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The U.S. men's national team announced the 24-man roster for its upcoming training camp ahead of its World Cup qualifiers vs. Costa Rica (June 3rd in San Jose, Costa Rica) and Honduras (June 6th in Chicago).
Here is the roster, announced this morning on ESPN:
USA World Cup Qualifying camp Roster
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Goalkeepers– Tim Howard,Brad Guzan
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Defenders– Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Frankie Hejduk, Jay DeMerit, Dan Califf, Jonathan Spector, Jonathan Bornstein, Heath Pearce, Marvell Wynne
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Midfielders– Michael Bradley, DaMarcus Beasley, Jose Francisco Torres, Pablo Mastroeni, Maurice Edu, Sacha Kljestan, Freddy Adu, Benny Feilhaber,
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Forwards– Clint Dempsy, Landon Donovan, Brian Ching, Jozy Altidore, Charlie Davies
Aston Villa reserve defender Eric Lichaj and Kaiserslautern starting goalkeeper Luis Robles have been invited to take part in the camp.
The roster is the training camp roster for the upcoming qualifiers, meaning not all these players will be in uniform when the United States faces Costa Rica in San Jose and Honduras in Chicago next month. This group will gather in the Miami area for a week-long training camp before traveling to Costa Rica for its crucial road qualifier at Estadio Saprissa.
So what could the U.S. starting lineup look like against Costa Rica on June 3rd? Here's one possibility:
————Ching———-Altidore—————
Donovan———————————Dempsey
—————-Bradley—–Edu——————–
Beasley—–Bocanegra—-Onyewu——-Hejduk
———————-Howard———————-
Surprises in the roster? Feilhaber is probably the most surprising inclusion, but he has worked his way back to health and has always been regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in the U.S. pool. Wynne is also a bit of a surprise, although the absence of Steve Cherundolo, who is still out after surgery, precipitated the inclusion of another right back. Charlie Davies makes the squad after having been suspended for elbowing an opponent in the face in Sweden.
There are no real glaring absences from this group. Some might have hoped for Zak Whitbread to get a call but you weren't going to see a national team first-timer named in this group (Lichaj and Robles will make up the numbers as some players won't be around this week, such as Tim Howard). What will be interesting to see is the squad Bradley settles on to face Costa Rica.
What do you think of the roster? Any players who you were hoping to see that didn't make it? Any players on the list who you didn't expect to see?
Share your thoughts below.
glad to see benny and wynne in the mix. i dont see either of them playing in the WCQ’s against CR and honduras. it’ll be great to see benny in the gold cup again. hopefully he’ll have a repeat performance of the game vs. mexico!
I think “Shakes” Goldthwaite deserves a shout. Maybe not a starting spot, but at least a place in the camp.
does anyone know where exactly in miami the team is training this week? are the sessions closed or open to the public? any info would be appreciated.
My Ideal Line up would be:
———-Davies—-Altidore———
Donovan–Bradley—-Edu—–Dempsey–
Beasley——Boca—-Gooch—Wynne
Dempsey and Altidore, with Donovan, Torres, Bradley, and Edu in support. I am fine with DMB in the back if he attacks (Dani Alves style) and whoever plays in the midfield knows to fill the hole when he does. The bottom line here is that our most talented players, in form, need to be on the field and Bradley needs to adapt to that. DMB at the back is smart coaching if the thought is followed through. Ching needs to stay off the field.
I Hope Adu gets in this game. He is our most creative,skilled, and Exciting player on this team….FACT. Nobody can play like Zidan for us the way Freddy Adu did it vs England,SPain, and Argentina while still only playing half the totall minutes of those super friendlies. With that said i think BB is still gonna use last games lineup
———Ching———Altidore—
Donovan———————–Demspey
———–Bradley—-Mastroeni—-
Beasley—–Onyewu—Boca——Hejduk
—————-Howard—————
With Adu as the supersub at the 60′ minute mark.
I also think Edu and Braldey should be fighting for that last DM spot, we need a good defensive DM who can tackle and pass on the ground and hold possesion and that is Mastroeni…….. so that leaves the last DM spot for either Bradley/Edu/ or Torres for the more offensive DM role.
Brett / jpc – I like the way you’re thinking.
ThaDuece – Spector started today in the EPL, i think that is more experience than 5 years in the MLS. I don’t care what the MLS or Bunde2 guys are doing. Thats like NBA vs CBA.
Keeping the creative lineups going. Why not this? Adu or Mastro off the bench depending on score/situation.
—Altidore—
Dempsey – Landon
—Torres—
Edu – Bradley
Spector – Boca – Gooch – Wynne/Heyduk
—Howard—
Those of you who think a healthy Benny isn’t working his way back on to the squad are crazy. Bradley is a big fan. Mark my words. If he is healthy he goes to SA.
Good roster. A little strange to see Feilhaber, but other than that I can’t say that I would have done anything differently.
I really hope to see Torres on the wing. This is because: 1) I think Donovan is a withdrawn striker, not a mid, 2) The only winger on the roster is Beasley (and he’s not exactly in form), and 3) I don’t think that Torres has the size and defensive bite necessary to play in the middle in a World Cup.
is this the camp from which the confederations cup will also be chosen from? Is altidore healthy enough to play? (I hope so!!)
I’d like to see this lineup:
———————–Altidore————
——————–Dempsey—————-
Donovan—————————–Bradley
—————Edu———-Torres———
Beasley—-Bocanegra—–Onyewu——Hejduk
——————-Howard——————
Not for the next two games but for experiments.
I want Bob to continue the Beasley at left back experiment. That last game, the way he and Donovan combined on the left made our attacking play far more potent. I say, let’s give it a shot now; if he screws up, we’ll still have time to change course.
Anyone else think Feilhaber may get a shot in Chicago because of his last performance in a US shirt there?
When asked on WSC who Jozy prefers to play with up front, the first name he mentioned was Ching. Of course, he subsequently mentioned every other player he has been paired with up top, but I think his knee jerk reaction speaks volumes. So, I think Ives’ lineup is fine.
Of course, I don’t think the lineup really scares anybody, but if they play as a team (which they have done so far), we might get lucky come world cup.
The best thing has got to be that we now have two central midfielders who (while maybe not very creative) can win 50/50 balls all day and all night.
Bob will never play a 3-5-2, he loves 4 in the back, and I tend to agree.
We are likely to see something along the lines of
——————–Howard——————–Hejduk—-Gooch—–Boca–Spec/Bornstein
–Demsey—–Edu/Torres-Bradley—-Donovan
————CHing——–Altidore
Bornstein looked sharp last night and may be ready for key minutes for the USMNT.
I am curious as to why Adu and Feilhaber were selected – neither is impressing as of late. I feel like Bradley gives fringe European players call-ups just as pats on the back, but is that really a good idea with up and coming MLS players proving their worth?
Memories of John O’Brien going to Germany come to mind……
Josh Wolfe?
Yeah because he was soooo amazing against England. Nicht!
Bob Bradley needs to start calling players who deserve call ups like Josh wolfe, conor casey, Ricardo Clark, kyle Beckerman, instead of the usual suspects. I mean Adu, Klestan, beasley,and specially Feilhaber does not deserve to be in this lineup.
Heath Pearce should not be on this team. If you get out classed by the Salvadoran attack, then you don’t deserve to be on this roster. I will be really upset if he is on confederations cup roster. We have to have people in MLS that can do better than this guy. He should have his citizenship revoked.
i like your lineup Ives but i would make two changes. ching for davies and beasley for spector.
sucram….He got in a fight with Freddy Adu at a camp I think.
I think that Donovan did a good job of helping Beasley defensively and applied good pressure. For all those who hate on Beasley as a left back because of size of strength problems, you must never have heard of Patrice Evra.
why do people keep saying feilhaber needs an attitude adjustment? what has he done?
The Beasley / Donovan combo on the left side in the last game was lethal, and I think we see it again. Can’t wait for the game!
If Bradley were in the Army, he would be pissed tested for including Pearce and Feilhaber. What is he smoking? Good to see he called in Robles though for a look. Guzan has not impressed at AV when he had his chances.
In German, we should be shouting “Bradley Raus” or Bradley Out!
Like the overall call ups. The bigger question will be who actually makes the roster for the upcoming games. I would like to see Freddy Adu make the team, and lose Klejstan. I hope Wynne makes it too, and lose Pearce.
chase, just now checking it out…spector is at right back today instead of center mid, which he was last week. He may be fine with 4 defenders as a right back, but I think he would be sinking in the deep end with only 3 backs…
_________ALTIDORE_________
DONOVAN__________DEMPSEY
__TORRES_BRADLEY___EDU__
BEASLEY__BOCA__GOOCH_HEYDUDE
_________HOWARD_____________
Santino Q. > Feilhaber
Lets hope Spector can stay healthy for an extended spell. When healthy, he got the start for West Ham in the second half of the season. I like Hejduk for sure but BB should find a spot for Spector. Running him at left back seems like an obvious choice. Who else plays there. Wynne shows promise, I dont like Beasley there, Bornstein and Pearce, umm, no. Spector has experience galore having played and started a full season in the Prem for Charlton, two years ago and now is starting regularly for the Hammers. Who on our team plays at this level? Dempsey, Howard, that is it.
Other pick I like is Feilhaber. He needs to be fit and needs to get an attitude adjustment from what I heard, but the kids got talent. He can be our creative, attacking midfielder of the future. No disrespect to Torres, just haven’t seen him play but maybe he can do it, too. Bradley, Pablo, Edu, they’re more defensive workhorses.
Adu
What about Parkhurst not even being invited into camp?
Deuce,
Did you watch/are you currently watching on FSC West Ham’s game today? Spector looked fine…
Que in all the haters. I was surprised with Benny’s call but he has gotten solid numbers in Denmark lately. Kljestan is a bit of a tossup and if he doesn’t start producing he’s gonna be in trouble. Maybe a move out of Chivas? Torres should definitely start alongside Bradley in midfield. Pearce may be getting a final shot, although I wouldn’t play him against Costa Rica or Honduras. Neither would I play Beasley. He should be a supersub. I agree with some here that Guzan shouldn’t be the backup. I would pick Perkins instead.
Here’s my take:
Ching, Altidore
Donovan, Bradley, Edu (Torres), Dempsey
Spector, Gooch, Boca, Hejduk
Howard
Bob,
Could ya do me this kindness?
Stop picking Califf….NO MORE!
Brett – you talk about Hejduk bringing down the quality of the attack. I think playing 3 center minded defenders with no fullbacks to support the wing players might do the same.
I’m excited about this camp. It’s time for the boys to buck down and prove they deserved these call ups and a spot for the upcoming tourney’s.