U.S. men's national team call-ups that won't be participating in Wednesday's friendly with Mexico.

Goodson strained his left hamstring in Brondby's match over the weekend and did not make the trip to the United States after being evaluated by his club's doctors, according to U.S. Soccer. Goodson joins Timmy Chandler and Maurice Edu as players initially called up by U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann that won't be a part of Wednesday's match.

Zach Loyd and Robbie Rogers were added to the roster to replace those two players, but Klinsmann will not be naming a replacement for Goodson. His injury leaves Klinsmann with a likely starting centerback tandem of Carlos Bocanegra and Tim Ream, although Heath Pearce has been playing centerback for Chivas USA and Michael Orozco Fiscal is capable of playing there as well.

What do you think of this development? Who do you think should start in defense for the United States with Goodson no longer an option? Who would you have liked to see Klinsmann call in as a replacement?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. The point is at the international level you need CBs who can handle and distribute the ball. Edu, Jones, and Bradley are all quality defensive players and it is not likely that we will utilize more than one defensive CM at a time in the future. Each has the potential to be a quality international CB — possibly more potential than Ream etc.

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  2. Interesting line-up, maybe needs to be tweaked a bit–Adu pulled back. I want to see Klinsmann try something new like that, rather than a retread Bob Bradley lineup. I definitely want to see a lineup on the field minus Michael Bradely. Borussia Mönchengladbach played much better after MB left for Ashton Villa in January and I want to see what effect MB on the bench would have on the USMNT. Maybe we will see that he is indeed the glue that holds the team together. Or maybe we will see a better team without him.

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  3. Good points on Ream. In general, only players who play regularly and consistently well at the club level should be getting regular call-ups to the USMNT.

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  4. If Chad Marshall played for NYRB or LA, he would be first on everyone’s list. Amazing that he only got a couple of mentions in 100+ posts. He is by far the most consistent CB in the league. Sure, Ream has potential, but on any given night he might turn into Titus Bramble. I’m kind of sick of hearing about Ream’s great “distribution from the back.” Please learn to be a consistently great defender first. Then you can worry about being Franz Beckenbauer.

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  5. If that is the personnel on the field, here is what you’ll end up with.
    ———Howard———-
    Dolo–Boca–Ream–Castillo
    –Jones—Bradley—Torres–
    ——Donovan—Adu—–
    ———Agudelo———-

    So if that is what you were shooting for (the 4-3-2-1), then that is the right personnel…but I don’t think that is how Klinsmann lines em up. If he goes with 1 striker, I’m guessing Buddle. Now, I would be really interested if he trotted out the same formation against Mexico as Coach Bradley did last time, with Donovan on top and Adu playing underneath him. That formation played well offensively, though the defensive lapses could maybe have been helped a bit by the midfield.

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  6. Mexico has assembling a bunch of players from their league…so we need our Mexican Primera División guys….that bring the speed, control with the same league” exposure. Agudelo and Adu were a handfull for the Mexican defense, Beasley is playing very well on the flanks for Puebla, Torres has the ball control and skill and just needs some coach

    ——–Agudelo——Adu———–

    -Beasley—Torres—-Jones—-Donovan–

    castillo/Orozco–Boca—Pearce—Dolo-

    ————-Howard———————

    Even with Goodson out we still have a chance….

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