Impatient Magazine Picks USA Squad Early

Looks about right. I would replace Ching with Casey Conor and for the love of god never have Hejduk wear the red, white and blue ever again. This also asseumes the fitness of O’Brien and Johnson. I guess Howard might be third keeper not that it really matters.

I agree about Hejduk. The magazine’s argument for him is that he’s versatile (right back or right mid) and that he has plenty experience (68 caps and two World Cups). I disagree with them on both these counts.

In a 23 man squad you have so many players that you shouldn’t take someone just because they’re versatile. Even if this weren’t the case, the ability to play right back and right mid isn’t that versatile. Plus if you only take players who have World Cup experience then you miss out on giving younger players that experience.

Eventually you’re left with a squad for 2010 or 2014 that has no experience at all. For this reason I’d like to see a couple of youngsters blooded in Germany, with one eye on the future. I’m thinking maybe Santino Quaranta or Eddie Gaven. Maybe even Freddie Adu (maybe, I really can’t decide if that would be extra brave or extra stupid).

I’m thinking back to Argentina in 1978 when they put a young Maradona in the World Cup squad, but didn’t play him. Same thing with Ronaldo in Brazil’s 1994 World Cup Squad. Both were eventual World Cup winners and that early experience must have helped.

Posted from  United States

I’m just stoked to see Clint Mathis’ name nowhere on the team sheet.

Posted from  United States

Thank God there are people out there that agree with me that Hejduk doesn’t belong on the squad (anymore) and actually most friendly games as well.

If fit, I still think Mathis (as a striker) and Sanneh (as a forward, midfielder or defender)are essential. What’s up with the situation of these guys?

There is no one on the squad (other than Keller and Reyna) that trusts their own abilities more than Cherundolo. He is an exceptional player and (unless Sanneh is fit), there is no need for another right back (except injury).

Mastorenni and Wolff (especially) are overrated but probably belong on the squad.

They have to bring and (when the formation dictates it) start Ben Olsen.

Of all the new blood (Johnson included) I think that Dempsey is the next Golden Boy. If he can play forward I’d take him instead of Johnson, but I would like to see Johnson as a sub if possible.

I still think that Cobi Jones and Chris Armas should be on the bubble.
These guys are still great players with a lot of experience.

Posted from  United States

I can’t imagine any formation that would have Ben Olson in it. Not that he shouldn’t make the 23, but he’s well down on the depth chart.

Posted from  United States

Actually, I don’t see him making my 23 either.

Posted from  United States

Dempsey has to be on this team, one of the few guys on the team I truly have confidence on the ball. I would take twellman over ching, I have never been impressed with ching at all. Other than that have no problems with the rest of the 23.

Posted from  United States

Ben Olsen will not and should not make the team. Mastroeni and Zavagnin are enough along with the like of Reyna and Donovan who all play in the center mid (although some more attack/defensive roles)… That being said, the magazine was also wrong in putting Brian Ching ahead of Taylor Twellman who has been a standout since this lead up to Germany has really begun. Hejduk still has a lot left in the tank and he will be on the roster and he will have significant contributions and part of that is mainly due to his fitness (ie- the only man on the entire US squad that can finish the infamous “beep test”)… The beating that Germany laid on us recently exposed some weakness from Berhalter and Cherundolo in their inability to mark consistently… Cherundolo will still contribute significantly but Gibbs finally being fit may squeeze some minutes out of Cherundolo… Look for Dempsey to make a strong push for significant minutes as well. Also, on the Maradona idea, Argentina has a much better pedigree than USA, that being said, most people (and it would appear Bruce Arena also) wants to see the US win NOW and so, we will scratch the youth and attempt to put together a dramatic run to the semis or finals with more experience-based rosters.

Posted from  United States

If Arena decides to use a formation that best suits the individual talents of his best 10 field players, then Beasley will be somewhere in the left midfield, Lewis will be possibly relegated to left back, and Olsen will be on the bench.

If Arena, however, specifcally wants to create a flank-heavy crossing 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 with McBride as a target man, he should play Lewis at left wing and Olsen at right wing. I don’t think that Olsen is in any way the best choice to start in the offensive or defensive central midfield (but he could play as sub in either of those spots) but he is the best right winger that the US squad has (not considering Sanneh and Cherundolo who usually play defense). Olsen is confident, agressive and effective both offensively and defensively along the right sideline and while I would trust him to get the ball to the target a little bit less than I would Lewis, I would trust him more than most of the other players on the squad who only know how to short pass.

Posted from  United States

I know that everyone wants to see Twellman make the squad, Donovan as an attacking midfielder and Mastroenni as a starter, but I wouldn’t have it that way. This in my opinion is the best chance that the US has in the World Cup with the players that are presently fit.

Keller

Cherundolo Pope Onyewu Bocanegra

Olsen Reyna Beasley Lewis

Donovan McBride

Subs: Hahnemann, Howard (just barely edges Meola)
Gibbs, Albright, Convey, Mastroenni, Dempsy, Johnson, Wolff, Klein (underrated, I’d even like to see what he could do as a striker), O’brien (I assume will be “fit enough” to be a sub).

So is it Berhalter, Ching, or Casey?

No idea.

If fit Casey, otherwise I’d want to say Berhalter, but I’d have to say Ching (Berhalter while talented is too inconsistent and intimdated at this level and Ching could “break through” with the right quality service.

Posted from  United States

I rest my case about Ben Olsen.

I truly believe that Arena made the right decision to choose Ching over Twellman, but I am still concerned about Ching, Johnson, and Wolff. They need to be able to score goals and I don’t know if they can at this stage. I don’t think Twellman would have done any better in goal scoring and contrary to many opinions,I believe he would have had less of a presence in the box then any of the other three.

I expected Arena to choose Hejduk, but I still think that either Albright or Klein would have been a better choice then Hejduk.

Admittedly, I don’t know much about Conrad but I think that just like last world cup, Arena is taking too many defenders, particularly central defenders.

While I would have liked to see Klein go to the Cup(as a midfielder and maybe even as a forward), I think that it was a HUGE MISTAKE to leave Albright behind. I would have easily taken him over Hejduk or Conrad. I’ll probably always prefer Cherundolo over Albright, but Albright brought height to the right back position and more importantly is a completely versitile player. He could have played as a midfielder and most importantly, as of late, has been demonstrating his past forward-like nature. I think that he might actually have done better as a forward at scoring goals or creating problems for the opposition then Ching, Wolff, and maybe even Johnson as well.

I would still rather see Donovan play forward out of necessity, as the US has a wealth of options in the midfield. I would even be interested to see if Beasley could handle the forward spot in a sort of Brazilian meets Thierry Henry meets Fort Wayne kind of way.

I don’t know if we’ll see it this World Cup, but it is exciting to think about The Diamond out of the rough, soon to undergo polishing in 2006 to shine in 2010, that includes Donovan as attacking midfielder, Beasley as Left midfielder, Dempsey as right midfielder and Convey as defensive midfielder.

I never thought I’d say this, but I DO feel that this is a better team then 2002.

Posted from  United States

Hi! Nice site!

Posted from  Republic Of Korea

You have a great page! Please visit my homepage:

Posted from  United States

Really nice and interesting website. Thank you a lot! Would you please also visit my site?

Good site, nice design! Would you please also visit my homepage?

You have a great page! Please visit my site too:

Posted from  United States

Hi there! Your site is cool, indeed! Please also visit my site:

Posted from  United States

I liked this site, it’s neat. Good job! Visit my sites, please:

Posted from  Italy