General

U.S. World Cup Prelim Roster: Who’s In, Who’s Out, Who’ll Make the Team

May 11, 2010, 7:55 PM UTC

â†µThe obvious headline that comes out of the announcement of the U.S. Men’s National Team 30-man preliminary roster is the name that was left off: Charlie Davies. It’s sad that Davies isn’t ready to go, but it’s understandable that Bob Bradley can only take the players he thinks can help the squad compete – and win – a World Cup. And I checked but no, Ronaldinho, who was left off Brazil’s preliminary roster, cannot become a United States citizen in enough time for South Africa. So, as they say, we dance with who brung us. â†µ

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â†µâ†µHere’s the list, via USsoccer.com: â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥U.S. TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY POSITION â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton) â†µâ‡¥
â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United) â†µâ‡¥
â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥MIDFIELDERS (12): DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), José Torres (Pachuca) â†µâ‡¥
â†µâ‡¥â†µâ‡¥FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris Thessaloniki)â†µâ‡¥

â†µâ†µâ†µThis list will be cut down to 23 who will travel to South Africa for the World Cup. There are some obvious names on the list – in fact, most of the list was pretty clear heading into the announcement – but there are some players who could seem a bit surprising. Brian Cook, Andy Hutchins and I take a look at the list.â†µ

â†µâ†µWho Should Have Been Named: â†µ

â†µâ†µHutchins: Charlie Davies, Jermaine Jones â†µ
â†µI realize that both players have had some injury problems -- Davies’ are obviously much more serious -- but the reason Jones switched his affiliation last year was to make this team. He didn’t quite have the form that Eddie Johnson’s had recently, but he has the talent to be a scorer for the USMNT. Davies has no form to speak of, but throwing him on the 30-man roster and testing him out this month would have given Bradley a chance to see whether this team’s most dynamic forward based on talent could give this team anything in South Africa. He couldn’t have taken Robbie Findley’s spot? â†µ

â†µâ†µCook: No one. â†µ
â†µAssuming that Charlie Davies is totally out of the question, there’s not anyone outside of the 30 that seems like a glaring omission. Adu, maybe, but call me back when the guy is actually starting regularly in a real league. â†µ

â†µâ†µLevy: Davies, Frankie Hejduk â†µ
â†µWe’ve talked enough about Davies. Hejduk could be another guy who provides leadership and while he’s a bit long in the proverbial tooth, you know what you get from him. He’s solid, never spectacular, but if you need a guy off the bench due to injury or excessive bookings (something we may want to expect from this team), Hejduk could fit in for a half, or a game, if need be. â†µ

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â†µWho Would They Replace: â†µ

â†µâ†µHutchins: Eddie Johnson, Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley â†µ
â†µJohnson’s been almost invisible as a national team selection in his career, scoring 12 goals in 40 caps, but just one against a non-CONCACAF opponent and none since 2008. His last month at Aris Thessaloniki must have been REALLY good in Bradley’s eyes. Buddle, too, is a national disappointment who’s getting burn here because of desperation for a strike corps that could recapture the magic Davies, Donovan, and Altidore performed last year in the Confederations Cup. And Findley’s here just for experience. â†µ

â†µâ†µCook: No one. â†µ
â†µAgain, the US pool is not deep and once you get past the top 24 or so it’s not relevant. Eddie Johnson isn’t going to the World Cup, and neither is Sacha Klejstan. It does not matter whether they’re around or Conor Casey is or whoever. â†µ

â†µâ†µLevy: Sacha Kljestan, Robbie Rogers, Jonathan Bornstein â†µ
â†µI don’t have a problem with any of the players Andy suggested to be replaced. I don’t think Bradley needs to bring in 12 midfielders, unless he’s really concerned about Stuart Holden’s status and plans to use Clint Dempsey up front almost exclusively. Kljestan seems completely hyper with the ball, which is not a good thing. And it’s not something you can trust against aggressive defenses. Rogers has seemed overmatched in his recent USMNT C-Team games. The same goes for Bornstein. How many mistakes can the guy make before Bradley gives up on him? He can’t be making the full squad, can he? â†µ

â†µâ†µMost Surprising Selection/Non-Selection by Bradley: â†µ

â†µâ†µHutchins: Casey â†µ

â†µâ†µCasey’s been the albatross of the USMNT for years, and the bogeyman in many fans’ eyes. Casey not making the team shows, at least, a commitment to going smaller and speedier up front that I wasn’t sure Bradley had. Kudos to him for it. If I had to pick a surprise selection, I’ll tab Bedoya, but that’s ultimately because I don’t even know who he is. â†µ

â†µâ†µCook: Casey â†µ

â†µâ†µNot that I’m broken up about it. I had a terrific fear that the forwards would be Altidore and the Three Target Forwards, but the only lumbering head-based guy is Ching, who I have a higher opinion of than most. Now it’s almost definite that both Buddle and Gomez go, which I’m in favor of. When they’re all basically the same you might as well go with the guys pouring the goals in. â†µ

â†µâ†µLevy: Findley â†µ
â†µWe basically all answered this the same way. I appreciate the fact that Bradley went with youth and speed over whatever Casey brings to the table. There were some pundits who suggested he convince Brian McBride to come out of international retirement to play up front. Findley likely won’t make the squad, but at least he’ll get the experience. â†µ

â†µâ†µEarly guess for the seven left off the final roster: â†µ

â†µâ†µHutchins: Goodson, Bedoya, Findley, Feilhaber, Rogers, Kljestan, Pearceâ†µ

â†µâ†µIf you don’t recognize a lot of the names here, that’s because most of them made this roster as talented, untested guys who are going to be put through their paces and nip at the vets’ heels. Don’t expect Bradley to switch up what worked last year just because Davies isn’t around and Onyewu’s banged up. â†µ

â†µâ†µCook: Marshall, Pearce, Kljestan, Rogers, Torres, Johnson, Findley. â†µ

â†µâ†µMarshall’s been hurt and will lose out on the hopefully-irrelevant last central defense spot. Pearce is not Bornstein, Chosen of Bradley. Kljestan and Rogers are pale imitations of other players on the roster, and Torres is going to get bumped by Edu’s re-emergence. Johnson and Findley are obvious â†µ

â†µâ†µLevy: Findley, Johnson, Rogers, Kljestan, Beasley, Marshall, Pearceâ†µ

â†µâ†µLook at the numbers. There’s no way they’re taking more than four up front, and could get away with just three considering Dempsey is listed as a midfielder. So at least two of the six forwards will be cut and I’m picking Findley and Johnson. I could see Bradley cutting Gomez, but he’s the hot name, so I’ll assume it will be Johnson. With 12 midfielders in camp, it’s unlikely he’ll bring more than nine. Beasley could be the odd man out if Bedoya and Torres impress. In the back, Marshall and Pearce should be the on the outside looking in, as I totally agree with Cook that if Bornstein got this far, he’ll likely get to South Africa.â†µ

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This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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