Roster Released for Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago Matches

Bob Bradley has released the roster for the next rounds of World Cup Qualifying, and it goes a little something like this…

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 4/3 SO)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 14/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 16/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 12/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 9/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 3/0), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC: 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 17/4), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen: 3/1), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 1/0), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 2/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 1/0), Eddie Lewis (Los Angeles Galaxy: 20/3)
FORWARDS (4): Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 8/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 22/8), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 9/2), Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City: 8/8)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

Oh, and although Kenny Cooper failed to be called up yet again, up and comer Mark Liskevych of Chicago was given the call to be the Video Coordinator for these fixtures. I hear Mark’s first touch is lacking and finishing ability is nothing to be proud of, yet he does have the ability to set a nice highlight film to the soundtrack of 300. A useful task for anyone to take note of.

Moving on.

Some interesting tidbits of note…

-NO KENNY COOPER!?!? Yes it’s true. And while I didn’t have my diaper in a huge bunch over this for the past month like others have, now it is getting a little curious. I mean, FranknCooper is on fire in the MLS; and while it is the MLS, Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson are showing nothing in the English leagues right now. Not to mention Brian Ching, a fellow MLSer, is getting call ups over Cooper, who is clearly in the better form. But you can’t be surprised that Bradley wants to role with the experience card here can you? It’s been quite some time since that interim tag was lifted; I think we have a pretty good handle on how the guy thinks by now.

-Michael Orozco, Really? If Bob Bradley insists, just work on keeping your elbows to yourself and we’ll build from that point, buddy.

-A Club Double Standard? On one hand, we have the newly transferred Maurice Edu of Rangers being called in just as he is trying to settle in at his new club. On the other, we find Freddy Adu and Jozy Altidore left off the roster, after having just joined new squads themselves. Suddenly the same old excuse of “letting them settle” at their new clubs does not apply. While it does make sense to have them stay in their European camps, I don’t see why Maurice Edu was called up while these two weren’t. Obviously Mo is a great player and he deserves to be there, but it does make you think about what Bob Bradley has going on in that big bald dome of his.

Does he really think Adu isn’t good enough to play in these games because he works out of a skill position and is not simply asked to stalwart the opposing teams attack while maintaining possession as much as possible in anyway possible? Can Altidore not handle the monumental challenge of facing a global soccer giant such as Cuba or Trinidad and Tobago? I simply don’t get it.

That said the past run of results is nothing to criticize him over.

And then Ives is spitting insider tease like this,

As for Altidore, there may be more to his exclusion than meets the eye. I have heard some rumblings about why he was left off that I need to do some more digging on. The story coming out of the Olympics was that he was slowed by an ankle injury, but the injury doesn’t seem to be affecting his transition to Villarreal.

Whatever that means, it doesn’t exactly have a positive spin on it. Even more disturbing is the fact that the USA roster’s are consistently littered with Euro club players in much worse form than these two could possibly be in.

-It’s Not All Doom and Gloom Some positives to take from this roster include speed demon Marvell Wynne getting his first look at World Cup Qualifying from up close and personal. This kid has been steadily improving for some time now, and if he manages to stay on this path he is going to find himself with a nice European contract and shot at the right back spot going forward.

Run DMB also looks to make a full fledged return on the scene, after being limited to a sub’s role, yet not a regular sub’s impact, in the last round against Guatemala.

Be on the lookout for Michael Bradley and Gooch Onyewu to possibly be on the move prior to these fixtures. Transfer window closes Sept 1.

Ok, what do you guys think of the roster? Tired of Bob Bradley’s roster choosing tactics? Curious about the Adu and Altidore situation?

Give us your thoughts in the comments, or if you are in the mood for a more extended discussion, visit the brand spankin new World Cup Blog forums.