US Squad Revealed

jozyspain US Squad Revealed

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England).

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan, Italy), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United, England), Clarence Goodson (IK Start).

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Borussia Monchengladbach, Germany), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus, Denmark), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca, Mexico), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull City, England), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Charlie Davies (Sochaux, France), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake).

This US team has more experience at the European club level and has players with better clubs than just about any US squad in history. While no Claudio Reyna or John O’Brien figure is on the current US landscape, several players are peaking in their career growth at the right time.

Worrying though for US fans has to be that 2009 has resembled late 1997 and early 1998. Monumental achievements including a win over Brazil, and a draw against Mexico at Azteca were coupled with poor performances at home against the likes of Costa Rica and El Salvador, an infamous home draw with Jamaica.

We were told during that period that the US was emerging as a world power, but got our comeuppance in France. This year the US has beaten Spain, as well as a weakened Mexico side at home. The US has also dominated the first half of matches against both Brazil and Italy. But on the other side of the coin, this US team has now lost twice consecutively to Mexico, netting only one shot on goal in the last meeting at Azteca.

Additionally,  draws with Haiti and El Salvador as well as struggles to overcome Panama, need to be factored into the US MNT equation.

Despite this, the US look a safe bet to qualify for its sixth consecutive World Cup Finals. But CONCACAF has gotten tougher as the recent EPL exploits of Kenwyne Jones and Wilson Palacios demonstrate and so the margin for error which existed in the 1997 Hex, does not exist today.

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16 Responses

  1. ajr
    ajr
    August 27, 2009 at 4:33 pm | | Reply


    whats up with Jones? is he still hurt?

    1. Kartik Krishnaiyer
      August 27, 2009 at 4:37 pm | | Reply


      Yup, he’ll be back for Schalke in October.

  2. Phil
    Phil
    August 27, 2009 at 4:39 pm | | Reply


    Beckerman good pick, not a bad squad at all

    1. Gods own Country
      Gods own Country
      August 27, 2009 at 11:00 pm | | Reply


      only picked him cause they r playing at Slat lake city

  3. Quakesin2kNever
    Quakesin2kNever
    August 27, 2009 at 6:29 pm | | Reply


    So if our competition in Concacaf has gotten better, if the “margin for error is slimmer” because other countries have European players too, then doesn’t that mean we should not be as concerned about losing to them like we were in the lead up to 1998? Losing to them in 1998 qualifying was more of a sign of things to come because they were weaker teams/competition in concacaf back then.

  4. Rex
    Rex
    August 27, 2009 at 6:47 pm | | Reply


    As a Dynamo fan I am always a Clark and Ching homer, but they were not great at Azteca and have not been good for club ever since.

    I really hope for close games because i wanna see if Bradley can make subs and adjustments. Will he ever sub Michael when he is dragging and fouling from 70+? Will Dempsey ever be subbed when he is ineffective? Will Torres ever get playing time???

  5. chris
    chris
    August 27, 2009 at 7:23 pm | | Reply


    Where is Castillo? This guy has a lot of talent in technique and speed that jonathan bornstein does not have. Castillo can also be used as a left sided midfielder. Bradley give him a cap! he has tremendous potential and i am not talking about freedy adu potential. Also we need to start winning by playing futbol if we had started to attack more at azteca after the first goal it wouldve been a different game. We cant just rely on set plays and counter attacks we need to also play some soccer. Bradley why is ching on the list he hasnt scored in a while and is to slow.

  6. kyle
    kyle
    August 27, 2009 at 9:03 pm | | Reply


    I would say there is a 90 percent chance Bob Bradley against El Salvador at home, plays a 4-5-1

  7. bob bradley
    bob bradley
    August 27, 2009 at 10:00 pm | | Reply


    I know you guys will love my starting line up and formation.

    Howard

    Spector-DeMerit-Onyewu-Bornstein

    Holden-Torres-Donovan-Dempsey

    Altidore-Davies

  8. kyle
    kyle
    August 27, 2009 at 10:08 pm | | Reply


    “Holden-Torres”

    do not want

  9. checkyaselfbeforeyareckyaself
    checkyaselfbeforeyareckyaself
    August 27, 2009 at 11:13 pm | | Reply


    CONOR CASEY- he doesnt offer anything to the team. why doesnt bradley give Cooper a shot with the A squad

    with better players, i think he will be a good player for the US and he’s inform

  10. Angel
    Angel
    August 28, 2009 at 12:23 am | | Reply


    Really this guy is an Idiot when it come to pick the roster, Bob Bradley or his assistant had something to do with this roster, But I think we never ever ever going to see Cooper, Orozco, Castillo, Adu in the near future and even tho Torres is in the roster I think him too. But why are you keep calling Torres just to have him in the bench Mr. B.B. And why is Marshall, Robbie Roger when they were awful in Mexico against Cruz Azul. And Goodson, Beckerman and Ching and Casey WHY WHY!! are in this roster. I really don’t get it anymore. I’m getting pissed off of this Joker Coach, I don’t give a damn if anyone of you start to defend him but is true. I just hope when the U17 players are started getting call for the senior MR. Joker is not the coach anymore or else he will ruin what Wilmir Cabrera is building. Ohh after what Senior Cooper said in a interview a while back about Bob Bradley not calling Jr. Cooper and calling only people he feel save or are in playing in Europe, I think Bob will just buried Poor Kenny for a while and not call him. Even tho Mr. Senior Cooper was right on his comment. But I think Bob will take it on Jr. and not call him anymore. But I hope cooper really make big in Germany and tell Bob Bradley to kiss his ass.

  11. Lowell
    Lowell
    August 28, 2009 at 1:30 pm | | Reply


    Brian Ching… sucks. He’s face down on the grass more than a lesbian.

  12. CleartheBall
    CleartheBall
    August 28, 2009 at 7:01 pm | | Reply


    Lineup should be:
    Howard
    Spector Demerit Marshall Boca (Gooch for Marshall when off suspension)
    Dempsey Mike Benny Landon
    Altidore Davies

    Probably will be
    Howard
    Spector Demerit Boca Dolo(uhhg)
    Dempsey Mike Rico(uhhg) Landon
    Ching(double uhhg) Davies

    Ching is a fine player, for what he is. Any MLS team would be lucky to have him. I believe we can do better. Same for Rico and Dolo. Rogers, Marsall & Beckerman deserve a shot based on their high level of play/effort with the gold cup team. Findley deserves a shot for the same reason Davies has deserved a shot all this time. He has great speed and comes to play every game. Try to find a guy close to his height who gets his head to as many balls as Findley does. Decent overall team choice. This still doesn’t mean I have any faith in Bob’s substitutions. OTHER THAN THAT, which is a big other, I do appreciate his consistency and I believe he is doing a decent, competent (not great) job.

  13. Soccer Guru
    Soccer Guru
    August 29, 2009 at 8:40 am | | Reply


    Kenny Cooper????????????????

  14. soccer goals
    September 1, 2009 at 12:01 am | | Reply


    I agree with the FIndley call-up. He has been playing really well and is a good finisher, in form, and speedy.

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