Bob Bradley Releases 20 Man Roster for Mexico Game

Bob Bradley FINALLY released his choices for the August 12 match-up vs. Mexico at Azteca Stadium:

Goalkeepers- Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)

Defenders- Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA)

Midfielders- Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo)

Forwards- Jozy Altidore (Hull City), Charlie Davies (Sochaux), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids)

Probably the best roster we can bring at the moment, but there are a few surprises amongst the names, with Chad Marshall, Stuart Holden, and Conor Casey all receiving call-ups. Casey's has to be the most mind-boggling, as he has never scored for the National team, and hasn't scored for his club since May. Gold Cup stand-outs Stuart Holden and Chad Marshall get the nod over veterans like Damarcus Beasley and Danny Califf. I don't expect any of the three to play a major part in the match and I fully expect Bob Bradley to go with the same starting 11 that faced Spain in the semi-final of the 2009 Confederations Cup. For anyone who doesn't remember, here was the 11 from that day:

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

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

-------------Bradley------Clark

Dempsey------------------------------Donovan

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

Bob Bradley's love of lumbering, non-factor target forwards needs to end NOW. Brian Ching and Conor Casey might be good in MLS, but on the full international stage neither will be effective. The Davies and Altidore pairing is the one that beat Egypt and Spain. Ching and Arnaud lost 5-0 to Mexico's B team just a couple weeks ago. Without Rafa Marquez, Mexico's back line will be without its leader, and Altidore and Davies can take full advantage of that. Clark and Bradley give the US plenty of defensive bite in the center of the field and Donovan and Dempsey will provide good speed and influence off the flanks. I'm surprised at the exclusion of DaMarcus Beasley, Eddie Johnson, and Heath Pearce, but I suppose with Beasley and Johnson fighting for roster spots with their clubs and Pearce searching for a club, that would be the reason. Only 18 will dress for the match, and I expect Casey and Bornstein as the odd ones out. which will leave us with these subs:
Guzan
Cherundolo
Marshall
Feilhaber
Torres
Holden
Ching

This is the best chance the US will have at beating Mexico wear the US has never won. If it happens, Mexico will find themselves in a hell of a predicament as far as World Cup Qualifying goes. You know what they say, pay back is a five letter word.