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.
Don’t remind me of that goal against my Sounders. He’ll be at the WC, I hope we see more goals like that one there and less against Seattle this year.
Why is Bradley ONCE AGAIN selecting this type of squad to train against El Salvador? I mean, I seriously understand the need to keep testing out new players, but for crying out loud…this is the prep stages of the 2010 World Cup! Only the match against the Netherlands on Mar. 3 will be the final match before Bradley selects his World Cup roster.
I only see Ching, Casey, Kljesten, Rogers and Bornstien actually having an adequate chance of making the USMNT squad this June.
Players like Ching are out there to lead as much as they are to be tested.
Here’s a question for you….WHO? WHO do you want out there? I keep hearing this thing about young stars and whatever but now is NOT the time to be bringing in young stars. That would have been last summer, and it happened, did it not? We need to test the target striker playing next to the smaller faster striker, but Jozy isn’t here, so we need someone like Ching who can fill in. THAT’s why he’s there. ALL the European league’s aren’t releasing players and thats where all the fringe players you’re talking about are. Who is ‘fringe’ in the MLS that Bradley missed? Alston will most likely get a chance since Wynne got an opportunity and didn’t do well. Casey will most likely be left off the 18 man squad because he didn’t do well coming off the bench against Honduras and did poorly against Costa Rica and Slovakia.
Seriously, take all proven facts in to consideration before commenting.
I’m not crazy about this team but who else can be called up….not sure if BB was going to call someone in who had never been to one of the january camps (though castillo in nov may have been the one exception in a long time)….these guys are the ‘best’ available guys….i don’t think that sasha and beckerman should be called in, but they are available….hopefully BB will start some of the guys that didn’t play vs honduras…i would love to get a look at alston, pontius, gonzalez and another look at davis (he was quite effective against honduras)…i hope these guys get the start or significant time…..
Some of these guys are young (Findley off the top of my head) and this is a great chance to get some experience on the national level. Leave the big guys with their clubs to keep the real soccer skills going.
The problem with Bob bradley is he sems to be incapable of bringing out the best in his players. The issue I see is some players develop into solid players from playing in the MLS rather than a large number like other high level footballing nations. Anyway tends to be tactically challenged and at times lacks the knowledge to make the right decisions at key times in the game in terms of substitutions. It would take a long overhaul of USA youth development soccer to get to the level of lets say Brazil however it isn’t impossible here in America. I believe once the league gets more respect and pedigree such as the EPL,La Liga etc… then we won’t worry about losing against teams such as El Salvador who are supposebly lower than the USMNT but we’ll have to wait and see.
No on Wynne, we all know that. I really wish we had a better option than Ching, but if he’s healthy I don’t think we do. Rogers is a waste too, I’d start Davis over him.
D-team, none of these guys will even make it to the bench in S.A.
Heaven help us if we see Ching, Casey, Wynne and Pearce on the field at the same time. How many times does Bradley have to look at these guys to know something? Do any of them need anymore looks at this point? He should be looking at fringe players that might make it but that probably wont get many minutes. He’ll waste this opportunity by fielding Ching or Casey and other players hes seen multiple times while rising stars like Alston won’t even see the field.
Bradley’s exit cannot come fast enough for me
Brad Davis was the only standout from the Honduras game and deserves to start
For all the people disgusted with Sacha’s call up, there really isn’t anyone else that can be called in that are even at his level. Kljestan knows what Bob wants in these camps from Chivas and previous U.S. National team appearances. No, Sacha isn’t in good form right now, but he’s one of those guys who, if he were to get back in to form, could be a great player to go to in terms of depth, and we KNOW how important that has become lately.
to be honest, i am a bit sick of seeing sasha. I think beckerman is a fair shout, because he is fighting for s rotation spot. but honestly, i think the sasha k ship has sailed for this wc cycle
Very few national teams do what you are suggesting because the Under 20’s often are not the best players of their age group.
The vast majority of these guys do nothing at the Senior level. The best players of that age group are often already too involved with their club teams.
You think the Honduras game was embarassing? Just try and mix in this senior bunch with our Under 20’s and have them face El Salvador, if you want to see real embarassment.
Simek will not be released by his club.
You don’t like MLS? Pray for a labor disruption and hope the league goes down in flames and then tell me that the USMNT is so much better off.
Then I guess someone is reporting it right?
Mexican clubs don’t appear to stress defense a lot. The fact that Orozco was a starting CB for San Luis doesn’t tell you much about whether he has the abilty to play CB for the USMNT. I’ve also watched Castillo and I like him but defensive play seems almost an afterthought in his game.
I won’t know what to say about this squad until I find out which player is bonking which other player’s wife.
Standards people. Standards.
another game with has-beens and never-will-bes.
Perfect lineup. Even if it means leaving left back open and playing with ten from the start–perfect lineup.
Looks like I’m not the only “notorious Kljestan basher”, eh Ives?
Marvell “WTF” Wynne!? WTF Bradley!?
——-Pontius – Findlay——
–Davis—Cameron—McCarty—Rodgers——
(anybody but bornstein)–Gonzalez–Orozco–Alston
we need to see players prove they are better than those we’ve already seen, not players we’ve already seen prove they are still not good enough.
and really, the past MLS season has been the first one where he hasn’t really put a stamp on the league in some way, and he STILL managed a magical winner against Seattle. When you’re that consistent and you’re playing a huge part for club and country(’08- July ’09), you’re going to get tired at some point.
Now this is something I would have to agree with. Why can’t our professional media get more information from the horses mouth?
I remember last year i was frustrated with the media not calling Bradley out on some of his decisions A) by press conference or B) by insider interviews etc. Instead we mostly just saw articles about it based mostly on each writers own professional opinion.
For example, I would like to know why Bradley has called Sasha K in for this game (yet again)
He has already proved to me based on every game he has played except the Sweden one last year, that he is not where we need him to be in order to make it to SA. So why not just try some new people out that have not had much of a chance yet.
I want to hear Bradley say why he keeps calling him up and giving him so much playing time. I could live with it a little more if I can just get some truth and not any stupid answer like, “well he is young and we have seen what he can do…blah, blah, blah”
Sergio
I agree with you My beef is that we have very little in our opponent and we in turn are putting up a B/C Team. I thought it was about testing a few players on the bubble to see if they can cut it? Therefore we need a much stronger opponent and we in turn should put in a few A players? That way makes the game alot more relevant?
(SBI-Coach K, I’m going to have to take issue with this entire comment. First, while El Salvador isn’t a top country, this IS NOT a FIFA DATE so that rules out almost all major countries. When we’re talking about what the best nations are that could provide an opponent with a mostly A team on a non-FIFA date, El Salvador is actually near the top of that list. Have you forgotten that the USA “A” team struggled badly against El Salvador in both qualifiers? Why can’t a team that pushed the USA “A” team to the limit not be a good test for a C team?
As for your comment about Bob Bradley needing to mix in some A players, what part of “THIS IS NOT A FIFA DATE” don’t you get? I’m sure you are aware of the fact that a national team can’t make a player report for a match not on a FIFA date. That rules out all European players as well as Mexican League-based players. This leaves MLS players, which is what this group is.
Truth be told, I actually think El Salvador should be able to provide more than a tough enough test for the team Bradley called up.)
Sergio, the other voice of reason posting on Ives right now. Again the man is correct.
MLS is in pre-season, Mexico is in season…do you understand this? MLS players are being called in to get some looks on a non FIFA date while in pre-season.
At least one person that posts on here has some sense…Sergio of SF is correct.
you are a lunatic…people like you should be banned from the internet. You have no idea what you are talking about.
This is the single most misguided post I have ever read in my entire life. MLS is marketed to those that don’t know the game? This is a fallacy and only an extremely close minded euro-loving cretin could make such a claim.
We are so starved for soccer news in this country it’s sad. Ives, this place is great, but why can’t we get updates and information from the coach on his selection process. If you check the England press there is pretty consistent info coming from Capello on who/what he’s looking for, and some of the criteria that he’s going to use to determine his final selections.
Klejstan must have some dirty laundry on Bob Bradley. Currently, I don’t see how he even warrants a callup. That is not to say he is done forever. Everyone can have a resurgence, but Sacha hasn’t even done it for his club team recently.
Geez, quit complaining, people. Do I wish our B-/C players were better than this? Sure. Are they world beaters? No freaking way. I’d like to know who Bradley should call in if he can’t get our A and B+ guys.
I think Ching, if he shows any inkling at all of goal scoring, will be back on the team.
Agree. What’s the point? 1, maybe 2 of these guys has an outside chance of making the WC team.
Beckerman!? That hippie does not need to see the pitch again and should be forever barred from wearing the NT badge. i dont see why having a player red-carded excuses putting no pace whatsoever on the ball. Against honduras his balls were tortoise slow. I live in a “honduran” neighborhood and was embarrassed to go outside after that. i say the following without jest: what attributes do people see? what does he bring to our lineup?
Why not knock MLS? It’s run by a guy from the NFL who makes the game horrible. MLS is everything soccer shouldn’t be. MLS is targeted towards the American with no real knowledge of the game. The regular season means nothing, there is no transfer window really, everyone signs with the league and can be moved to whatever part of the country the league wants, we have a draft system- Players don’t have a choice of who to play for, they start playing pro in their 20’s compared to top int’l talent who are in pro academies since they were 11 or 12(Rooney etc). MLS will never be a league where players in their prime will want to play. We should focus on developing players to export them to other leagues. Even then, MLS screws that up. Imagine where the National Team could be if MLS had let Twellman go, or even if Sacha went to Celtic as opposed to gettng worse by the minute here. The WC squad should be composed of all foreign talent(landon counts as that now). We have enough players, but BB lack of scouting and poor skill blinds the average American to that fact. 23- Howard, Spector, Onyewu, Demerit, Boca, Landon, Clark, Bradley, Holden, Dempsey, Altidore, Guzan, Simek, Goodson, Feilhaber, Edu, Beasley, Cooper, Adu, Johnson, Davies, Torres, and zizzo/jones/castillo, whoever.
Redlands, CA – I think, but just going from memory.
+1
How appropriate that your icon is orange then, no?
The Mexican league is in full swing. So if he were still playing in Mexico, his club would not have released him for this friendly.
This is not a FIFA match date. Therefore players playing abroad don’t have to be released by their clubs. This is a match to test the player pool. Bob is doing this to find potential stand-ins for our injured players.
I don’t like it either but if Bradley has to bring one of these fools, i’d rather it be a guy that won’t take up 3 seats on the bench like Casey. I’d rather see Frank Simek get another try, but BB is determined to pick one of these guys instead of scouting our many other US players in germany or the championship in england. They won’t fire BB so there’s not much we can do. With BB’s coaching skills, the best case scenario is that Bornstein makes the bench. The worst case is that BB choses him, Casey, Ching, and Rogers and starts them against England. I’d guess that at least two of them might. Someone prove me wrong please.
AO DETROIT TILL I DIE!!!!
Well said Isaac. Don’t understand the Ching hate on this site. It’s true he doesn’t stretch the net but he makes his team better in so many ways.
I’m hoping for Gaven to get some minutes. He played much more confidently this past season and I would like to see what he can bring against a team even this group should beat.
————Findley—-Ching————
Rogers——————————-Gaven
———–Beckerman—-McCarty———-
Bornstein—————————Alston
————Gonzalez—-Marshall———
——————–Perkins—————
One thing people never seem to grasp…
Match fitness isn’t achieved by playing in sanctioned league or cup matches. Players who do not play regularly often train twice as much to keep their fitness. You’re playing scrimmage in practice, and then if you aren’t in the gameday squad, most of the time you play a full 90 against with a reserve team or in an intra-team match.
Where playing in competitive matches comes into play is in terms of recognition and speed of play. No matter how hard a coach tries in training, you can never fully simulate the competitiveness of a real game.
Fitness-wise though, regular training is enough to keep the level where it needs to be.
Bad Day for you eh?
Ives,
Orozco called up the minute he left Mexico? Is that just a coincidence, or is there something more to be made of that?
Califf has passed his sell by date at the Int’l level.