Recently-signed Philadelphia Union defender Michael Orozco and Houston Dynamo striker Brian Ching were among the 23 players chosen for the upcoming training camp roster for the U.S. men's national team match vs. El Salvador in Tampa on Feb. 24.
The camp squad is made up entirely of MLS players, with the El Salvador match not being played on a FIFA date.
Here is the full training camp roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Troy Perkins (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA)
DEFENDERS (7): Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Michael Orozco (Philadelphia Union), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS (4): Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)
So what kind of starting lineup might we see from this group? Here's a potential starting XI:
———————–Ching————-Findley——————–
Pontius——————————————————-Rogers
——————–Beckerman———Kljestan———————
Bornstein———Gonzalez———-Marshall————–Alston
——————————-Perkins——————————–
————
Geoff Cameron is also a candidate to start, but would he start on the right flank or in central midfield (he won't play central defense). Heath Pearce is in camp again and could get a look at left back, but only if Bradley decides to give Bornstein an extended look in central defense.
Dax McCarty could get a start, which could potentially lead to Robbie Rogers moving over to the left wing and Kljestan sliding on to the right. I still think Kevin Alston is capable of starting if healthy. Marvell Wynne didn't exactly lock down a starting role after his match against Honduras.
At forward, Ching's return should mean a start for him if he's healthy and fit. I could see any combination of strikers but Ching-Casey. I'll give Findley the edge over Cunningham right now.
————
What do you think of the squad? Glad to see Orozco getting a look? Hoping Chris Pontius and Omar Gonzalez gets some minutes vs. El Salvador?
Share your thoughts below.
It’s about time Cameron gets a serious chance. And about time we stop fooling around with Kljestan. How many chances can you give dead weight before you realize it’s completely sunk?
why doesnt he even give castillo a chance? left back is considered one of our holes is it not?
I’m really looking forward to seeing how the beer vendors perform in this one.
The simple truth is that while we have skilled, talented players at the youth stages, most are simply not mature enough and VERY few are an improvement over players at the professional level, even Kljestan. I’d love to see some young player break through the ranks as quickly and in as meteoric fashion as Donovan did, but nobody is really prepared. Why do that and have to worry about the inconsistency of a youth player when he can bring in a player that he’s seen play and knows what he can get from. The US youth system just isn’t there yet and the phenomenom of Landon Donovan really would have happened whether or not he joined the youth ranks because he was just so talented and dead-set on being a professional.
If the Domestics were being called in I would love to have seen, Torres and Castillo called in from Mexico.
wow…Kleschijitanstan on the team… now theres a Shocker….
wow I just threw up a little
One could only hope…Matt.
I wasn’t knocking MLS, I was knocking Bornstein.
Get a clue please.
why no “garbage” about Milan? If training with Hashimoto(sp) got him back to fitness, training with Milan should get his skills sharper, and while it will never replace being in an actual game, I’m willing to bet that being in practice with a team that has won the Champions league is a pretty good warm-up.
I know the majority here aren’t really fond of Ching, but I think he’s the kind of guy who affects alot of aspects of his team’s game. He helps possession with his tactical awareness, hold up play, and distribution from the top. He’ll draw fouls to disrupt the rhythm of the opponent. He’s a fearless leader. He’ll even help defensively. No, goals aren’t something that stick out when you think Ching, but he’s a guy who is consistent and affects the game positively in the same way every game. Think about it; it’s not like Ching had a huge dip in form that took him out of the starting lineup. Davies and Altidore just shined.
Barring injuries, Ching isn’t going to start come World Cup time, but you can bet if either Altidore or Davies doesn’t deliver, Ching is the first man Bradley will turn to, whether you all whine or not.
Don’t bet on it.
Kljestan ???????????????
Why Why Why?
I hope Pontius shows well.
Are “2nd” 11 is just horrible.
3 and out in SA with the injuries we have to our best 11. Because at leat 2 of them are never going to be ready to play in terms of match fitness. And please- no garbage about the quality and value of being a practice for 2 months at AC Milan.
nothing like pulling some of the crew’s best players out of training a few weeks before we try to advance in the Champion’s League. Do we really need a two-week long camp for all these guys?
I think this will be a good experience for him and the USMNT Staff to see how far he needs to coming to become a fixture in the starting 11
but the best one against honduras and for some reason wanted by Sunderland last year
no dude, still go….im going and i live across state
this is a good opportunity to see who else is going to make it to the world cup
we hardly ever have games played in Florida and when we do, we need to show up well in order to possibly catch the eye of a certain Don Garber
its not interesting at all….that pool on USSOCCER.com is complete shiite
they leave players that get called up all the time out of it every single year
Jose Fransisco Torres isnt even listed on it
if they were accurate in making a pool, dont you think it would be 4 times as large as that one
dont pay attention to that, lets just say that thats not the sheet of paper BB keeps in his back pocket when calling players up
Ok call me cynical but WHY BOTHER… someone explain to me why BB has selected a mostly C team for a so called World Cup warm up? No offence to El Salvador but they are weak opponents. I think BB should look at who England for ex has selected as their World cup warm ups.? I also think we should be playing a series of much tougher opponents with a much better US squad. For ex lets say Davis, Ching, and Orozco really impress.. Well that begs the question ..so what they played against an irrelevant opponent. I want to see our so called B-C squad with a few A teamers play against the likes of Germany, S Korea or Ghana,..for Ex That would be a better test than our own backdoor “weak” neighbors?
(SBI-Coach K, who is England playing on Feb. 24? Oh right, NOBODY, so your talk about England’s World Cup warmup opponents is completely irrelevant with regard to the El Salvador friendly. This match isn’t a World Cup warm-up. You do realize it’s February, right? It’s simply a friendly to test some fringe prospects and to elevate the fitness level of some players who will be taking part in the actual FIFA-date friendly vs. the Netherlands.
And do you really want to play Germany on a non-FIFA date? Guess what? You can’t because they wouldn’t be able to call in anybody. Ghana? You’d want to play a Ghana with no European-based players? Really?
The U.S. World Cup warm-up matches have yet to be announced. Once THOSE are announced you can make this argument. Right now your argument about this particular match is woefully misguided.)
played left back in the olympics
Ching – Cunningham
Davis – McCarty – Cameron – Pontius
Bornstein – Orozco – Gonzalez – Alston
Perkins
Marshall & Wynne have had enough chances over the years, with little to show for their efforts. They need to go to Europe if they want to develop further.
Beckerman is a great MLS player, but has shown to be a step slow in international matches (especially during Copa America a couple of years ago). Let’s see how versatile Cameron can really be on the international level.
Ching is a lot more underrated than most USMNT fans give him credit for. No, he doesn’t score many goals on the international level, but he often does the little things that go unnoticed.
Cunningham and Findley both received poor service against Honduras, so I give the former the start because of his experience.
Although we already know what Jonny B can do (like Ching, JB is another player unfairly criticized more than he actually merits), I would like to see him start because I want to see what type of chemistry develops among the defenders, all of whom have the potential to be with the national team for many years to come.
Where is Donovan from then?
interesting that Coach Sweatpants picked Orozco before Califf… i guess Califf has no chance?
Glad to see Ching back in the mix. And I’m glad Jimmy Conrad was not called in. I would like to see Ching and Findley up top. I would like to see Pearce start at left back. And we definately need to see Davis get some more minutes.
I agree that Cameron is a good CB, he slid right in for Houston last year and did a great job. How is he at CM? He played there against the Battery in Open Cup play and scored at least one goal, maybe two (I could be way off here). Kinnear and Bradley must know something of Cameron’s service from the right, or maybe they just want a very athletic RM.
He will take Ching. But if Davies is healthy and fit, Ching won’t be starting.
I know, it’s a long shot.
You’re not the only one – he’s damn awful.
Hate to say it, but Bradley will be taking either Ching or Casey to South Africa. He wants a forward that plays with their back to goal.
If Casey is even close to getting on that plane I am rooting for Holland.
Would love to see a back line of Gonzalez, Orozco, Pearce and Bornstein.
With the rest of the squad, honestly…
I don’t want to see ANY of them. Although Ching deserves to go to the World Cup – he’s paid his dues.
Orozco is better than the entire back 4 of the starting line-up projected by Ives.
well I really tired of what Bob Bradley is doing with the USNMT. Bob need to work with a based of players he need a process. So if the A-team is not in full affect why not get the U20 mixed up with some new comers or veteran and exposure to a new team so they can get the Idea on how to play in the National Team. U20 is the future for the 2014 & 2018 he need to start a process that going to take us way further. SO WHAT YOU GUYS THINK IS TIME TO GET THE USA U20 MIXED SOME VETERAN AND START A NEW BASE OF PLAYERS FOR THE FUTURE WORLD CUP. look at Chile with Bielsa he went and got the U20 CHAMPION THAT WON in Canada and mixed with other veteran players. WHY CAN WE DO THIS..
I don’t think sushant was being anti-Bradley. I think this actually lends support to the argument that given the Mexican schedule (and possible reluctance by Mexican clubs to release USMNT players?), it’s harder for Bradley to get good looks at USMNT players playing on Mexican clubs.
“Can we just accept Bornstein would be the only one from MLS to make it to SA.”
I get shivers every time I read that
Really? I missed that. It looked weird enough on Benny.
I agree with Cameron that his best chance is in the back. The USA is in desperate need for some speed at CB. I don’t know why Ives said “he won’t play central defense…”? Ives Is that based on Kinnear’s opinion only, or Bradleys’ also?
(SBI-Based on what I’ve heard. Kinnear thinks he’s best suited in midfield and the fact that he’s listed in midfield on this roster leads me to believe that’s where he will be played. Cameron has the talent to be a good centerback, as he showed in MLS last year, but he’s still pretty inexperienced at the position to be considered a legit CB prospect on the national team level. The fact that Houston is moving him back into a central midfield role will only make it less likely we will ever see Cameron as a national team CB, at least not for a while.)
I’d go with this:
————–Findley—-Ching————
Davis——————————-Rogers
————Beckerman—-McCarty———-
Bornstein—————————Alston
—————Orozco—-Marshall———
——————–Perkins—————
I think McCarty is a really tidy player that understands how to keep possession well and paired with a workhorse like Beckerman they could really do a good job in the midfield. Davis looked good, and even if it was just good service, that’s why we have Ching up top.
After subs would look like:
————-Ching—–Cunningham———-
——————Pontius——————
——-Kljestan—McCarty—Cameron——–
Pearce——————————-Alston
————–Orozco—-Gonzalez———–
——————-Perkins—————–
I’ve liked Dax McCarty for a while now and I think and for all the hype that Jose Francisco Torres gets, Dax does basically the same thing. Maybe not as well, but pretty good considering how short the USA is on possession-keepers.
BB is making me cry. Maybe he’s trying to see how well the US does down to 6 men. Casey, Ching, Rogers, Marshall, and Wynne will be in fantasy land. Can we just accept Bornstein would be the only one from MLS to make it to SA. Prepare for another wonderfull display by the MLS all stars. 4-0 L
He wore it for a little bit against Honduras after Conrad got himself kicked out, and Feilhaber was subbed out
I agree. I would love to see a CB pairing of Omar and Orozco
He broke a bone in his foot back in October and was supposed to be out 4-6 months.
Can I get a refund? We had the full A-Team last time and a Landon hat trick so I guess I can’t complain much.
Scrub list is full of scrubs.
If the A team is our ideal starting squad for the World Cup, then the B team is a mixture of backups and two or three A teamers. It follows, then, that a C team would include a mixture of backups and guys who won’t make the squad. That’s what this list is. It is BARELY a C team because of the inclusion of Bornstein, Rogers, Casey, and Ching. These 4 are ideally backup players. Everyone else on this list either won’t, or doesn’t deserve to, make the trip.
That said, as a rabid USMNT supporter, I will not pass on watching the game. I just hope that we don’t go out there and embarrass ourselves like we did last time.
Perhaps a few more from Europe will be added before game time. Two weeks is a looooong camp for players not in MLS to be away from their teams.
Ives – do you know what’s the deal with the 2010 US Player Pool at ussoccer.com? It doesn’t list: Charlie Davies, Adu, Torres, and Castillo. It does however includes Jermaine Jones.
Is this something that is evolving throughout the year?
I just hope the new blood gets some time, Findley, Dax, Davis, Orozco, etc. I think we have seen all we need to know from Pearce, Wynne, Casey, Ching, Sacha…
So, Ives, who gets the arm band in your starting IX? Ching? He hasn’t been with the team for months, so if not Ching, then who? Maybe Bornstein? Who would’ve thought Jonny Bornstein would be wearing the arm band (ever) for the Nats?
I’d like to see Cunningham where he is actually in a game in which he gets service. To write him off after last months game is a bit premature thanks to Conrad
oh yeah, duh…2 yellow cards = suspension
Danish season starts at the beginning of March, so I assume they have trainings and preseason going on.
The Swedish and Norwegian league I believe start soon too.