photo by ISIphotos.com
Just when you thought it could not get any worse on the injury front for the U.S. national team, in comes news that defender Jay DeMerit will be going under the knife.
According to Sports Illustrated, DeMerit is set to undergo surgery on Monday for the eye he scratched with a contact lens back in September. DeMerit's injury usually takes three to four months for recovery, but with a new procedure being performed by doctors, the Watford defender expects to only miss one to two months.
The news of DeMerit's surgery comes just two days after fellow U.S. national team defender Oguchi Onyewu suffered a torn left patellar tendon, sidelining him for three to four months.
Demoralized that another U.S. player will miss time? Who do you think will step in during DeMerit and Onyewu's absence?
Share your thoughts below.
Conrad looked good in the Gold Cup until he got hurt.
In a World Cup, particularly for a central defender, experience really matters. For example look at what Capello is doing with England. There are several clearly,at this point, more promising midfielders than Beckham but Capello wants to win now and clearly values veteran experience, to a point. It’s too close to 2010 to start thinking about 2014. If it is between Marshall and Conrad, I take Conrad everytime.
Nevertheless,I’d like to see Whitbread and Simek brought in for a look if only because I’ve read so much about them and, other than Simek’s appearance against Guatemala, I haven’t seen them play. If they really impress then all the better.
Parkhurst did not look good in the Gold Cup and the few other times I’ve seen him for the US but perhaps it’s because it seems the US system relys on a two big guys in the middle while Parkhurst is more of a sweeper. I’m not sure he fits in.
Marshall without a doubt. Well, ok maybe with just a little doubt. I think he will be fine for now and will get good experience just in case he IS needed in SA.
conrads a good veteran presence, solid player. if we had any games that were meaningful in the next 5 months that would matter…
i would think marshall will get the minutes next to boca, with goodson next in line. our sights need to be firmly set on next summer, so i think we are past the point of solid vets to hold the fort- its about preperation now. if we were discussing conrad as a guy we needed for the world cup then THAT might be a problem…
the silver lining to these injuries is actually getting our younger/unproven (at the international level) guys time, and possibly getting a look at an orozco, or a parkhurst (if youre more forgiving of god-awful gold cups against relatively soft comp than i am).
in any case demerits injury doesnt hurt the nats, just his club (season). theres no reason to worry about his return to the same level that their is with gooch by next spring when we need to start really putting it all together.
Orozco, Goodson, González, they should get a look.
Why is no one mentioning Simek? Can’t really say I know a whole lot about him but I think he warrants a mention…
Hopefully we’re getting out injuries out of the way in October … not next May.
I’m not sure how this would be demoralizing, he’s going from being out 3-4 months to about 2 months – seems like good news to me.
I actually consulted with my optometrist and ophthalmologist about corneal replacement, and it sounds like one of the highest-success rate surgeries out there… just a matter of getting insurance companies to pay for it. I’m sure DeMerit has better health care than I do. 🙁
You know, one potential benefit of all these drawbacks is that it will really force us to work on our quality in depth over the next few months — something which hurt us in the Confederations Cup and Gold cup this past summer.
I just hope we get some of our starters back come June. Hopefully, Gooch, DeMerit, Edu, Jones, Dempsey — everybody will be fit and rested come summer. I’ve got my fingers crossed for Davies, even — stranger things have happened. No expectations, just hope.
at least we’ve already qualified…
Cameron should defintely get a look. He has the size and speed to play at the international. Orozco should as well.
Please no parkhurst. He was not good at the Olympics an the gold cup. Too small and slow for the international game. Bradley seems to think this as well, so thank god.
I gotta believe BB is going to give Hey-duck some PT with all the defenders going out. What’s up with Spector?
It’s amazing they are going to replace his cornea. God bless him, I hope he regains his full vision.
and what’s up with Whitbread? seems like an obvious choice if he is healthy again.
Ives, do you know his status?
Also, if we get run in Denmark because we’re playing a team full of reserves, everyone’s gonna whine incessantly and claim it’s still not too late to get rid of Bob Bradley. That I am not looking forward to.
im pissed. but maybe marshall and goodson can step in and do well. i think we’ll see spector and castillo as well. i think boca is done playing LB for quite some time. makes more sense to put him back in the center, put castillo on the left (to test him) and then go from there. i’d even like to orozco. i think he got too much heat after the olympics.
If (and it’s a big IF) Gooch and Jay can get back in form by next summer, then some good will come of all this. We’ll get a chance to find some depth at center back. Othjerwise we need to find another starter-caliber CB.
The usually b-list of Marshall, Conrad, Califf, Parhurst, Goodson, and others doesn’t have anyone who looks to become a world class player anytime soon if at all. Chad may still surprise me, but I have doubts.
There are some young MLS studs like Cameron, Barnes and Gonzales who could be future stallwarts at CB. But with the possible exception of Cameron, I don’t think these guys will be ready to be starters in time for the WC.
Orozco and Edu (if he gets healthy soon) are the guys who look the most ready to step up and be starters.
This is a GOOD omen… the last time we had major injuries at forward, Bradley was forced to play Davies and Davies has since proven he is a starter.
Maybe now, Bradley will feel the urge to call in Zak Whitbread and realize that the kid trained at Liverpool is good enough to be playing on the NT. It shouldn’t matter that he’s only playing in League One for Millwall, he’s one of the top defenders in the league.
I think that Bradley wants to try players with teammates who will most likely start in SA. There will be no repeat of a B-team playing unless he is forced to use MLS players only in a friendly that he can’t get the Euro-based players released for.
That means Boca will be ta CB paired with one of Goodson, Conrad, or Marshall, which will depend on what they do when brought into camp. (The Denmark game is likely to have very little prep time, and there will be some tension pulling players off teams they are actually playing for at the time, so that will figure in as well.) Presently outside backs will be Spector or Cherundolo and Bornstein, I do not think that will change unless Castillo or Orozco get a call in, Remember Orozco was the guy who through an elbow early in the 3rd game at the Olympics and reduced the US to 10 men, I have not watched him enough to know if this is a pattern or a one-time thing.
There are so many potential midfielders, it sort of makes my head swim, but it is very likely that Donavon and Dempsey with one of Bradley, Clark or Feilhaber will start with Torres, Holden or Rogers getting another look. For Denmark, it is unlikely any players who have not been in camp before will be called in, that means Jones (and Castillo) will probably have to wait for a longer camp before being called in and in Jones’ case, get healthy.
Up top, Altidore will likely be paired with Casey or Cooper, maybe Dempsey (the latter would probably result in another Holden start and a shot for Torres)
I’m trying to recall if any of the U-20s made enough of an impact in Egypt that they might at least get called into a camp, but can recall only one, Dilly Duka, from Rutgers who performed well, but I am not sure he is ready.
Dempsey, DeMerrit, and Onyewu will all be healthy by SA. I hope Gooch gets some playing time though. The more disquieting thought is that it is impossible to predict what other injuries will happen between now and then. The team is thin up top and in the back, in midfield, Donavon is the one absolutely essential part, injuries are part of the game , we can only hope.
I will say this: It is a very good thing we don’t have a meaningful match for the next eight months. DeMerit will have plenty of time to get back in shape, and Onyewu should have enough time…he’ll certainly be back anyway. Davies probably isn’t happening, but the point is that this will give us a chance to build depth and the vast majority of these injury cases will be back for the World Cup. So I don’t think it’ll actually turn out to be too awful. Not worth the sort of hand-wringing I’m seeing here anyway.
Who cares? Gooch and Jay D will be healed by Jan/Feb/March. Jay will get PT as soon as he’s fit. Gooch needs to rehab in Italy and earn some starts. These injuries in May would be a concern. Get well boys!!!
gotta disagree MB Beachbum. Conrad was thrown into the mix in Germany and actually gave a good account of himself.
He defended bravely against Italy alongside Gooch when the US were down to 9 men and was quite solid in my opinion against Ghana. The backline played great in that match barring the comical clearance attempt by Bocanegra that led to the penalty.
I feel confident with Conrad slotting in if it’s necessary. He’s definitely a more natural leader than someone like Marshall or Goodson.
I don’t think it will come to that, though. Barring unforeseen injuries there’s no reason to believe our first choice backline won’t be available for South Africa.
No worries Jay
I had a rope snap back at my eye and my eyeball filled up with blood (goldfish bowl effect). Lost vision in that eye but outside of the initial “slap” of the rope, no pain. It did, however, allow me to stay in Naples, Italy while Diego Maradonna was playing there;). A couple months later after some “steroid” eyedrops and a pirate patch I was back to 20/20…eye injuries (I am not an opthamologist) are vitually painless in recovery outside of not being able to see….Jay, I’d think you wouldn’t have to worry about a contact lens in that eye again. Get well Jay!! To everyone else, he’ll be back and better than ever soon!!
Omar Gonzalez
also, BB haters… remember when BB called in Goodson and Conrad for the Gold Cup, bringing in those guys and getting them International Experience has turned out to be quite clutch now.
Time to call Parkhurst into the next camp
thank god we already finished the hex and qualified. the Denmark match will be interesting with mostly subs now.. o well speedy recovery; DeMerit, Onyewu, Davies, Edu, Jones, Dempsey and everyother US Soccer player. hopefully in a few months we will be close to full strength
if there is ever a good time to catch the injury bug, this is it, so i’m not too worried.
If bad things come in three, we are done now with Jay, Charlie and Gooch. That said if you are the superstitious type, this would be a good time to rub a lucky rabbit’s foot, cross your fingers, knock on wood, sacrafice a goat or anything else that might bring us some good luck!
I don’t get the big deal…if anything this speeds up his recovery time. Instead of a 3-4 month layoff, it’s 1-2. This is good news, as long as everything goes according to plan.
Kind of freaky that he had a “zombie” eye. Hopefully he’s healthy and performs well in SA…and makes the jump back to the EPL with a new side.
Well I am sure Marshall will be the replacement for now but since that is 2 centerbacks not getting calls for a little while I’d like to see Bradley call in Omar Gonzales. I don’t expect him to play now but he has been anchor for LA in his rookie year. Could be a great CB of the future. Get him capped now.
I just hope that he recovers his eyesight and can play again. I love watching him play.
That said, if Chad Marshall doesn’t step up now, well then we can just assume that he won’t ever.
Subotic!
nevermind.
Marshall, Parkhurst, and Conrad.
Orozco, Omar Gonzales, A.J. De la Garza, whatever happened to Sean Franklin? and definitely Orozco and Castillo.
I love how everyone still has such a love affair with Spector even though he lost his starting spot with a lousy West Ham club because of his play.
man… january is gonna be one crazy tryout. pity call-ups no longer… STEP UP AND EARN YOUR WORLD CUP SPOTS
I have always been a fan of Conrad and never understood why he was not part of Bradley’s plans. Marshall is also a good option, but the Gold Cup final showed some of his limitations. However, he should get another shot. Also, some folks have been floating around Spector as an option. Why not?
It is time for Chad Marshall to prove his spot.
Why is everyone panic stricken? Qualifying is over, the world cup starts in June, not april, and we have no more competitive matches. These guys (davies aside) will be ready by the WC. Relax.
Spector but probably not going to happen
I love Jimmy Conrad. He is very funny. He is a great defender in MLS, but I do not see him as the answer for a World Cup(if it comes to that).
I was stting in the end we were defending in Kaiserslautern when he was brought on against Italy. He looked scared to death and was a half step slow to everything.
I would prefer to see Spector given a shot in the middle with Cherundolo at right back. I think Marshall, Goodsen and Conrad would be in the next group to look at if it comes to that. I still believe that Gooch and Jay will be ready by June.
MAKE IT STOPPPPP!!!!
I’m almost afraid to check the site and other soccer news nowadays out of fear of more injury news
I hope our karma is rewarded for these unlucky and unfortunate injury woes…I’m still proud of how hard these guys play regardless of the situation, fighting adversity to achieve results.
Demoralized?! Hell no! Somebody will step up or we’ll discover who is not ready for the big stage and then DeMerit and Onyewu will slot back in after they recover.
man our 2 starting cb…..out
Injuries are part of the game – just thankful they’re now and not two weeks ago when we still needed to qualify
Obviously Bocanegra in the middle with Marshall/Goodson looking to step up in the absence of Gooch & DeMerit. Potential that Orozco gets a look in the defense? Castillo gets a look on the outside even with Bornstein and Dolo’s recent admirable performance?
Defense is definitely the biggest question mark on the team. Although midfield positions not settled, it’s more because we have such talent and depth of similarly strong players there. The defense needs to be solidified and the injuries definitely accelerate the pace to which our defensive depth will have to develop.
Jimmy Conrad is looking VERY good all of a sudden! 🙂
Ugh.