Quick - first five names that comes to mind when thinking of the current USMNT – Donovan, Dempsey, Bocanegra, Bradley, and Howard? Those five players are considered the backbone of the squad and heading into two World Cup qualifying matches with Jamaica: two are injured, one hasn’t played in 2.5 months, until recently one was playing in the 3rd Division in Scotland, but thankfully Tim Howard is still at the top of his game.
If there was ever a time that a US National Team supporter should be nervous during World Cup qualifying, it is now. Besides missing Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley due to injuries, the squad also has key players that, until recently, had unsettled club situations. Clint Dempsey hasn’t played a competitive match since the June WCQ games, while Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu had been training with Rangers of the Scottish 3rd Division until this past week. All three players have missed out on competitive matches, while transferring to different teams on Friday. At a time when a national team manager wants players to be playing at a consistent level, he has three that haven’t been playing and another, Geoff Cameron, who recently moved from the Dynamo to Stoke City. Will a summer of discontent for these players at club level have a negative effect with the national team?
If there was ever a time that a US National Team supporter should be nervous during World Cup qualifying, it is now. Besides missing Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley due to injuries, the squad also has key players that, until recently, had unsettled club situations. Clint Dempsey hasn’t played a competitive match since the June WCQ games, while Carlos Bocanegra and Maurice Edu had been training with Rangers of the Scottish 3rd Division until this past week. All three players have missed out on competitive matches, while transferring to different teams on Friday. At a time when a national team manager wants players to be playing at a consistent level, he has three that haven’t been playing and another, Geoff Cameron, who recently moved from the Dynamo to Stoke City. Will a summer of discontent for these players at club level have a negative effect with the national team?
In the midfield - who else is tired of Jermaine Jones and Jose Torres getting the call? In Jones, we have a player that is guaranteed to get a yellow card each match and rarely completes a forward pass. Unfortunately for Torres, he disappears in USMNT games and has no impact while on the field. With the added absence of Michael Bradley, Sacha Kljestan could provide more in the midfield than either of these two players. Does another nation in CONCACAF have a player competing in the group stages of the Champions League and not be chosen for their national team? Has the United States become that good that we can overlook a player with that type of resume?
On the positive side, Klinsmann has two forwards in Jozy Altidore and Terrence Boyd that are currently playing at the top of their game, scoring goals for their club at a regular rate. With Donovan absent and Dempsey not at match fitness, both forwards will need to bring their scoring boots if the US will want to gain positive results against Jamaica.
The United States will be training in Miami the next few days prior to their match in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday evening. The second match will take place on Tuesday September 11 at Columbus Crew Stadium. Klinsmann’s men are atop Group A on goal differential over the Reggae Boyz, who are level on points with four. The United States has never won a qualifier in Jamaica, and unless new players emerge from the shadows, that streak could continue on Friday evening.
On the positive side, Klinsmann has two forwards in Jozy Altidore and Terrence Boyd that are currently playing at the top of their game, scoring goals for their club at a regular rate. With Donovan absent and Dempsey not at match fitness, both forwards will need to bring their scoring boots if the US will want to gain positive results against Jamaica.
The United States will be training in Miami the next few days prior to their match in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday evening. The second match will take place on Tuesday September 11 at Columbus Crew Stadium. Klinsmann’s men are atop Group A on goal differential over the Reggae Boyz, who are level on points with four. The United States has never won a qualifier in Jamaica, and unless new players emerge from the shadows, that streak could continue on Friday evening.
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