The U.S. men's national team's roster for October's friendlies is expected to be released this afternoon, and while we will find out soon enough just who Jurgen Klinsmann plans on taking a look at in the upcoming matches vs. Honduras and Ecuador.
There have been several players who have stepped up in the week's following the last U.S. national team matches in early September, the losses to Costa Rica and Belgium, so we should get a new mix of players coming in for the next camp in South Florida.
For one thing, midfielder Jose Torres is sidelined by a broken foot. Secondly, the disappointing performances of the likes of Edgar Castillo and Michael Orozco in the last go round make it tough to see Klinsmann calling them up yet again. Then again, you can't be too sure with Klinsmann.
Even if Klinsmann is without all three Mexican League-based players for the October friendlies, there are some other players plying their trade in Mexico who should get a look in the upcoming camp.
So who should be getting called up for the October friendlies? Here's a 21-man squad we could see getting the call from Klinsmann:
PROJECTED USMNT ROSTER FOR OCTOBER FRIENDLIES
GK – Tim Howard, Bill Hamid
D- Carlos Bocanegra, Timmy Chandler, Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Clarence Goodson, Omar Gonzalez, Jonathan Spector, Zach Loyd
M- Clint Dempsey, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, Brek Shea, Kyle Beckerman, DaMarcus Beasley, Alejandro Bedoya
F- Landon Donovan, Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Juan Agudelo
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Some thoughts.
Gomez and Beasley make the list after enjoying strong starts to the Mexican Primera season. Klinsmann loves the Mexican League, so that makes sense right? It's tough to argue with Beasley's form, and Gomez's ability to score goals coming off the bench has to appeal to Klinsmann.
Oguchi Onyewu is back and it's tough not to see him starting. He is looking like pre-knee injury Onyewu these days playing for Sporting Lisbon, and there's just nobody else better right now to pair with Bocanegra than his old central defense partner.
Does Klinsmann considering giving some players in the thick of the MLS playoff race a rest? Guys like Donovan, Beckerman and Shea? It's something to consider.
There are also a bunch of young Americans on the radar that you can't help but wonder if one or two of them might get a look. Players like Mikkel Diskerud, Josh Gatt or MLS-based players like Freddy Adu and Teal Bunbury.
Omar Gonzalez gets the nod here. He's arguably the most in-form American centerback in MLS and deserves a look considering how well he's playing and how much Tim Ream is struggling. George John is also an option, though he hasn't been in as good a form since the whole Blackburn transfer fiasco.
One player who didn't make the list but was definitely worth thinking about is Robbie Findley. He's starting to get some regular playing time with Nottingham Forest, and by all accounts he's in good form. I know some USMNT fans still hold the whole 2010 World Cup fiasco against him, but when he's on he's a pretty good speed option.
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What do you think of the group selected above? Who didn't make that list that you would like to see get a call-up? Who are you hoping is NOT called up for the October friendlies?
Share your thoughts below.
+1
well Jones isn’t on the list, so…Edu instead
i hope this is a joke response…
They play different roles.
-1
In my opinion, there is no one in our pool that can be as effective as Beasley can be on the left wing. He will give you the smart possession that Jurgen wants and will also offer cover. In addition, he comes with a large cache of tournament experience in Europe as well as World cup. He has not lost a step and regained the form that he had in 2010 wc qualification Pre-Costa Rica debacle. The water is too muddy right now to make any WC roster predictions however, he is a lock for qualification if he stays healthy
I know it was talked about, but I’m not sure. That said, the only one of the 4 I mentioned that might be used on an overage spot would be Bradley since he has experience and could be a mentor of sorts.
Yes, that’s why Sporting is starting him. Because he has two left feet and is a traffic cone.
Goodson has been just fine. My guess is it’ll be Goodson and Gooch in the middle. Chandler and Boca out wide. Dolo hasn’t been playing much recently.
Rogers time five minutes.
I’m curious to know who SBI thinks is the best American center back in the MLS is…
I’d like to see the same lineup we went with against Mexico in the Gold Cup final when we were up 2-0, before Bornstein came on. With Chandler taking Lichaj place.
Adu Dempsey
Bedoya Donovan
Jones Bradley
Chandler Bocanegra Goodson Cherundolo
I saw your number on the bathroom wall.
Offhand, doesn’t the Scandivaian leagues follow the same schedule as the MLS clubs? Can’t see teams over there pushing for Europe wanting their guys released any more than MLS clubs.
I hope we’ll see some consistency in central defense selections in my lifetime….
Also, I don’t see any reason to ever give Beckerman another cap. He’s a fine player, but he’s never going to figure into the “A” team so stop wasting caps on him. Replace him with Adu.
Are you also sorry for the verb tense error “trying not to get caught at work BEEN online?” 🙂
Speaking of that Olympic squad… imagine seeing Altidore, Adu Agudelo, Bunbury, Chandler, Diskerude, Hamid, Gatt and some of the others on that team… a good draw and we could medal!
I should have added games against tough competition. I’m not impressed that we could hold possession against Costa Rica at home. And I most games, you gave one example.
Did they remove the 3 overage roster spots for next Olympics?
I agree with all points. My only worry about Gonzalez is having a speedier option to pair him up with. I think he’d pair nicely with Cameron at CB, but the international inexperience between the two would make that an unlikely combination any time soon.
the youth will have plenty of time to be looked at and worked at a later stage……beasley has found his form again and is unquestionably our best left sided player when he’s on his game so with that in mind he needs to be called in…..yeah donovan, dempsey, gooch and beasley will be just over 30 at the next world cup but if their on form they will definately be involved at the next world cup because they will give us the best chance to be successful
Same age as Donovan, right?
Now forgetting about Gomez makes sense… dude probably won’t even be playing club soccer in 2014, can’t even start for a club now.
Well, the game against Costa Rica was the complete opposite of what you’re describing. Mindblowing first 30 minutes where CR barely touched the ball, then a loss.
Beasley–definitely. He played a couple of bad games for USMNT and people want to write him off. Stupid. He’s in form, still in his 20’s, and very experienced. Still faster running the wing than most other players in pool.
Gooch–no. He may end up being the starter for qualifying, but we know exactly what he brings. We can wait longer to see him because he’ll be easy to integrate quickly (esp. next to Boca)
Gonzalez–definitely. Let’s see him now and see if he’s a younger, better option than Gooch. If not we’ve got time to integrate Gooch later.
Cameron–definitely. A jack of all trades who gives us a different look at center back. How is Ream ahead of him??
Findlay–In January or beyond. He’s in form and getting better, and if he keeps it up all Fall, he has to get called in. Not now–the USMNT fans will roast him now if he does poorly, and he doesn’t need that right now.
Since when is 32 too old for the world cup? All those guys will play a part in qualifying and some will make it to Brazil. They may not start, but they will be there.
31 and 32 is far from over the hill. don’t get so caught up in age. the best players are the best players. 34-35 is something more to worry about, but lower 30s is not a big deal.
Well with Holden and Torres out, the Midfield is the big question. Certainly I see Bradley, with perhaps Adu or Feilhaber? Could be interesting.
What about players like Charles Kazlakaus or Tony Taylor that have been scoring in lower leagues? Do they get an opportunity to see if they can handle International duty?
Add Cameron drop Beckerman
I don’t think you’ll see Zusi any time soon. That midfield is too crowded.
——————Howard———————–
-Chandler—Cameron—-Boca—-G. Farfan
————————————————–
————-Beckerman–Edu—————–
————————————————–
—Donovan——-Feilhaber——Dempsey–
——————-Altidore———————-
Bench: Hamid, Goodson, Franklin, John, Kljestan, Adu, Beasley, Gomez, Agudelo, Altidore
Injured: Holden, Cherundolo, Pearce, Lichaj, F. Johnson, Torres
Settling in: Bradley, Onyewu, Bedoya
Wait for U23s: Gatt, Mix, anyone else who hasn’t made their first appearance with the USMNT already and will be 23 or under by next summer’s Olypmics
I think this squad will allow Klinsmann to evaluate several fringe players who have experience but haven’t played under him yet (Feilhaber, Findley, Adu, Beasley, Gomez) as well as try out a few new defenders to add some depth where injuries are taking their toll.
I figure Jozy will start one of the games, but Klinsmann will want to appease the AZ coach and diminish his role. Findley will be the first off the bench, over Gomez, because he’s younger and has a larger potential window to contribute. Before people jump down my throat, he has been in great form recently. Yes, he had a disastrous WC, but he gets at least one more shot. The lone striker role might be too much for him, but reconfiguring into a desperation 4-4-2 later in the game could work too.
I went with Sean Franklin over Zach Loyd since Dallas would suffer more without their starting RB. Geoff Cameron adds pace at CB, something that’s been lacking in recent showings. He also had a solid showing against Man U. Gabriel Farfan is only in his first season with Philly, but he played with America’s reserves for a couple of years. He also had an excellent showing against Real Madrid this past summer. He is too old for the U23s, so why wait when we have an LB shortage. Michael Farfan is worth a look in the future, but they don’t have to be a package deal. If Gabe Farfan is blowing it, Chandler can slot in at LB and Franklin can come off the bench (or Boca -> LB and Goodson off bench).
Forget that, I say Neymar with his maternal American grandmother.
Onyewu has been solid for Sporting. Nothing special. He was expected to be the 4th choice CB. He is now playing because Sporting has been weak defending set pieces and high crosses in the past. He has helped in that area.
But they have had to change their tactics to accommodate him. The defence plays deeper than the manager prefers to prevent getting beat over the top and on the counter. Onyewu is slow on the turn and vulnerable against speed on the counter. He likes to stand his ground on the edge of the box instead of being aggressive and getting stuck in.
Same player he has always been.
His passing has been good for a CB.
Don’t expect him to be starting after this year. Sporting is looking to upgrade at CB in January or more likely in June. (Rumoured names-Douglas, Geromel, etc.) Onyewu is a short term solution for them.
This year could be his last chance to get on the NT. If he plays well against Lazio today he will get a call up.
I wanna see Benny. Is that too much to ask?
Klinsi lets Gooch recover some more and takes a look at George John instead.
Gomez = USA’s best choice for super sub. Come on Klinsmann get with the Latin influence program
Ochocinco…
Can anyone explain why so many games we start out so poorly. Many times we start out with bad possession and our opposition scores first. Why is it that we often come back in the second half with better possession and more goals?
My opinion is that we put too many athletic but unskilled players on the field that can’t hold possession. Our opposition scores first then sits back allowing us to gain possession. I’m not saying to scrap all our less skilled players, some of them are very effective in other ways. I just think we need a better balance between skilled/athletic players to have more possession.
Omar Gonzales, different question same answer.
Did you not see him against Panama and Mexico in the Gold Cup? At least in the GC final, he was the only US player on the field that looked like he belonged.
I’m for it. Yes, the WC was disastrous. However, plenty of players have turned lackluster starts with the USMNT into decent showings down the road. Shea and Bedoya come to mind at this juncture.
Plus, he’s in good form and is fast as hell.
LA should have the SS locked up by then. To deny a player a call up requires an appeal to the USSF and a valid reason.
Players like George John, Omar Gonzalez and Landon are too valuable to get benched just because their coach’s ego got bruised.
Jenny?
Lichaj is out with a relatively long term injury, unfortunately.
John, Bradley, Bedoya, and Johnson are not eligible for the U23 squad.
Beasley has been absolutely tearing it up in Mexico lately. Since there is no defined formation (we’ve shifted from 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1 to 4-4-2 over the past three friendlies), how can Gomez not fit it? He has been in great form in Mexico, scoring goals and staying injury free.
+1
We need a CB with pace in addition to strength. Like Waterlewd said, he’s versatile as well. I’d rather him at CB next to one of the other stalwarts, but he could slot in at CDM if Klinsmann wanted to reconfigure the formation on the fly.
WCQ happens much earlier than WC2014. Those guys can definitely contribute in the run up to the WC.
Where’s the speed, though?
No doubt that’s the biggest question mark in this lineup. But since I didn’t want to include Robbie Rodgers, I figured I had to go with Adu.
Other options could be Jack Jewsbury or Eddie Gaven.
Klinsmann looks like he’s mid-rip in a trouser-flapping fart in the picture at the top of this story.
I like most of the young guys on your list, but I think that Klinsmann will not bring them all at the same time. Altidore, Bradley and Chandler are almost locks to be called in for the next two friendlies assuming those are on the Fifa dates. My understanding is that Fabian Johnson does not have his paperwork complete so he is probably out for the time being. Perhaps he will call up and cap an additional young player or two from your list.