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Injury-ravaged U.S. national team pool on the road to recovery

Clint Dempsey (Reuters)

Things were looking bleak for the U.S. national team on the injury front as recently as a month ago. Between Charlie Davies' uncertain future and the knee injuries to Clint Dempsey and Oguchi Onyewu, the U.S. squad had three of its marquee players facing uncertain recovery timetables while others, such as Ricardo Clark and Benny Feilhaber, were also injured.

A month later, the good news is starting to roll in. Dempsey has made a full recovery, capped by his stunning goal for Fulham vs. Juventus, and Charlie Davies was cleared to begin full training with FC Sochaux. With Onyewu and Benny Feilhaber cleared to train, Ricardo Clark poised to assume a starting role for Eintracht Frankfurt, and Stuart Holden shedding the crutches and cast he'd used to heal a broken leg, the U.S. national team is looking as healthy as it has been since the summer.

In case you missed it, here is my Fox Soccer story on a memorable Thursday that saw Dempsey's goal and the good news about Charlie Davies give American fans plenty to feel good about, which is needed given al the MLS strike talk.

Are you starting to think the U.S. national team could be at full strength for the World Cup? Still in awe of Dempsey's goal? Does all the good news surrounding the national team make it easier to cope with the MLS labor battle?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Dominic the USMNT tried a 4-3-3 against Costa Rica in Costa Rica. Remember how that game finished???

    The US needs to use formations that they are familiar with and feel comfortable in. So, ya we’re going to be in either a 4-4-2 or a 4-5-1. The most dramatic change would be if they used a 3-5-2 like we did against Mexico in 02…but that’s only likely if we rack up cards or injuries in the defense.

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  2. If we don’t make some formation and player changes I’m afraid we’re going to end up with the same mediocre results we have in the past. We need to get more competitive and we need to score. It ain’t gonna happen using the status quo. At least try a 4-3-3 in the few remaining games prior to the WC and if it don’t work … well at least we could say we tried. Everyone in the world is expecting the U.S. to play the same, old guys in the same, old 4-4-2. Let’s fool ’em and beat ’em!

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  3. Attempts at sarcasm and humour on a site like this is stupid. Nobody knows you and some knowledge of the person’s normal communication style is necessary in order to understand when they are deviating from it.

    Therefore the foolish person here is you, not the one who does not understand your juvenile attempts at sarcasm.

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  4. i believe draught = draft (au not ou) if my time in the pubs has taught me anything. so dought is not quite heinous – pronunciation wise.

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  5. I think these injuries could be a blessing in disguise for some of our most important players. Considering the CC and WCQ they would have played 2 club seasons and 2 summer tourneys by the end of the WC. They may have been exhausted – possibly adding to the reason they were injured in the first place. Their injuries provided a bit of a rest for them.

    Deuce needed a break big time. Gooch won’t lose anything but the what he would have gained from training. He was already distributing better from the short time he was with AC MIlan. Clark will be his hard tackling, hard shooting self in no time.

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  6. Play Demerit against England or other teams where we will be on defense a lot. I like his tackles and headers and aggressiveness.

    Against Algeria and Slovenia, we would expect to maintain a lot of possession, and I’d choose the fastest center-backs to deal with counterattacks. I’m not sure who that is?

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