Appearances: 8 (Last appearance in 2006)
Current FIFA Ranking (As of March 3): 18
Captain: Carlos Bocanegra (Center Back/Left Back)
Leading Scorer in Qualifying: Jozy Altidore - 6 goals (Striker)
Key Injuries: Charlie Davies (Striker) - Injuries sustained from a car crash (Questionable for World Cup). Stuart Holden (Midfielder) - Fractured right tibia (Possible return in mid-May). Jermaine Jones (Midfielder) - Fractured left shin (Out since Summer '09, possible return in April).
Key retirements since 2006: Claudio Reyna (Midfielder/Former Captain), John O'Brien (Midfielder), Eddie Lewis (Midfielder/Winger), Brian McBride (Striker), Eddie Pope (Defender)
Team Overview:
The Americans enter the World Cup with high hopes after finishing second in the 2009 Confederations Cup. They shockingly defeated the number one team in the world, Spain, by a score of 2-0 and narrowly lost to Brazil in the final 3-2. They led, at one point, 2-0 in that game as well. This team is the most talented that the U.S. has ever had and has a good mix of youth, talent, and experience. The only question is if they have enough to beat the best in the world.
Tim Howard is the choice as number one keeper. He is among the top goalies in the world and is the best that the U.S. has ever had. He was named the top goalkeeper in the Confederations Cup, beating the likes of Iker Casillas, Julio Cesar and Gianluigi Buffon. Because of the inconsistency of the defense in front of him, Howard will have to be at the top of his game for the U.S. to have a chance of reaching the quarterfinals and beyond.
The defense for the U.S has some solid players, although they are very inconsistent. The two center backs will most likely be Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit. Both are physical players and are strong in the air. They do get lost at times and quicker forwards are able to elude them. Onyewu also is coming back from a severe knee injury and will need to get into form. Bocanegra, the captain, will be the left back and Jonathan Spector will be the right back. Both are reliable players and Spector is able to put in some accurate crosses. That ability will be crucial if the Americans wish to score goals and put pressure on opposing teams.
The midfield for the Americans is one that could change drastically. The only sure starters are Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley. Donovan is, and has been, the face of United States soccer for many years now and his playmaking ability will determine the fortunes of the U.S. Clint Dempsey is another candidate to start in midfield, but if Charlie Davies is unable to return from his injuries, I would expect Dempsey to be moved to a forward position. Nevertheless, he will be in a starting position.
Stuart Holden is another injured player that should be in the starting spot. His current timetable of recovery would give him a month of preparation before the World Cup. He has shown flashes of brilliance as the right wing and provides a spark that the U.S. needs. The other spot in midfield could go to a number of guys. If healthy, and that's a big if, Jermaine Jones should be the starter. He's a big powerful defensive midfielder and comes to the American team after spending the past few years as a part of the German national team. He has, however struggled to return from his shin injury and has suffered two recent setbacks. His original return date was in early December. Now, it is in mid-April.
The other players vying for that spot, if Jones is unable to return, are Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu and Benny Feilhaber. Clark and Edu have the best chances at that starting spot and Feilhaber is a valuable asset off the bench.
With the possible loss of Charlie Davies, the forward position becomes a significant point of weakness in the U.S. team. Davies was the perfect foil for Jozy Altidore. He was a very quick, agile and smart player. His speed opened up holes that Altidore was able to run through and use his big body and strength to cause havoc. Davies hopes to begin running and training in a month, but that timetable is shaky. If he returns, he will start as the other striker alongside Altidore.
If Davies does not return, it leads to problems. His back-ups: Robbie Findley, Eddie Johnson, Brian Ching and Connor Casey have not been able to make an impact on the field. The most reasonable choice to play in his position would be midfielder Clint Dempsey due to his goalscoring capabilities, but Dempsey and Altidore have talents that are similar to each other and may not work well together. Dempsey works better when he is inside the 6-yard box, which Altidore is also good at. Coach Bob Bradley will need to figure out who to pair with Altidore in order to get the best results. Findley and Johnson are both fast guys, but they have been unable to find a spark with Altidore.
Player to Watch: Landon Donovan
As stated before, the fortunes of the American team will lie on the shoulders of two men, Tim Howard and Landon Donovan. Donovan has been the face of U.S. soccer for 8 years now and is the most talented player on the team. He is the playmaker in midfield and he undoubtedly be involved in nearly every goal the Americans score. He has good speed and great vision on the field. He also is the top goalscorer in U.S. history with 42 goals which speaks well of his ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
He is a willing passer and is able to use both feet well. He also has a good repertoire with the forwards and he can any position at the midfield or forward spots. If he plays well, the U.S. will play well. If he doesn't, then the U.S. will almost certainly face a very quick exit.
Prediction: Loss to Germany in the Round of 16.
The final squad will not be announced until June 10 but here is a small list of players in the running to make the team.
Match Schedule
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