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USA vs. Mexico Countdown: USA roster announced

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                                                                              Photo by ISIphotos.net

Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu were among the European-based veterans called in to the U.S. national team's 20-man roster for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Mexico on Wednesday (7pm, ESPN2 HD/ESPN2/Univision). The roster was revealed on Sunday afternoon.

Here is the 20-man roster (18 will be in uniform for Wednesday's match):

GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan

DEFENDERS: Oguchi Onyewu, Carlos Bocanegra, Frankie Hejduk, Heath Pearce, Dan Califf, Jonathan Bornstein, Marvell Wynne

MIDFIELDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan, Jose Francisco Torres, Ricardo Clark, Robbie Rogers

FORWARDS: Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Brian Ching, Jozy Altidore, Charlie Davies

Missing from the list were Kenny Cooper and Freddy Adu to name two. Steve Cherundolo is out with an injury while Pablo Mastroeni is suspended for the match.

Most of the European-based members of the squad arrive in Columbus on Sunday ahead of Wednesday's match. Most of the Mexican team arrived on Saturday night.

What do you think of this group? Do you like the U.S. team's chances of continue its streak of dominance against Mexico on American soil? Disappointed that Cooper and/or Adu didn't get the call? Can't wait for the match to kick off on Wednesday?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. No offense but the CHAMPIONSHIP is not a top flight league… Secondly dosen’t matter where you play a cross is a cross… Secondly Adu doesn’t play D he’s a liability and he goes to ground to easily, he can’t get on the field in french cup action!!! This is a lesson for him he’s got to bring it or he’s gonna get left out.

    Reply
  2. IVES-

    How about a “WHAT QUESTION SHOULD IVES ASK BOB BRADLEY” section? I assume you’re going to the game and I also assume you’ll go to the press conferences.

    Here’s my early entry for a question for you to ask: “With Bocenegra playing left back for Rennes combined with relative depth at central defense compared to the left back spot for the U.S., what are your reasons for playing Bocenegra in the middle rather than on the left?”

    Reply
  3. noname

    i’ll admit it when i’m wrong concerning bornstein.
    Game after game i just don’t see it in itn’l competition for him.
    And i really like the guy in MLS, but it only goes that far.

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  4. Look would just like for our soccer journalists to dig and get answers. Adu being left off the roster is pretty glaring and significant. Can somebody with inside info give us the scoop. (Ives?)

    Of course I’m a fan of Adu’s, also Donovan, Dempsey, baby Bradley, etc…Of course I don’t think he should start ahead of Beasley or anybody really but he should be on the bench in case we need him.

    TO have players like Davies, Rogers, MLS scrubs in front of Adu is pathetic and inexcusable. So Adu and Edu get punished for trying to improve their game? Great motivation technique Coach Bradley.

    I would just like an answer from hte horse’s mouth. Why is Adu not on the team? Seems like a reasonable question.

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  5. KCB,

    Clark was one of the few bright spots when we played in Copa America scoring the goal against Paraguay. He has been solid as a defensive mid.

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  6. Asking why Spector isn’t being considered yet is like asking why Bobby Convey isn’t being considered. DeMerit has been anything but in form, reduced from captain to a spot on the bench for the past month. Our roster is very solid and i definitely expect nothing else but a win!

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  7. KCB- BB has something for clark??

    he hasnt been a part of the full squad for some time… he may get called in a meaningless friendly or a late qualifier match, but BB has called in Edu more then Clark…

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  8. DeMerit & Spector, (also Orozco & Simek) both have played consistently for several years (even with some time off due top injuries) at the top level(s) in England……….WHY does Bradley ignore them and continue to call in Califf, Wynne, Bornstein…..???????

    I have the same problem with his past calling of Eddie Johnson…….cotniued reward for poor play in poor leagues.

    Why bother going overseas and earning playing time in a tough league???????????? I give a partial exemption to Califf, but even his league is not near top-flight.

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  9. My lineup…

    ——–Ching—————
    ————Donovan———
    -Beasley———-Dempsey—
    ——–Bradley————-
    ————-Clarke———
    -Bornstein———-Hejduk–
    —The Gooch-&-The Mouth—-
    ————Timmy———–

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  10. my goodness guys. clark has been solid for the USA against sweden. actually it was his best performance. and they need someone that is quick defensively in the midfield against the offensively quick midfielders of mexico. so it makes sense. never though I would defend on a decision to call clark but there u go.

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  11. ——–Altidore———-Donavon———-

    —————–Kljestan——————

    —Beasley—Torres—Bradley—Rogers—-

    —–Bocanegra–Onyewu—heyduke———-

    —————-Howard——————-

    with this team we are fast and skillfull

    Reply
  12. How many players outthere are getting consistent minutes with their team right now?

    Torres

    Dempsey

    Howard

    Gooch

    Bradley

    So, is it really about getting minutes for their teams? Experience? What is it really about?

    We are USA, we don’t have the luxury yet of having hundreds of players playing all over the world.

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  13. I dont see how anyone can complain about the roster selection. Adu is a very good player and im surprised not to see him on the roster, but we will be very organized and will take the game to mexico.

    So much pessimism on these boards sometimes. Let’s all remember in 2007 in the friendly vs mexico, we beat them 2-0 with chris albright at right back, rolfe playing forward, bobby convey playing left mid.

    This is a strong team, and mexico is hurting mentally right now. I’m very wary of the threat mexico possesses but we have a very dangerous squad as well.

    Beasley and Donovan have great records against mexico, jozy will be the next mexicutioner, and gooch and boca will hopefully be able to contain castillo and vuouso.

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  14. for some reason i loved that olympic team, even though they didn’t do much aside from the netherlands draw that should’ve been a win… glad to see a good number of those guys in the side, although I wish Freddy and Mo were included

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  15. Why is Bradley in love with Ricardo Clark? What has he ever done for the national team?
    (No seriously, if anybody has the answer to this please tell me.)

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  16. DeMerit, Watford captain, has been left on the bench as of late. If anyone should be left off the roster due to a lack of form it would be him.

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  17. Okay RJ- Pearce is not getting the same minutes but he was called and he is playing in the 2BL for goodness sakes. One last comment, in what USMNT Big Game has Torres played and made a difference nonetheless showed he belonged?

    The thing that really sucks is I have to wake up at 0200 AM here in germany to watch the match on American Armed Forces Network (AFN).

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  18. Reid,

    Would rather see Bornstein come in if Pearce goes down. Who knows, he might even start given that Pearce has not played much and Bornstein seems to have had a good camp. He also played well against Mexico before being struggling with injuries last year.

    I like DeMerit but Watford has had an awful season and he needs to move to another club and show he can be more than just a middling Championship (soon to be League 1) player. Califf must have also had a good camp and he plays for teams that qualify for the European tournaments regularly.

    Same can be said to those who would knock Davies. He obviously had a good camp and has now strung together two solid seasons for his club and has earned an extended look.

    Clark played well in the friendly against Sweden and has put in good performances for the USMNT in the past. He also must have showed Bradley he is back to form in camp and also earned an extended look, particularly with Mastroeni not available. Edu would have been a solid alternative choice but he is not playing for his club right now and was not availabe for the camp. Clark also has more experience against Mexico.

    As someone pointed out Beasely is being called in despite lack of playing time because of his extensive experience in these games.

    I like all the choices if you factor in who has experience against Mexico; who the coaches think did well in camp — fitness, worked well within the system, etc…; and who knows the playing ground.

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  19. just like typical fanboy posts… if its not one thing the complain about its another…

    the squad BB is bringing is a solid squad… they have their strengths and are supported by others on their weaknesses…..

    most likely lineup:

    —ching———donovan—-
    DMB-kljestan-Bradley-dempsey
    Pearce-Boca-Gooch-Hedjuk
    ———howard————-

    torres in for kljestan/bradley
    jozy in for ching

    id like to see Torres start, but kljestan has simply been on fire….

    Reply
  20. The lineup is clearly going to be:

    ———Ching-Donovan———
    —-DMB-Sacha-Bradley-Deuce—-
    -Pearce-Bocanegra-Gooch-Hejduk-
    ————-Timmy————-

    I would be shocked to see anything different. That said, Torres and Jozy still have plenty opportunity to be difference makers as substitutes. The likeliest player to be dropped, in my opinion, is Bornstein, as Boca can slide left if need be, and Bease could cover left back in a pinch. Then pick one from Rogers and Davies to stay home as the second.

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  21. It seems as though everyone has forgotten about the TNT match. Everyone was so excited to see what the youngsters could do, myself included. Bradley is taking players getting minutes over players who are not (torres) and he is taking players with experience over players with little to no experience (beasley). The only one I would have to say is not congruent with this thinking is califf, but he has looked very good in his past few with the NT.

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  22. Could’ve done w/o Califf, maybe Clark and/or Rogers. But overall nothing wrong here for this game. Good point that most of players in question would not see the pitch anyway.

    However over coming months Edu, Spector, Adu, Cooper, & Orozco need to be given legitimate opportunities for 2010.

    Of this group I think Edu & Spector have best chance at significant contribution, a little surprised at how quickly people seem to have forgotten about them.

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  23. adu isnt even making the bench and you would rather put him there over a kid starting at his club. I know ligue 1 is a better league but i some point you have to have him prove something at the club level before he can play for the nats

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  24. the only quibble i have is no edu. even if he didnt play the call up might help his confidence that hes part of the future of the team. i still think he’ll be real good for us one day. i hope torres gets to play the full 90 if only to see whether he really is that good or not.

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  25. what I want to see:

    ——–Jozy–Donovan——–

    —DMB-Sacha–Bradley-Deuce—

    -Wynne-Bocanegra-Gooch-Hejduk-

    ————-Timmay————

    what seems to be more practical:

    ———Ching-Donovan———

    —-DMB-Sacha-Bradley-Deuce—-

    -Pearce-Bocanegra-Gooch-Hejduk-

    ————-Timmay————

    Reply
  26. I have never seen Rogers do anything. Sure, he sometimes gets around the corner, but I’ve never once seen him deliver an accurate cross. Perhaps he has in MLS – who cares.

    Adu most certainly should have been in this squad. Monaco has screwed him. After seeing him against Milan, there is no other explanation. He could have been an ace in the hole if needed – come in and change the US’ attack.

    Orozco’s omission is also inexplicable. He’s better than Hejduk, Califf, Bornstein and Pearce, and provides composed passing out of the back.

    Onyewu and Boca are really going to have to cover for Pearce – he will be the point of Mexico’s attack. And with Frankie on the filed, watch for lots of turnovers and long balls to no one.

    This is what I’d like to see:

    Demspey – Bradley – Torres – Klejstan

    Donovan – Altidore

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  27. for all the demerit hate, if and when pearce goes down would you want to have bornstein come in against mexico or have demerit come in and have bocanegra move over.

    I wish bob would just send bornstein a dear john letter so we can all move on.

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  28. The roster makes sense…guys who have been in camp, guys who have at least seen the field abroad, and guys who have the experience in these big games. I am looking forward to a good result.

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  29. look-

    donovan, dempsey, gooch, boca, and sacha are all in great form.
    if beasley comes to play- we could kick their ass.

    mexico doesn’t beat the usa on our soil.

    let’s fkkkk them up. i don’t even want to see them in the world cup. let’s set them back a few cycles and see if we can poach some of their younger talent with links to the usa.

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  30. Torres is 21, and starting for one of the top teams in the Mexican first division. There are very few players in the US who were in better positions at 21 than Torres… Once he breaks out for the US, he will probably be going elsewhere… Stop complaining b/c players aren’t playing in England or Germany, they are not the only place on earth where people play the sport

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  31. Blustar you are an idiot. Just because Ives is a journalist doesn’t mean he has unrestricted access to ask Bob Bradley questions whenever he wants. I’m sure USSA sent out a press release and that was it. If Ives had the opportunity to talk to Bradley I’m sure we would know.

    That said, why would you expect Adu to be on there to begin with?

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  32. Ives,

    If you are a soccer journalist worth something can you please find out why Adu didn’t make it? I mean an official reason. That means you might have to ask questions Bob might not want to answer but that’s your job right?

    I think it’s a travesty that we have players like Davies, Rogers, makinghte cut yet Freddy, without Freddy our youth teams would’ve been nothing special, can’t make the roster.

    tcan’t be playing time or why is Beasley, Pearce on the team? Or if you think about last year, Dempsey, Bocanegra, basically rode pine all year.

    Is he trying to send a message or ruin this kids confidence for good?

    On the other hand count on Dos Santos getting playing time although not playing in over 6 months. At least the Mexicans show some loyalty to their youth stars

    Posted by: Blustar | February 08, 2009 at 02:18 PM

    Blustar is living proof that many villages are missing their IDIOTS. I didn’t realize Ives was at your beck and call. Rolls my eyes, return to your village.

    Reply
  33. What is up with everyone that wants BB out? he has only won a gold cup and breezed us through the opening rounds of qualifying. At this point in time this is probably the strongest roster we can get. I would rather have torres come on in crunch time than adu. If we lose to mexico and el salvador to start the hex, then come talk to me about firing bradley.

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  34. Ricardo Clark. Blech! Unless this turns into a street fight and the Clark is the first guy I want in there. Otherwise, looks good.

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  35. JPC- That is my dream lineup, but it will never happen. Any one think Torres can beat out DMB? This isn’t the 11 that I want but probably the 11 we will see.

    howard

    frankie-gooch-carlos-pierce

    DMB-sacha-mikey-dempsey

    l-cakes-ching

    Reply

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