US 1-0 Barbados - US advances

US 1-0 Barbados

In a game that saw the favorites look tired and even more defensive minded then normal, the underdogs had their chance to run the game. But unlike the Italy-Spain Euro match, the US was able to see their opposition out of the competition.

Yesterday's game was a flashback for me as right from the opening moments, it reminded me of some late-80's games due to the horrible video production. Combine that with the frustration of the US to break through a Caribbean nation's backline and a crowd that was less then present and it was just like the old days (except the broadcast wasn't on some UHF channel that I didn't even know I got nor was the game tape delayed to 3am nor was it dubbed in Spanish).

The good news, unlike the old days, the team on the pitch was not our A-team and that was probably the biggest lesson of the day.

This is the type of match the US men are going to see a lot of over the next 16-months as we begin the full World Cup Qualifying run. The 'lesser' teams of Concacaf are all going to adopt a similar structure to Barbados and play heavy defense while hoping for something on the counter. This is nothing new, but it still gives the US problems.

Overall, it was a boring game that saw Barbados have the better run of play for most of the second half. A few players looked good (Szetela, Lewis, Pearce, Adu), some had their moments (DeMerit, Califf) and some looked a bit under focused (Bradley, Guzan, Beasley, Moor). Nothing came out of this game that is going to cause major changes to Bradley's future lineups (with the possible exception of getting Kenny Cooper on to the pitch).

The US senior men are off till August 20th, when they travel to Guatemala to take on Carlos Ruiz and La Azul y Blanco.

One last thing, great idea by the USL-1 teams to sponsor all the boards during this match.

US starting lineup for Barbados World Cup Qualifier leg 2

US vs. Barbados
2:55p ET/ 11:55A PT
TV: ESPN classic, Galavision

Less then an hour to go till the US plays their second leg World Cup Qualifier against Barbados and Bob Bradley has released his lineup.

----------------Guzan---------------

Moor--DeMerit--Califf---Pearce

Kljestan-Bradley-Szetela-Lewis (c)

---------Adu---------Beasley--------

This is a very different lineup from last week with only four players starting both games (and only three are in the same position). With DeMerit and Califf taking over the center back and Moor out on the right, Pearce is now the experienced member of the defensive line.

The US will win this game, but expect Guzan to have a little more to do today.

Adu will have a lot of opportunities to open up on the offense front, but will he be able to turn his fancy footwork into goals?

By the way, this is the Word Cup Qualifying debut for Moor, DeMerit, Califf, Klejstan and Szetela.

Clint Dempsey gives back to his Nacogdoches roots

US international Clint Dempsey, who is back home in Nacogdoches, Texas, played a friendly game of soccer at the Stephen F. Austin State University intramural field Wednesday.

This is a class move by Dempsey and a great way to help move soccer forward in the US. Nacodoches is a city of just 30,000 in East Texas, so Dempsey coming to play is big news.

Hopefully while in town, he can take it easy before he heads back to pre-season training with Fulham in July.

Bradley names his roster for Barbados World Cup Qualifier

USA vs. Barbados
Sunday - 2:55p ET/11:55a PT
TV: ESPN Classic & Galavision (Spanish)

Bob Bradley has released his 18-man roster for the second leg of the US-Barbados World Cup Qualifier. With the US up 8-0, the starting lineup is likely to include a number of younger players.

Here is the full roster:

GK (3): Dominic Cervi, Brad Guzan, Chris Seitz

D (6): Carlos Bocanegra, Dan Califf, Jay DeMerit, Drew Moor, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce

M(6): DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan, Eddie Lewis, Danny Szetela, John Thorrington

F (3): Freddy Adu, Chad Barrett, Chris Rolfe

The big thing I notice is the lack of Tim Howard and Eddie Johnson from the list as they were not players he released earlier in the week. The Howard move makes sense since he has a minor injury and Guzan (who got called back into camp) needs the international cap. The lack of Johnson is good since we need to find some other forward options, although Barbados is not much of a test.

Some people might wonder why Lewis is in there, but it makes sense since the experience of most of the players is limited. Good to have some old timers in to bring the experience.

Here is my guess at a starting lineup:

GK: Guzan
D: Moor, Califf, Bocanegra, Pearce
M: Kljestan, Bradley, Lewis, Beasley
F: Adu, Barrett

Carlos Bocanegra is off to France

US center back Carlos Bocanegra is no longer without a club as he has signed a three-year contract with French side Rennes. This move means Portsmouth defender Djimi Traore will not be part of the club next season.

Rennes are a good French side, but not one the of the best. They have made it to the UEFA Cup twice in the last 3 years, however both times they failed to get out of the group phase.

The good side of this is he will get a lot of playing time. The bad side, the French league doesn't have the same top-quality players as the EPL or the other top leagues in Europe.

Still, congratulations to Bocanegra and good luck learning French. By the way, Rennes is about 210 miles west of Paris.

Bradley adds players to Barbados roster

A couple days slimming his roster down to 12, it looks like US coach Bob Bradley is about to fatten things up with the addition of a bunch of MLSers.

Various reports have Bradley calling Drew Moor (FC Dallas), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake), John Thorrington (Chicago Fire), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire) and Chad Barrett (Chicago Fire).

There is one domestic player getting a look as Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio - Italy) will also join the team.

With the Fire playing tonight, it is no surprise that a number of their guys get the call, while Seitz is Real's backup keeper so no harm. However, Drew Moor is a bit of a knock for his club as he has started 12 of FCD's 13 games.

As far as play, looking at the competition they will face, I'm sure these players will do fine.

Bob Bradley sends 10 players home

US coach Bob Bradley has released 10 players from camp ahead of their second leg match against Barbados. Most of the players are MLS based, so this is not much of a surprise, however I kind of thought he would keep Guzan around in case Howard is still having back issues (plus if Guzan still wants to move to England, he needs more international caps).

Here is the list:
Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Steve Cherundulo (Hannover 96), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids) and Matt Reis (New England Revolution)

So the players still in camp are:
GK: Dominic Cervi, Tim Howard
D: Carlos Bocanegra, Dan Califf, Jay DeMerit, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce
M: Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Eddie Lewis
F: Eddie Johnson

Unless Bradley is really confident, it looks like he will need to call a few more folks in. Some players that I wouldn't mind see added to his roster are Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Edson Buddle (LA Galaxy), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Chad Barrett (Chicago Fire), Sal Zizzo (Hannover 96), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake) or Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC).

These are many attacking players, which makes sense as it is the US's weakest area. Then again, evaluating their play against a team like Barbados is not going to give you much.

US 8-0 Barbados - Player Grades

US 8-0 Barbados

Anyway you look at this, it was a great way for the US to start their World Cup run. This was the expected result and the team lived up to it, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. With that in mind, here are the player grades:

Starting XI
Brad Guzan (GK) - What a boring way to up your international appearance numbers. With shots two shots, Guzan wasn't tested even once, so I will have to reward him for not falling asleep. A

Steve Cherundolo (D) - The entire defense had the easiest day possible, so full mistakes. Found his place and made some good starting passes. A-

Oguchi Onyewu (D) - Had it easy but his yellow card is a bit disturbing. The minnows of Concacaf know they can't beat the US out right, so they look for ways of changing the game, such as getting a player sent off. The Gooch didn't need to get a card at that point, but he fell for their trap. B+

Carlos Bocanegra (D) - Fantastic pass to Dempsey to get things started. Held strong in the middle and was at the start of a lot of the action. A

Heath Pearce (D) - He was actually beat a couple times during the first half and was missing the ball control he showed in the three warm-ups. B+

Landon Donovan (M) - Was big in the first 30-minutes and his finally 30, but he still seems afraid of taking the shot. His free kick was smart play and his passes are looking sharp but when you have space 18 yards out, take the shot. A-

Michael Bradley (M) - His passing was off for most of the first half and he seemed out of place in the midfield. He improved as the game moved along, but still not looking like himself. B

Pablo Mastroeni (M) - Poor Pablo, bulls his glut and gets robbed of his goal. He was looking solid, hopefully the injury is nothing serious. A

DaMarcus Beasley (M) - The fact that Beasley couldn't beat the keeper to the ball and get the shot on the wide open goal tells us that DaMarcus still has some recovery in front of him. Still, at 85%, he was causing trouble down the wing. B+

Brian Ching (F) - The luckiest brace you will ever see. Ching started slow but picked up as the game went along. He started working himself into better spots and getting chances. His ball control wasn't as strong as normal but he does seem willing to shoot. B

Clint Dempsey (F) - Stepped it up for this one and was having fun doing it. He didn't need much flash, instead he just pushed his way into place. Passes were sharp and speed was good. A+

Subs
Freddy Adu (M) - On for Mastroeni in the 26'. I didn't think his game was very solid. His passing wasn't that great and his creative touch was lacking for his first 30-minutes. It almost seemed like he was thrown off by the weakness of Barbados. B+

Eddie Lewis (F) - On for Dempsey in the 72'. I actually forgot he came on till I looked back over some notes. He did setup the own goal, but didn't really stand out. B-

Eddie Jonson (F) - On for Donovan in the 81'. Bob Bradley put him in for one reason, get a goal. The fact that he did it with his head on his first touch of the match is pretty cool. I just hope this doesn't start the 'he's back' talk, because he still has a lot to prove. A


Bob Bradley (Coach) - He wanted as many goals as possible and his team lived up to it. He now has the freedom to experiment a bit next weekend. A

So the US has their largest victory ever, it's just a shame that less then 11,500 people were there to see it.

Goals:
Clint Dempsey (Carlos Bocanegra) 1'
Michael Bradley 12'
Brian Ching (Pablo Mastroeni) 20'
Landon Donovan 59'
Clint Dempsey 63'
Eddie Johnson (Heath Pearce) 82'
Own goal (Daryl Ferguson) 86'
Brian Ching (Steve Cherundolo) 89'

US starting lineup for 2010 World Cup Qualifer against Barbados

US vs. Barbados
5p ET/2p PT
TV: ESPN2
Internet: ESPN360
Text call: Matchtracker

The US is less then an hour away from starting their long road to South Africa and Bob Bradley has released his lineup. Needless to say, there are a couple surprises. First of all, Guzan will start in goal instead of Tim Howard. Howard suffered a lower back strain in training on Friday.

Another little surprise, Ching is starting up top with Dempsey instead of Johnson. This is a good move, but I thought Bradley would give Johnson yet another chance to get things going. Instead, Ching has his opening to prove that he should get a full more calls. In addition, his ability to play balls in the air give the US something that they've been lacking for a while now.

It looks like Pearce has won the left side back spot with his outstanding play over the last three matches. It also looks like Mastroeni's unjustified red card against Argentina hasn't hurt him in Bradley's eyes.

Anyway, here is the lineup:

----------------------Guzan------------------------

Cherundolo--Onyewu--Bocanegra(c)--Pearce

------------Bradley---------Mastroeni-----------

-------Donovan---------------------Beasley------

-------------Ching-----------Dempsey------------

This is a lineup that should dominate Barbados. If they fail to win by three goals, it will be viewed as a loss.

Concacaf 2010 World Cup Qualifying schedule - Second Round

The second leg of Concacaf World Cup Qualifying swings into full gear this weekend as 24 teams look to advance to the first group phase. Although there are strong favorites in just about every one of these contests, the constant possibility of an upset will be present. Who knows, an early surprise goal or red card could kill a team's dream.

America will take on Barbados in their opening match at the Home Depot Center. The red, white and blue are coming off a strong tie against Argentina in front of almost 80,000 at Giants Stadium. There are still tickets available for Sunday's match.

Anyway, here is the full schedule of second round matches:

First Leg

Home	Score	Visitor
USA	8-0	Barbados
Guatemala	6-0	Saint Lucia
Trinidad and Tobago	1-2	Bermuda
Antigua and Barbuda	3-4	Cuba
Belize	0-2	Mexico
Jamaica	7-0	Bahamas
Honduras	4-0	Puerto Rico
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	0-3	Canada
Grenada	2-2	Costa Rica
Suriname	1-0	Guyana
Panama	1-0	El Salvador
Haiti	0-0	Netherlands Antilles

Second Leg

Home	Score	Visitor
Barbados	0-1	USA
Saint Lucia	1-3	Guatemala
Bermuda	0-2	Trinidad and Tobago
Cuba	4-0	Antigua and Barbuda
Mexico	7-0	Belize
Bahamas	0-6	Jamaica
Puerto Rico	2-2	Honduras
Canada	4-1	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Costa Rica	3-0	Grenada
Guyana	1-2	Suriname
El Salvador	3-1	Panama
Netherlands Antilles	0-1	Haiti

USA advances to group A in Concacaf first group phase with 9-0 aggregate win over Barbados.
Guatemala advances to group A with 9-1 aggregate win over Saint Lucia.
Trinidad and Tobago advances to group A with 3-2 aggregate win over Bermuda.
Cuba advances to group A with 8-3 aggregate win over Antigua and Barbuda.

Honduras advances to group B in the first group phase with a 6-2 aggregate win over Puerto Rico.
Jamaica advances to group B with a 13-0 aggregate win over Bahamas.
Canada advances to group B with a 7-1 aggregate win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Mexico advances to group B with a 9-0 aggregate win over Belize.

Costa Rica advances to group C with a 5-2 aggregate win over Gernada.
Suriname advances to group C with a 3-1 aggregate win over Guyana.
El Salvador advances to group C with a 3-2 aggregate win over Panama.
Haiti advances to group C with a 1-0 aggregate win over Netherlands Antilles.

US roster for Sunday's 2010 World Cup Qualifier named

US vs. Barbados
Sunday 5pET/2pPT
Home Depot Center, Carson, Ca.
Tickets (Great for Father's Day)

Bob Bradley released his 21-man roster for this Sunday's World Cup Qualifier against Barbados. There are no huge surprises, as just about everyone on the list saw minutes during warm up games. The one major exception, the Houston Dynamo's Brian Ching.

Ching was named to the preliminary roster for the three friendly matches the US played over the last couple weeks, but he did not make the final cut. Oddly enough, during this same time Ching came into his own in MLS play earning 3 goals and two assists over his last three matches. The addition of Ching gives the US a greater threat in the air and an alternative on set pieces to Onyewu.

A name not on the forward list is Nate Jaqua. I don't think he is injured so I'm a little surprise that with all the US's problems in attack, he was not given more of a chance in the warm up games as he had a great year with both Houston and Austrian side Altach. Perhaps he is trying out for club teams or maybe Bradley didn't like what he saw in camp.

Jozy Altidore is also not on the list, but this is nowhere near a surprise. With his move to Spain in the final stages and his likely call up for the Olympic team looming, Bradley doesn't want to hinder the relationship with Villarreal.

One name that is pleasing to see is Frankie Hejduk. He is a workhorse who can bring some needed experience to the squad during these early qualifiers.

Here is the full roster:

GK (3): Dominic Cervi, Brad Guzan, Tim Howard

D (7): Carlos Bocanegra, Dan Califf, Steve Cherundolo, Jay DeMerit, Frankie Hejduk, Oguchi Onyewu, Heath Pearce

M (7): Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Sacha
Kljestan, Eddie Lewis, Pablo Mastroeni

F (4): Brian Ching, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson

My guess for Bradley's starting lineup is very similar to what he put out during the Argentina match, except Bocanegra will replace Califf. The position that I could see changing is Edu in for Mastroeni.

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

Cherundolo--Bocanegra--Onyewu--Pearce

-Dempsey--Bradley--Mastroeni--Beasley-

-----------Johnson------Donovan------------

US 0-0 Argentina - Player grades

US 0-0 Argentina

Let's see, amazing showing by a goalkeeper, horrible calls from the ref, an engaged, pro-USA crowd and Mastroeni walks off with a red, if only Brian McBride showed up bleeding from his face, it would have been World Cup 2006 against Italy all over again.

Sunday night was a great night for the US men as they played their best match since 2006 in front of almost 80,000 passionate fans. Argentina pressed and pressed, but the US was able to hold thanks in huge part to goalkeeper Tim Howard. The fact that he went 1 on 1 with Julio Cruz on four occasions and won every one of them is proof to his talent.

But the Americans did not just sit back and bunker down, instead they actually put together some good combinations that saw them open up the field and push towards goal. The bad news, when it came to the final third, the red, white and blue were still lacking.

As great as the play on the pitch was, the two biggest moments of the game were due to referee Joel Aguilar Chicas channeling his inner Jorge Larrionda and blowing calls. One, the missed penalty kick call against Tim Howard when he took down the on rushing Sergio Aguero in the 52'. Howard didn't get a single finger on the ball and took our Aguero's legs, it should have been a pk. Two, the phantom second yellow card to Pablo Mastroeni in the 71'. For once Pablo was completely innocent of anything as he wasn't even involved in the play that resulted in the foul. The reason given was unsporting behavior, but to earn a second yellow, in a friendly no less, Mastroeni must have said something really awful.

Both of these missed calls changed the flow of the game. The US was just starting to gain momentum when the Aguero mistake was made. Had the proper call be given, the game would have opened up for both teams. The Mastroeni red changed the entire mindset of the squad as they went from trying for a win to hoping for a tie.

In the end, this was a good way to end their three games of death. It showed us the weaknesses that still exist (forwards) and the strengths that we have (goalkeeping, defending).

Now the team moves on to the real matches as World Cup Qualifying starts next Sunday.

Here are the player grades:

Starting XI
Tim Howard (GK) - If anyone had any questions as to our number one in the nets, he shut them down last night. He was lucky with the pk call, but that still doesn't take away from his first half heroics. A+
Steve Cherundolo (D) - Beat a lot by Messi, but could hold his own with others. B-
Oguchi Onyewu (D) - He covered the mistakes of others and provided us with the best scoring opportunity of the night (which is also kind of sad). Still, he missed his marks a couple times. A-
Danny Califf (D) - Slow start but picked up as the game moved along. Held his spots and blocked a bunch of centering passes. He deserves more looks. B+
Heath Pearce (D) - This was his breakout night. He kept the left flank tamed and pushed the ball forward. I think we have our left back. A
Michael Bradley (M) - Bad night for the little Bradley. Wasn't controlling the ball or supply. Maybe a couple weeks off will do him good. C+
Pablo Mastroeni (M) - Up to the red, he was looking good. Provides coverage for defenders and placed some good balls forward. B
Clint Dempsey (M) - The most consistent attacking presence, but passed instead of shot a few too many times. Has good ball control and helped in defense, but needs to take the shot. B+
DaMarcus Beasley (M) - Nice speed along the side that surprised Argentina more then a few times. His crossing is still in need of some help. B
Landon Donovan (F) - Not a bad 100th cap, but nothing spectacular. He wasn't given many balls to run onto, but still caused some trouble. Getting better with corners and passing. B+
Eddie Johnson (F) - Time to move EJ to the sub list. Three starts and nothing from them. Last night saw more of the same. He's good at getting in but he doesn't know how to take a shot. C-

Subs
Maurice Edu (M) - On for Bradley in the 46'. Held his own and started a number of the second half attacks. B+
Jay DeMerit (D) - On for Onyewu in the 61'. Looked good and make some smart plays while his team was down a man. B
Freddy Adu (M) - On for Dempsey in the 61'. Did not take over the game like he did in Spain but gave the US some sort of push, especially late. Wasn't the best technical decision to go 1 on 4 while trying to kill the clock but I like his effort. A-
Sacha Kljestan (F) - On for Johnson in the 74'. The fact that this change only seemed to happen because Johnson get an injury is frustrating. Kljestan gave the side energy and make some good passes. Would have liked to see more then 20 minutes form him. B+
Eddie Lewis (D) - On for Pearce in the 78'. He still has something, which is good to know if the injury bug comes along. B
Frankie Hejduk (M) - On for Beasley in the 91'. Ran down the balls in his few minutes on the grass. Much like Lewis, he can bring some experience and calm to the side. No grade.
Sub not used: Brad Guzan


Bob Bradley (Coach) - Other then starting Eddie Johnson and then not subbing him out earlier and not giving Adu a bit more time, it was a good night. When Mastroeni was sent off, his changes to the team's setup proved capable of holding off the number one team in the world. Still needs to figure out the offensive problems. B+


So the US comes out on a high note, even without a goal in any of the three games. Hopefully this drought will end next weekend.

US starting lineup against Argintina

Here is the official starting lineup:

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

Cherundolo--Califf--Onyewu--Pearce

Dempsey--Bradley--Mastroeni--Beasley

-----Johnson------Donovan (c)---------

Looks like Landon Donovan will get his 100th cap and do it as captain.

My concern with this lineup is the lack of creativity in the midfield. With Michael Bradley playing below his level the last couple matches, he will need to turn it on in order to give Johnson and Donovan something to work with.

On the defensive side of things, Mastroneni could win his way back onto the squad if he plays tough without crap fouls in the midfield while Califf has the chance of a lifetime to make Bob Bradley think about changing his center back duo.

US-Argentina preview - Who needs to perform?

US vs. Argentina
7:30p ET/4:30p PT
TV: ESPN Classic and Galavision
Internet: ESPN 360
Text call at Matchtracker

The final game of the US’s triple crown takes place in just a feel hours with a great deal on the line. Since this is the final match before World Cup Qualifying starts, the US men need a good outing not only to gain confidence, but to give US fans a reason to hopefully about things to come.

Bob Bradley has not called Jozy Altidore in for this match, which means the forward spots are wide open. Look for Eddie Johnson to get one more look to finally make it happen, but Kenny Cooper could be a second half sub.

In midfield, all eyes will be on Freddy Adu as we see if he can continue his strong showing from Spain. But his big question is can he work well with Donovan.

Finally, the backline looks to get figured out tonight. With Bocanegra off the roster, the center spot with Onyewu is open.

Argentina has most of their first team in for this one and after dismissing Mexico 4-1 on Wednesday night, they are looking to take down the other CONCACAF big weight.

There really is no way the US can win this game, but if they can pull off a tie and control stretches of the game, it will be big for the team.

Here are the players that need to perform:

High Pressure
Dominic Cervi (GK) – If he sees time, it will be due to an injury to Guzan or Howard. He will need to prove that he’s got something good.
Dan Califf (D) – With a center position open, this game could go a long way to deciding his story with the senior side.
Jay DeMerit (D) – He has everything in common today with Califf.
Heath Pearce (D) – He has placed his claim on the left side, but can he hold it?
Drew Moor (D) – With Pearce looking strong, Moor will need to give Bob Bradley a reason to look his way more often.
Freddy Adu (M) – He was the creativity against Spain, but can he do it again? If he can and if he can be the person that frees Donovan with quality passes, it will be hard to deny him more starts.
Michael Bradley (M) – Not his best over the last two. Where is the control, where is the smart pass and where has his first touch gone?
Maurice Edu (M) - Bradley needs a new Reyna to control things, might Edu become that player?
Sacha Kljestan (M) – Needs to give some versatility so earn more caps.
Pablo Mastroeni (M) – Looked good against Spain. Another positive night and he might just be past the World Cup red card.
Landon Donovan (F) – Mister Century Mark could silence his critics today with a performance against the top team in the world.
Eddie Johnson (F) – He has looked much better in creating chances, but a striker needs to be able to strike. So many opportunities against Spain, but no danger, that must change.
Kenny Cooper (F) – The US is dieing for someone to come in and give them a point man up top. Cooper has the size and pace, but does he have the killer finish?

Medium Pressure
Brad Guzan (GK) – He was better against England then Spain, will need to control his backline better.
Steve Cherundolo (D) – Can he control against explosive talent?
Frankie Hejduk (D) – Old-timer has looked very solid. Keep it up and he might get a chance at another Cup.
Oguchi Onyewu (D) – The best defender so far. He is controlling his size better and not giving up many cheap fouls, but there have been communication failures.
DaMarcus Beasley (M) – His spark is still off. Needs to give an option done the side.
Eddie Lewis (M) – Might his age be the reason to keep him? If he can bring a calm to the side, he might have more caps coming.
Clint Dempsey (F) – Clint is exhausted and has been absent for most of the last two games. If he wants to be part of this month’s qualifiers he needs to give something.

Low Pressure
Tim Howard (GK) – This is the kind of match that can make him into a folk hero of US Soccer (see Keller vs. Brazil 1998 for reference)

US roster for Argentina

US vs. Argentina
Sunday, 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT
TV: ESPN Classic and Galavision

Bob Bradley has released his list of 19 for Sunday's friendly against Argentina and there are a couple surprises.

Carlos Bocanegra is not on it, meaning Jay DeMerit or Dan Califf is going to get a good look over. Also missing is Jozy Altidore, Nate Jaqua, Josh Wolff and just about every other MLS player that might have been called in as a forward.

One MLSer that is back on the list is Landon Donovan so he might get his 100th cap against the number one in the world. Also, Sacha Kljestan has made the final roster.

Overall, it is good, but it will take more then good to handle Argentina (see Mexico's result).

Here is the full roster:

Goalkeepers: Dominic Cervi (no team), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton)

Defenders: Dan Califf (Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock)

Midfielders: Freddy Adu (Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado)

Forwards: Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Eddie Johnson (Fulham)

US starting lineup for Spain

Here is the starting lineup for the US Men:

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

-Cherundolo--Onyewu--Bocanegra--Pearce-

---Dempsey-----Edu----Bradley-----Lewis---

----------Johnson--------------Adu-----------

Subs: DaMarcus Beasley, Frankie Hejduk, Brad Guzan, Josh Wolff, Pablo Mastroeni, Jay DeMerit, Dan Califf

The combination of Johnson and Adu up top will be interesting to see. With Nate Jaqua dropped from the game roster, the only other forward is Josh Wolff.

Edu is going to have his hands full in the center. Lewis must have really impressed Bob Bradley to get the start. Let's just hope he is not the only player that can hold the ball this time around.

US-Spain preview – Which players need to perform?

US vs. Spain
4p ET/1p PT
Internet: Espn360.com (live)
Text updates at MatchTracker (live)
TV: ESPN2 (5:30p ET)
Galavision (7p)

Can the US redeem themselves tonight? That is the question. After the washout at Wembley, the US men are in desperate need of a good showing. That doesn't mean they need to walk out of Estadio El Sardinero with a win, but it does mean they need to look like they could win.

Against England, the side, to put it kindly, had trouble possessing the ball, thus giving the three lions plenty of time to do what they wanted to do. The bad news for the red, white and blue, Spain is even better at the possession game then England.

If the US is to contain forwards Fernando Torres and David Villa, they will need to do a lot better in the midfield, but that means besting the likes of Andres Iniesta , Xavi and Xabi Alonso. Not an easy task.

So how can the US do it? First they must realize that they will only get a handful of chances in the game and second they must do something with those chances (amazing idea, right). Also, they need to use the Spanish desire to play beautiful soccer against them. If they can push the game and make it as physical as possible, Spain will have to change their tactics.

But the biggest thing that needs to happen for America is an awakening of the forwards. The US has scored 7 goals in 2008, but only one has been by a forward, while defenders have netted four. No striker threat means defenders can push up and take a bigger role in the attack.

The forwards are not the only folks to blame in this as the midfield hasn't been the best at providing chances, so a key to the situation up top will probably have to be found in the middle.

With that in mind, here is my take on who needs to perform:

High Pressure
Dominic Cervi (GK) - He is very unlikely to see a minute of playing time, but if he does, he needs to show what he can do.

Dan Califf (D) - He has looked great in Denmark and might just find an opening if others don't play well.

Heath Pearce (D) - After a good game against England, another solid outing against Spain could make him America's number one on in left back.

Jay DeMerit (D) - Is he finally going to get his chance after the injury spell to show he should still be part of the US strategy? If so, he needs to make something of it.

Carlos Bocanegra (D) - Off his mark and rusty. With other central backs starting to push for his spot, he needs to rebound.

Freddy Adu (M) - He looked alright against England, but how much was that due to being a late sub. The US needs some creativity in the middle. If he can combine that with good ball control and service to the forwards, he might just get some starts.

Maurice Edu (M) - At some point Edu will be part of the US senior plans and today might just make that day come sooner then expected.

Eddie Lewis (M) - Gave some late lift to the US in England and was able to actually hold the ball. If the US starts to sink, Lewis could show his value by doing the same in Spain.

Pablo Mastroeni (M) - Mastroeni has a chance to get back in the US good graces. If he can be an enforcer without giving up cheap fouls or getting cards, he might just become Bradley's go to defensive mid.

Nate Jaqua (F) - With the forward spots wide open, Jaqua could get a bunch more looks if he has a good night. Hopefully he'll get more then three minutes to display his skill.

Eddie Johnson (F) - Actually showed a little against England, but it was not enough to wash away the last three years of bad. Needs to use his speed to keep Spain's backline in retreat.

Josh Wolff (F) - If he doesn't give something big, there really isn't a reason to keep calling him back.

Medium Pressure
Brad Guzan (GK) - Has the number two spot pretty much locked up, but needs another good 45' to completely put his bad MLS start to rest.

Oguchi Onyewu (D) - He has regained his form but with the onslaught that he will probably face tonight, he needs to keep it up under pressure. Also, needs to prove that he can best players faster then himself.

Steve Cherundolo (D) - Got to keep his marks tonight. The right back is still his to loose.

Frankie Hejduk (D) - He is still a long, long, long shot for 2010, but his experience combined with his decent play a week ago might just get him some more calls.

DaMarcus Beasley (M) - Still not over the injury, so he needs to display a good form and an outside option to feed the forwards.

Michael Bradley (M) - Did nothing to help with the attack in England, that obviously needs to change. The team needs a leader in the midfield but will Michael take this chance to be that leader?

Clint Dempsey (F) - Time for the deuce to step it up. He's obviously tired from the long EPL season, but his lack of creativity for the US team is starting to hurt. He's not losing his spot, but he needs to show why he earned it in the first place.

Low Pressure
Tim Howard (GK) - The only player that has no big worries. He is the number one for club and country. If he plays even an average game, it will be good.


The other person under a lot of pressure tonight is coach Bob Bradley. Last week's dump in England can be excused in part due to the late scratch of Donovan. However, with a week to prepare for this one, Bradley needs to show he can make the changes in his lineup and strategy to assure a good 90 minutes by his side.

My thought is Spain will win this one, but the US should be able to hold their own. To do so, they need to show that they can learn and adapt. Spain presents their hardest challenge so far in 2008, but this team is good enough to make it competitive. Anything less then a quality match, especially after last week, will put a very gray cloud over US soccer.

Concacaf President Warner wants England to host 2018 World Cup and USA to get 2022

Concacaf President and Fifa Vice-President Jack Warner hopes to convince the USA to abandon their bid for the 2018 finals in order to clear the way for England.

"My message to the USA - and they don't have to listen - is to try to make a deal for 2022 and I'm quite sure that would have universal support."

Although it is painful to say, Warner does make a strong point. The 2018 World Cup is all but assured to be held in Europe and England is by far the front-runner. That said, the US has a major advantage that could trump the somewhat emotional desire to give England only their second final and that is money.

With over 20 stadiums currently able to hold 70,000+ fans and a large diverse population already built in the US, a repeat of the 1994 event (in terms of tickets sold) is very likely. These tickets along with corporate sponsorship deals would likely make FIFA a huge sum of money, even by FIFA standards.

Then again, all that will still be there for 2022.

If there is any message to take from this, it is a warning to the US Soccer Federation that you can bid on 2018, but don't expect your region's president to strong-arm people to vote for you. Warner will stay with the US during the bidding process but he will not do the heavy lifting needed to win the event.

So what should the US do? The 2018 and 2022 cups will be awarded at the same time, so the bidding process is the same time frame. Should they try to reach a deal to obtain England and other European votes or take the risk?

My thought is go for 2022.

On another note of interest, at no point does Warner point to any other CONCACAF countries as possible hosts, which suggests both Mexico and Canada are out in the cold on this one.

US disgraced by England - Players grades

US 0-2 England

Yes, it was only a friendly but it still stings. What the US men showed yesterday at Wembley was one of their worst performances since the World Cup. With the exception of a couple players, no one had a decent night.

So what can we take from this? First of all, no matter how frustrating it can be at times, the US team is based on Donovan. Without him in the lineup, they are missing a huge part of their game. That said, the US should still be far better without Landon then they were yesterday.

Next, we need technical skills. The number of times players missed their runs or just passed the ball directly to an English player was disgusting and don't even get me started on first touches.

Finally, players cannot just stand around waiting for the ball, they need to go make the play happen. The few times that we created any danger in front of the box were a direct result of Eddie Johnson or Clint Dempsey running at defenders.

I can say one positive thing, they didn't go into a full bunker state at any point during the match. They came close for parts of the first half, but they were still looking for a counter to get things going.

So what about grades? Here they are:

Starting XI
Tim Howard (GK) - Made some good saves and really had no change at the goal he let in. A-
Steve Cherundolo (D) - Looked tired and missed his marks. C
Oguchi Onyewu (D) - Best field player by far. Killed threats, held his marks, covered for others and overall, was a quality enforcer. Still needs to work on his speed. A
Carlos Bocanegra (D) - A little rusty and it showed. Didn't cover well and let England turn him a few too many times. C+
Heath Pearce (D) - Was able to hold the left side alright and cut down on the center balls and provided some help in attack. A-
Clint Dempsey (M) - He was the one marking John Terry on the first goal and disappeared for most of the first hour. Late in the second he started showing his skills and causing some trouble for England, but by then his side had given up. B-
Ricardo Clark (M) - I like Clark but he was over matched yesterday and his frustration lead to some stupid fouls including the one that Beckham used to serve up the first goal. C-
Michael Bradley (M) - He was forced to play much more defensively then he likes and it interrupted his game. His passing was not very strong but he did get some good tackles in. Still, if he was suppose to be the provider to the forwards, he failed. C+
DaMarcus Beasley (M) - There were moments but it was obvious that he is not fully recovered from injury. He was the main person moving the ball forward in the first half, but in the end he is not yet match fit. B-
Eddie Johnson (F) - This was EJ's best match in over a year. He was actually getting some great touches, making space, playing the ball well and drawing fouls. His quick turn kick shot in the second half was the highlight of the match for the US (that's not saying much). If only the midfield had provided better service, he might have made something of it. B+
Josh Wolff (F) - Josh, thanks for the time but we are just going in a different direction. C-

Subs
Brad Guzan (GK) (in for Howard 46') - He made some fantastic saves and kept the US from losing by a couple more goals. A
Frankie Hejduk (D) (in for Cherundolo 46') - He's old but he held to England better then Cherundolo. Brought something to the right side. B
Eddie Lewis (M) (in for Beasley in the 68') - Moved the ball better then most in the middle. His center after beating Joe Cole was wonderful. Perhaps his age is not as much of a negative as I thought. B+
Freddy Adu (M) (in for Wolff 68') - Had some creativity but still sent some balls to nowhere land. Should have been in earlier. B
Maurice Edu (M) (in for Clark 78') - He didn't have much time to do anything but he didn't look as out of place as Clark. That said, England was just killing time by the 78'. B
Nate Jaqua (F) (in for Johnson 89') - He came on for the cap. Why Bob Bradley didn't but him in earlier, I'll never know. No Grade

Bob Bradley (Coach) - The late scratch of Donovan threw him a huge curve ball, but still could have done better. With Clark not performing why not give Edu a chance at the half? Also, why did he stick with Wolff for so long? Why not give Jaqua a chance to pair with Johnson for more then just stoppage time? His team was looking flat by the 30' minute but he really didn't bring on the players to change that till after the second goal. C

US-England preview – Which players need to perform?

US vs. England
3p ET/12p PT
TV: ESPN Classic
Internet: ESPN360.com
Text updates at MatchTracker

At long last the match at Wembley is here. The US come into the game on a role while England are still trying to recover from their Euro flop.

In his first two matches as manager Fabio Capello has not won the respect of the English public, but most of them expect that to change today. So how can the US and Bob Bradley keep Capello from celebrating?

First up, they need to withstand the opening 15-minutes. Nerves for the US will be high as the take the pitch, so they must start solid. A string of quality passes and some positive possession will cool things down.

After the first 15, they need to open up the field and find the weakness in the English midfield. I’m not sure who it will be, but there is always one weak link in England’s middle. As an added bonus, they should start working Rooney, trying to get him angry.

But the biggest thing the US needs to do is take the shot. England is not a side that will be confused by endless passing in the box, as they will just intercept and counter. The US must remember that the weakest spot on the whole English roster is in goal, so for the love of all things holy, take the shot and force the keeper to make the save.

If the US can ride the game and keep England from finding net for the first 60-minutes, the crowd will start to turn on their team, which s when the US needs to turn to some speed on the wings to force fouls thus earning dead ball situations.

Then comes the final quarter hour. If the US are still in it, they need to hold tight on defense but they cannot bunker down. England has way too much offensive talent to let them fire shot after shot. Get the ball to Donovan, Dempsey or Adu and let them run with it as chances are good that they will either create something or get fouled in the process.

In the end, England should win this match, but the US has a chance of pulling off a minor miracle match. Either way, the US should challenge for the full 90 and under no circumstances should they get dominated. If they do not look like a time that could win the game, it will be a failure.

So there is the full game plan, how about the individual players? Every time a professional steps into a game, they feel the need to perform, but some are under more pressure then others to make it happen. Below is my take on who needs to make it happen tonight in London.

High Pressure
Dominic Cervi (GK) – He is very unlikely to see a minute of playing time, but if he does, it will be his biggest interview possible to land a club spot.

Michael Orozco (D) – He is having a very solid season with San Luis and did some good things in Olympic Qualification, but has not shown it with the full team. With a possible opening coming in the central back, a good show might force some pressure on Bradley to take a risk.

Jay DeMerit (D) – After a long break due to injury, DeMerit needs a good night (or at least a good camp) to argue that he is still a factor in the US’s future.

Dan Califf (D) – There might finally be an opening for Califf to punch through. He has looked great in Denmark, but hasn’t had his time to shine with the senor squad.

Ricardo Clark (M) – Pushing his way into the over populated US midfield is going to be a struggle. He has done a good job so far, but he hasn’t stood out.

Freddy Adu (M) – His move to Benfica has not turned out that way he wanted. Three coaches and no playing time is not the way to develop. He has shown what he can do on the youth teams, but if he wants to move clubs, he needs to show with the big boys.

Landon Donovan (F) – Donovan’s 100th cap sees him as a lock for 2010, but there is still the issue of not being able to get it done outside of the US or in high pressure situations. Against Poland he showed what he could do, but he must prove it wasn’t a fluke. Plus, if there is any truth to the ‘he wants to try Europe again’ rumors, a showing against England makes it a lot easier.

Nate Jaqua (F) – Even with the light pool the US has in forward, many our wondering why Jaqua? He had an excellent past year with Houston and his Austrian club, so the nod is deserved, but he needs to show internationally.

Eddie Johnson (F) – With every game that passes by, Johnson looks less and less like the go to guy for the US. His bad time with Fulham combined with the pressure from Jozy Altidore means EJ needs to produce because his chances are running out.

Medium Pressure
Brad Guzan (GK) – He still looks good for a move to Europe, however if he gets minutes in this game, he needs to show that his bad start to the MLS season is just a hiccup.

Carlos Bocanegra (D) – Dumped by his club after riding the bench for months is not the way to keep your spot. With Orozco and Califf coming on strong, Boc needs to show he still has it.

Heath Pearce (D) – The left side is wide open because nobody has made it their own. Pearce is getting his chance.

Jonathan Spector (D) – Looks like he with have limited minutes if any, but if he does take the pitch, Spector we need to show his versatility in the backline.

DaMarcus Beasley (M) – After being out so long due to injury, Beasley needs to show that he is ready for competitive matches. Oh, and he needs to not re-injure himself.

Maurice Edu (M) – A late add of a young player probably means no minutes, but if he does get in, he needs to give Bradley a reason to call him in that does not involve an injury to another player.

Josh Wolff (F) – No contract and getting up there in age, Wolff is a long shot for 2010, but if no one else steps up as a quality forward, he might find his way to South Africa.

Low Pressure
Tim Howard (GK) – Even with all the quality competition between the posts, the big gloves of the US are Howard’s. Add to it his work at Everton and he’s got nothing to worry about.

Oguchi Onyewu (D) – His time in Belgium has served him well. He is looking smart in the back and not committing many dumb fouls. Now if only he could work on his speed.

Frankie Hejduk (D) – Unless some really strange things happen, Frankie is not going to be in South Africa in 2010 and he’s not looking to change clubs, so he has no pressure.

Steve Cherundolo (D) – Had a good season in Germany and no one else is really breathing down his neck at right back, so enjoy this one.

Michael Bradley (M) – After the season he has had with Heerenveen, there is no question that he will be a key part of the 2010 US run. With a move to England likely this summer, this game is a perfect place to introduce himself to the EPL fans.

Eddie Lewis (M) – Much like Hejduk, Lewis is not going to be part of 2010. He should bring a calm to the team in the middle.

Clint Dempsey (F) – A lock for club and country, but he has not looked so great this calendar year. His first full English campaign has taken it out of him, but he needs to show he can still be creative even when tired.