US Vs. Denmark

[Zeno]

>>Bradley Names 18-Player Roster to Face Denmark on Jan. 20

CARSON, Calif. (Jan. 19, 2007) - U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has selected the 18-man roster that will suit up against Denmark on Saturday, Jan. 20, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. PT, and fans can get a first glimpse of the scene when Rob Stone, Eric Wynalda, Bruce Arena and Allen Hopkins start the coverage at 1:50 p.m. PT live on ESPN2. The match will also be shown via tape delay on Galavision, and fans can follow along online live via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker.

Four players will be in search of their first cap tomorrow, including MLS Rookie of the Year Jonathan Bornstein and FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper, who finished tied for fifth in the league scoring table in 2006 with 11 goals.

Experience is also well served, with five players from the 2006 World Cup roster returning to action tomorrow. Two-time World Cup veteran Landon Donovan is the leading capwinner on the roster, having made 84 international appearances for the senior team. Pablo Mastroeni, who played in five World Cup matches during 2002 and 2006, has collected exactly 50 caps during his six-year international career.

Check back tomorrow at 1 p.m. PT to find out who Bradley will send out in the starting XI for his first match at the helm and the team's first step on the road to 2010 in South Africa.

Roster by Position
Goalkeepers (2) – Joe Cannon (Los Angeles Galaxy), Matt Reis (New England Revolution)

Defenders (7) – Chris Albright (Los Angeles Galaxy), Bobby Boswell (D.C. United), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Dan Califf (Aalborg BK), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Bryan Namoff (D.C. United), Heath Pearce (FC Nordsjælland)

Midfielders (4) – Kyle Beckerman (Colorado Rapids), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)

Forwards (5) –Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Nate Jaqua (Los Angeles Galaxy), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire) <<

Its the B team for both squads. The US has only 2 European based players and Denmark is missing 3 or 4 starters as well. The US still has to look strong or its gonna be a rough start for Bradley...even though the Mexico game is much more important.

 

[Stout]

If these guys don't pull out a decent game, Bradley is going to get blasted, and rightly so. He had damn well better know what he's doing.

 

[Zeno]

A few early observations...

Donovan is a wimp. he looks to pass far too often..even though he scored on a PK and was taking players on at points late in the first half. Overall he just isn't a strong enough player--if he played with the toughness of a player like Mastroeni I'd have a lot more respect for him.

Denmark is the stronger team. Our MLS players just aren't good enough: Jacqua is the big and slow footed type of forward I can't stand, a target in the air and nothing more--when the ball is at his feet he can make nothing happen. Chris Rolfe is not an international player. Chris Albright shouldn't even be in camp--he's 28 and has always been average at best, he'll be 31 by the next WC and if he couldn't crack the lineup by now how do we expect him to improve from ages 28-31?

I still have hope for Eddie Johnson, Boswell, Bornstein and I like the toughness that Conrad displays (but if its a choice between him and Bocanegra in central defense its Bocanegra all the way).

I hope there are big changes in the second half, give some other kids a shot.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Whoever this Mapp kid is, he stays. He has played way better than Jaqua today. What a fantastic play to set up that goal, he has been one of the few US players to play without fear today. Donovan should take lessons.

 

[Zeno]

Mapp played really well in the game, unfortunately for him he is playing a position that is pretty well stocked on the US team--with Convey and Beasley both lining up on the left side of the midfield. Mapp at least seems comfortable on the right side too (but thats Dempseys spot IMO)--he at the very least provides good depth.

The US fitness won out in the second half.

 

[Mulli]

I watched a bit of the first half. Am I the only one who didn't want to listen to Arena as commentator. I could be wrong but it seemed that Wynalda and Arena were disagreeing a lot. Wynalda said something and then Arena said it didn't make any sense. I could be wrong about that though.