U.S. Squad For Opening World Cup Qualifier in Carson Announced
The 21-man squad for Sunday's game against Barbados is exactly the same as the 19-man squad named for the Argentina game with the addition of Houston Dynamo striker Brian Ching (rewarded for his five goals and three assists in 12 MLS games so far this season) and defender Carlos Bocanegra.
That means goalkeeper Brad Guzan and midfielder Sacha Kljestan of Chivas USA and the Galaxy's Landon Donovan all retain their places, as does Fontana's Maurice Edu.
Unfortunately, that also means AWOL striker Eddie Johnson retains his place, despite the U.S. failing to score in any of its last three games.
The full squad with caps and goals in parentheses: goalkeepers Dominic Cervi (out of contract: 0/0), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA: 0/0), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 3/2 SO); defenders Carlos Bocanegra (out of contract: 11/1), Dan Califf (FC Midtjylland: 1/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 14:0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 0/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 11/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 7/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 0/0); midfielders Freddy Adu (SL Benfica: 0/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 14/4), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen: 0/0), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC: 0/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 0/0), Eddie Lewis (Derby County: 17/2), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids: 9/0); forwards Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 6/2), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 20/7), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 7/0), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC: 7/7).
Seven of the players on the roster started the last U.S. World Cup game two years ago against Ghana, but eight players have never played in a World Cup qualifier.
The team began training in Carson today.
Thoughts?
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005. The blog of the same name began in 2007. A native of England, he began writing about soccer in the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat in the stands for one in the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook.
To put it bluntly, Eddie Johnson sucks pretty bad. I hate it when he walks up and down the field. How or why he plays for Fulham in the EPL, I will never understand.
The U.S. was impressive versus Argentina, but there are a litany of problems with this team. First and foremost, is a lack of a finisher, a scoring threat. This team is good enough to qualify in CONCACAF, but when mathched with the best European and South American teams, we are exposed for what we are. I sincerely wish that the powers that be had paid for Klinsman or another experienced foreign coach. It is what it is.
My question is why does Bradley hate Adu? Clearly, he is one of the best players in the USA, yet Bradley refuses to put him in for meaningful playing time. Eddie Johnson could not carry Adu's shoes. To top it off, Bradley's comments about Adu were bizarre to say the least.
GO USA!!
I thought Mastroeni will not be able to play since he received a red card in the Argentina game. Or does he have to be on the roster to serve his suspension? Or do friendlies not affect qualifying matches?
Oooh ... and I agree with Lionel... more playing time for Adu and make Eddie earn his spot back onto the field.
Nick replies: U.S. Soccer officials inform me that "red cards carry over to 'like' competitions - a red in a friendly for the next friendly, a red in qualifying for the next qualifier, etc."
Hope that helps.
Agree about Eddie Johnson. He may have talent and speed, but he demonstrates neither on the pitch. The next defender he pressures will be the first. You could probably find a dozen or more strikers in pick-up games in East LA who would play with more passion and heart.
Also agree about Adu. Here's a novel concept for Bradley - trying playing Donovan, Adu, Dempsey as the front 3 of a 4-5-1 with Ching up front or make it really interesting and play a 4-6 by bringing in Beasley.
This is what I mean about Bradley hating Adu. If Bradley measured Eddie Johnson by the same stick, EJ would never see the field. Sounds like Bradley is trying to teach "humility" to Adu. Bradley is a goon!
Bradley, on Freddy Adu's progress: "Freddy is growing. We see everything, so we see the things, the moments, that are special. When Freddy has the ball in the attacking part of the field, he is capable of doing some great things. But we are also making sure that he understands that there is more to the game than that. When he comes into the national team, he understands that when he walks in that door, nothing that has been said about him, written about him, means anything. The only thing that matters now is that he can show the rest of these guys that when the games get very hard, he can help our team be successful. And he understands. ... So you see a young man growing, learning, handles himself a little bit different than he did probably a year ago. And now we just need to keep this going. Some days, it may mean a lot of playing time. We have to see. ... We still know that the progress with Freddy has got to go at the right speed. It cannot be accelerated unless it's earned the right way."