Avoiding the Drop

I’d like to take a break from the domestic leagues and talk a bit about World Cup 2010. Specifically, I’d like to generate some discussion regarding what the USMNT roster should look like.  I’ve taken the players in the official “player pool” of the USSF, thrown in a few wild cards of my own (only to later remove most of them) and narrowed my list down to the 23 men I’d like to see make the trip to South Africa next year.  The only place I cheated was 3rd string goalkeeper.  Basically, whichever of the Hesmer/Busch tandem has a better season in MLS this year would get the nod.  Here are my starting 11:

Tim Howard (GK)

Carlos Bocanegra (LB)
Michael Parkhurst (CB)
Oguchi Onyewu (CB)
Steve Cherundolo (RB)

DaMarcus Beasley (LM)
Sacha Kljestan (CM)
Michael Bradley (CM)
Clint Dempsey (RM/F)

Landon Donovan (F/M)
Brian Ching(F)

Overall, this is a small-ish, fast, attacking team with some decent technicians mixed in with some size and defensive strength on the bench.  With the exception of Kljestan, they’re all playing in their natural positions and Dempsey and Donovan could easily swap positions.

Howard as the goalkeeper is a no-brainer- he’s a major reason Everton are doing so well this year despite the ambulance convoy carrying away all of their strikers.

The back line is another story.  On a good day, they can be great, on a bad day, cover your eyes.  Parkhurst is unflappable and I have confidence in him.  Cherundolo is dependable, if unspectacular (which would explain why he’s been in the Bundesliga for a decade!).  Bocanegra can score off set pieces, but he can also get caught napping.  “Gooch” can intimidate just about anyone on the pitch and score off set pieces, but he can also lose the plot and find himself sent off before you can blink.

The midfield is fast, reasonably technical, and if they play positive soccer, can score goals.  The key  will be whether Bradley or Kljestan can control the midfield and distribute the ball forward.  My money would be on Bradley.  He likes to score, but I also see him having the grit to hold the ball, hold off defenders, and make good passes.  This would allow the other three to use their pace to get upfield to support the forwards.

Those forwards would be Donovan and Ching- speed and size.  Landon is still a little hot and cold for me, but in the last year or so he’s tended toward the hot side, so I’ll go with him.  Ching may not have bags of skill, but he’s a bit like Brian McBride in that he’ll put himself in whatever danger he has to if it means getting the ball on frame.

The Bench

Brad Guzan
Will Hesmer/John Busch

Danny Califf (FB)
Jonathan Bornstein (FB/M)
Frankie Hejduk FB/M)
Heath Pearce (FB)

Maurice Edu (MF)
Pablo Mastroeni (MF)
Benny Feilhaber (MF)
Freddy Adu (MF/F)

Kenny Cooper (F)
Jozy Altidore (F)

These were more difficult decisions, but in the end, I went with some experienced players, more size, a  more defensive midfield, and at least four players who can be used at multiple positions.

Guzan as the backup keeper is the obvious choice, but as I explained above, the third string keeper is a toss-up.  He probably won’t play, so it probably doesn’t matter…but you never know.  No offense to Hesmer or Busch, but if Keller, Friedel, or Hahnemann were willing to take a seat on the bench, they’d be my real third choice.

Defensively, there’s some experience and tenacity in Hejduk who, depending on the opponent, might replace Cherundolo in the starting side.  Califf brings some height if the need is there, and Bornstein and Pearce would seem to be capable backups or spot starters if necessary.

The midfield bench players provide defensive options (Mastroeni and Edu) and Adu can join in with the attacking midfielders if needed, or play forward.  Feilhaber would be the likely sub for Bradley if necessary.

Up front, there is, in a word, size.  Both Cooper and Altidore are good on the ball, but the idea would be to pair one of them with Ching against an opponent with a smaller back line or one that defends poorly on set pieces.

So, that’s what I think, you may now scream at me about how wrong I am and how I could possibly overlook Chad Marshall, Jose Torres, Ricardo Clark, Marvell Wynne, etc.!?