With Landon Out, Should Clint Have Been Recalled?

March 17th, 2006 | by: Daryl |

One up side to Donovan’s injury is that (as Rick suggested) it’s a chance for someone else to step up. It would have been a perfect opportunity for Clint Dempsey to really show what he can do as an attacking midfielder.

I can understand Arena’s decision to exclude Dempsey, it proves once again that he won’t stand for any messing about, but we now have just five midfielders to take across the Atlantic for the Germany game:

Bobby Convey
Chris Klein
Pablo Mastroeni
Ben Olsen
Kerry Zavagnin

Not too inspiring. Presumably Convey will play wide left and Klein wide right, leaving us with three defensive minded central midfielders.

Arena made his point about discipline by excluding Dempsey, but the Donovan injury was a perfect opportunity to recall him. Not just because it’s a great chance for ‘Deuce’ to show what he can do, but because looking at our midfield options, we need him for this game.

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http://bladesofblue.blogspot.com/ wilablog

While I understand that this would be a good opportunity for C.D., the point Bruce is making is just made all that stronger by not revoking the punishment. I’m bummed that neither of these guys will be in that game…but from a coach’s perspective, I don’t think you go back on it.
http://correira.com/2006/03/18/dempsey-reax-round-up Pseudo Corner Kick

Dempsey Reax Round Up

Not Doug Logan over at Logan’s Revenge had the same thought I had, wondering whether Bruce Arena’s concern with team chemistry might jeopardize Clint Dempsey’s status with the team. Over at the World Cup Blog, however, the sentiment s…
Trucker

Food for thought!

Any ideas about this fight having occurred at a NE Rev practice? Should it affect the National Team?

Bruce is probably right to hand out some punishment here, but there does seem some room for doubt in affecting the USA team.

Would it be the same if this happened to one of our players playing in a foreign league during a club practice in faroff Timbuktu? I doubt it.
http://none D

Please please do not let Chris Klein make the World Cup roster. He is very unreliable.
eric

I think bruce did right to stick to his point. Now it helps that Heduk has gone down and he brought in the young Benny F. this may be a first glance at the man who runs the show in the future.
Tabby

Get Kris Klein on the pitch, he holds the future of this team!
http://none D

So, is O’Brien fit? His agent says so:

“He’s completely fit,” agent Rob Jansen told YA. “Of course [he can be called up], there are no problems with that.”

Will he start?