MLS on the MNT
I hate that I was at work when USMNT Coach Bruce Arena was on SportsCenter -- can you believe it?? They're treating soccer like it's a real sport! It pays when the network owns all the broadcast rights, I guess -- announced the roster for this summer's US World Cup team. But now, the wait's over, and here they all are (MLS players in bold):
Keepers: The phenomenal Kasey Keller, who gets to play in his castle's backyard, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann, with Tony Meola (RBNY)and Matt Reis (NE) on reserve.
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Jimmy Conrad (KC), Cory Gibbs, my beloved Frankie Hejduk(CLB), Eddie Lewis, Oguchi Onyewu, and Eddie Pope(RSL), with Chris Albright (LA), Gregg Berhalter and Todd Dunivant (LA)in the reserves.
Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley, Bobby Convey, Clint Dempsey (NE), Landon Donovan (LA), Pablo Mastroeni (COL), John O'Brien (CHV), Ben Olsen (DC) and Claudio Reyna with Chris Armas (CHI), Chris Klein (RSL), Pat Noonan (NE), Steve Ralston (NE) and Kerry Zavagnin (KC) in the reserves.
Strikers: Eddie Johnson (KC), Brian McBride, Brian Ching (HOU) and Josh Wolff (KC) with Conor Casey, Chris Rolfe (CHI) and Taylor Twellman (NE) in reserve.
So, any surprises? Not really, this is pretty much the list that everyone and their dog has been trotting out for the past year, other than everyone and their pup was expecting Twelleman to make the squad. I admit, that surprises me somewhat. But I'd be more surprised if this list had been made four months ago. As late, I haven't seen much from NE's Golden Boy, whereas I believe that Olsen always has been very consistent. Also it's somewhat of a surprise that Brian Ching made it, but I think he's a good player as well. Yeah, he doesn't shine out there like Landon, but he walks that fine line between being consistent and dependable. It works.
What is surprising is that out of the 36 players on the list, 22 of them are MLS players, and 11 of those MLS players are on the squad, with 11 in reserve. That, I think, is a really respectable showing for MLS, and it shows that America's slice of the sport doesn't suck like a Hoover the way all the naysayers think. They run with the big dogs. Of course, this means I gotta cut Frankie from the fantasy team, darn it.
What is this lineup saying to the rest of the world? Well, it does say that we're coming with our best of the best, that's for sure, because that's what it is. Is this a team that's going to take over in Germany? Weeeeeelll ... probably not, barring some sort of Cinderella story miracle that would look really good in a movie with the Kurt Russell playing Bruce Arena. But it does say that the team is showing up for a full 90 every time, and I think with this team if they keep it together, they won't fall apart like they did in Germany two months back.
Ammended and expanded later by MLS Fangirl, to make up for a hurried, deadline crunched early version.
Keepers: The phenomenal Kasey Keller, who gets to play in his castle's backyard, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann, with Tony Meola (RBNY)and Matt Reis (NE) on reserve.
Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Jimmy Conrad (KC), Cory Gibbs, my beloved Frankie Hejduk(CLB), Eddie Lewis, Oguchi Onyewu, and Eddie Pope(RSL), with Chris Albright (LA), Gregg Berhalter and Todd Dunivant (LA)in the reserves.
Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley, Bobby Convey, Clint Dempsey (NE), Landon Donovan (LA), Pablo Mastroeni (COL), John O'Brien (CHV), Ben Olsen (DC) and Claudio Reyna with Chris Armas (CHI), Chris Klein (RSL), Pat Noonan (NE), Steve Ralston (NE) and Kerry Zavagnin (KC) in the reserves.
Strikers: Eddie Johnson (KC), Brian McBride, Brian Ching (HOU) and Josh Wolff (KC) with Conor Casey, Chris Rolfe (CHI) and Taylor Twellman (NE) in reserve.
So, any surprises? Not really, this is pretty much the list that everyone and their dog has been trotting out for the past year, other than everyone and their pup was expecting Twelleman to make the squad. I admit, that surprises me somewhat. But I'd be more surprised if this list had been made four months ago. As late, I haven't seen much from NE's Golden Boy, whereas I believe that Olsen always has been very consistent. Also it's somewhat of a surprise that Brian Ching made it, but I think he's a good player as well. Yeah, he doesn't shine out there like Landon, but he walks that fine line between being consistent and dependable. It works.
What is surprising is that out of the 36 players on the list, 22 of them are MLS players, and 11 of those MLS players are on the squad, with 11 in reserve. That, I think, is a really respectable showing for MLS, and it shows that America's slice of the sport doesn't suck like a Hoover the way all the naysayers think. They run with the big dogs. Of course, this means I gotta cut Frankie from the fantasy team, darn it.
What is this lineup saying to the rest of the world? Well, it does say that we're coming with our best of the best, that's for sure, because that's what it is. Is this a team that's going to take over in Germany? Weeeeeelll ... probably not, barring some sort of Cinderella story miracle that would look really good in a movie with the Kurt Russell playing Bruce Arena. But it does say that the team is showing up for a full 90 every time, and I think with this team if they keep it together, they won't fall apart like they did in Germany two months back.
Ammended and expanded later by MLS Fangirl, to make up for a hurried, deadline crunched early version.
posted by MLS Fangirl @ 4:57 PM
2 Comments:
At 8:09 AM,
Virtual Yogi said…
The selection seems ok. Only quibble I have is not having Noonan on the team. Ben Olson's selection is a bit of a surprise. Even on a good day, he is a very average MLS player. Maybe its the Virginia connection. Twellman's omission is not a surprise. Arena like all managers have gone for a the forward combination of size and speed. Unfortunately, Twellman has neither but could have been a good sub of the bench. He reminds me so much of Paolo Rossi. I would have taken only 2 keepers and twellman as an additional forward.
At 5:57 AM,
MLS Fangirl said…
Mirarchi -- it will be interesting to see if a good showing in the World Cup will translate into more attention for MLS in the US. I almost expect nothing to happen, as even if we do well, the nation will go back to hating soccer in July.
rxr: Hmmm, that's right, Noonan's absence is surprising, I'd forgotten about him. Which may say something in itself. I'm a DC fanatic, so I'm loving Olsen's addition.
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