MLS Cup & USA Soccer

[OumaFan]

Jones and Edu are unknowns cause of injuries, well and the fact that Jones has never played for us. Beasley its just a question of does he have it together finally and I think there's reason to be cautiously optimistic that he does. Eddie is just Eddie, unless he makes drastic improvements at Fulham we know who he is and I just don't think its good enough. Fulham in their Europa games have played a lot of reserves and still Eddie isn't getting any time.

I think Tracy has a lot of potential, will he be ready to help us by the summer, I kind of doubt it but we'll see.

Holden, Benny, Beasley, Donovan and Dempsey obviously, these are all guys I'd rather have as attacking options over Adu. I think his potential is a bit overrated but meh.

I'm not totally sure about Findley over him but Findley at least is a striker which we need off the bench. Adu is just not really a striker, just an attacking mid and I like our attacking mids that I've named earlier much better.

Ching I don't love but there's a place for him on the bench since we don't really have a physical presence at striker off the bench instead of him. Now starting him is a different story.

Is Adu getting any time with a club team now? That doesn't help his case. Or Eddie's.

Is Friedel willing to play internationally again?

[Master]

Friedel is one of the best goalkeepers in the premiere league.

[El Kabong]

Oumafan, see if you get your way then the only "striker" we'll have on the team is Jozy. I think Freddy Adu can play Striker better than playing midfield at this point in time, he played striker for the U-23 side with Altidore and they had great success. No Adu isn't getting much playing time but he's worked with Jozy before and they have had success together, it was at a lower international level but I think he deserves a shot because #1 we simply don't have many quality strikers and #2 we're currently shorthanded at striker and Freddy can and has played that position and his skill set pairs well with Altidore.

Ching and Casey need never suit up for the US again IMO. Ching is horribly average, he's not really fast, he's not big, he doesn't pass or shoot in a spectacular manner and Casey is the same except only slower. They offer next to nothing. I put more value on Kenny Cooper being a striker coming off the bench than pretty much anyone else, he has the most complete game and he's big enough to help out on corners and set pieces, and if Altidore was the one injured instead of Davies he'd fit perfectly. Findley on the international level is an unknown quantity and that's why he's getting a shot, same with Tracy.

Eddie Johnson and DeMarcus Beasley are in the same boat, they've had their chances, they've blown them, and now they want back in. DeMarcus is looking great playing for Rangers but he's looked that good before and when he was put on the pitch in a USA jersey he's sucked it up. They are the two most frustrating players probably in the history of our National Team...so much potential and it's just been wasted. I remember when Johnson and Dempsey were going to be a great pairing at striker and EJ just fell off the damn face of the Earth. It would be wonderful if Beasley could play CDM for us, providing Jones doesn't wow anyone but Ricardo Clark has done a pretty good job playing there in the absence of: Edu, Jones, Beasley, etc. so I think he is going to make the team no matter what and Bradley is just looking for either someone to sub for him, protection if he gets injured, or maybe he'll let someone start over him.

[HattonTheHammer]

Oumafan, see if you get your way then the only "striker" we'll have on the team is Jozy. I think Freddy Adu can play Striker better than playing midfield at this point in time, he played striker for the U-23 side with Altidore and they had great success. No Adu isn't getting much playing time but he's worked with Jozy before and they have had success together, it was at a lower international level but I think he deserves a shot because #1 we simply don't have many quality strikers and #2 we're currently shorthanded at striker and Freddy can and has played that position and his skill set pairs well with Altidore.

Ching and Casey need never suit up for the US again IMO. Ching is horribly average, he's not really fast, he's not big, he doesn't pass or shoot in a spectacular manner and Casey is the same except only slower. They offer next to nothing. I put more value on Kenny Cooper being a striker coming off the bench than pretty much anyone else, he has the most complete game and he's big enough to help out on corners and set pieces, and if Altidore was the one injured instead of Davies he'd fit perfectly. Findley on the international level is an unknown quantity and that's why he's getting a shot, same with Tracy.

Eddie Johnson and DeMarcus Beasley are in the same boat, they've had their chances, they've blown them, and now they want back in. DeMarcus is looking great playing for Rangers but he's looked that good before and when he was put on the pitch in a USA jersey he's sucked it up. They are the two most frustrating players probably in the history of our National Team...so much potential and it's just been wasted. I remember when Johnson and Dempsey were going to be a great pairing at striker and EJ just fell off the damn face of the Earth. It would be wonderful if Beasley could play CDM for us, providing Jones doesn't wow anyone but Ricardo Clark has done a pretty good job playing there in the absence of: Edu, Jones, Beasley, etc. so I think he is going to make the team no matter what and Bradley is just looking for either someone to sub for him, protection if he gets injured, or maybe he'll let someone start over him.

Seen beasley play a few times for rangers this season and more often than not he has been the best player on the pitch. Cant say the same about johnson. For a striker he doesnt really possess great speed or power!

Any side with the likes of howard, beasley, dempsey, donovan, onyewu etc should be way too good for the likes of algeria and slovenia. And dont ever rule yourselves out of beating our lot!!

If you make the quarters youve had a good world cup
2nd round will be a dissapointment
knocked out in the 1st round and you would of had a disaster

[OumaFan]

Lyle Beasley and Johnson are not in the same boat, one guy's been a pretty good player for us albeit a frustrating one at times and the others Eddie Johnson.

And Adu isn't really good as an out and out striker, he's more of attacking mid that can play right behind a striker. Nevertheless I don't want him but if he makes the team hopefully he'll do well.

And Bob Bradley will bring Ching or Casey at the least, its just reality. He likes to have another physical type forward at least coming off the bench. We can talk about it all we want but he will bring at least one of those two almost certainly.

Of that group Altidore, Dempsey, Donovan, Findley and Ching can play striker. Maybe there should be another guy. Maybe take two out of Jones, Edu and Clark and bring someone else whether its Adu ugh, Cunningham ugh, Kenny Cooper, or preferably Charlie Davies if he made an amazing recovery.

[El Kabong]

I think you forget that EJ CAN score 39 caps 12 goals, not impressive for a striker but compare it to Beasley's 89 caps and 17 goals it's a deluge of goals. Granted they play different positions but with the way things stand right now NEED a striker and like it or not EJ is in the running as is Freddy Adu. We don't NEED a midfielder but if Beasley can correct himself that would be a nice extra to have if someone gets injured, is suspended for red cards, or to use as a sub. If Beasley can play this well for the National side then I'm all for having him...but again the NEED is at striker and not midfield unless #1 Dempsey is permenantly moved to striker (possible) or #2 Jermaine Jones & Maurice Edu aren't in shape to play.

We need to keep open minds about strikers, I just don't want Ching or Casey on the team, they don't add anything to the team. I would rather use someone brand damned new than Ching or Casey! Freddy Adu is a good player to have because he can play midfield or striker (he's more of a forward) and it saves a coach the decision to put an extra midfielder or striker on the bench.

Whatever way this ends up working out hattonthehammer is correct, the US should still advance.

[OumaFan]

A lot of those 12 goals came early in his career with us in a relatively short period of time versus not that great teams. He's been abysmal ever since. I'd rather have Ching or Casey and they are both enormously uninspiring.

[El Kabong]

A lot of those 12 goals came early in his career with us in a relatively short period of time versus not that great teams. He's been abysmal ever since. I'd rather have Ching or Casey and they are both enormously uninspiring.

Then who do you suggest as a STRIKER? I mean Beasley can't help us there.

[OumaFan]

Its awful really. I'm not even as high on Jozy as a lot of people but with this group he's a penciled in starter. Then you have Ching or Casey (I'm fine with bringing one of them, not both), Findley Cooper EJ, Cunningham, after that I have no idea.

I guess I'd take Jozy, Ching, Findley and Cooper. But it seems more and more clear that Dempsey is going to have to play up top as if he does we can replace him with Holden, Benny, Beasley, etc., quality replacements whereas they just aren't there up top.

Fuck it, see what McBride is doing Or pray that Davies makes a miraculous recovery.

I just don't see Adu as a viable option unless its maybe coming off the bench playing as an attacking mid/withdrawn striker. Part of the difference in opinion here is you think he's a striker and I really don't. The best performance I've ever seen out of Adu for the national team was as the attacking mid/playmaker when he played against Spain in a friendly before they won the Euros, with Eddie up top. Eddie was pretty poor if I remember correctly but Adu played well, very well really. But he wasn't playing as a true striker.

[El Kabong]

Altidore is the man! He's just 20 years old and he's the first big time striker the US has ever had!

McBride #1 is 38 and #2 is retired

You can only take so many strikers and Freddy Adu (unlike everyone but Dempsey) can play a decent midfield if needed. The guys we need to use are: Altidore[21 caps, 8 goals], Dempsey[59 caps, 17 goals], Adu[15 caps,2 goals], Cooper[10 caps, 4 goals], and Findley[1 cap, 0 goals]. Ching [43 caps, 10 goals] and Casey[16 caps, 2 goals] just don't add anything to offense as their numbers prove.

If Beasley can keep up his play (which I warn you hasn't been on the US National Team which was the point of contention before) then maybe we won't need Adu and could add another pure striker, but I need to see Beasley play like that for the National side before I accept him on the national team.

Our best players deserve the first opportunity to make the squad...Ching and Casey are horrible but I bet one or both make the team in place of Cooper and someone else and this will come back to haunt us.