By FRANCO PANIZO
Here come the big guns.
World Cup veterans Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones were among the six players added to the U.S. Men’s National Team on Saturday ahead of Tuesday’s friendly vs. Honduras. Joining them were Graham Zusi and Matt Besler, who also played in Brazil this past summer, and goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
Conversely, U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann sent a half-dozen players back to their clubs. Omar Gonzalez, Brad Guzan, Joe Gyau, John Brooks, Luis Gil and the now internationally-retired Landon Donovan were the ones to leave camp.
Gyau did travel with the U.S. to Florida, but only to have his sprained left knee evaluated before returning to Borussia Dortmund. Gyau sustained the injury in the first half of the Americans’ 1-1 draw vs. Ecuador on Friday night.
The squad for Tuesday’s game at FAU Stadium now stands at 21 players. Here is the full updated U.S. roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (6): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders (7): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Forwards (5): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)
—–
What do you think of these roster moves? Expecting the added five field players to start on ? How do you see the USMNT doing against Honduras?
Share your thoughts below.
Thanks for referring me to that Site. Upon reviewing it, I’m reminded of how inept he was as a Manager and he still remains the same. Getting rid of Mark van Bommel is the same as discarding Donovan for the World Cup. The same illogical moves he made then he is still making today. One thing I can say, the skill set and soccer awareness needed to build a solid Team is being molded at the grassroots today. I see the interest building here in Orlando. Thats in no part to what Klinsmann has done.
Van Bommel is a f++king psycho. I seriously doubt he merits comparison to LD.
I played and coached the game. Have you ever wondered Bayern Munich struggled while Klinsmann was their Manager? Do you remember that the players almost revolted? Think of how effect Diskerud would be spraying passes to Dempsey and Jozy. Nguyen would be an asset to that Team by stretching defenses.
I’ll bet a lot of people on SBI played and coached. That means they may have a good insight but does not mean they know the best 11 for any given pro team let alone the USMNT better than the manager who actually has seen these guys play, train and worked with them up close and personal.
As for JK’s time at Bayern it was not as simple as you make it sound: Bayern were three points our of first place when JK was let go:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2009/apr/27/jurgen-klinsmann-sacked-bayern-munich-bundesliga
Bayern players are almost always revolting..
“Not as simple as you make it sound: Bayern were 3 points out of 1st place when JK was let go.” Now that is an example of making something sound simple, and misleading to boot.
Yes, Bayern were 3 points out of first. However, and a big however, they were in 3rd place tied with 2 other teams. Plus in the previous 8 days, prior to the sacking, Bayern lost at Wolfsburt 4-0, lost to Barca 4 (or 5)-0 in Champions League and lost at home 0-1 to Schalke.
There were in Danger of missing out of Champions league. So you see, saying they were only out of 1st place by 3 points is a very misleading statement.
Not when he put on the jersey for the Senior Team. Do you remember how inept Brian McBride looked initially? The players need time to gel and a coach with a vision. Because the player pool was so small, the guys had time to gel as a Team. The best 11 was chosen. Has Klinsmann ever fielded the best 11?
“Has Klinsmann ever fielded the best 11?”
What makes you think you know the answer to that better than he does?
GW, is JK willing to give players the opportunity? He has stuck with Jozy and Wondo. He is unwilling to give others the same opportunity. The problem he had at Bayern Munich was his inability to field a cohesive Team. After he left Germany their Team sored. He has the talent to replace Reyna and JOB. Do you remember how lousy these guys looked when they first put on the USA shirt? These kids need to be given the same chance. JK keeps giving Brek chances after chances but not Nguyen. Has Diskerud played with JJ and Bradley in a meaningful game? We have a lot of guys playing in MLS and overseas who need to be the chance. Remember most of our early world cup players came out of College. How has Bayern Munich and Germany done since JK left?
Reyna and JOB looked pretty good the first time they put on a USMNT shirt.
Reyna was captain of Wolfsburg at 24. How often does that happen?
How is Ibarra called up, but not Lee nguyen
Just curious, how did Miguel Ibarra come on the USMNT scene? He plays in the NASL. I’m an NASL fan, and follow the Carolina Railhawks, but I didn’t realize there were guys in the NASL on the USMNT radar.
I think people are giving JK too much credit. The technical abilities of the US players have been improving since the onset of the MLS. Yes, it takes years to field a cohesive team. JK has a better pool of players to choose from than any previous manager before him. However, based on the talent they had at their disposal, Sampson, Arena and Bradley achieve more than Jk has achieved. I think Jk has a problem evaluating talent and placing the best Team on the field. He sees himself as a genius with vision. Based on the performance of the team to date, his vision is misguided.
Just because you have a pool of players who are technically better, it does not mean you have a better team.
The US still has not replaced Reyna and JOB in terms of their ability to influence a game
They still have not replaced McBride as a reliable scoring threat and leader of the line.
And while the US pool has technically gotten better, so too have all the other CONCACAF nations. MLS has been a real boost to them.
Zusi and Corona have no business being there
It’s good to see Grandma Zusi back! Anybody need a winger with no speed and skill?? Grandma’s the guy for you!
Uncle Grandpa!
I believe an agreement was made with the USSF and MLS for these friendlies, and limited the level of commitment at this point in the season. I find it advantageous to be able to evaluate so many qualified players over two games. Furthermore, several of the European contingent get to train for a few more days before the long trek across the pond.
As for the omission of players deserving a callup (Nguyen & others), there’s little opportunity to make an impression in this schedule. In Nguyen’s case, that means he’d play on Saturday, than have a couple of practices in Florida right afterward before the game.
After the November friendly, the next Nats roster is the January camp. That will involve a lot of discussion as to who deserves to go. For the Revs, I see potentially 3 players getting a call: Nguyen, Farrell, Rowe. On a positive note, the quality of this pool continues to improve every year, and the competition for spots getting more intense.
Nguyen should definitely get a call in January – maybe Farrel as well. Nguyen has some skills that are lacking in the USMNT pool.
Bradley looks like he’s already in Florida
In Florida as in retired?
*dead
=(
The part I don’t get is why was Landon’s final game played with mostly kids then he calls in Landon’s peers for the second game? Landon should have played Tuesday, not Friday.
What happened to the “young player” thing? and why is Wondo or Wood still in camp. Neither is good enough to play for the NATs
BTW, check out Lee N’s goal against Montreal today. Tell me if anybody thinks Bedoya, Corona, Bradley, JJ, Jozy or even Dempsey could score that goal? May be goal of the year and for sure will be goal of the week. JJ must feel some shame that he is getting a call while a better player remains home this week
Everything is just mess because of MLS matches and playoffs. It’s not worth trying to read into anything.
I think Dempsey has that in him, but I agree no one else, very impressive.
just a mess*
There is no reason Lee Nyugen shouldn’t be on this roster. Very few players in our pool can match his technical ability and ball control skills. He’s a player with the ability to impact a game anytime he’s on the field. He’s literally carrying the Revolution on his back, he’s playing better than any current midfielder in MLS or Mexico that’s on the National team, that includes MB (who hasn’t made an impact in Toronto at all). He’s up for MVP candidate, clutch player and scoring quality goals. He just scored a Golazo again today against Montreal tying the game 2-2.
Having 2 international friendlies and not selecting him or even calling him into camp is beyond me…..if only he was German
Give it a rest. Nyugen will likely be called in for the January camp along with the other players from MLS who deserve a chance with the national team but haven’t been called in yet… (Trapp, Kitchen, Hedges, etc….).
There was no reason to bring him into the squad at this time other than to appease people like you. If after the January camp Nyugen still hasn’t received a call up than you can b!tch some more.
So Ibarra was called to appease someone?
“Will likely be called”?…..”No reason to bring him in”?…..are you secretly Klinsmann’s son or are you just that clueless? Lost in Space you are definitely “Lost in Space”…..
Yesterday will go down as the beginning of the fall of Jürgen Klinsmann as the USMNT coach. And Klinsi knows it even if most of you don’t. You could see it in his eyes, in his body language on the bench during the game, and especially seeing his reaction to Donovan after the game while all the American players and most of the Ecuador players made an effort to congratulate and hug Landon.
It was evident that the man has no clue.
You do stand up?
the only person without a clue is you.
Would you care to elaborate? I mean sure he’s made some pretty crazy moves and has a unique coaching style, but he’s been very successful along the way. If he hadn’t cut LD and still made it out of the group of death, people would be arguing he’s the greatest American coach of all time.
“…he’s been very successful along the way.” Really?
He has had 2 other coaching experiences. The German Nat. Team in the 2006 world-cup at which he was almost sacked one week before it began and at Bayern where he was sacked before one season.
But he wasn’t sacked by Germany was he?
And why don’t you go down the list of managers who have been sacked by FC Hollywood? Being fired by Bayern is no reflection on your ability as a manager.
Not technically, one could call it a gentlemen’s agreement. But he was indeed a dead man walking during the 2006 WC. A coach in name only.
What was the reason he gave for resigning the position only weeks after the cup? I forget.
Your proof? I have read articles indicating Germany wanted JK to stay on but that he wanted to get back to SoCal.
More he said/she said stuff
Of course, what would you think Germany would say for publication. It was, as I said, a gentlemen’s agreement.
Try google. Do some research. The info is there. You may try “missed coach’s pre-cup meeting”. Of course though, most of it is in German.
Or better yet. Go to some major German newspapers’ websites. All of them have a search /suchen feature.
Try typing in “Jürgen Klinsmann, Weltmeister 2006”.
Mr. Jackson,
In other words he said/she said.
I have done the research and I must say I have to wonder about German news outlets that often have paid relationships with certain clubs and players.
It’s irrelevant. What I notice is that JK was there when Germany got started down a certain path that culminated in winning a World Cup. Does he deserve all the credit? I have no idea.
What I do know is that when JK took over the USMNT it was aging and decrepit and in need of a rebuild . Coming out of this World Cup it now looks as promising as I have ever seen it. Is that that all down to JK? Who the f++k knows?
But he is in charge and he gets the credit and the blame.
GW, it is clear you don’t want the truth, you only want your opinion.
You gave it away when you said JK was there when Germany got started. What a bunch of horse&%§€, JK had nothing to do with that, it started in the year 2000.
I am done trying to help you get information.
Cricky, I gave myself, Mr. Jackson, away.
Live and learn.
Sachel/Jackson or whoever,
“GW, it is clear you don’t want the truth, you only want your opinion”
And you don’t feel the same way about your opinion?
You are right, I’m not interested in the truth about JK with Germany/Bayern. Mostly because I think it is hard to get to. I have looked at both situations and feel that it’s pretty hard to reliably figure out what happened in those places. Most of the people commenting on the situation have an axe to grind
I only really care about the USMNT. Let’s say you are right and that JK was thrown out of both Germany and Bayern Munich because their powers that be figured he would ruin their teams?
It’s too late now, The USSF hired him, gave him big money , wider power than Arena or BB had and even gave him an extension.
So what to do? Me I look at this team now and I see a lot of fierce competition for places, I see that manager potentially having a lot of hard decisions to make for many spots on the team. I don’t remember Arena or BB having that problem. I remember BB having to play a half fit Gooch and a questionable Findley in South Africa.
Maybe JK is not responsible for this depth in or for the impressive style and aggression they showed vs Ecuador . In which case he is the beneficiary of being in the right place at the right time. A very lucky man.
And when it comes to a team I support , if I can’t have a sincere genius as a manager then I want a lucky one.
That I can understand GW. Thank you. I also want the USMNT to do better and the MLS also. I have my hopes just as you do.
All I am saying, and the record supports me, is that it will never happen with Klinsmann. In fact, the longer he stays the worse it will get.
What I am most happy about in this regard, believing we need to get rid of Klinsi, is that Donovan will be retired soon.
I believe the %&€§ will hit the fan. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another “gentlemen’s” agreement.
“What I am most happy about in this regard, believing we need to get rid of Klinsi, is that Donovan will be retired soon. I believe the %&€§ will hit the fan. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another “gentlemen’s” agreement.”
SakaJ,
?? Care to explain that? The %&ۤ has already hit the fan. And JK is still here.
If you want to see JK gone you need at least a lousy Gold Cup and more likely a humiliating Copa America on top of it.
Klinsi will be gone before the Copa 2016.
I stand by what I said. We have seen the beginning of the fall.
Because clearly the US Soccer Federation will fire a coach who they’re on the hook for paying millions of dollars just to appease a former star player who has since retired from international play…
Not sure what calling in both Jones, Bradley, and Zusi accomplishes when he’s only sending 2 midfielders (Gyau and Gil) home and is experimenting with a line-up that pushes either Chandler or Yedlin into a midfield slot. I was kind of hoping he’d continue to experiment with a 4-3-3 and keep the Diskerud-Bedoya-Yedlin/Chandler midfield intact (the first 3 all had good games and, in spite of a couple of defensive hiccups, I thought Chandler was pretty good as well). But it looks like we may be going back to a more traditional (for us) alignment, since I can’t imagine he’d call in Jones, Bradley, and Zusi only to have 2 or more of them sit. Kind of a shame.
The other part of these mini camps is to have the young guys like Corona, Morales, Ibarra, Garza and Wood train and play with the vets and see how they look.
Woods for example, could learn a lot from two days with Dempsey.
Do you really want to use Dempsey as a model to the newbies?
Sure, Dempsey scores but he is not one you would want new players to emulate.
Attitude yes.
His play style? Maybe not.
id say the opposite. dempsey’s style is more valuable than his attitude. Dempsey plays like a high schooler in a pick-up game.
I’d take both
{Yawn!} Oh, hi everyone! Hmm, let me get caught up—oh, what’s this? The USMNT is now in a position to turn away players of Dempsey’s quality?
Dempsey’s attitude? Yes
His movement off the ball? Clint is great with that right place, right time thing. Lots of tap ins.
I don’t know how easy that is to teach to a Bobby Wood but yes.
That’s a good point. Also, my initial comment about Klinsmann playing a more defensive formation to get all of those guys on the field overlooked the fact that this is a friendly so he has 6 subs to work with. It just seems that he’s carrying an awful lot of midfielders, but then again, when in the last 10 years has a USMNT coach *not* called in an awful lot of midfielders?
Mr 4ever,
Specialized forwards and defenders are rarer than ever it seems.
Our two most exciting players are Fabian an DeAndre. What would you call them?
The bad thing is that those 3 big gun suck 🙁
Dempsey is over rated and should play nfl instead aka American football
Bradley oh Jesus, his slow and runs like a grandpa and should be more of a defender than attacker.
Jones, well he can sure break legs and ankles but has zero creativity.
Sorry to say this, but we need new blood for Russia 2018. We need creativity that’s starts from the back line and ends with creativity.
No more typical I respect the other team or I’m afraid of getting massacre.
exaggerate much?
he is kinda right about Bradley
You lost your credibility when you said Dempsey was overrated…
Here I thought I couldn’t possibly hate you more than I do…
Your posts are always ridiculous.
🙂 calm down sir 🙂
Brad Guzan is the only person with a secure spot for Russia that’s if he doesn’t get injured.
But in reality, we should be pressuring klins to give us results now and move on from the “veterans”
There is only Jozy and Guzan that have secure spots for Russia and that’s if they don’t go down with injury, and jozy will be back in MLS before Russia.
This guy gets it. Dempsey should play American football. Bradley runs like a grandpa and Jones will break legs and ankles. All three things that aren’t stupid and prove this guy gets it.
Really, what record is there of Jones breaking legs? Dempsey scores goals against good international teams, you are kinda off base there. Bradley is not the best guy to dribble in tight spaces, but he can make long passes to set up attackers better than any other US player and he moves to get in good positions to help his teammates so well that he is the most frequent target for their passes. There is a lot DG and NASL TO EL PASO TX do not get.
great terrible takes, you are great at them
Some these vets we don’t need for this game.
Honduras is in real decline with cheapo federation, would be perfect team for in-experience USNT.
I’m not sure I see the benefit of having all the vets in camp for a friendly against Honduras.
Better now than at the friendly against Croatia in London on Nov. 12.
I think this game will be a lot more defensive than our last two friendlies. Everyone he called in has a fascination with passing back regardless of the situation (except Dempsey and Johnson). I liked these last 2 games we played without DM’s it was the first time in a while I didn’t see our own players kill our attack with a cowardly pass to the GK.
Johnson?
I loved Woods involvement, he just needs a bit more work. I can see potential in that guy, just lacking on that last thought.
I agree. I’m not ready to pull the plug yet on him. He learned a ton yesterday.
good, he’s 21 with 1 cap. i was frustrated with him but it’s his first game with the US. everyone needs to calm down.
I agree. After all, he created a lot of the opportunities he blew. It could’ve been nerves.
Throw me on there too. The kid managed to get himself involved a ton… just ran out of ideas too often and got dispossessed. Not unusual given his inexperience.
Last night was special and a good send off and nothing can be taken away from that, but this is the game that should have been donovans farewell.
Reasons:
1. Ecuador game was 48 hours before a very important galaxy game, whereas, Honduras is 5 days before the next game, allowing plenty of recovery time and Donovan could have potentially played a full game.
2. The roster for the first game was normally one I’d have been very happy to see. But wouldn’t it have been a better send off if he had been able to play with some other veterans like this honduras roster is shaping up to be. Instead the only true vets were him altidore and maybe guzan.
3. Honduras is at least a team he has some history against. That’s not the case with Ecuador, even if they are the better of the two teams.
All I’m saying is that these are the reasons why this game would have been a much more fitting send off.
+1. best would’ve been a “friendly” against mexico.
I agree completely
That would have been epic.
adios Landon. Thank Jozy for giving you so many great passes. Who cares what his farewell game was against. Its over. Lets move on
Whoa, juergen, chill out…just feeling a bit nostalgic, that’s all.
why so angry?
well, at least his first and last US goal will go down against Mexico.
in Azteca.
Come on it’s over just get over it already!!!! No more LD on the national team! and after this season no more LD in MLS… Lets just move on!
Plus 1.
So it’s OK to play MLS match and then play US Nats match 48 hrs later?
Donovan had a hat trick vs. Ecuador in 2007…saw somewhere that he said one of those goals was one of the best in his US career…so there is some history.
Yeah, a guided missile from the R side, top of the 18 yard box, into the upper corner – off of a lay off from someone on the wing.
La prendio como los dioses!
LD would have a bad turn around time anyway. It so doesn’t matter at all. If it was Mexico? Sure, but Honduras whatever.
JK has certainly disrespected our best all time player. He is still the best coach we could have at this time as well. In 2 years time this may change with an American taking over. This insult hasn’t gone un-noticed.
When will Nguyen get a call up seriously….Smh
Who would you have him replace? My choice would be Joe Corona.
Maybe I’m missing something (or admittedly havent seen his club form) but he doesn’t look like he’s progressed much since Bradley was our manager. Fairly underwhelmed with him.
agreed. he showed a lot of potential when he got his first caps (and yes, i know he’s still fairly young), but hasn’t improved on those showings, and may have even regressed a little.
Yeah I’m not quitting on Corona yet but I just don’t see the big deal about him.
Probably when Zardes does. They both should be here instead of some of the veterans. It is, after all, a meaningless friendly when you should be auditioning new and intriguing prospects.
send home bobby wood
Now Why would we do something that irrational?
Wood actually looked pretty dangerous last night and I liked his willingness to run at defenders with pace.
I also like his willingness to lose the ball everytime. I kid I kid but Wood had a bad game but you can’t judge him after one game
You might want to go watch that game again.
Wood just has to be more decisive. On that last play, if you are there close to the goal shoot. Once he has the confidence and experience, he will be fine.
Wood played like he does in BL2, makes nice runs but can’t score. I think they should convert him to a LB. He has the speed and strength.