Video Tribute to Charlie Davies

Title says it all...video by Jay Bell.

US Depth in Question?

By May 11 the preliminary roster must be turned in by Bob Bradley to FIFA.  This list of 30 players is all inclusive and all exclusive.  Once picked a player cannot be dropped except for serious injury (as determined by FIFA), nor can anyone else be added (with the exception being the injured players replacement).  Once the roster is in, those players are frozen out of their club sides to train exclusively with their respective countries.  With the number of current US players on IR at the moment, Bob Bradley has more headaches than answers right now, so we will try to alleviate his pain.

So we're going to examine the depth at each position and give you the low down on all the players I think are in the running:

Goalkeepers (4):
This is the easiest pick of the bunch.  Tim Howard continues to play very well at Everton and with his PK save against West Ham this past weekend became the first goalkeeper in the EPL since 1989 to have three penalty saves in a single season.  That's an astonishing statistic for you.  Brad Guzan continues to ride pine at Aston Villa but seems to be Bob Bradley's number two despite the lack of PT.  However, studying under Brad Freidel has its benefits and Guzan is easily a lock for the prelims.  Marcus Hahnemann is on a bit of a tear with Wolves at the moment and is probably a lock for the third spot after Troy Perkins transferred back to MLS and surrendered 6 goals in his first two matches.  Perkins probably makes the alternate spot should one of the previous three pick up an injury.

Defenders (10):
We'll start with the right back position, which unlike its left side counterpart is pretty much set in stone.  Jonathan Spector and Steve Cherundolo continue to go full matches with their clubs and seem like locks for the last 23.  In the middle, Oguchi Onyewu is only a week or so away from full training with AC Milan and is the US' best defender when fit and in form.  Jay DeMerit, Clarence Goodson, and Carlos Bocanegra seem to round out for the last 23, but I think a player like Chad Marshall could be the 5th guy to come in and give Goodson one last run.  On the left side, I think Bob Bradley will bring three guys: Heath Pearce, Jonathan Bornstein, and Edgar Castillo.  Bornstein has been struggling mightily for a few months and Pearce and Castillo could be set to reap the benefits.

Midfielders (10):
This depends on the fitness of players like Stuart Holden and Jermaine Jones, but for all intents and purposes Holden is running and despite trying to rehab for over a year Jones is still experiencing pain when he runs.  So Jones is the odd man out.

On the right side we'll see Holden, Clint Dempsey, and Alejandro Bedoya all in camp.  Dempsey and Bedoya are playing full matches with their clubs and impressing to say the least.  Holden is out of the cast and is around 10 days from full training.  My guts tell me he'll be there.  Now to the melting pot that is central midfield.  Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Ricardo Clark, Jose Torres, and Benny Feilhaber are all likely to be in the final 23, but the competition will likely be for the starting position next to Bradley Jr.  On the left side, Landon Donovan seems to have made it his own and DaMarcus Beasley will be the back up.

Forwards (6): 
First lets get the sure thing out of the way.  Jozy Altidore is that sure thing.  With Brian Ching picking up a hamstring injury this past weekend the forward pool becomes increasingly thin.  Charlie Davies continues his astonishing recovery but will it be enough?  Conor Casey, Eddie Johnson, and Hurculez Gomez figure to get in on the action as well.  Johnson only gets the nod because he has more caps than Casey, Cunningham and Findley combined.  Gomez come because he has scored 8 times in his last 10 matches.  Casey comes to push Ching.

The seven guys who don't get selected to the 23 will be the injury alternates so the dream remains alive for all.

MLS Saturday

With a crazy start to the weekends events on a rare double-header Thursday, Houston got two PK's from Brad Davis within the span of three minutes to ward off hot starting Real Salt Lake, and a typically hot blooded encounter in the SuperClasico was won by the blue and gold side of LA on an Edson Buddle brace. 

Here's the day's schedule:

Chicago Fire @ Colorado Rapids, 4:00pm EST, Telefutura
New England Revolution @ D.C. United, 7:30pm EST, MLS Direct Kick
New York Red Bulls @ Seattle Sounders FC, 10:30pm EST, Fox Soccer Channel

Maurice Edu with the winner....

Maurice Edu is pleading his case for the starting job next to Michael Bradley in June.  Edu scored the only goal in Rangers match against Hamilton Academical.  Here is the goal:

MLS Favorites

Time for the crap to hit the fan as it were.  This morning...early, early morning I might add...I'll make my picks for all your MLS wanna-knows.  Who the winner is?  Who the loser is?  MVP?  Best defender?  Best fans (really?)?

Let's begin shall we?

MLS Cup Favorites:  Seattle Sounders FC. 
The Sounders not only made themselves stronger by signing Blaise N’Kufo, but retained the services of Freddy Montero,  Jhon Hurtado, Kasey Keller, and Fred Ljungberg.  Coupled with their ferocious home crowd, I expect the Sounders to add to their trophy case in November.  They easily toppled the MLS newcomers Philly Union 2-0 at home. 

Worst Team in the League: Tie.  DC United and San Jose Earthquakes
Basing this on their first weekend isn't really fair, but both were blown out and failed to impress in any sense of the word and neither made the highlight videos, save for being scored on.  Sad to see a proud organization like DC going down.  As for San Jose, this needs to be a big season for them as they prepare to move into a new home next season.   

MLS MVP: Fredy Montero, Seattle Sounders FC
With Landon Donovan (hopefully) making the move over the pond permanent come July, expect Fredy Montero to come and dominate the west and ultimately the league.  He can only build on his "rookie" campaign from last season since he has better and more familiar talent around him. 

MLS Defender of the Year:  Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy
Chad Marshall is faltering and O-Gonz is ready to take the formerly porous LA defense to the next level.

MLS Most Improved Player: Sam Cronin, Toronto FC
With the departure of Amado Guevara, now is the time for the young Cronin to live up to the hype.  I'm not the only one thinking that he could be one for the future as far as the national team goes.  Come on Sam!

MLS Rookie of the Year: Ike Opara, San Jose Earthquakes
Growing pains aside, Opara has an MLS ready body and sound defensive instincts.  I know this is maybe a limb too far, but I was impressed with Opara in the U20 World Cup, and is yet another for the future of the national team program.

MLS Comeback Player of the Year: Javier Morales, Real Salt Lake
Just a glimpse of his first game of the season will tell you that this be another solid year for RSL.  In my opinion it's gonna be Morales and Montero as the forerunners for MVP.  After being injured in the playoffs last year, its Morales time!