An epic soccer blog

Blogging, blogging … and we’re blogging.

Yeah, it’s been awhile. Sue me. Between writing full-time for a living and all of the officiating I’ve been doing lately, I barely have enough time to squeeze in the sporting events I want to watch, much less write about them. But I have found something that has inspired me, so I’m blogging.

The U.S. soccer team recently completed the Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious tournaments in North and Central America (if you can call any CONCACAF tournament “prestigious”), finishing runner-up after losing 4-2 to the hated Mexicans in the final. Depending on which way you look at it, the Gold Cup is either the beginning of a new cycle leading up to the next World Cup, or in the case of the way the U.S. seemingly looks at it, the winding down and ending of the latest four-year cycle.

Since the U.S. didn’t win the Gold Cup, it didn’t earn an invitation to the 2013 Confederations Cup. That would have been a key tuneup leading into the World Cup because it features eight of the best teams in the world. That would be great competition for the U.S. as it prepares for the 2014 World Cup. Without that invite, the U.S. will have to rely on qualifying to get a feel for the team it wants to send to Brazil, and since the U.S. has a bye into the third round of CONCACAF qualifying, it will be a while before those real games begin.

Note: The U.S. will play meaningful soccer between now and then at the U-23 level with the Olympics. That team is beginning preparations for the 2012 Olympics in London. It’s not the full national team by any stretch of the imagination, but it should give us a look at some of the young guys who will be vying for playing time. In addition, because FIFA allows for three “overage” players to join the roster for the Olympics, there’s a good chance many of the players heading to London also will make the squad for Brazil in 2014.

Here’s a look at my best guess of what the 23-man roster will look like in Brazil, with a clear understanding that there likely is a player or two who none of us have ever heard of (see Altidore, Jozy in the 2010 World Cup) at this point will emerge and make the squad:

Goalkeepers (3)
Brad Guzan – The biggest question with Guzan, who will be 29 at the time of the next World Cup, isn’t whether he’ll continue to be a mainstay on the national team. It’s when does he take the mantle from Howard as the No. 1 guy. Kasey Keller started the ’06 Cup at age 36. Brad Friedel could have started the ’06 Cup at age 35. Guzan has to think this is the last run for Howard, but you never know. Guzan will be 33 at the 2018 Cup, so he’s hoping for one shot. At any rate, he’s clearly the No. 2 guy, even though he’s still backing up Friedel at Aston Villa.

Tim Howard – Although Howard will be 35 when the team begins play in Brazil, it’s clear that he is the best keeper in the country, and one of the best America has ever produced. It’s highly unlikely that anyone will challenge him for that spot over the next three years.

Sean Johnson – Johnson has emerged as the best young keeper in the country, and at age 25, he’ll be ready to make his World Cup debut. At 6-4 and 220 pounds, the comparisons to Howard are natural. Will Johnson develop into a world class keeper like Howard? That remains to be seen, but he does look like the keeper of the future for the red, white and blue. Howard first made his debut as the No. 3 in the ’06 World Cup at the age of 27. Johnson should be ready in ’14.

Defenders (8)
Gale Agbossoumonde – A dynamic young center back, the Boss isn’t ready right now at only 19 years of age and with limited professional experience. Give him three years of development, and the 6-2, 190-pounder will be ready to team with Omar Gonzalez and/or Tim Ream to hold down the U.S. central defense.

Joe Amon – I’m taking a flyer on the youngster from the U-17 national team. The right back has been the most impressive player to me for the U.S. in the U-17 World Cup. He’s not that big (5-7, 130), but he reminds me a lot of a mixture of Steve Cherundolo and Damarcus Beasley. He’ll turn 20 during the 2014 World Cup, which might be a little too young to make this squad. But there are always a few surprises, and this is a kid worth taking a chance on.

Carlos Bocanegra – He’ll be 35, and he won’t be the captain anymore. He likely won’t be a starter either, or at least he shouldn’t be. If he is, that’s an indictment that the back line hasn’t improved much between now and 2014. However, his experience and versatility (the ability to play both central defender and outside back) make him a worthwhile player to keep around.

Timmy Chandler – How crazy is Timmy Chandler’s story? He’s not even listed on the senior national team’s player pool, but many people believe his absence was the difference in the U.S. defeating Mexico in the Gold Cup final (his club squad requested he be left off the roster due to "exhaustion"). His presence certainly was missed after right back Steve Cherundolo injured his ankle early in the contest and had to be replaced. The German-born defender’s recent rise in the Bundesliga and stellar play in a March friendly burst him onto the international scene, and at just 21 years of age, he appears poised to help usher in a new era of U.S. defenders.

Maurice Edu – Edu’s versatility is his strongest selling point. He made the 2010 World Cup roster as a defensive midfielder, where he didn’t get much of a shot playing behind Ricardo Clark. He had a similar experience playing behind Jermaine Jones at the Gold Cup. Unlike both of those players, though, Edu is still relatively young (he’ll be 28 at the next World Cup) and can be a solid defender. Because of his much needed versatility and defensive prowess, and due to a stacked midfield, he best fits here.

Omar Gonzalez – At 6-5, 210 pounds and 22 years of age, Gonzalez is the defender of the future. He’ll take the torch from Onweyu as the next Eddie Pope, a label that Gooch never was able to live up to. He’s been a known commodity in the U.S. program for years, and he’s done nothing yet to limit the hype. There’s a strong chance that he could anchor the U.S. defense for the next two or even three World Cups.

Eric Lichaj – Lichaj is the left back of the future. He’ll be 25 in Brazil and should be set up for a run at the next two World Cups. He played very well in the Gold Cup, and if he can start getting regular playing time at Aston Villa in the Premier League, he could develop into the best left back the U.S. has ever seen.

Tim Ream – Played well at times in the Gold Cup as a central defender and will only improve as he gets more professional playing time. He’s a prime candidate for a European transfer in the next two years, and at only 23 years old, he looks like he could pair with Omar Gonzalez as a strong central tandem for years to come.

Midfielders (8)
Freddy Adu – Long hailed as the savior of American soccer, Adu was basically written off for dead after the 2008 Olympics, when he essentially disappeared (save for a cameo appearance on the U.S.’ “B” team that played in the 2009 Gold Cup). That all changed this year, when after bouncing around from club to club in Europe, he received a surprise call-up for the Gold Cup, where he played well as a substitute in the semifinals and again as a starter in the final. In fact, he played so well in those two games that he resuscitated his career by showing he is probably the best technical player in the country. It’s hard to remember that he’ll only be 25 in 2014, and he likely will compete for a starting spot.

Michael Bradley – A frustrating player, Bradley at times shows brilliance, challenging Donovan and Dempsey as the best player in the country, and other times seemingly disappearing and making little impact in the game. A central midfielder, Bradley adds a good deal of punch offensively (see his header for the first goal against Mexico in the Gold Cup final) but doesn’t seem to provide as much help defensively as you would like from that position. However, at only 26 in Brazil, he should be reaching his prime and theoretically could have overtaken Donovan and Dempsey as the Yanks’ best player.

Clint Dempsey – How much does Deuce have left in his international tank? He’s 28, and he’ll be 31 in Brazil. It’s safe to say that he’ll be past his prime. However, he continues to improve every year he plays in the Premier League. He’s legitimately challenging Landon Donovan to become the best player in U.S. history. He’s an above-average finisher, which for the U.S. makes him appear elite. I include him as a midfielder because that’s where Bob Bradley loves him. I continue to say that the U.S. would be best served with him starting up top, as recent matches show the offense plays much better when he pushes up to a forward position.

Mixx Diskerud – It’s funny; I’m all about the U.S. national team, but if you weren’t born here, doesn’t matter. Diskerud is a Norwegian-born player who spent time with both Norway and U.S. youth teams before deciding to play for the stars and stripes. Welcome aboard. When you’re as electric on the ball as he is, you can play for my country any day of the year. It’s no secret that the U.S., especially in the midfield, is aging. Diskerud, who will be 23 at the time of the World Cup, is the best of the next generation of U.S. playmakers.

Landon Donovan – See Dempsey above. Donovan is a year older than Dempsey, and he’s likely entering his last run at a World Cup, or at least his last one where he’ll make a serious contribution. How well will he hold up over the next three years? Will his skills begin diminishing, or will he still be playing at an elite level? There’s no question: the better Dempsey and Donovan play, the better the Yanks will play.

Benny Feilhaber – Like Diskerud, Feilhaber wasn’t born in the U.S. (he’s Brazilian by birth), but he’s chosen to play for Team USA. Feilhaber played for the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics and had his breakout performance in the 2009 Confederations Cup, where the U.S. finished runner-up to Brazil. He also was a sub during the 2010 World Cup. He was supposed to become a regular in the midfield with Bradley, but an injured ankle knocked him out of the Gold Cup. Should he be able to stay healthy, he should be able to maintain a slot on the roster.

Stuart Holden – Can Holden finally stay healthy? The Scottish-born Premier League player was limited at the 2010 World Cup thanks to a broken leg he suffered a few months before the tournament, while a torn ACL he suffered in March knocked him out of the Gold Cup. He’s an ideal pairing with Bradley in the central midfield, but his versatility to play on both the left and right wings also makes him a great player to have on the roster.

Brek Shea – There’s no question that Shea, who will be 24 at the time of the World Cup, has a future on the senior national team. He’s a talented left winger who also is versatile enough to play left back (a major position of need) and can even spell at forward at times. He’s got a history on the U.S. youth teams, and he’s one of the top scorers in MLS this season. It’s a long shot that he can break through during this cycle, but there’s always a surprise or two on the final roster. I’m throwing my money in Brek Shea’s direction as being that surprise.

Forwards (4)
Juan Agudelo – He’s just 18 and doesn’t have much international experience, but he’s already overtaken Jozy Altidore for the top striker spot for the U.S. He’ll be 21 in Brazil, and hopefully he’ll already have moved on to Europe or will use a big World Cup to parlay his way into a contract in one of the better leagues in the world.

Jozy Altidore – The jury is still out on whether or not Altidore can be an elite finisher. The good news: he’ll be 24 in 2014, so he should be coming into his prime. If he can get some quality club playing time over the next few years, Altidore might be able to develop into more than just a big target. It’s clear that if the U.S. wants to take the next step, it needs both Agudelo and Altidore to continue developing.

Teal Bunbury – Bunbury certainly doesn’t have much experience (just two caps), but at 6-2 he has everything you want in a forward: size, speed, strength. The Canadian national hasn’t proven yet in his two MLS seasons that he can be an elite scorer, but at just 21 years old he’s well on his way to becoming one and earning his way into a bigger league.

Charlie Davies – I’ll be honest: this might just be wishful thinking. Davies, if you remember, was well on his way to a stellar U.S. national team career (scoring four times in 16 appearances) when it was derailed by a horrific car crash in October 2009. Davies was lucky to survive, but he’s put in a great deal of work to get back to an elite level. He missed out on the 2010 World Cup and 2011 Gold Cup rosters, but he’s improved enough to lead MLS in goals (eight as of this posting on June 27, 2011). The jury is still out on if Davies has fully recovered his burst, but the guy knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, which is a skill that is desperately needed on Team USA.

As far as a starting lineup, all of that will depend on what type of lineup Bob Bradley chooses to use. He used mainly a 4-5-1 during the Gold Cup; however, I believe he feels more comfortable with the traditional 4-4-2. With four true strikers on this roster, I believe he’ll be able to employ that lineup.

My guess on starters would be: Howard (GK), Lichaj (LB), Gonzalez (CB), Ream (CB), Chandler (RB), Bradley (DM), Donovan (LM), Dempsey (RM), Holden (AM), Agudelo (F) and Davies (F). The top reserves would be Agbossoumonde (CB), Bocanegra (LB), Adu (MF), Diskerud (MF) and Altidore (F).

Now for the candidates who were given consideration but won’t make the squad:

Goalkeepers
Cody Cropper – Just 18 years old, Cropper certainly won’t be ready by 2014, but he might just be the best young keeper prospect in the country. He has great size at 6-3 and 200 pounds, and he should get good experience at Ipswich Town in the English second division. He wasn’t the starting keeper on the U-20 squad earlier this year, but he should be a fun prospect to watch develop.

Marcus Hahnemann – A quality keeper, he’s been stuck as a backup basically his entire career. He’ll be 42 in 2014, and though keepers have proven they can play much longer than other players, his international career is likely over.

Zak McMath – The best thing for young keepers is playing time, which McMath isn’t getting during his rookie year in MLS. He was an All-American in college who is just 19 years old, and at 6-2 he’s long and lanky with a great keeper build. He started over Cropper on the U-20 squad earlier this year, but it will be interesting to see which one develops into a “keeper” on the national squad.

Nick Rimando – An undersized keeper, it could be argued that Rimando made the most of his limited ability, but he’s never really been more than a No. 3 option for the national team, and he’s likely to be passed by several young prospects by the time the World Cup rolls around.

Defenders
Kellyn Acosta – Just 15 years old, he’s the youngest player on the U-17 national team. He’ll only be 18 at the start of the ’14 World Cup, and he likely won’t be ready. It’s much easier to make an impact as a young player on the offensive end than it is on the defensive end, where savvy and pure technical defending are key. But he is a left back, a position of weakness for the U.S.

Jonathan Bornstein – I hate to write off a guy because of one bad game, but his abysmal performance against Mexico in the Gold Cup final will be hard to forget. He was serviceable at left back in the 2010 World Cup, but I believe his time has passed.

Zach Carroll – Tall, lanky 17-year-old has the build of a classic central defender. He’ll likely fill out his 6-3 frame to more than 200 pounds (185 right now) and should be a name to watch for years to come.

Steve Cherundolo – This one hurts. I like Cherundolo. A lot. He defends very well for such a little guy (5-6, 145), and he adds a lot of punch offensively when he pushes up the right flank. However, like Bocanegra, he’ll be 35 in Brazil, and I don’t think the roster has room for two veteran defenders who likely won’t see the field that much.

Oguchi Onyewu – I won’t beat a dead horse or waste too much time, but unfortunately it appears Gooch’s international career is finished. Or at least it should be. Shame on Bob Bradley if he doesn’t turn over that role to Omar Gonzalez.

Jonathan Spector – The once young super prospect who signed with Manchester United at 17, he’ll be a 28-year-old who has constantly underachieved during his career. A decent option at right back, he’s never quite lived up to his billing, and he just misses the cut this time around.

Midfielders
Alejandro Bedoya – Bedoya, like the two guys who follow him, has seen plenty of time with the senior national team (13 caps), and at age 27 in 2014, it’s certainly not out of the question for him to land another spot on this squad. However, the emergence of Diskerud and Shea likely will keep him off the team.

Jermaine Jones – Jones will be 32 in 2014, and that’s certainly not too old to play in the defensive midfield (just ask Pablo Mastroeni). However, in the 10 appearances Jones has made since choosing the U.S. over his native Germany have shown that he and Bradley just don’t function well together. They’re essentially the same player, and since Bradley is five years younger (and the coach’s son), it’s likely that he’ll continue to get the nod over Jones.

Sacha Kljestan – Like the two guys above him, Kljestan was on the Gold Cup roster. He’ll be 28 during the next World Cup, and since he didn’t make a huge difference in Mexico, his spot likely will depend on an injury to Holden or Feilhaber, or a stunt in development of Diskerud and Shea.

Dillon Powers – The 20-year-old Notre Dame midfielder is probably the best U-20 midfielder in the country. And as you’ll see from this list, he’s really the only young guy expected to get a look. It’s not that there aren’t talented young players in the midfield, it’s just that there is a great deal of talent in the mid-20s to upper-20s age range at the position. Powers should be the leader of the next generation of American players when he gets his chance in 2018.

Forwards
Justin Braun – It’s no hidden secret that forward is a place where it doesn’t take much to get a look on the national team (see Chris Wondolowski’s inclusion on the 2011 Gold Cup roster). However, Braun and Bunbury are similar players (though Braun is an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier). Bunbury also is three years younger and projects to be a better player in three years.

Conor Doyle – Doyle, 19, has become a star on the youth national team who at 6-2 has the look of being the latest in a long line of “the next Brian McBride” (for some reason, we’ve yet to have a next Brian McBride). He’s playing professionally for Derby County of the English second division, and it likely won’t be long before he moves up to the Premier League. The son of an Irishman, Doyle has played on both U.S. and Irish youth teams, but he committed this month to continuing his senior national career in America.

Robbie Findley – Findley made the World Cup squad in 2010, but he wasn’t able to make much of an impact, even when he was starting. He hasn’t had much of an impact on the international level since, and it appears his time has come and gone.

Alfred Koroma – Koroma scored two goals in two games as a sub for the U-17 team in its World Cup, then earned a start in the third game. At 6-foot, he’s reminiscent of a young Eddie Johnson. As both Altidore and Agudelo have shown, if you can score the ball, you can get early chances for Bob Bradley.

Kelyn Rowe – Rowe, 19, isn’t a professional yet (he plays for UCLA), and while he might ultimately become a midfielder, right now he projects as a forward in a forward-needy country. When you score three goals in three games as a forward on the U-20 squad, it catches people’s attention. He’s in consideration for a spot on the Olympic squad and some young players are going to use that tournament to jumpstart their hopes of landing on the 2014 World Cup squad.

All that said, this is simply one person’s opinion, and it has been shown over the past five years that my opinion typically doesn’t line up with Bob Bradley’s opinion. Still, it will be interesting to look back on this post in three years when we’re at the World Cup and see just how much changed over that time span and see how accurate my projections were.