There were plenty of familiar faces, but also some surprising inclusions on the U.S. national team's Gold Cup roster.
Here is the squad:
GOALKEEPERS-Tim Howard, Nick Rimando, Marcus Hahnemann
DEFENDERS– Jonathan Spector, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Eric Lichaj, Tim Ream, Jonathan Bornstein, Clarence Goodson,
MIDFIELDERS– Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Sacha Kljestan, Robbie Rogers, Freddy Adu, Benny Feilhaber, Jermaine Jones
FORWARDS– Juan Agudelo, Chris Wondolowski, Jozy Altidore
The big surprises? No Timmy Chandler, Teal Bunbury or Alejandro Bedoya. We'll hopefully get some details soon on what happened with some of these selections. Adu, Rogers and Wondolowski are the more surprising inclusions.
What do you think of the squad?
Share your thoughts below.
I’m similarly surprised by Chandler, Bedoya, Wondo, and Rogers.
I’m shocked not to see Chandler, but we’ll wait for a bit to see what that’s all about…let’s hope Germany hasn’t come knocking.
Bedoya is likely a club v. country related problem, as the Allsvenkan runs a season similar to MLS because of their winters. If its a better career move for him to stay with the team that cuts his checks, so be it. Adu is in a similarly rich run of form right now so I suppose his inclusion isn’t that weird when looking at it by comparison – and his season is pretty much over at this point too with his loan term ending.
Gomez vs Wondo would be an interesting debate. Both are in outstanding form and have scoring records as forwards, and that’s exactly what we need. I hope Bob picked right there. I’d even rather see a Gomez/Wondo + Jozy pairing with Agudelo left at home to learn from Henry for a while longer and get called in when he’s consistently getting 90 over someone like Luke Rodgers.
Robbie Rogers is at first a strange pick but when you look at it by the numbers he makes sense. He’s a youngish guy and statistically speaking, he’s performed better than Landon Donovan has this season. No one’s complaining about him making the cut, so I don’t see why Robbie shouldn’t at least get a chance. Then again, Brad Davis and Geoff Cameron have been good by the numbers and they didn’t get a call, so whatever.
“To hell with being a xenophobe.”
Good point — maybe a view for you to consider adopting.
So True.
Sack Bradley!!!!!!
Wrong (unfortunately). See numerous comments above…
If only.
The man — a true gentleman it should be noted — is remarkably uptight and unimaginative as a manager.
He turned 21 the night of the Paraguay game.
Maybe you should ask for your money back.
USA practices Freedom of speech…… If you dont like what someone else is saying that doesnt make him less american than you.
“Dos Santos is not that good”
They didn’t call up Jonathan for the GC, amigo…
Can the group have a name?
Chandler, apparently was a last minute omission – he’s recovering from a foot laceration (that’s medical for a cut). Bedoya – well, would have liked to see him instead of Rogers – but for some reason he’s not coming, the speculation is that he is not being released by his club, or that he chose to forego the Gold Cup in order to increase his transfer chances by continuing his run of form for Orebro v. sitting on the bench on the the Gold Cup roster. For Freddy I am happy – his birthday is June 2nd – so Bob Bradley decided to give him a real nice 22nd birthday present. I say that he will shine and not let us down – he’s been working real hard on becoming a better rounded all-field, 90 minutes of burning give-it-your all, never say die, take one for your team player (like he’s been taking lessons from Carlos Tevez on how to play soccer like man – yah dig?).
About Bornstein – well that’s a head scratcher – Heath Pierce would have made more sense as he is playing regularly and playing well for Chivas, or Brek Shea, or even Zach Lloyd to fill a left back spot. Thoiugh Bornstein is half Mexican, and speaks LA Cholo street gang, Mexican poor boy slang, as well as proper Castillian – so he might be handy in sorting out what is going on in the minds of the opposition while on the field.
At the forwards – Teal Bunbury, Andre Akpan, Hercules Gomez, and 6 other guys I can’t think of now could all be on BBs radar – but their time is just not ripe yet. C’est la vie mes amis.
And overall, as George Burns once said, with a cigar in his mouth – “Relax…..you gotta keep in mind that none of all this sh*t actually means anything!”
I’m just psyched to see the USMNT have a run of 6-7 games together, develop some chemistry – and hell, looking forward to sitting down, cracking a beer and watching my beloved USMNT play!
Stop spamming the WOndo love, at least change a few things when you post again about Wondo.
+10,000 haha
+10
+1
Bobby Convey has shown that he is far superior to Rogers at left wing – would have been better to call him up.
Starting lineup vs. England(First Group Stage game)
Jozy–Findley
Deuce-MB-Clark-LD
Boca-Gooch-JD-Dolo
Timmy
Possible lineup vs. Canada
Jozy-Agudelo
Deuce-MB/Jones/Edu(Pick two)-LD
Boca-Ream-Gooch-Dolo
Timmy
Agudelo for Findley
ANY of the CMs for Redcardo
Ream for Bornstein (I’m saying Bornstein because DeMerit is injured, pushing Boca to the right.)
The team we field in the first game of the GC is better than the team we field in the first knockout round of the WC.
Why are we complaining about spots 21-23?
Granted, our best team isn’t possible with this roster. Holden, DeMerit are injured. Chandler is fatigued. Davies just isn’t ready yet. There’s NOBODY else who’s starter-capable that we’re missing, and we’re STILL better than a crucial game in the last world cup.
Let’s stop complaining. We’ve got a good team that will fare just fine against Mexico, Canada, et.al.
Are you sure that you watch soccer? DOs Santos has been scoring in La Liga and was very important for his team. Chicharito is one of the hottest strikers in the world. Barrera has skills but he didnt play much.
We are Bigger, faster and more athletic. Are we going on a track meet or something? I gues the Messi´s of the world suck because they are not that big and strong.
everyone needs to chill out, we’ll still win the gold cup! There are some intriguing omissions like Whitbread, bedoya and bunbury or gomez but you have to believe that bob knows what he’s doing…he certainly got the world cup roster right but lineups let us down in the end! Yeah, Rogers hasn’t contributed much in the nats shirt but obviously Bedoya had club releade issues or he would’ve been there and I trully believe Chandler needed a break with injuries and this being his first ful year [laying and the first tean at that! I think he’s commited the US,as we were the ones to give his first chance at international football. He’s intimated he likes the guys alot and enjoyed being in the camp! Bunbury hasn’t been lighting up MLS as of late so Bob took the most in form stiker in Wondo….I personaly think Gomez should have taken that spot but i’m not a soocer voach so what do i know….Bornstein should never see the roster again but we all know Bob’s affections for the boy! I’m thrilled Adu is there as well and he fits perfect;y into that CAM role in the 4-2-3-1, which i’m sure was Bob’s thinking in the call up and the fact that he’s in form whether he’s playing in turkey or not….we’ll be fine people!
Maybe it’s a good thing Chandler declined, he still has plenty of tournaments left and all we ever do is throw the youngest out there and say go get ’em, let him play a full year of top division and play in the Olympics next year when we have a good shot of going far. Both Bunbury and Chandler are only 21 they have quite a few more tournaments left to play in. And KC needs all the help they can get unlike the Red Bulls.
I know you are in love with Wondo, but he has not done anything relevant this season. He played great last season not this one.
OK genius how many goals has Wondo scored in 2011? I never said that he sucked or he didnt have skills, all I said is that he hasnt scored like he should be.
Just because you dont like someones opinions that doesnt make him a Troll. Freaking dictator wanna be.
I can have another point of view and if you dont like it, well good for you.
By the way America is a continent not a country. I was born in the USA and I live in this continent. I live in Mexico. Does that make me less of an ¨American¨ or should I be wearing the red white and blue wherever I go?
I agree this is what he’ll do in a 4-2-3-1 with Adu, Feilhaber or Kljestan (in alphabetical order) playing the attacking mid. In a 4-4-2 drop the attacking mid for Agudelo and save Wondolowski as a sub if that pairing doesn’t work.
I’m ok with the WONDO pick. Having JB play very litle with his mexican team and out of position and being subed in at his prior to last game and getting pulled out 18 minutes after coming in tell me how bad he is, YET, BB still rewards him with a call up. The Chandler obmission is either BB excellent insight on player selection or Chandler doesn’t want to give up his GER. status. I just wished someone (Chandler or BB) would come out and say it, we are big boys, we can take it.
No he won’t. He’s no longer eligible to play for Germany. He’s capped twice for the senior USMNT.
+1
I mean after Donovan and Dempsey of course. We’ve started Feilhaber on the outside before (see Turkey game last year) and he’s just not the same for us as he is outside. My point being…there is just no depth on the wings for us. Sad, sad, sad that Robbie Rogers is our best hope after Timmy Chandler. Oy.
I’m disappointed to see no Bedoya, Mixx, Bunbury, or Chandler, but let’s not forget that some players may need to stay on their club’s good side in order to protect their career. Playing in the Gold Cup isn’t exactly the same as being in the WC or EC shop window, so if you have to risk your club’s ire to play in the GC then you can be forgiven for asking not to be included. Chandler’s exclusion is a little worrying though, I really want him capped with the US in a competitive match, so we don’t risk losing him. Cynical yes, but in the end a shrewd move.
Robbie Rogers is a very odd inclusion. At the expense of Mixx or Bedoya? I’ve never been convinced of Sacha Kljelstian either, but I haven’t seen how he’s doing for a while now. Holden’s injury is a real disapointment too.
Bornstien is not a strange pick. He’s the only LB on the list. Although I’d prefer he not start, he’s one of very few (barely) acceptable LBs we have. Personally, I would have preferred that BB have at least tried out a few different LBs at camp cupcake. I’d have tried out Bobby Convey or Zak Whitbread, but now is a little late.
For everyone knocking the Wondolowski pick, remember that he was the only thing going right for the US attack against SA in the first half. We may all have been so high on Agudelo and Bunbury after the match that we forgot that Wondo did really well too. He was just too isolated and lacked service. Wondo may have been obscure until very recently, but if you’ve seen him play you know that he is a confident player with a great eye for goal, a powerful shot, and wickedly good finishing. He may be the best finisher on the US team, a team that badly needs the scoring touch. Jozy is a player I’ve loved to watch but his finishing is often dreadful. Gomez is also very promising but lacks playing time. Bunbury is also exciting but has not been in great form while Wondo has continued his goal scoring form from last season.
I’m still not sold on Buddle, he has had some great goals, but I think much of his goal scoring heroics for LA were a result of being a target forward on a team with dominating offensive talent (even if they had some trouble in defense some years). My qualitative assessment of Buddle is that he is not nearly as good a finisher as Wondo. I think Wondo’s inclusion is only a bad one in the sense that San Jose needs him this summer more than the USMNT does.
Adu is also an odd pick. I don’t think I would rate the Greek second division all that highly, but having seen Adu play numerous times, it is tempting to want to use his creativity, but if his athleticism hasn’t improved, the drawbacks outweigh the benefits. I’d have rather seem Mixx, who has shown some real creativity, but also can hold his own in a physical or fast-paced match.
Chandler’s abscence, for whatever reason, is disappointing because we won’t field our best possible starting XI without him, but the starter-quality players are otherwiwse so well established that the “controversial” picks should not be a real issue. Rodgers does not make much sense, but he probably will never see the field either. Adu is a nice, deserved inclusion given his recent form and likelihood that he will be in the 2014 mix. Wondo is interesting and I’m guessing Bob went with him because he is in shape/season, but I don’t exepct him to see much action given the usual ploy of moving Dempsey up. The only important question out of all of this is whether Altidore is the lone striker or whether its A/A up top, and we won’t know that for a while. Who and how Coach Bob plays is vastly more important than who he picked to be on the back of the bench.
If we do happen to win the Gold Cup with these guys would you and many others consider Bradley a real manager then?
Bob Bradley always gives us PLENTY to talk ab it, i’ll give him that much haha. Robbie Rogers has been pretty weak this season. Pretty sure that Bedoya has produce something positive in each game so far. tough break for me. Wondo and Adu’s call ups are deserved, but still SUPER SURPRISING!
Well that was taken wrong. I guess I should have worded it better. I AM excited to see our guys play, no doubt about that. Just bummed that the fellahs I was hoping to see aren’t going to be there. I’m over it.
When will you guys get that Michael Bradley has done way more than enough in a U.S. shirt to warrant inclusion until he proves otherwise IN A U.S. SHIRT. Do you think that he is sitting at home eating junk food and playing Xbox because he isn’t playing 90 every week with Villa? He will do what he has reliably done in the past couple of years and deliver a very solid, high-workrate performance with flashes of inspiration. The kind of performance that earned him attention from a pretty decent EPL side, even if he didn’t immediately fit into their scheme. The kid is 23 years old. He is already one of our most reliable players. He is NOT GOING ANYWHERE no matter who the coach may be.
Bunbury has barely seen the field in international competition. He may be skilled, he may have potential, but he can’t reasonably be depended upon like Michael Bradley can be. No double standard.
Torres obviously has angered Bobo-Bradley the way that Convey once angered Bobo-Bradley.
I can understand how any nostalgic fondness dating back to their ChivasUSA days might somehow continuously prompt Bradley to call up Sasha and Johnny B but the Kljestan-over-Torres nonesense has got to stop.
I sure hope Chandler doesn’t switch to the baby krauts. If he does, I blame Klinsmann!
Where was her the other night?
Adam. You’re right. Wrong of me to call his citizenship a technicality. What actually makes me mad is the US going out trying to find these players who have some link to American culture, as if the talent pool in this country is so God awful. There is no way in hell this kid wouldn’t play for Germany if given the chance.
NOOOOOOOOO Chandler ????? WTF??? i dont care about any of the other selections becuz i was so impressed by Chandler vs Arg…. my gut is telling me that Germany may be capping this kid soon…:( its a sad day for US Soccer…
Listen, I dislike Bornstein as much as the next guy. Who would you replace him with? And don’t say Chandler. He does not play LB. What LB would you replace him with? We are simply shallow at that position. If there were a suitable replacement, he’d be there.
The ones that sting here are Chandler, Bedoya, and Diskeruud. All have shown well in the US colors when they had the chance. Until word comes out why they were left off, of if they have injuries etc., Bob can’t be killed for it. If they were available…he is an idiot.
If Bedoya’s club turned it down because they are pushing right now, and he is really important to the team, then it opens the door for another middy. But to bring Rodgers and or Kljestan over Diskeruud is laughable.
I don’t mind him calling up Adu, kid is still really young and is match fit. No one ever questioned his raw talent, but by all accounts he had an attitude and didn’t want to work hard enough. With him and Rodgers both, this will be their final opportunity to gauge whether or not they can or should be called in when WC qualifications begin.
Wondo has been scoring. He is a striker. At this point in US soccer, that is more than enough to have him called in.
Wondo deserves the call up. He is match fit and is scoring. He brings exactly what the U.S. squad lacks… Finishing skills. Of all the strikers in the national team pool, he is the only one that I can think of that has the ability the finish with any consistency. As WK stated, he was a reserve before last year. Once he got his chance, he ran with it. The one game he played for the Nats this year was solid. He played as a lone striker which does not suit him. He is best when he plays in a 2 striker formation.
Yeah, I almost hope my country completely fails at something to justify my personal agendas too.
Look on the bright side. We’ll never win the Gold Cup with this roster. If we are totally humiliated on our own soil it may mean the end for BB. Then we can go get a real manager. I counted six (maybe seven) surprise choices in this 23-man roster. Pretty ridiculous.
On Freddy Adu’s inclusion on the roster:
“There are good signs. Freddy is a player who in the past has shown soccer qualities that can help our team.”
“This seems like a good opportunity to get him back in with the team as he continues to grow and mature.”
“It’s an opportunity that has been earned. We felt it was a good time to bring him back in and challenge him”
As has been said a few times above, the only name that you’ve mentioned above that would have been likely to see significant playing time is Chandler. (Other than perhaps Agudelo, who, by the way, was selected.) One emerging player does not make or break this team.
Anyone happen to know how Freddy and Rizespor did today? I went to their website but my Turkish is a little rusty.
from BB
Well if it does its his decision…FWIW Subotic made a poor decision…
Guys relax
Chandler declined it because he wanted a break.
Go to the us soccer twitter!
Repeat: His dad was an American soldier. End of story. That is not a technicality, that is a definitive qualification based on a first degree relative. Scary world when being the son of an American solider is not American enough for some people.
On Timothy Chandler not making the roster:
“He told us physically and mentally this season has been a long one … Time wasn’t right for this Gold Cup.”