US MNT Depth Chart: 7/24 Update

This is gonna become a regular thing, now that the Gold Cup, U-20 WC, and Copa America are finished. I'll keep tabs on our past, current, and future potential Gringos as they prepare for Confederations Cup and ultimately, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Are you reading Yanks Abroad? You should be. They're probably the most authoritative US soccer news source that's not in print. The same guys who run this site also run the American Soccer Daily. They really know their stuff.

Which is why I always read their "23 Bags" updates. Outside of Ives getting bored and posting his own preferences, these are the most comprehensive, informed lists of US national team depth. They've published this one well ahead of time as we don't have our international friendly in South Africa for several months, and 2010 is a few years away. Nonetheless, the article is a great assessment of the US MNT roster post-Gold Cup/Copa. I disagree that they rank Johnson higher than Ching, and that they'd still take Keller over Guzan. (Comparing Keller to Dino Zoff is just stupid.) But they're spot on about Freddy and Altidore, so at least the rest of the article's good.

(That was a relatively shameless pitch, wasn't it? Well then, let me say this: Yanks Abroad is a bunch of old ninnies who don't know a thing about decent soccer. Neener neener.)

Enjoy.

US MNT Depth Chart

According to Ives, if the World Cup were next month, here's who we could expect to be starting and who would be waiting in the wings:

US National Team A

--------------------Ching----------------------
Beasley----------Donovan----------Dempsey
--------Mastroeni-------Feilhaber-----------
Bornstein--------------------------Cherundolo
------------Onyewu----Bocanegra------------
-------------------Howard---------------------

• I don't have any arguments against this starting lineup, really. Mastroeni is the only player I'd quibble about (Bradley over Mastroeni first, then Clark) but if there were an important match coming soon, I'd expect Bob to play something along these lines.
• Ching is undoubtedly our number one. After his performances at the Gold Cup (and especially the Gold Cup final) Brian Ching has to be considered as our top-choice forward. He wasn't great, but he was better than Twellman and Johnson.
• Bornstein & Cherundolo? Well, 'Dolo's been our #1 right back for some time and I really don't think Simek or Spector were spectacular enough to warrant a change there. and I'd take Pearce over Bornstein, maybe, but I'm waiting to see how he does against the likes of Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen.
• Our depth at center back means that our centers are pretty much interchangable; Gooch and 'Negra get the start simply for having more international experience. Although, if Gooch doesn't find a team better than Liege soon, I prophesize DeMerit usurping Gooch's spot very shortly. I would be disappointed about that.
  

US National Team B

-----------Twellman-------Johnson------------
Convey------------------------------Justin Mapp
-------------Clark---------Bradley--------------
Pearce----------------------------------Hejduk
--------------Conrad----DeMerit---------------
------------------Hahnemann-------------------

Ives and I are pretty much on the same page concerning the USMNT First XI, but here's where we split.

• I'm really not okay with Twellman and Johnson starting up top, not with Justin Mapp on the right flank. Granted, I've not seen how Convey interacts with the rest of this particular squad, but I think that Twellman and Johnson really don't stand a chance without Beasley and Donovan giving them service. I would rather keep experimenting up front than waiting for Twellman to retire and Johnson to pull through. Little-known names which come to mind: Jeremiah White, Kamani Hill, Cam Weaver, Jemal Johnson, Charlie Davies, Chris Rolfe. Considering just how poor Twellman and Johnson did in the GC, we really need to spend some time inspecting these likids and finding the right fit. This should be our top priority right now.
• While I don't see Cherundolo being replaced any time soon, Hedjuk definitely seems expendable. Get him out of there. His expiration date is the 2009 Confederations Cup maybe; I really don't want to hear of Hedjuk any more after that. If it's going on January 2008 and Simek and Spector are both doing well, I'll start a petition for Hedjuk to retire.
  
  

US National Team C

-------------Cooper--------Rolfe----------------
Nguyen------------------------------------Ralston
------------Beckerman----Kljestan-------------
E. Lewis------------------------------------Spector
------------Parkhurst-----C. Gibbs---------------
---------------------Guzan------------------------

• I'm in the dark about how Kenny Cooper is recovering and I'd rather see Bradley try some other options up front anyways (I'm all for giving Josh Wolff another try, despite his criticisms). At this point I wouldn't mind seeing some of our youth players creep into the fold -- Altidore over Cooper or Johann Smith over Ralston. I like Nguyen, Eddie Lewis, Spector, and Guzan where they are.

US National Team D

-------------Wolff--------Altidore-----------
H. Gomez-----------------------------J. Smith
-----------------Edu-------Olsen---------------
Barrett-----------------------------------Simek
------------Boswell----------Califf--------------
---------------------Cannon---------------------

• Simek being America's fourth-choice right back is outrageous. That's just stupid. Didn't he show well when Bradley slotted him at left back vs. Ecuador? Simek deserves better.
• Perkins or Seitz over Cannon, maybe.
• I like Smith and Altidore and Wolff and Olsen and Edu. Gomez and Barrett concern me, as does Boswell.