all time USA best XI

He didn't play LB for the US, but John O'Brien mainly played LB for Ajax.

 

Anything prior to 2006, I have to rely on other people's opinion. However, why not Lalas at CB?

I agree with Heather on Keller for goalkeeper, but that is mostly because I like him better than Friedel.

Also you know I want Beasley in there so you could put him at LB. These types of "best" lineups always require some compromises.

 

Starters
gk: Kasey Keller - leader in appearances, wins and shut outs I do believe
rb: 'Dolo - yes I am a 'Dolo cheerleader
cb: Lalas - I think at his best he was better than Pope and sitting next to Boca would give him cover
cb: Boca - Mr. Reliable
lb: Caligiuri - I am going to be the Klinsmann of the board and play my defensive mf out of position because he has to be on this team.
rw: Donovan - I am not going to be the Klinsman of the board in this case.
cm: Reyna - Thank you Mr. Obvious
cm: Ramos - I think before he is done Bradley supplants one of these two.
lw: Dempsey - Got to have some Duece face
f: Wynalda - The man could score but Jozy will push him off the list one day I think.
f: McBride - McPride when he pulled on the US shirt.

Bench
gk: Friedel - Great run in 2002 can Howard do it in 2014
d: Pope - Can't go wrong here
d: Balboa - I wanted to say Hejduk but I just couldn't
mf: Harkes - Good thing his life didn't end with his captaincy
mf: Cobi "no way he can be left of this team" Jones
f: Joe-Max Moore - Don't get too comfortable on the seat Joe because Jozy is coming.

Coach: Bruce Arena

I also know that Thomas Dooley and John O'Brien should probably be on this team somewhere

 

Depending on how you look at it, the best XI that have played for the Nats is slightly different than the best XI Americans, so I'll go w/the former:

GK: Coin toss w/Friedel over Keller. Howard as third string even though it's hard not to put Tony Meola somewhere on the roster

LB: Lax beat me to it, O'Brien played LB at Ajax and was as talented as any US player ever, but sadly a litany of injuries left his career unfulfilled. Would have to slide Boca out there w/Eddie Lewis and O'Brien on the bench.

CB: Would start Balboa and Lalas. It's been nearly 20 years, and it's distressing they are still the best we've produced. Pope as a backup for sure w/a special mention to Cory Gibbs who was a fantastic CB and had his Premier League career ended before it started when he blew out his knee in preseason training after signing w/Charlton.

RB: Dolo fo sho.

Mids: Would start 5. Donovan, Ramos, Dempsey, Reyna, and the original German-American Thomas Dooley as the defensive mid.

Forwards: Like it would be anybody but Iron Head McBride.

Other bench: Wynalda, Cobi, Michael Bradley, Harkes, Tony Sanneh, Jozy, and Joe Max. Pablo Maestroni and Josh Wolf as alternates.

 

Wow, I love these threads, great posts...and yet, time is defying me tonight to slap together a coherent post but I'll try: it'd essentially mirror the others above regarding strikers and midfielders. Except that, Boca is my CB - Pope, Lalas, Balboa have to fight for the other spot. Also, Beasley slots into my first XI - he's done too much over the years to be ignored and continues to contribute at LB now...some 10+ years later. My quandary is who out of Wynalda, Dempsey and McBride start in a 442 if Beasley is LW - Reyna & Bradley carry the midfield (Ramos was superb and blazed international trails, but Bradley is already only second to Reyna in midfielders I've seen in my lifetime and probably will be first in a years time) and Donovan is RW, but that pushes Demps up top to partner with Wynalda or McBride or vice versa.

I went with JOB at LB (great point about Ajax) - Lewis was solid, but not quite there and unless I throw out Bornstein, can't think of a significant standout at LB.. Dolo' an automatic starter.

Keller v. Friedel? Both brilliant, but for the sake of my heart strings, I'll take Mr. Howard as No. 1. Please feel free to discuss...

COUSMNT

 

Should of had Da Beas on the roster.

Forgot to add the coach. Who would I rather be in a foxhole with? Who would I want to coach my kid? Who would I prefer to have dinner with? Bradley by far, but the coach has to be Bruce Arena. By far the most accomplished manager the US has seen: 5 ncaa titles, 4 MLS titles, 2 Gold Cup titles, Concacaf Champions League title, and most importantly guided the team to the quarterfinals of the WC where they thoroughly outplayed Germany for most of the match and got hosed by non handball call.