OT: US Soccer Qualifiers Have Me More Freaked Out than Cuse & March Madness

[kingtidge]

For those that follow national team soccer...

Our defensive pool is absolutely decimated by injuries...

This line-up and backline (in particular) look like a recipe for disaster. The next hex qualifier a must-win v. Costa Rica in Denver this friday and away @ Mexico in Assteca on Tues., we are in for dicey ride this week... (also - do gloss over the last bullet point at bottom :-/

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (World Cup qualifying Caps/Goals) – Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa - 5/3 SO), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire – 0/0), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake – 0/0)
DEFENDERS (6): Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake – 0/0), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City – 0/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City – 6/0), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy – 1/0), Clarence Goodson (Brondby – 5/0), Justin Morrow (San Jose Earthquakes – 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla – 26/6), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake – 2/0), Michael Bradley (Roma – 20/5), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana – 1/0), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor – 10/0), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04 – 6/0), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht – 13/0), Brek Shea (Stoke City – 2/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City – 4/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar – 18/6), Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna – 2/0), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur – 27/11), Herculez Gomez (Santos – 6/2), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders FC – 12/10)

The U.S. team has been hit with a rash of injuries as eight players are unavailable for the matches. Edgar Castillo (facial fractures), Timmy Chandler (hamstring), Steve Cherundolo (knee), Tim Howard (back), Fabian Johnson (hip), Jonathan Spector (ankle), Jose Torres (hamstring) and Danny Williams (illness).
The U.S. is playing a World Cup qualifier at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for the second time, having won 2-0 on Nov. 19, 2008, against Guatemala. As part of the event, U.S. Soccer is hosting a series of fan activities including a Pep Rally on March 21 at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Denver.
ROSTER NOTES

• Clint Dempsey has six goals in World Cup qualifying in this cycle and 11 overall, good for second place on the USA’s all-time list.
• Eddie Johnson has 10 career goals in qualifying to his credit, tied for third all-time with Brian McBride.
• Jozy Altidore has tallied 18 goals in league play and 25 in all competitions for AZ Alkmaar this season.
• Herculez Gomez is also tearing it up for Santos, with nine goals in all competitions. Gomez potted a pair during the Semifinal Round, including the game-winner against Jamaica on Sept. 11 in Columbus.
• Dempsey is the only player to appear in all seven matches in this qualifying cycle.
• Brad Guzan has three shutouts in five matches played in qualifying in his career, posting a 3-1-1 record. Guzan started in the 2-0 win against Guatemala on Nov. 19, 2008, here at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
• Jermaine Jones led all U.S. field players in games played (12) and minutes (1,002) in 2012.
• Entering 2012 with only one previous cap, Geoff Cameron ended the year with the second-most minutes played in the field.
• DaMarcus Beasley has 26 career caps in World Cup qualifying, tied with Jeff Agoos for fifth most in U.S. history. He sits on 97 appearances overall.
• Eight players from the January camp roster earned a spot on the roster – Kyle Beckerman, Tony Beltran, Matt Besler, Omar Gonzalez, Eddie Johnson, Sean Johnson, Justin Morrow and Graham Zusi. Beckerman served as team captain in the 0-0 draw against Canada.
• Joe Corona has been a regular starter for Liga MX champion Club Tijuana, which has jumped out to a lead in Group 5 of the Copa Libertadores.
• Four players are carrying yellow cards: Michael Bradley, Dempsey, Maurice Edu and Zusi. Their next caution will result in a one-match suspension.

 

[djcon57]

Need Omar to step up

 

[Timonen]

For those that follow national team soccer...

Our defensive pool is absolutely decimated by injuries...

This line-up and backline (in particular) look like a recipe for disaster. The next hex qualifier a must-win v. Costa Rica in Denver this friday and away @ Mexico in Assteca on Tues., we are in for dicey ride this week... (also - do gloss over the last bullet point at bottom :-/

the back is a mess. win on friday and a result in azteca is house money. wouldn't win there anyway. then hopefully get healthy. definitely more scary this year than usual...and it's not like last time was a piece of cake.

 

[OrangeBlood]

I trust no one on the back end besides Cameron. HUGE mess.

We would do well to split these two, i see little to no chance we win at Azteca with that lineup.

BTW can some one update me on Donovan? Is he officialy done with USMNT?

 

[kingtidge]

the back is a mess. win on friday and a result in azteca is house money. wouldn't win there anyway. then hopefully get healthy. definitely more scary this year than usual...and it's not like last time was a piece of cake.

Problem is, with that backline, a win on Friday would be punching above our weightclass...

The 5 defenders have a total of 12 WCQ appearances combined...

 

[kingtidge]

I trust no one on the back end besides Cameron. HUGE mess.

We would do well to split these two, i see little to no chance we win at Azteca with that lineup.

BTW can some one update me on Donovan? Is he officialy done with USMNT?

No - Donovan said he wants to come back.

I believe he just started training again with LA and won't even be on the field for them until sometime in April... so if he comes back for the USMNT, it won't be until next round...

 

[jekelish]

At this point, I'll be a bit stunned if we qualify for the World Cup. We are absolutely treading water while everyone around us in CONCACAF is getting better.

I also think it's an absolute mistake to have dropped Bocanegra from the roster. He's old but his experience and leadership would have been so freaking important for our young defenders.

 

[Alsacs]

If Beckerman starts on Friday in Denver I will be nervous. Klinsman and the US needs 3 points against Costa Rica because we aren't winning/drawing in Azteca. If we get 3 points from these 2 games I will be ecstatic. Bradley and Dempsey each have a yellow and neither can pick one up on Friday. Klinsman needs to be super aggressive on Friday and get the points.

 

[kingtidge]

At this point, I'll be a bit stunned if we qualify for the World Cup. We are absolutely treading water while everyone around us in CONCACAF is getting better.

Yeah - dicey for sure... but have to remember that we were in similar straights in 2002 WCQ... and after we qualified by the skin of our teeth, went to the WC for the deepest run ever for a US squad...

But I agree, we are gonna need some serious luck to get 3 points out of this round.

 

[bnoro]

Not sure what Klinsmann is thinking. Damarcus Beasley? What year are we in?

Sick of Jermaine Jones, not sure what he brings to the table besides dumb challenges and poor passing. Hope we can somehow just outscore teams because we aren't getting a clean sheet with that back line.

 

[ImperialOrange]

The 5 defenders have a total of 12 WCQ appearances combined...

Guzan has been playing great @ Villa and he plays every game there with suspect defenders in front of him.

 

[Bortukal]

Not sure what Klinsmann is thinking. Damarcus Beasley? What year are we in?

Sick of Jermaine Jones, not sure what he brings to the table besides dumb challenges and poor passing. Hope we can somehow just outscore teams because we aren't getting a clean sheet with that back line.

Jurgen has an affinity for the German players, unfortunately. I can't stand Jones.

We need to squeeze every ounce of leadership we can out of Bradley. Dempsey needs to work some magic up front.

 

[jekelish]

If Beckerman starts on Friday in Denver I will be nervous. Klinsman and the US needs 3 points against Costa Rica because we aren't winning/drawing in Azteca. If we get 3 points from these 2 games I will be ecstatic. Bradley and Dempsey each have a yellow and neither can pick one up on Friday. Klinsman needs to be super aggressive on Friday and get the points.

If Beckerman starts I'm going to shoot someone. He's freaking awful. I will never understand what anyone sees in him. He's two steps too slow, he's not particularly good technically, and he's just flat out not very good in general. The fact that he's anywhere near our roster tells you all you need to know about how close we are to really becoming a soccer power.

 

[kingtidge]

Jurgen has an affinity for the German players, unfortunately. I can't stand Jones.

We need to squeeze every ounce of leadership we can out of Bradley. Dempsey needs to work some magic up front.

I don't have a problem with Jones... he is what he is... a defensive middy... our problem is we lack decent wing middies, so the link-up play and forward service is bad...

When Donovan and Holden were playing in wing roles, we were very competent there... no one has been able to step in and perform adequately and consistently on wing since...

 

[PeteCalvin]

Klinsman should borrow Abby Wambach for a game or two.

 

[Alsacs]

Not sure what Klinsmann is thinking. Damarcus Beasley? What year are we in?

Sick of Jermaine Jones, not sure what he brings to the table besides dumb challenges and poor passing. Hope we can somehow just outscore teams because we aren't getting a clean sheet with that back line.

You can already book Jones for a yellow because he is always too aggressive in his challenges and gets a ton of yellows. Either Dempsey or Jones will be Captain for these games. However, Jones is one the few players who can pass well in the midfield and set Dempsey up. His pass to in Honduras was great and Dempsey put it away. This team needs a win against Costa Rica then I play 0-0-11 in Azteca and try to get a draw against Mexico. I think the Beasley selection is lightning in a bottle, I don't like it but Eddie Johnson had those 2 goals in against that Caribbean country in the fall.

 

[jekelish]

Also, I admit that I don't pay as much attention as many, but can anyone tell me why Benny Feilhaber never really gets much of a chance? He's still young, and at the last World Cup I thought he looked pretty solid in limited minutes.

Is there any particular reason why he's never a part of our national roster anymore? Injuries? Klinsmann doesn't like him? Maybe his performances that I've seen were just flash in the pan?

 

[bnoro]

If Beckerman starts I'm going to shoot someone. He's freaking awful. I will never understand what anyone sees in him. He's two steps too slow, he's not particularly good technically, and he's just flat out not very good in general. The fact that he's anywhere near our roster tells you all you need to know about how close we are to really becoming a soccer power.

I actually don't hate Beckerman. Think if we were playing a one touch quick passing style he'd be a good link up man and pace setter. Unfortunately we don't have players that fit that style so it's pointless. Would have liked to see Gatt on the wings, Wondo over Boyd (although if Boyd's not cap-tied I'm fine with it).

Is Chandler hurt? If not why is he not in camp?

Kliejstan and Lichaj deserve a shot as well.

 

[DeGrozz]

On the bright side:

CR is not the CR of the past. I think it is one of the two weakest teams this round, so we should still expect a result at home. Also, Mexico probably wouldn't drop points to our best team in Mexico City. So, I think now is the best time to go through this, if we have to.

 

[Tcuse]

Is there any TV for these games, find nothing

 

[Alsacs]

Is there any TV for these games, find nothing

Both the Friday game is 10pm on ESPN2 and Mexico game is Tuesday on ESPN.

 

[Upstate]

I think some of the problems include guys overseas not seeing time, which is kind of ruining the player pool

 

[Bortukal]

Also, I admit that I don't pay as much attention as many, but can anyone tell me why Benny Feilhaber never really gets much of a chance? He's still young, and at the last World Cup I thought he looked pretty solid in limited minutes.

Is there any particular reason why he's never a part of our national roster anymore? Injuries? Klinsmann doesn't like him? Maybe his performances that I've seen were just flash in the pan?

I think the feeling on Benny and Wondo is they've had their chances at the international level and haven't sufficiently capitalized.


Their performances lately in MLS warrant another look, IMO.

 

[kingtidge]

I think the feeling on Benny and Wondo is they've had their chances at the international level and haven't sufficiently capitalized.


Their performances lately in MLS warrant another look, IMO.

OK... yet Eddie Johnson is ressurected for the upteenth time?

Actually, I think Bennie's problems are:

1. When he plays well offensively, he's good. When he plays bad, he struggles to make basic passes. inconsistent.

2. He's a defensive liability... There's lacking defense due to forward possession / high-line focused play and then there is purposeful dogging it on D and not making much to any effort... Benny has been caught doing that more than once.

 

[OrangeFoo]

I coming to terms with the fact that for the first time since 1986 there is a pretty decent chance we might miss the world cup.

My best case scenario we get 1 point from a miserable game against CR and lost to Mexico and Klinsmann gets canned and we bring back Bradley and get into the 4th place playoff against south america. BTW I absolutely could not stand RoboBob but this is what it has come down to.

Here is an interesting question for soccer fans... is this sudden rash of "injuries" real or players not wanting to play for Klinsie? Is Donovan in Asia right now because he needs a break or because of Klinsie?