Tuesday, November 11, 2008

U.S. MNT Call-Ups

Bob Bradley announced a 19 man roster of players called into to a camp in Colorado. As expected, most are MLS players and not everyone will get to actually see the playing roster come next week. Here is the list with some comments:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Brian Edwards (Toronto FC), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF), Matt Pickens (out of contract). Edwards is a surprise to be honest, but good for him. Perkins (formerly of DC United--the cheap bastards) just won the Norwegian League Championship over the weekend and was named player of the year for Valerenga.


DEFENDERS (6): Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Sean Franklin (Los Angeles Galaxy), Cory Gibbs (Colorado Rapids), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Drew Moor (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution). Boornstein and Parkhurst are not surprises. Gibbs and Moor I can see. I am surprised to see Sean Franklin, but as an MLS Rookie of the Year candidate, I am glad to see the young man there. I am surprised not to see Marvell Wynne.


MIDFIELDERS (5): Colin Clark (Colorado Rapids), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Nick LaBrocca (Colorado Rapids), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids). there will be some additions to this list. Kljestan, Rico Clark and Mastroeni will likely see time against Guatamala. But did Bradley just call in Colorado's starting midfield? Bradley needs to add an attacking midfielder, with Landon Donovan on a 10 day trial with Bayern Munich, it won't be Landycakes. Stuart Holden anyone? Jose Torres?


FORWARDS (5): Davy Arnaud (Kansas City Wizards), Chad Barrett (Toronto FC), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas). Can't stand to see Barrett there, but Cooper is finally on teh list and will probably get some minutes and maybe the start.

Given the relatively unimportant nature of the game, might Troy Perkins get the starting nod? I hope so. Now I know that this pool will be supplemented by MLS conference final losers and some European based players, but just on this pool, this could be a starting line-up

--------Cooper----Ching-----------

C. Clark------Kljestan-------LaBrocca
-----------Mastroeni----------------

Bornstein--Goodson--Parkhurst--Franklin

-------------Perkins--------------

Not world beaters, but not a bad crew either.

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