US Team selection a mess

There's some locks for positions on the team, but the squad perspective wasnt helped a bit by the US Jamaica 'friendly' that was supposed to be a 'tuneup/sifting' game for the Nats.

Ben Olsen scored on a quick restart that caught the Reggae Boyz by surprise or else Meola's tribute match (100 caps, 18 years, with this game) would have been mainly a testimony as to why he no longer figures in.
So the Keepers are pretty much set - Keller, Howard, and probably Hahnemann (go figger!). So there will be no MLS keepers along for the first time since the League began.

Arena found that the MLS players were, largely, not in the shape they should have been given the long MLS runup to the season. Thus he had to delay making final squad picks to see how they played out the month with their clubs.
- I attribute a lot of this to ridiculous pre-season scheduling all over the place. And too much play against college teams.

Whether he's found enough players for the back line is also questionable. Frankie Hejduk didnt have a good game, nor during the first half against the Fire. Boca hasnt played in some time and Bruce has shown before that, if Chris doesnt see fit to play him, then he probably wont either. Added to that, he also surely had an eye on Jonathon Spector's performance against McBride and company on Saturday.

The only locks, then, are Onyewu, Cherundolo, Pope (oh please just the bench) and a whole gaggle of guys on the cusp.

Makes our Midfielders and Forwards look positively brilliant as to choices available. But I caution against those who are sure that Eddie Johnson will stand out. His flare-up of international scoring last year was largely against -ahem- bums! Midfield: Landon Donovan, certainly will be the 'playmaker' and Beasely in there for the 'danger' factor.