YA's 23 Tickets

Nevzter, you dont need to beat around the bush. You can be blunt and tell us what you really think

 

IIRC a player that switches has to wait 60 days from the date they file the paperwork with FIFA. I am not positive but I believe the 60 day time period is to allow FIFA to review the application.

 

Not YA's, but.....let me make this simple, Holden should be in. End of.

Monday, July 20, 2009
By Ridge Mahoney
Senior Editor
Soccer America

Soccer America's MLS CONFIDENTIAL is a benefit for Soccer America members. It is published twice a week.

Running the rule over World Cup candidates


Not for declaration and certainly not for vindication, here's a rundown on the status of certain MLS players as they vie for spots in the 2010 World Cup squad of 23.

Much more will be known next month when Coach Bob Bradley picks his squad for the game against Mexico at Estadio Azteca, and whether Jose Francisco Torres, and perhaps Edgar Castillo if he successfully applies to switch national teams, wilt under pressure to not play against Mexico for the USA in a game that counts.

Troy Perkins has done nothing at the Gold Cup to lose the No. 3 goalkeeper shirt, and Bradley won't pick an MLS keeper to sit on the bench behind Brad Guzan and Tom Howard. It ain't over yet and a few MLS guys can certainly fill the bill but unless Perkins suffers through a shocker, the job is his if he wants it.

Left back is up in the air, so Heath Pearce has a shot, assuming he can find a club, so unless Jonathan Bornstein can make a strong push, the Chivas USA man won't make the cut, though his left-sidedness keeps him in the picture.

Crew defender Chad Marshall has a good chance, though Jonathan Spector can play in the middle as well as at right back so that brings the probabilities for Marshall down a bit and those for teammate Frankie Hedjuk as well, though Frankie's experience and energy and endurance are invaluable.

But Frankie and Steve Cherundolo can only play right back, so if Spector is the starter, can you take both of them? And if both of them go, there probably aren't enough slots for both Marshall and Jimmy Conrad. Should Conrad prove to Bradley that his 2006 play can be replicated in 2010, Conrad may go at the expense of one of those aforementioned players. The odds for Marvell Wynne and Danny Szetela, just signed by D.C. United, are slim.

Playmakers and game-breakers are in short supply, so Stuart Holden is in the mix, possibly at the expense of Sacha Kljestan. Holden is more consistent, stronger on the ball, and better defensively than Robbie Rogers, though Robbie's speed is hard to overlook and left mid is subject to review -- and Holden has played on that side far less frequently than Rogers.

There might be enough room for both Holden and Rogers but with three keepers and (probably) eight defenders to be selected, that leaves only 12 slots, with maybe three or four set aside for wide mids, where Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey currently have first call. The logjam on the outside may also shut out Santino Quaranta.

The USA is overloaded at center mid but I've been impressed with Kyle Beckerman since he moved to Real Salt Lake two years ago. Tough, relatively quick, good feet, excellent engine, decent shot. He might ace out former Rapids teammate Pablo Mastroeni, assuming Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu and Benny Feilhaber all make the cut along with the Schalke guy, Jermaine Jones.

I must admit I'm a bit bemused at all the fuss about Jones. Yes, he's played three times for Germany and in 96 Bundesliga games, yet at age 27 that's hardly a glittering resume. He may indeed turn out to be capable at the international level, yet methinks right now his reputation is riding on that peculiar wave of "players we haven't seen must be better than the guys we have" that so many fans and journalists churn up on the Internet.

He's a rugged holding mid prone to fouls and cautions (nine in 2008-09, plus two more yellow-reds, along with three goals). Schalke has hired a new coach, Felix Magath, who just led little Wolfsburg to its first Bundesliga title.

The grass on the other side of the hill isn't always greener, especially for American soccer.

Remember all the pre-1998 World Cup hoopla regarding David Wagner and Michael Mason? They played in Germany, too, debuted with great fanfare and didn't impress all that much. Jones is injured and still needs his application to be processed and approved; hopefully Coach Bob Bradley will get enough time to know if he's closer to Thomas Dooley than Mason or Wagner, and better than what's currently available.

Though remote, there's always a chance another David Regis will come out of the woodwork. And wouldn't it be ironic if Castillo did come onto the scene and heat up the competition in that same position, left back, that Regis played, and/or knock Torres and/or Michael Orozco out of the picture?

Brian Ching made the team in 2006 but didn't play. The question is still whether he can contribute in a World Cup but he's tough, honest and determined, and still holds an edge over Kenny Cooper. A good game in the Confederations Cup would have raised Ching's stock. If Cooper goes to Europe and plays and scores consistently he can move up the depth chart.

Much depends on how much and how well Eddie Johnson and Jozy Altidore play this season, pertaining to numbers as well as personnel. With Charlie Davies in the picture and the latter two in the mix, Bradley may only take those three as "forwards" with Dempsey and Donovan as options up top as well as midfield locks.

 

Based on current form I would have Holden before Rogers or Torres on my list. Of course as we get closer the the 2010 Cup I will probably look back at my list and wonder what I was drinking at the time.

 

Jagermeister??

 

My current 23

Keepers [3]: Howard, Guzan, Perkins
Defenders [8]: Gooch, Bocanegra, Demerit, Spector, 'Dolo, Bornstein, Marshall, Hejduk
Midfielders [8]: Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Edu, Feilhaber, Jones, Holden, Torres
Forwards [4]: Altidore, Davies, Ching, Johnson

Hejduk and Torres were my last selections, just to make up the 23. I wouldn't expect either one to make the field, barring major injuries/suspensions. And yeah, Adu doesn't even get a look until he starts for at least 15 games..until then, he doesn't exist to me after watching him (live) in the Gold Cup vs. Honduras. And while EJ is a surprising choice, I think he'll have a positive impact on Fulham this year and may challenge Davies for the speed-striker role.

 

Here we go again...

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mod ... nt&id=5182

 

The latest:

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mod ... nt&id=5394

I like this idea of moving Dempsey up and slotting Holden in at the right. Most powerful line-up, all things considered and assuming the worst with injuries:

-------------------------------- Howard ------------------------------

----- 'Dolomite ------- Spector ------ Boca -------- Bornstein ----

------------------------------------ Bradley --------------------------
----- Holden ----------------------------------------- Donovan -----
---------------------- Feilhaber --------------------------------------

------------- Dempsey -----------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------- Altidore -------------------


Not exactly what we were hoping for to put our best foot forward in SA, eh.

Edit: Ha! There is a joke there that is completely inappropriate and very-very not PC.

 

Ok call me hopeful but I think either DeMerit or Gooch one will be back in time for the WC so here is my best guess at the moment:


------------------------Timmy---------------------------

Spector---DeMerit or Gooch----Boca-------Bornstein

Holden-----Jones----Bradley-------Donovan

-----------Altidore-----------Dempsey--------------


Bench: Guzan, Dolo, a center back, Edu, Feilhaber, Torres, a speed option.

My guess is that BB will use Feilhaber off the bench as a game changing option and start a defensive midfielder. Clark has had his chance to shine. Edu and Jones will get a look before 2010 and if they both paly to their potential Clark will be booted from the starting lineup by one and the bench by the other.

Whoever is healthy at CB will slot in on the bench but who knows if the habitually injured DeMerit or Marshall will be healthy or if Gooch will rehab in time. If those three are not able to go I would wager Conrad will get a look.

The speed option position is wide open with Davies injury. if rogers can't grab the spot or Bob cannot find another option we may well be looking at Ching on the bench and Donovan being the speed option up front.

 

If a Costa Rican player (probably is still in hiding) whose job was to mark Bornstein had stayed with him instead of letting JB get a free run and header on the tying goal, there would be a cry never to let JB start again. Bornstein gives effort, but gets torched in every game at the international level.

Jones' paperwork has been approved. From what I've read he is a boat rocker who can be a volatile personality. Of course, being raised in Germany (lived here as an infant/toddler, but went back after the parents break up) of mixed-race heritage couldn't have been easy. I've never seen him play, but if you start for years at a club like Schalke as a defensive mid, you have to be damn good. Michael Bradley loves to make runs and gets in trouble because of it, so it seems like a natural pairing (Bob is definitely going to start his kid). We need some steel in front of what looks to be a very shaky back 4 and Jones could be the answer.

 

Bornstein is our best LB right now. Not saying he's a top quality product, but the facts are the facts. Our pool is not deep at this position.

Plus, he's capable of playing amazing games - watch USA-Argentina from the 2007 Copa America. He shut down Messi. With Boca beside him, I think he'll be ok.

 

well this isn't good news:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/s ... index.html


The look of our team for South Africa has changed way too dramatically in the last month. Walking off the field against Honduras we were potentially looking at:

------------------------------Howard-------------------------------------

-----Spector---------Onyewu-------DeMerit---------Bocanegra-------

-----Dempsey-----Bradley/Feilhaber/Clark/Torres/?-------Donovan

---------------------Altidore-------------Davies---------------------------


Now possibly......

-------------------------------------Howard-------------------------------------

--Cherundolo/Spector----Bocanegra-----DeMerit-----Spector/Bornstein--

----Holden------------Bradley/Feilhaber/Clark/Torres/?----------Donovan--

---------------------Altidore----------------Dempsey----------------------------


Not. As. Good.

 

Surely Jones starts beside Bradley? I mean how many cm's do we have that start for a team like Schalke? Even before that move, he was absolute class with Frankfurt.


I'd like to see Castillo before saying Bornstein is the definite LB. If Castillo is shit and we have to start Bornstein, then the US needs to get a draw with teams that are absolute shit on the right side.

 

He was amazing for Frankfurt and was starting for Schalke before the injury. He was even on the brink of the German team. If he's fit, he will be our best CM.

The only thing we have to worry about is if he really could care less about playing for the US, but we really don't have to worry about the talent he brings. He should go into the starting 11 right away because he's a good player and if he turns out to play like shit because he doesn't care, then bench him. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt here and say he's going to do well.