Alejandro Bedoya Added, Benny Feilhaber Subtracted

As NP predicted a few days ago, Benny Feilhaber's ankle injury was deemed too bad for consideration in the 2011 Gold Cup, a shame, but life goes on.  Alejandro Bedoya now comes into camp fresh off a dominant (so far) season in Sweden. 

Gold Cup Musings

Well now that I've managed to get into blogger through an entirely different browser, no thanks to Firefox, we can throughly examine the clusterbomb of a roster and what Bob Bradley must be thinking.  Or rather, perhaps what narcotics he's on?

I assume everyone has already seen the roster by now, so no use in posting it.  I'd much rather avoid it for the purpose of keeping my walls without fist holes in them. 

Let's just go ahead and get this out of the way, I'm sure that there were discussions taking place for guys like Teal Bunbury, Alejandro Bedoya, and Timothy Chandler between the USSF and their respective clubs.  Let me clearly state that I do not believe in any conspiracy theories about Timothy Chandlers international situation.  Chandler I'm sure has had thoughts about playing for Germany, however, with Philip Lahm, Jerome Boateng, and Andreas Beck already being implanted right backs with much more international experience.  There is nothing to be had for Chandler on the German national team.  Now, would Nurnberg have released Chandler if it was Germany who came calling, as opposed to the United States?  I'm go on record and say I think it's more likely, IF that were the case, which it is not.  I think Nurnberg put simply that Chandler needs the rest after his first full professional season, and this will give him the chance to firmly put his foot in the door as Nurnbergs official starting right back.  It is a marginally acceptable exclusion, assuming he continues to start at Nurnberg.

Now, let me discuss the inclusions of Robbie Rogers and Freddy Adu.  Two players who (before the roster release) were so far on the fringes of the national team picture that no one's predicted rosters (including my own) even considered Adu or Rogers, et all.  Alejandro Bedoya's exclusion is by far the most bamboozling exclusion, more so than Chandler or Bunbury.  Bedoya is having a dream season in Sweden and his last match highlights I saw he had two goals and an assist.  Whatever Orebro told Bedoya, or Bradley, it scared one or both enough for Bedoya to be left off.  It's a shame, because league strength not withstanding, he's having one of the best seasons by an American oversea's.  Robbie Rogers meanwhile isn't even a for sure starting player in Columbus, and yet he is the SOLE wide midfielder on the roster, it's simply perplexing on every level.  Freddy Adu, who has been playing well of late, scoring goals and playing full matches, but it's all in the Turkish 2ND DIVISION!  I mean, I love Freddy and I think he has a future with this team, but I'm not sure that that time is now.  Now, if there is one player on this roster who can make us all eat crow, it's Adu.  He is highly capable of magical passes and has 1v1 ability unseen anywhere else in the US player pool.  But has he grown up enough to take training seriously and to play defense?  We shall see.

Chris Wondolowski isn't really a surprising pick, considering last years goal explosion, and seemingly has continued that touch this year with 6 goals so far this season.  That being said, he has all of a single cap, against a Chilean "C" squad, where he failed to impress.   He is also 28 years old, and if Wondo is still a viable option come World Cup 2014, then something has gone terribly wrong.  Bunbury would be the more obvious choice for me, simply because of his youth and it seems that he will have a future within the US system.  Wondolowski does not, nor should he.

Now then, the bulk of the roster is made up of guys who we generally assumed would be there, and to be honest, how often do the 21st and 22nd players on the roster actually play in the tournament?  Maybe one match?  So it's fine in that regard, but I am of the belief that for your confederations tournament, you should call in your BEST 23 players, regardless of club wishes.  For me, obviously, that would include Chandler, Bedoya, and Bunbury, in place of Rogers, Adu, and Wondolowski.

Now just yesterday broke the news that Benny Feilhaber was injured in his club match with New England, and today is walking around in boot.  This likely means that Feilhaber is out, and someone (hopefully Bedoya) is in.  But that news will break when it does, this is all speculatory at this point from me. 

With the Spain match just now six days away, expect a lineup breakdown and match preview on Wednesday and Thursday.  Until then, play for Bob Bradley's dealer. 

Alright we're back online...

Apologies, circumstances beyond my control have limited my appearances lately, but now we're back, and we have seven US games to prepare for in the next month.  First comes the roster discussion, then the US-Spain breakdown.  I'm backkkkk. 

Paraguay Quick Thoughts and Player Ratings

Well what a rough patch for the United States.  It has been since the May 2010 match against Turkey in Philadelphia that the US has won on home soil.  The matches at home the US has played since then?  Brazil, Poland, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay.  Some shocking statistics from MLS Analyst Matthew Doyle:

"Since the start of 2010, the US have played 17 times and are 5-6-6. They have scored 21 goals and conceded 24. In 12 of those 17 games – including all three this calendar year – the US have conceded the first goal.

Of the five times the US have scored first, two were 1-0 wins where the goal came in the dying minutes of the second half: the first over Algeria in the World Cup, the second over South Africa last November in a friendly.

In each of the three other games in which the US took the lead first, they gave it up at least once:

1. Against the Czech Republic in a WC warm-up, it took 27 minutes. The US lost 4-2.
2. Against Australia in another warm-up, it took 15 minutes. The US then reclaimed the lead after another 12 and held it for the last hour en route to a 3-1 win.
3. Against Poland in a post-WC friendly, the US went in front twice. The first Polish equalizer took 15 minutes, the second 21. That game finished 2-2.

That hour – technically 59 minutes – of playing in front against the Aussies is the longest the US have held the lead in any game since July 4, 2009, against Grenada. Those two games also represent the only times in the last 44 matches the US have scored inside the first 10 minutes.

Of the 1,560 minutes the US have played since January of 2010, they’ve held the lead for a grand total of 159 minutes. They’ve trailed for 558.

Take out the Australia game and the US have led for only 85 minutes of the 1,470 for which they’ve turned out. For comparison’s sake, Mexico led for 83 of the 90 minutes against Paraguay last Saturday."

Those are some telling numbers.  Bob Bradley and his staff should be very, very concerned.  While individually, some players played quite well against Paraguay, the full US team just isn't meshed like it should be with only a game to play until the most important tournament the US will play in for at least the next two years.  More needs to be done.  Now we all see just how much the loss of the Egypt friendly really hurt the preparations.

Most of you have seen the match and or highlights so I won't describe that much to you on that front. 

I can say that the crowd at LP Field was outstanding and the weather was phenomenal for soccer.  Well done to all who turned out, setting a new Tennessee record for soccer match attendance. 

I'll run down the player ratings:

Marcus Hahnemann (6)- Didn't have much to do but made a couple long range saves and probably could've been more aggressive in coming off his line on the goal scored.  Certainly made no glaring errors.

Timothy Chandler (8.5)- What a start this young man has had to his international career.  Was a terrific threat on the flank and showed multitudes of pace.  Warrants more callup's AND starts.

Jay DeMerit (6)- He gets a six for having the heart of a lion.

Tim Ream (6.5)- Well, it was a decent outing for Ream, and while most will praise him for his composure and distribution, I'll remain cautious about all that.  Paraguay was baiting him into playing some of those balls straight up the middle.

Jonathan Bornstein (3)- "Don't mistake activity for achievement" - John Wooden.  That is all.

Clint Dempsey (7)- Clint was in beast mode for this one, and his "let's just see what happens" blast from some 35+ yards showed it.  Probably should've scored from Lichaj's cross in the second half, but overall, a solid night from the Texan.

Michael Bradley (6.5)- Much better against Paraguay than against Argentina and his cannon from 25 yards was worthy of a goal. 

Maurice Edu (5.5)- Not his best night in a USA kit.  Seemed to be a step behind all evening and was sacrificed at halftime. 

Landon Donovan (6)- Another mehhh performance from Donovan.  His set pieces were off the mark and was continually fouled on the counterattacks.  

Jozy Altidore (5)- He's just lost it a bit.  Regular playing time in Turkey will help him regain his form and confidence. 

Juan Agudelo (6)- Showed flashes of potential once again, however, its easy to see how ineffective he can be when an opponent is keen to his abilities. 

SUBS

Carlos Bocanegra (6.5)- Played well once he entered for DeMerit, no glaring mistakes.

Jermaine Jones (6.5)- Much better in relief of Edu and nearly equalized in the dying seconds.

David Yelldell (6)- Didn't have a single save to make from what I recall, decent enough for a first cap.

Eric Lichaj (6.5)-  An injection of pace that nearly resulted in a goal, Lichaj and Chandler seemed to be very fluid on the right.

Sacha Kljestan (6.5)- A solid 15 minute outing for the Belgian man, be interested to see if he makes the Spain squad. 

Postponed Paraguay Thoughts, USA Tactics During the Drought, and USA 23 for the 2011 Gold Cup

Dearest all NP faithful,

My sincerest apologies for the lack of coverage.  Taking 18 hours of classes plus starting a 40-hour/week job really runs down time to actually sit and analyze soccer all day (unfortunately).  But fear not, for as the title says, it is all coming, perhaps a post tonight and tomorrow on my day off (kinda) I'll get us all caught up on the comings and goings of the USMNT and the U-20 kids, who are currently runnin' game down in Guatemala for the U-20 CONCACAF Championships. 

For a sneak peak of the 23 for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, here is this: