Sunday, November 16, 2008

US Roster for Guatemala

Bob Bradley has called in 19 players ahead of the United States' final semifinal World Cup qualifier. The match means little for the US, which qualified after four games. Guatemala still has everything to play for, but with the US team will send out it will be difficult for the Central Americans to get a result.

Probably the only question mark I have is Jose Francisco Torres' omission. Pachuca missed out on the playoffs... not that Bradley couldn't have called him in no matter what but with little riding on this game Bradley doesn't have to call on all his big guns.

Anyway, this is a good blend of players, most of whom are looking for a chance to break through and get more playing time in 2009 and beyond.

G: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Troy Perkins (Valarenga), Matt Pickens (unattached)

D: Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Sean Franklin (LA Galaxy), Cory Gibbs (Colorado), Clarence Goodson (Start), Drew Moor (FC Dallas), Michael Parkhurst (New England)

M: Freddy Adu (Monaco), Ricardo Clark (Houston), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), John Thorrington (Chicago)

F: Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Davy Arnaud (Kansas City), Conor Casey (Colorado), Brian Ching (Houston), Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Chris Rolfe (Chicago)

If I'm putting together a starting lineup from this I'd go with...

Guzan; Bornstein, Gibbs, Parkhurst, Moor; Kljestan, Mastroeni, Clark, Adu; Altidore, Cooper.

I'd like to see three forwards out there and replace Mastroeni and start Ching. But I don't see that happening, even in a game that doesn't mean much.

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