Friday, November 9, 2007

Almost a go

The US national team's roster for the final USMNT match of the year is nearly set as a 17-man roster was released this morning for the Nov. 17 match in South Africa.

Bob Bradley will fill out his roster following Saturday's game between Kansas City and Houston.

Okay, here's the roster and then my thoughts.

GK: Brad Guzan, Tim Howard
D: Carlos Bocanegra, Jonathan Bornstein, Steve Cherundolo, Danny Califf, Oguchi Onyewu
M: Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Sacha Kljestan, Eddie Lewis
F: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan

The best thing about this roster is the inclusion of Jozy Altidore. Many - including myself - had clamored for Altidore to receive a call to the national team, and it finally happened. It's a deserving albeit overdue call. Now the hope is that Altidore can do enough in training to earn some playing time.

It's also encouraging to see Sacha Kljestan and Maurice Edu on the list. Kljestan had a standout campaign but hasn't been a part of the US since Copa America. Edu, meanwhile, did tremendously in the midfield against Switzerland.

It remains to be seen who else will fill out the roster though I've got to believe it will either be Eddie Johnson or Brian Ching. If it's more than an 18-man list, perhaps we'll see Chris Rolfe included in the team.

I don't really see any glaring omissions here. Everybody's favorite backup left back Heath Pearce isn't around to carry Jonny B's luggage around. But that guy is just filler anyway. I don't know, maybe it's because I haven't had my coffee this morning that I don't see any overlooked players.

Please feel free to leave your thoughts on the roster and who, if anyone, is missing.

9 comments:

blahblah said...

Bring on the Sacha and Benny podcasts!

Anonymous said...

I love the roster for the most part but the defense really leaves me wondering. You may not love Pearce... but Bornstein has looked pretty out of place in his national team callups. Frankly his form with Chivas wasnt very good at the end of the year either. I know he's Bradley's pet project so he will get the start. But to think that Ching and EJ will get called up while not a single backup outside defender will is pretty odd. Spector and Simek both seem to have dropped from consideration (is this two straight camps with neither of them?) I think Bornstein has a lot of promise but to ink him in as the fixture left back is way premature. In all honesty Heath looked much better as a sub in beating Switzerland than Jonny looked earlier this year.

just another one of you said...

What about Parkhurst? Is the Cup final a conflict?

L.B. said...

Revs players will have the cup to keep them busy as will either Houston or KC players.

Anonymous said...

LB,
I don't understand how you see Pearce in such a negative light vs. Bornstein.

Both have looked just as much out of place at times at left back. They've made their mistakes and alternately looked good. the only difference being that Bornstein has been given many more opportunites.

You may say that Bradley's choice of Bornstein is proof that Pearce can't hack it. But, I'd argue that there's a good bit of nepotism there in that Johnny B. is BB's boy from his Chivas days and more of a known entity.

Surely a defender of the year award in the Danish league and a contract with a 1. Bundesliga team aren't the rewards of a baggage handler.

Outside of that, do you have any idea why Cooper was left off? I wouldn't argue that he rates a start at this time, but won't he be in the mix for the U23's next year. Regardless he's a talent at a position where we are traditionaly thin.

Anonymous said...

Cooper, Spector, Simek, Pearce are glaringly missing. Bornstein, loses the ball too much for a defender IMO.

Anonymous said...

wanted to correct myself. I see now that Cooper does not qualify for the Olympics.

Still think he rates the call up.

just another one of you said...

Thanks, Luis

Eddie Lewis better not show up on that back line again. I hope he's just there as for camp leadership.

Anonymous said...

Looks like no Lewis and Pearce and Spector have been added. Now this roster works for me.