Thirty Minus Seven: USMNT World Cup Roster Battles

Seven of these faces won’t be smiling on June 2.

by Roderick MacNeil

Jurgen Klinsmann’s much anticipated 30-man Preliminary Roster, unveiled earlier this week, has convened in Northern California for an extended pre-World Cup training camp. From that exclusive group, only 23 will emerge to make the Final Roster.

There were some surprises in the 30-man group: Defender Timothy Chandler, who hasn’t appeared in a USMNT match since February 2013, and midfielder Joe Corona, who hasn’t seen the field since an August 2013 substitute appearance vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina, both add intrigue and deepen the competition in training camp.

The most notable omission by far was Eddie Johnson, who was the team’s second-leading goalscorer throughout World Cup Qualifying. His absence may provide clues about other players’ chances at the final roster. More on that later. Others that figured prominently in qualifying that missed the cut: midfielders Sacha Kljestan and Brek Shea, defender Michael Orozco, along with the recently surging forward Juan Agudelo.

The final selections also featured a nod towards youth, as 18-year-old Julian Green, 20-year-old DeAndre Yedlin, and 21-year-old John Brooks all made the first cut.

Another significant group in camp: a trio of players who returned to Major League Soccer with the explicit purpose of improving their chances at making the World Cup: Maurice Edu, Michael Parkhurst and Clarence Goodson. So far, so good, for all three.

With all this in mind, let’s break down the roster and locate key positional battles that will determine who goes home on June 2, and who finds a seat on the plane to Sao Paulo:

LOCKS

First let’s get the automatic rock-solid locks out of the way. These are players believed, barring injury, to be virtually assured (>90% likely) of a place on the final 23-man World Cup roster. Jurgen Klinsmann hasn’t given any assurances, but I’ll give them mine. Any of these players being left off the final roster would be an utterly shocking development. Fifteen (15) Players fall into this category. Goalkeepers are in ranked order; the rest in alphabetical order by primary USMNT roster position:

Goalkeepers:
1. Tim Howard (Everton) – The unquestioned starter in goal, Howard’s leadership & experience are invaluable.
2. Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) – Ready to step in if called upon, Guzan’s time will come soon enough.
3. Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) – The best MLS has to offer, reaches his first World Cup at age 34.

Defenders:
4. DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla FC) – A fixture at left back throughout qualifying, a key veteran presence and likely starter.
5. Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City) – After Howard & Bradley, perhaps the most secure member of the Starting XI. Besler’s been very impressive.
6. Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) – Starter or substitute, defense or midfield, Cameron will play a role.
7. Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy) – Apparent starter, needs to show more, but his place is not in doubt.
8. Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim 1899) – Potential starter in at least three different positions; will see plenty of minutes.

Midfielders:
9. Alejandro Bedoya (FC Nantes) – A Klinsmann favorite, will be among the first off the bench.
10. Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) – The engine, the key to it all. USMNT success demands a strong Bradley World Cup.
11. Jermaine Jones (Besiktas) – Part of JK’s “spine,” a starting role in central midfield is his to lose.
12. Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) – Pencil him into the starting right midfield role. Nah, write it in ink.

Forwards:
13. Jozy Altidore (Sunderland) – Clean slate after a rough EPL campaign. He’s the man up top, and rightfully so.
14. Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC) – Remember when people were worried about Clint Dempsey?
15. Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy) – Looking like less the guaranteed starter once thought, but he’s too valuable to leave home. Still a difference maker.

 

FAVORITES

The next group of players are those believed very likely (>75%) to make the final roster.  Some are nearer to the “Lock” category than others. The omission of any of these players would be unexpected, but perhaps not entirely shocking. Three (3) players fall into this category, again, listed alphabetically by position:

Defender:
16. Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes) – As near to the “Lock” category as could be. Center back depth is thin and he’s been a consistent part of the rotation. If John Brooks were ready, Goodson might be looking over his shoulder. Not yet.

Midfielder:
17. Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake) – Impressed in extended starting minutes in both the Gold Cup and numerous friendlies; has earned JK’s confidence. Maurice Edu will push him, but not enough to threaten his place on the roster.

Forward:
18. Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar) – Conventional wisdom says he’s a lock. I’m not convinced the separation he’s created on the depth chart is as large as most observers believe. Still, he would be a surprising exclusion. The effort to get AJ to switch from Iceland to the U.S. had 2014 well in mind.

 

PROBABLES

These are the players who are in strong position (>60% likely) to make the final roster, but still face substantial competition in training camp. The exclusion of these players would be somewhat unexpected, but still entirely possible. Two (2) players fall into this category:

Defenders:

19. Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC) – Klinsmann’s first choice right back for nearly a full year now. He’s going to Brazil and probably starts. Increased competition in camp raises some eyebrows, but he’ll get the nod. The argument against Evans typically boils down to this: He plays in MLS (in contrast to competitors in the EPL & Bundesliga) and he plays midfield for his club. Yet those two facts are not a problem to Klinsmann. Then consider this fact: Ever since Evans’ first USMNT start (last June vs. Germany), Klinsmann has never selected another player ahead of a healthy Evans. That’s not a band-aid solution, it’s a clear preference.

20. Michael Parkhurst (Columbus Crew) – Versatile, experienced, and has featured regularly. He brings too much to the table to ignore. He can play anywhere across the back line. On a roster that values players who can play different positions, Parkhurst has a place.

 

BUBBLES

These are the last few players on the Final 23-man Roster. They are only slightly better than 50% likely to make the cut. The exclusion of any of these players would not be greatly surprising, as the competition is close with those on the wrong side of the bubble. Three (3) players fall into this category:

Midfielders:

21. Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg BK) – Makes the roster largely based upon the lack of depth at his position, despite concerns over reduced club minutes in Norway. However, there’s a glaring need for a player capable of backing up Michael Bradley. Mix isn’t truly the ideal answer, but he’s been serviceable and is the best suited of any player on the roster to step in and provide a creative presence. He’ll be pushed by Joe Corona in camp, but there’s a reason why Diskerud has been such a consistent call-up under Klinsmann. I’ve been down on Mix lately, but it’s become increasingly clear that he fills an important need.

22. Julian Green (Bayern Munich II) – The effort to land Green *now* wasn’t for naught. He’s going to the World Cup barring a disastrous camp. Perhaps he was unofficially promised a roster spot, perhaps not. What we do know is that Green possesses a skill set that no one else in the current player pool can replicate. He’s far from a finished product, but his talent is significant enough to be a difference maker in Brazil, even as a substitute. The team will benefit both now and in the future by having him around this summer.

Forward:

23. Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna) – Boyd’s World Cup chances were left for dead a couple of months ago, and I didn’t disagree at the time. Three significant developments have since changed the equation in Boyd’s favor: 1) First and foremost, he elevated his level of club play tremendously, scoring 6 times in his last 4 games, totaling 20 on the season; 2) The elimination of Eddie Johnson from the roster leaves Boyd as the most likely backup to Jozy Altidore: a target forward who utilizes his size and strength to maintain possession, and whose presence occupies defenders and opens up space for Clint Dempsey & Co.; 3) Landon Donovan, viewed as a forward, marginalizes the value of Chris Wondolowski. If Donovan isn’t a starter and your need off the bench is a poacher who can score goals with savviness and smart positioning, then Donovan is always your choice over Wondo. Therefore, Boyd’s skill set is a more valuable and distinct asset, and Wondolowski is unfortunately out.

 

CUTS

These players are less than 50% likely to make it to Brazil. Nearly all are in close battles to make the final roster. Seven (7) players fall in this category, and thusly, are the ones I expect to be sent home on June 2:

24. Chris Wondolowski, Forward (San Jose Earthquakes) – Wondo is probably the most difficult cut to make. You could easily argue that he’s earned a spot, and it seems he’s done everything asked of him. He’s scored goals consistently for both club and country, the latter of which isn’t something that fellow forwards Johannsson and Boyd can claim. Nonetheless, the roster calculus works against him, as pointed out above regarding Terrence Boyd.

25. Maurice Edu, Midfielder (Philadelphia Union) – His return to MLS has done wonders for his candidacy to even make it this far. He needs a strong camp and could certainly impress enough to edge somebody out. Unfortunately for Edu, it looks like that person would have to be Kyle Beckerman, who at this point is downright entrenched in the midfield rotation. Edu’s versatility is a plus; he can slide into central defense if called upon, but that’s not a large enough need to punch his ticket. He’s third on the depth chart at CDM, and there are already five others on the roster who can play center back. It’d be great to have Mo around, but there just isn’t room.

26. Timothy Chandler, Defender (FC Nurnberg) -This is also among the more difficult cuts. Chandler has a cult following among USMNT supporters, and with good reason. He’s a regular starter at a Bundesliga club, and as an attacking fullback with speed, is probably the ideal fit for Jurgen Klinsmann’s style of play. If only it were that simple. Chandler hasn’t made an appearance with the national team in over 15 months. Regardless of the reasons, it’s difficult to insert a player into your lineup into such an important position at this late a date who hasn’t been part of your team for so long. There are also injury concerns. Chandler just returned from a torn meniscus suffered in February. A year ago he tore a knee ligament. Is he reliably healthy enough to take up a valuable roster spot? I view Chandler’s 2014 candidacy as one of hope, but not one of reality.

27. Brad Davis, Midfielder (Houston Dynamo) – If the roster had room for a specialist, I’d take Brad Davis in a heartbeat. You can’t mention his name without including a reference to his left foot and quality set piece service. That’s not enough to get him to Brazil. Whether it’s Graham Zusi, Michael Bradley or Landon Donovan on the ball, I’m comfortable that set pieces are in good hands. The clincher in Davis’s exclusion is the arrival of Julian Green. If Green is going, Davis is not. There isn’t room for both.

28. Joe Corona, Midfielder (Club Tijuana) – Corona’s path to the final roster comes via beating out Mix Diskerud. If Mix comes in and has a poor camp, there’s an opportunity for Corona. If total appearances and minutes over the past year are an indication of Klinsmann’s preference, you would conclude Diskerud is higher on the depth chart, and there isn’t much recent evidence to suggest Corona’s been able to change that. I’m left with the impression that Corona is here to provide some level of competition, but that it’s Diskerud’s spot to lose.

29. DeAndre Yedlin, Defender (Seattle Sounders FC) – I don’t subscribe to the theory that Yedlin is just here for the experience with a look towards 2018. Certainly that’s a side benefit, but make no mistake, Yedlin is here because Klinsmann believes he can win a roster spot. That said, he seems a long shot this time around. There’s an argument to be made that Yedlin’s speed, youth and fitness could prove valuable off the bench, particularly in the high humidity expected in Manaus. The image of him chasing down Cristiano Ronaldo is an intriguing one, to be sure. Yedlin’s game is deeper than that and has evolved considerably since making his MLS debut, but the sense here is that 2014 isn’t his time yet. He’d likely have to beat out both Brad Evans and Timothy Chandler and he only plays one position (so far?), so that’s hard to foresee. His time is soon, but not now.

30. John Brooks, Defender (Hertha Berlin) – Brooks is another player I wrote off in March after a dismal performance against Ukraine. A return to regular starting club minutes, and more importantly, an impressive level of play, earned Brooks an invitation to camp. “Potential” is still the most apt word that comes to mind with Brooks, as he’s a player that projects to be a fixture of the USMNT central defense for many years to come. But it would still take an extraordinarily dominant camp performance to make the final roster. There’s a lot to like about Brooks’ game, but it’s still difficult to feel comfortable depending on him at the international level, much less against the likes of Portugal and Germany.

 

One thing is very clear looking at this 30-man roster, along with the players who didn’t make it to Stanford: Jurgen Klinsmann has succeeded in cultivating a deeper pool of players than the USMNT has ever seen before. The competition at each position is strong, and that can only be a good thing going forward. Whichever 23 men suit up this summer, each one will have earned his spot. There are many legitimate concerns to discuss ahead of this year’s World Cup, but complacency is not among them.

 

 

 

 

 

Ukraine Tops USMNT 2:0 – What We Learned in Cyprus

by Roderick MacNeil

Edgar Castillo and the USMNT searched in vain for answers vs Ukraine. (Kyle Rivas photo)

Against one of the more surreal sporting backdrops in recent memory, the United States Men’s National Team was shredded by a dynamic Ukrainian side in Larnaca, Cyprus Wednesday by a 2:0 margin. The Americans looked truly fortunate not to lose by 4 or 5 goals. The sparse gathering of about 1,500 spectators that wandered into Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium saw an incohesive USMNT backline repeatedly ripped apart, and a punchless attack unable to sustain any sort of pressure. For head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who had the best view of all, the result was far less important than the individual performances. We won’t find out until June what he’s concluded, but we have our own eyes.

Who’s not going to Brazil?

Oguchi Onyewu – Gooch is just too far past it. His late push for the World Cup roster made him a sentimental favorite for longtime USMNT fans, but the reality is that he’s no longer the player he once was. A player of his experience needed to step forward and take a leadership role in organizing the back line. Instead, he looked as lost as anyone. We recognize that he hadn’t played together with his fellow defenders before, but as the senior figure in central defense, he needed to come up with some answers, and he couldn’t do that.

John Brooks – At 21 years old, there’s still a bright future ahead for Brooks. Yesterday he showed us that his talent is still too raw to rely upon in the World Cup. Brooks was out position far too often. On several occasions his great athletic ability was good enough to recover and break up a scoring chance; he’s learning. Right now Klinsmann needs center backs on the field who won’t need to recover so often. We’ll see a lot more of Brooks after the World Cup, but not during.

Sacha Kljestan – Kljestan is an enigma. He continues to perform well at the club level and deserve National Team call-ups. Yet he never seems to be able to translate his game to success with the USMNT. Kljestan did little with his 63 minutes, other than supply critical turnovers to the Ukrainians. When your “creative” central midfielder only completes 30 passes, he’s not being active enough nor especially creative. There are too many other players available who have been more effective in that role.

Terrence Boyd – This is a tough one, but when a player on the roster bubble doesn’t get off the bench in his final opportunity, it probably means something. Boyd’s having a standout season in Austria, yet Klinsmann was more interested in seeing Juan Agudelo on this occasion. It may not be Boyd’s fault. With Jozy Altidore, Aron Johannsson and Eddie Johnson all locks for Brazil ahead of him, Boyd’s skill set just might overlap too much with options Klinsmann already has in his arsenal. The door is wide open for someone else to step in.

Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood, Alfredo Morales – Well, yeah, duh. In Spector’s case, he was just invited to fill a positional need for this game in case of injury. The other two were just young tourists, taking in the experience and hoping to be invited back more during the next cycle.

Who stayed in the mix?

Danny Williams – Partly due to his own improved play, and partly due to Kljestan’s shortcomings, Williams remains firmly in the picture. He offers a different, more explosive look out of the middle and brought a more dynamic box-to-box presence. He still has to show more, but Williams may have done enough to at least earn an invite to camp in May.

Edgar Castillo – Hold on, hear me out on this one. Yes, Castillo was very poor vs. Ukraine. He looked completely overmatched defending Andriy Yarmolenko on the flank (then again, most defenders look that way against Yarmolenko). Yet there are two good reasons not to rule him out: 1) He’s exactly the type of player Klinsmann wants at fullback – one who can get up and down the flank and interchange comfortably in the midfield, and 2) he plays in Liga MX, so he’ll be available for a call-up on April 2 in Phoenix, and a shot at redemption. Very, very down, but not out.

Michael Parkhurst – He was already in the mix with his ability to play on either side, but his stock went up with Castillo’s poor performance. It’s important for Parkhurst to get off to a strong start with the Columbus Crew and give Klinsmann no reason to leave him out against Mexico, but he’s looking like a more probable selection for Brazil.

Mix Diskerud – Why yes, it so happens that Mix is indeed in the mix. He can breathe a little easier if he was worried about being leapfrogged in absentia. Diskerud isn’t a lock, but he’s looking firmer after Sacha Kljestan’s showing. He makes it to the pre-World Cup camp for sure, and likely gets on the plane.

Who is locked in for Brazil?

Alejandro Bedoya – He was one of the better players on the field for the United States. Granted, that’s not saying much, but it was good enough. Bedoya is a regular part of the rotation at this point, an occasional starter, and he didn’t do himself any disservice on Wednesday.

Fabian Johnson – His ticket to Brazil is surprisingly still questioned by some, but Johnson will be on the plane. He may be a man without a position in terms of the starting lineup, but he’s far too versatile to leave home. Klinsmann highly values players who can play multiple positions (see Brad Evans, DaMarcus Beasley, Geoff Cameron) and Fabian is a perfect example.

Geoff Cameron – Not a game he would highlight on his resume, but Cameron was at least adequate. He remains a player who could conceivably start or get minutes at either right back, center back or central midfield. Popular sentiment seems to be for him to supplant Brad Evans as the starting right back. Yet Cameron didn’t wrest that starting spot away. It’s also notable that his two recent USMNT starts at right back have both come when Evans was either absent or unavailable, so there’s still no evidence to suggest Klinsmann’s pecking order has changed. But make no mistake, Cameron’s on the World Cup roster and will prove useful.

Who has the door opened for?

Michael Orozco – There’s a big opportunity for a center back to step up a snatch a roster spot. Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler and Clarence Goodson are all locks. Could Orozco join them? He’ll likely get a call-up next month vs. Mexico. He’s been a steady presence in the middle for Puebla FC and he’s shown a knack for being effective on set pieces. The three USMNT goals to his name in the last 18 months can’t hurt either.

Joe Corona – Where Brek Shea has fallen short, Joe Corona will see an opportunity. Corona’s minutes at Tijuana have been reduced of late, but he’s shown well with the USMNT and should get one more chance to show himself.

Herculez Gomez – The forgotten man at forward, Gomez has struggled with nagging injuries and hasn’t scored in ages with Tijuana. But there’s a roster spot at forward there for the taking, and Gomez is the type of smart, seasoned player that Klinsmann would love to call upon in an important game. It’s up to Herc to show he can be that player this summer.

Carlos Bocanegra – I’m shocked that I just typed his name, yet there it is. The former “Captain America” has seemingly been put out to pasture at the international level, and hasn’t been heard from much at the club level in quite a while. He’ll need to shine brightly with Chivas USA over the next month to even get a sniff of a call-up vs. Mexico. It’s the longest of long shots, but if Bocanegra shows he can be even 80% of the player he used to be, his leadership and mere presence could be a welcome sight in Klinsmann’s locker room. Do I expect this to happen? Not at all. But after Onyewu and Brooks showed themselves the door, there’s still a job opening to interview for.

Juan Agudelo – He’s been impressive in his short stint at Utrecht thus far. Getting on the field against Ukraine was a statement itself. Agudelo brings a spark that his competitors at forward don’t seem to offer. He’s looking like a much stronger World Cup contender than he did just a few weeks ago.

Chris Wondolowski – He keeps scoring goals whenever given the chance, and that’s an extremely convincing asset to bring to the table. Wondo has made a career out of sneaking up on defenders. Maybe he’ll sneak up and snag a ticket to Brazil from Terrence Boyd. It’s not just his nose for the goal, it’s that he offers a different dimension than the other forwards on the roster. He’s not a target forward, a slasher or speedster. Wondo loses defenders and finds the ball. He’s a pure poacher who makes a living off being in the right spot at the right time. If Klinsmann values that skill highly enough, Wondo could be his guy.

Julian Green – How can the door be open for a player who isn’t even eligible to play for the United States yet? Well, Green’s a very special case, that’s why. This much I believe to be true: If Green were offered a World Cup roster spot, he would accept it. The wisdom of offering him a spot remains a debatable point. But the upside is too great to say it’s out of the realm of possibility.

Many questions were answered on Wednesday, but many new ones arose. The next pop quiz is less than a month away in Arizona. Who’s raising their hands, ready to be called upon?

Three Withdraw from Roster for Ukraine; No Replacements Named

by Roderick MacNeil

Is Mix Diskerud being held back from his goal of reaching the World Cup?

On Saturday a few monkey wrenches were thrown into Jurgen Klinsmann’s plans for Wednesday’s USMNT match vs. Ukraine. Three players named to the original roster withdrew from the roster for various reasons. Now the team will have to do without Michael Bradley, Tim Ream and Mix Diskerud. U.S. Soccer also announced that no replacements will be added to the existing roster.

So what changes? For Bradley and Ream, not much really. For Diskerud, it could make the difference between getting on the plane to Brazil or watching the World Cup on TV.

Bradley withdrew due to an unspecified “slight injury,” and will remain with Toronto FC in order to assure he’s at full health for the start of the MLS season. Curiously, Bradley played on Saturday in a preseason game, going 90 minutes and scoring his first goal with TFC. Bradley’s World Cup position is as secure as they come. He’ll start at defensive midfielder this summer and be a critical part of the USMNT’s fortunes.

Tim Ream withdrew due to personal reasons, which reportedly is because of the birth of his son a few days ago. Ream was a good bet to play against Ukraine, but was all but certain to be left out of Brazil. He’s simply too far down the depth chart at this point. Only a series of injuries or a spectacular showing in USMNT camp could conceivably have changed things for him.

Mix Diskerud’s story is a more curious one. Early Saturday, Diskerud himself tweeted the following:

RBK didn't wish to release me today
US honored objection- Prior camp outside FIFAd
ME- very disappointed
G'luck everyone else

— Mix Diskerud (@MixDiskerud) March 1, 2014

Yet the official reason for his withdrawal is because of injury:

Just received word from U.S. Soccer, re: Diskerud- "Injury is grounds for a club to request that a player not be released." #USMNT

— Seth Vertelney (@svertelney) March 2, 2014

Whatever the case may be, Diskerud isn’t happy about the decision. However, he was the only non-MLS player who participated in the January camp, which was held outside of official FIFA dates. Perhaps U.S. Soccer was simply returning the favor to Rosenborg BK, Diskerud’s Norwegian club, for cooperating with his availability in January.

There are two schools of thought on what it means for Diskerud going forward. One is that his release from the roster means his World Cup roster place is secure; that Klinsmann has seen enough already to be satisfied. The other view is that missing this game leaves Diskerud vulnerable to being overtaken or outshined by others who seize the opportunity. His absence this week likely opens the door for more playing time for Danny Williams. Diskerud did well in January, but how quickly could that impression fade from Klinsmann’s mind if someone like Williams shows well and continues to surge in form with his club? I subscribe to the latter view. While Diskerud has been a regular part of Klinsmann’s roster of late, he hasn’t been so thoroughly impressive that he can feel secure. As of today, I think he’d be on the plane. But there’s enough competition that someone else’s name could still be written on his ticket.

Revised Projected Starting Lineup vs. Ukraine:

GK: Tim Howard

D: Geoff Cameron, Oguchi Onyewu, John Brooks, Edgar Castillo

M: Alejandro Bedoya, Sacha Kljestan, Jermaine Jones, Fabian Johnson

F: Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore

Breaking Down Klinsmann’s Roster for Ukraine Match

By Roderick MacNeil

(EDITOR’S NOTE: As of the publishing time of this article, the USA-Ukraine match once again appears in some doubt. A car bombing in Cyprus targeted at a soccer referee on Friday has resulted in the cancellation of all weekend matches in the Cypriot professional league. We’ll monitor how this story develops and any impact on the USMNT.)

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Could John Brooks earn a ticket to Brazil this summer?

USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has named his much anticipated roster for the upcoming International Friendly vs. Ukraine. First, some finalized details on the relocation of the match. Still scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, the match will now take place in Larnaca, Cyprus with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern and will air on ESPN2. The game was relocated from Kharkiv, Ukraine due to escalating political tensions and violence within Ukraine. The team will first train for several days in Frankfurt, Germany before traveling to Cyprus.

Now, let’s dive into the roster. There’s lots to talk about, conclusions to be drawn, and new storylines to watch. As expected, it is a heavily European-based group, in contrast to the January camp roster, which was almost entirely MLS players. Here’s the list by position, followed by my thoughts on what it all means:

GOALKEEPERS (3):

Cody Cropper (Southampton)

Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)

Tim Howard (Everton)

 

DEFENDERS (7):

John Brooks (Hertha Berlin)

Geoff Cameron (Stoke City)

Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana)

Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt)

Oguchi Onyewu (Sheffield Wednesday)

Will Packwood (Birmingham City)

Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers)

 

MIDFIELDERS (8):

Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes)

Michael Bradley (Toronto FC)

Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg)

Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim)

Jermaine Jones (Besiktas)

Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)

Brek Shea (Barnsley)

Danny Williams (Reading)

 

FORWARDS (6):

Juan Agudelo (Utrecht)

Jozy Altidore (Sunderland)

Terrence Boyd (Rapid Vienna)

Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC)

Julian Green (Bayern Munich)

Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar)

• Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley are the only MLS players in camp, but neither was part of the January group. Dempsey has been with Fulham on a two-month loan. Bradley signed with Toronto FC just a week before the January camp, and it was thought best to let him settle in with his new club. Klinsmann believes it important to have both players included here, as he has repeatedly referred to them as part of the essential central “spine” of the team, along with Jozy Altidore, Jermaine Jones and Tim Howard.

• Edgar Castillo is the only other player called in who is not based in Europe, and the only one from Liga MX. What to make of this? It would seem to bode well for Castillo’s chances of making the World Cup roster. It also reveals a lack of depth at left back within Europe. Fabian Johnson has played there extensively with Hoffenheim, but Klinsmann has shown to prefer him in the midfield. Based on this roster, there’s a good chance Castillo starts vs. Ukraine. The absence of other Liga MX players (particularly DaMarcus Beasley, Herculez Gomez, Joe Corona, Michael Orozco and Jose Torres) probably doesn’t mean much here. There will be one more opportunity for those players in April vs. Mexico.

• Mix Diskerud is the sole holdover from January. It’s another sign that he’s very much in contention for a spot in Brazil, but it’s also partly a scheduling quirk. Diskerud’s club, Rosenborg BK of Norway’s Tippeligaen, plays a similar calendar to MLS with a season that runs from March to November. He was the only European-based player in contention that did not have a club conflict in January, so Klinsmann brought him in for an extended look.

• Julian Green will join the group for training in Frankfurt and accompany the team to Cyprus. He is ineligible to play vs. Ukraine, as he must first file for a FIFA one-time association switch. Green, who is American-born and German-raised, has previously represented Germany at the youth level. Once the 18-year-old Bayern Munich phenom completes the paperwork, he would be permanently tied to the United States.

• John Brooks returns after making his first USMNT appearance in November vs. Bosnia-Hercegovina. The 20-year-old German-born center back recently missed a few weeks due to injury with Hertha Berlin, but returned last week in a substitute appearance. He remains on the fringe of contention for Brazil.

• Will Packwood of Birmingham City earns his first senior team call-up. The 20-year-old has 18 previous appearances at the youth level and has impressed at center back in the English Championship this season. He is likely not in the hunt for a World Cup spot; his inclusion has more of an eye towards 2018.

• Alfredo Morales is a surprise inclusion. The 23-year-old German-born defender made his first USMNT appearance a year ago in a friendly vs. Canada, but is still not cap tied. He has reportedly drawn interest from the Peruvian national team, as his father was born in Peru. The call-up keeps Morales integrated with Klinsmann’s program and he’s also a player who could emerge in the next cycle.

• Danny Williams and Brek Shea, two English Championship midfielders who have both previously seen larger roles with the national team, both return in a last ditch push for Brazil, but under very different circumstances. Williams has flourished since his arrival at Reading FC, while Shea has struggled for playing time since being loaned to Barnsley from Stoke City.

• Oguchi Onyewu and Tim Ream, both English Championship defenders seeking to return to favor with the USMNT, seem extremely long shot candidates for Brazil, at best. But an opportunity is there to seize, and each will seek the make the most of it. Onyewu has impressed since his transfer to Sheffield Wednesday from Queens Park Rangers. Ream has been a steady fixture at left back for Bolton Wanderers, but has faded from Klinsmann’s favor.

• Juan Agudelo, fresh off his hot start at FC Utrecht of the Dutch Eredivisie, gets another shot to claim one of the last spots on the World Cup roster. It’s a critical opportunity for Agudelo, who would likely have to beat out Terrence Boyd to be included as the final forward on the depth chart.

• As for the European-based players not called in, it’s the end of the line as far as 2014 World Cup hopes. There remains strong factions of fan support for right backs Steven Cherundolo, Timothy Chandler and Eric Lichaj, but the reality is that each, for very different reasons, has been largely out of the national team picture for quite some time. Cherundolo is long on experience but hasn’t even been able to get on the field for his own club. Chandler is currently injured, but hasn’t been called in by Klinsmann for a year now, and Lichaj failed to get the call after returning to the USMNT last fall from a two year absence. Jonathan Spector, another past fixture on the back line, also did not make the cut. An erroneous early report that he had made the roster was later discredited by U.S. Soccer.

Projected Starting Lineup:

GK: Howard

D: Cameron, Ream, Brooks, Castillo

MF: Bedoya, Bradley, Jones, Johnson

F: Dempsey, Altidore

Given the unusual circumstances surrounding next Wednesday’s match, the actual result of the game may be of minimal consequence. It is, after all, only a friendly, but it’s also now one played on neutral soil against a team possibly preoccupied with greater concerns back home. Who knows what we’ll see from Ukraine? Herhaps a team distracted, perhaps a team motivated; in any case, Ukraine is a quality team that nearly reached the World Cup. It’ll be a stern test for the USMNT, but in the bigger picture, the individual performances in this game will tell us a lot more than the final score.

American Outposts: Goals Aplenty for USMNT Players in Europe

Sacha Kljestan celebrates his winning goal today for Anderlecht. (Philippe Crochet)

Following a weekend filled with nothing but the disappointing news of injuries and absences, it was a much better couple of days on the pitch for Americans overseas. In addition to Aron Johannsson’s goal yesterday, USMNT players Terrence Boyd, Danny Williams and Sacha Kljestan all found the back of the net this weekend.

On Saturday in Austria, forward Terrence Boyd scored a 90th minute goal for Rapid WIen (Vienna). However, it did come in a losing effort, as his club fell 2:1 to Adm/Modling in the tipp3-Bundesliga. Boyd appears to have the inside track for a World Cup roster spot, and staying on the scoresheet bodes well for keeping his place on the depth chart.

Today in the English Championship, it was Danny Williams on the scoreboard once again for his new club Reading FC. Williams’ goal put Reading ahead in the 9th minute, leading his team to a big 3:1 win over Queens Park Rangers. The last USMNT call-up for Williams came in February 2013 against Honduras, and at one point was regular starter. He’s fallen way down Jurgen Klinsmann’s depth chart since then, so it will take a sustained run of strong form to get back into the roster.

Here’s a nifty .gif of Williams’ goal:

And also today in Belgium, midfielder Sacha Kljestan shined in his return to the lineup, posting both a goal and an assist as Anderlecht defeated Mons by a 2:0 margin. It was the 8th goal of the season for Kljestan, who had been sidelined with a thigh injury for most of the past two months. It’s perfect timing for Kljestan to get back on the field with a strong performance, as he figures to be in contention for one of the final USMNT rosters spots for Brazil. First and foremost, he needs to remain healthy enough to be included for the Ukraine match on March 5.

Here’s video of Kljestan’s goal (at 0:34) and assist (at 1:08):