Jozy Alitdore found a timely goal for the US against Canada. (Getty Images)

Sometimes it doesn’t have to be much to get your mind off a bad loss. That’s exactly what happened in Detroit last night for the US Men’s National team as they opened up Gold Cup play with a solid 2-0 win over their rivals from the north, Canada.

Clint Dempsey was brilliant at times, Jozy Alitdore found the back of the net in what felt like the first time in forever, Tim Howard made some great saves to keep the shutout and the central part of the field for the US looked whole again.

I said the US didn’t need to win 5-0 like Costa Rica or Mexico but getting a strong result was key. They did just that. We saw the US be more composed, confident and well everything that they were not against Spain last weekend. It sure helped having guys like Dempsey and Landon Donovan back in the lineup too. The ball movement was far better and the aggressive play on offense showed that the US means business in this Gold Cup.

Yes it was just against Canada and no disrespect to the boys from the North, they are no Spain. But we knew that going into this match.

In the end, the US got off to the right start for this tournament. There are some spots for improvement but they’ll get there. With Panama and Guadaloupe coming up, they have plenty of time to make those adjustments before the real fun begins.

Below are some quick points that I felt from watching this game last night.

Taking the foot off the pedal. Late in the first half and to start the second half the US took their foot off the gas just a bit. Had it been against a strong side it would have cost them dearly. Canada came out to start the second half with a little more fire under them and it nearly paid off. The US cannot relax for a minute in a tournament like this or else someone will creep up on them and make them pay for it.

Jozy’s goal. The goal itself was nice but I think having Alitdore score was more important for the US and for himself. His goal and assist helped carry the offense and for a change I felt like we saw the Jozy we grew to love. I really hope a strong performance in this tournament helps get him somewhere in Europe that actually lets him play full-time. He’s too young and valuable to the US to be riding a bench somewhere in Europe as much as he does.

Deuce was well…Deuce. He looked a bit out of it early on but as the game moved forward so did Dempsey. His goal to put the US up two was not only impressive but far more difficult than some will realize.

Tim Ream. I like this kid, I really do but boy he can put the US in some difficult spots at times when the game passes him up (same can be said for his play with the Red Bulls). He’s strong in the air and confident on the ball, which is exactly what you want out of a central defender. But there were a couple moments that he got badly beaten. It’s only his forth cap so we should expect these sorts of things early on but we have to see improvement here too.

Goodson/Ream. Speaking of Ream, I really liked his partnership with Clarence Goodson. I think we’re starting to see a bit of the future of the defense here with those two.

A sick Donovan but a good one. Hey, even when Landon Donovan is sick he’s still effective. While this wasn’t his best game in years, he still presented loads of challenges for Canada. Of course as the game went on he lost a bit of that edge but I won’t hold this performance against him. He was recovering from an illness that kept him out of the Spain game.

Will Oguchi Onyewu be apart of the Gold Cup roster? (Photo by ISIphotos.com)

We’ll know on Monday who Bob Bradley picks for the US National team for this summer’s Gold Cup and for the upcoming friendly against Spain. I figured today would be as good of a day as ever to throw out my 23-man roster that I think Bradley could select come Monday.

As we know this is a big Gold Cup for the US as they’ll want to get the crown back from Mexico in hopes to qualify for the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil.

Keepers (3)

Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, and Nick Rimando

The first two are locks in my mind while Rimando would easily be beaten out by a younger keeper that Bradley wants to give some experience to for the training camps and what not. We know Howard is the starter no matter what here so this area is really the easiest to pick I would think. David Yelldell could see his name called as he saw time with the US against Paraguay earlier this year.

Defenders (9)

Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu, Steve Cherundolo, Timothy Chandler, Heath Pearce, Jonathan Spector, Tim Ream , Eric Lichaj, Jonathan Bornstein

Another group that seems fairly easy to figure out. I know Bornstein hasn’t played a lot in Mexico but you know there is a familiarity factor between him and Bradley. Believe me I hate even the thought of him in the mix here but it will likely happen since he is still one of Bradley’s guys. Lichaj was a toss up for me as I think Zak Whitebread could be a good idea for a call-up too. Chandler can also slide into the midfield if needed here too which makes me a lock for me.

I would like to see someone like FC Dallas defender George John get a look for this roster but I’m sure Ream will have beaten him out even though Ream has looked shaky at times this season for New York.

The big question for me comes down to Onyewu. He hasn’t played well since his injury in 2009 in a US kit and really he hasn’t played a lot of minutes since joining AC Milan. But like Bornstein, Bradley sees him as one of his guys and that’s why he falls into this camp.

Midfielders (8)

Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Jermaine Jones , Michael Bradley, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Mixx Diskerud, Alejandro Bedoya

A tough group to predict outside the obvious (Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley, Edu and Jones). I think Feilhaber is an easy pick, but Diskerud and Bedoya are toss-ups for me. I could easily see Bradley take a chance on Sacha Kljestan here over Diskerud and someone like Brek Shea over Bedoya.

I’d love to see Shea here but his lack of big international experience hurts him here I think for such an important tournament. I know his explosiveness off the bench would be great to have but given how well Diskerud does with the forwards that will be taken, its hard to pass up on chemistry for a risky move like Shea.

Forwards (3)

Jozy Altidore, Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury

I don’t think this one needs any explanation. Altidore is a lock while Agudelo and Bunbury have formed quite a bond together with the US. Charlie Davies saw his chances go away last weekend when Bradley was in D.C. to watch him and United play Colorado. His chance fluttered away quickly when he went out of the game early with an injury.

I see no reason to even consider Eddie Johnson, Edson Buddle or even Herculez Gomez here. I’d say Gomez is really the only other player that could have a chance here to make the roster but it would be an outside one at best.

With the start of the US Men’s National team World Cup camp this week there have been loads of talk about injuries and position battles as well as the all important discussion of who will be cut from camp.

After the first couple days of camp I came up with some questions of my own, some more or less go into the World Cup itself while others deal with the back and forth nature of who Bob Bradley will take.

1. Is Landon Donovan ready to become the real leader here?

One thing is certain, the past 12 months or so for Donovan have been pretty damn good. He earned a MLS MVP, nearly won another MLS Cup, earned a massive new contract with the LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer, then scored probably one of the best loan deals in US soccer history to Everton. Oh and let’s not forget his LA side is currently in first place thanks in large part to his league-leading nine assists.

So is Donovan ready to lead on the big stage for real? He’s had chances twice before but he was more of a kid the first time around in 2002 and in 2006 he was faced with probably more mental issues from being in Germany than anything else.

This year should be different though for Donovan. He’s older, wiser and playing probably the best soccer in his career. At the Confederation’s Cup last year in South Africa we got a glimpse of how good Donovan can be as a leader when he helped lead the US to a second place finish in that tournament.

2. Just how much will injuries play a part of this?

Injuries to say the least are a bitch in any sport, especially soccer and especially the World Cup. One injury can make a world of difference. With nearly half of the US defense mending some sort of injury the worry will be a constant thing going into the first game with England. Thankfully for the US side their Group C opener opponent has just as many question marks with injuries as we do.

I’d say as long as Carlos Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu and Tim Howard work out their injuries like I believe they can the defense will be fine, for the most part at least.

3. Can the US get past the mental issues?

Soccer is as mental of a sport as any out there. You have to deal with the other team, the refs, the fans, the environment that you’re playing in and more. Keeping a cool head isn’t easy. Bradley has to get that through to his bunch right now and especially to guys like Ricardo Clark, Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley.

Its good to be amped up in big games but Bradley will need to find a way to keep these guys amped but within reason. Frustrations are just a part of the game and cooler heads usually prevail. The biggest is worry for me going into games right now isn’t injuries but keeping those cooler heads. Yellow cards add up and can be tough to overcome and a good discipline team usually does well in these tournaments.

Aside from the discipline the US also needs to get over their complex in these tournaments. Last year’s Confederation’s Cup probably did a good job of getting over some of those issues as the US team finally stopped playing the country on the other side of the field and just focused on beating who they were playing. For too long the US has had a mental issue when facing top teams in the world, now it should be a thing of the past.

4. Is Altidore ready to shine?

With the issues at striker one thing is clear, Altidore needs to be the guy to step up and lead the scoring for the US in this tournament. But is he ready for that spotlight? His final game with Hull showed he still has a lot of maturing to do. But as tough as the English Premiere League is the World Cup is that much tougher.

I see Altidore doing well in this tournament as long as his head is on straight. Another factor comes down to who he is paired with up top. That will go a long way in how well he does or doesn’t in this tournament.

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Note: I’m hoping to ramp up my World Cup discussions here. If you’re interested in writing some items about the World Cup for WVHooligan just shoot me an email.

Bob Bradley has a lot of thinkin' to do right now. (Getty Images)

I realized I’ve slacked on my World Cup hype duties these last couple months and now that the big event is a month and a half away I need to pick it up here. Today just seems like a good day to talk about the USMNT and who Bob Bradley will call into camp next month.

We know Bradley will be calling in more than what will ultimately become the final 23-man roster for the World Cup. He’s gotta do this to evaluate the final few roster spots that aren’t finalized just yet. Most would agree that a good chunk of the roster is probably already set in Bradley’s mind. He knows his keepers and likely most of his defense and midfield. But up top things get dicy with the slew of injuries and lack of quality form out of some guys in the pool.

Bradley has a lot to consider in the form of guys coming off of injuries too at this point, which in a way is a good thing. Sure their form could be off but having a few main guys back will go a long way in getting out of the group stages in June.

You’ve probably seen plenty of these rosters guesses but this is my take at it. Feel free to agree or disagree below in the comments section. I’ll give you my 26-28 guys I think that could be called in next month (obviously not all will be called here).

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard, Marcus Hahnemann, Brad Guzan

There’s really no dancing around this one unless one of these guys goes down in the final weeks of the English season. Howard is the easy pick for starter and really if we had to go with the other two in any game I’d feel okay with that as well.

Defense: Jonathan Spector, Oguchi Onyewu, Jay Demerit, Carlos Bocanegra, Clarence Goodson, Jonathan Bornstein, Steve Cherundolo, Heath Pearce

This area is fairly set in my mind. Having Onyewu back in training at AC Milan is huge for him and the US. I’ve gone back and forth in my mind over Bornstein’s inclusion with the team but he’s a Bradley guy so he’s in no matter what really. I won’t go into who should start on the right or left back but with this group we should be ok. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Spector at left back at this point but Bocanegra could end up there as well based on his play in France this year.

Midfield: Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber, Ricardo Clark, Alejandro Bedoya, Jose Francisco Torres, DaMarcus Beasley

Things get a little tougher here. In a way I consider both Deuce and Donovan more as strikers than as midfielders but I know they’ll be listed here when the roster comes out so I won’t even try arguing it. There is a thought too that Edu could slide into a centerback role as well which could free up another spot for another midfielder or take away from one defender.

Holden is getting healthy and that’s a real positive thing to see for this group of players. I think Bedoya has made some major strides in getting close to winning a roster spot, he’s one of my darkhorse picks here. Beasley is another guy that is on the fringe for me but I just got a gut feeling that he’ll make it.

Forwards: Jozy Altidore, Conor Casey, Edson Buddle, Herculez Gomez, Charlie Davies, Eddie Johnson, Brian Ching

This group is the hardest to figure out. Part of me thinks Brian Ching will make it if he returns from injury in time, the other part of me figures at this point its a long shot. With the way that Buddle and Gomez have played recently we know at least one of them should probably make it to South Africa.

I put Casey up there because I see him as another one of those Bradley guys. His form hasn’t been great this season but its been good enough. I don’t love the idea of Johnson here but he’s really finding his own way in Greece right now which should boost his confidence. He’s one of those guys that rides good confidence to the bank and if he is sailing high right now in Greece it will only make things tougher on Bradley, which isn’t a bad thing either.

Robbie Findley struggled yesterday in Holland. (Getty Images)

Do we chalk this loss yesterday to Holland as a bad thing. Uh, yes and no. Yes because its a loss and one that showed us exactly where we stand. No because it did help US manager Bob Bradley out in figuring out who exactly he needs to take with him to South Africa.

I felt like going into the classic good, bad and ugly theme for this recap. I gave it a day to mull things over and see where I think things stand. We did see some good, things we can take from the game and move forward with a positive attitude about. But on the flip side there were some negatives in this one and then some down right ugly items I hate even bringing up today.

The Good:

• DeMarcus Beasley: Boy I really was counting Run DMB out of the running for a South Africa ticket a month or two ago but lately I am starting to change my mind. Yesterday showed me he can still be dangerous for the US on the wings. Against top competition this summer we’ll need all the help out wide that we can get, especially if Stuart Holden isn’t fit to go.
• Carlos Bocanegra: He got the goal but there was more to it than that for me. He was strong in the back when the US needed him to be and wasn’t too fazed by a quality striker coming down his way. We’ll definitely need that against England with Wayne Rooney on the other side of the pitch.
• Jozy Altidore: Sure he didn’t look all that great yesterday but upon further review he had some chances (especially late) that could have been a game changer had it not been for a nice save. Altidore showed he isn’t afraid to take on the best the other side has to offer in the back. I also loved seeing him fire one off from distance too, more of our guys should do that.
• Alejandro Bedoya: I’ll admit I haven’t seen enough of this kid before yesterday. His chances of being apart of this roster come June are still pretty low but he wouldn’t be a bad option at all off the bench.
• Heath Pearce: Only got 20 minutes or so out of him yesterday but it was enough to make me think he’ll be on the roster come June. He’s showing he’s very dangerous on the wings…we’ll definitely need that.
• Tim Howard: I don’t think I have to explain this one, Howard is easily the best keeper this country has ever produced…there I said it.

The Bad:

• Bradley’s Subbing: Some subs were good (see Beasley, Edu, Goodson) but some were done too little too late. The subs themselves were good yesterday and did help the US, especially late but the timing was off with guys like Jonathan Bornstein not coming off soon enough. When a guy is struggling sometimes you do have to wait it out and hope he finds his way but in pressure situations you gotta be tougher and put in someone who works out better. Hopefully that improves this summer.
• Landon Donovan: So where was this guy yesterday? We need him to show up in big games not disappear.
• Robbie Findley: If he makes the roster in June it won’t be because of this game against Holland. Honestly he showed he doesn’t have the skills on the ball or the physical play to keep up on the international stage. He’s got speed to burn which I love but what I saw yesterday won’t cut it on the big stage in June.
• Jose Francisco Torres: For the most part when he was out there he was getting passed by left and right. He had one decent crack on goal and that was it. Plus he was a defensive liability far too often. I know there is a love-fest for him out there to be on this squad but I don’t buy it right now.

The Ugly:

• Jonathan Bornstein: Poor guy had a bad day but this wasn’t the first time we saw that he was out of his element on the international stage. Nope, this just put everything into perspective in regards to Bornstein. He’s good in MLS and against CONCACAF teams but outside of that there isn’t much there. The PK was a terrible play on his part and the other goal was just unlucky.
• De Jong’s Tackle: Just a stupid challenge that didn’t even get a card. Now Holden is out for six weeks (or more).

Not a bad showing by the US against Holland. (Getty Images)

I won’t go too into the match just yet, I have a plan on re-watching some of it later on today but I did want to give my initial player ratings from this afternoon’s 2-1 loss to the Dutch in Amsterdam.

WVH USMNT Player Ratings:

Tim Howard – 7
Jonathan Spector – 5
Carlos Bocanegra – 7
Jay DeMerit – 5
Jonathan Bornstein – 2
Stuart Holden – 5
Michael Bradley – 5
Jose Francisco Torres – 5
Landon Donovan – 4
Jozy Altidore – 6
Robbie Findley – 4

Subs:
Maurice Edu – 4
DeMarcus Beasley – 7
Alejandro Bedoya – 6
Heath Pearce – 4
Eddie Johnson – 4
Clarence Goodson – 5

Top Three Players for US:

1. DeMarcus Beasley – Off the bench he was very good today, probably much better than he’s been in recent games that I’ve seen him in. I like the idea of him still coming off the bench though instead of starting for the US.
2. Tim Howard – He made his usual few big saves but got unlucky with the PK and the other goal. Still can’t blame this loss at all on Timmy, he worked his ass off as usual.
3. Carlos Bocanegra – Got the lone goal on a great free kick by Beasley. He was so freakin’ open on that play it was ridiculous. He also did well in the back today for the US.

Overall it wasn’t a terrible game by the US. I thought Donovan was a ghost most of the game but that could be due to poor service from out of the back for him. Early on the US was too predictable in the midfield and in the final third. Robbie Findley was okay but really showed he has no shot at a roster spot in South Africa after getting over powered in this game by the Dutch defense. He has the speed to beat them but never really took people on like we would have liked.

Bad day for Bornstein though. First the penalty late in the first half and then the deflection for the second Dutch goal in the second half. I thought Bob Bradley should have subbed him at half for someone like Pearce but he’s got too much of a love fest for Bornstein.

Again, I hope to have more later on this game.

Bob Bradley has some tough choices to make for tomorrow's friendly against Holland (Getty Images)

Honestly I need to amp up my USMNT cover on here. I’ll admit I don’t get to see every game like I would like and I honestly nearly forgot the El Salvador game last week. In fact I didn’t even get to watch all of it but what I did see what the final 20 minutes or so which were fun to view since it was a nice comeback for the US.

What we know is this Holland game tomorrow is a biggie. Its in Holland and the Dutch are easily one of the best squads in the World right now. But this is more than a high profile friendly for Bob Bradley it is a chance to really finish filling out his roster for June at the World Cup in South Africa.

A good chunk of the roster is probably set but for those bubble players this is a big test. The two friendlies so far this year were definitely for the MLS talent to show their stuff and while they did a decent job only a couple of that B or C bunch will make an sort of dent in this roster come June.

Bradley has a couple areas to hammer out before June. The nearly all his defense needs to be figured out, his defensive midfield spot, and a striker.

Left Back: It will either be Jonathan Bornstein or Heath Pearce come June in this spot. That I am certain of. Pearce had a nice game against El Salvador and really seems to be doing well in Dallas right now. Having quality playing time has certainly helped him out too. Depending how they look tomorrow will go a long way in determining who gets a roster spot in June. My money is on Pearce right now.

Center Back: I still have a guy feeling Oguchi Onyewu will be available come June but some how if he isn’t it will be between Jay DeMerit, Clarence Goodson and Carlos Bocanegra to pick up the slack. I think the bigger story will be if Goodson can continue to impress Bradley. I think should Onyewu return to full health and Goodson continue to impress it will make Bradley’s life tough but in a good way. I’m not saying that he’d take Goodson over Onyewu here but having an improving Goodson only helps our chances in the back.

Right back: I worry about the wings in the back but if Pearce can get up to speed on the left I think so can Jonathan Spector on the right. But let’s not sleep on Frank Simek here, this game could be his big chance to make it in June.

Defensive Mid: It will likely be a WVHooligan favorite Maurice Edu to go in the midfield along side Michael Bradley. I think at this point this is Edu’s spot to lose. With Ricardo Clark on the outside looking in for a roster spot at this point I think Edu is a good bet, which I am happy with here too.

Striker: Ok we know Jozy Altidore is set and if Charlie Davies doesn’t return in time it will come down to three guys: Jeff Cunningham, Robbie Findley or Eddie Johnson. If that is the case my money is on Findley here. I’m curious to see which gets the start tomorrow with Altidore though because both need a strong start to do well.

Again tomorrow is a big deal. We must find a way to stop the Dutch on the wings. I’m very worried that Arjen Robben and Rafael van der Vaart will eat our boys alive on the wings. If we find a way to stay in front of them and keep them honest we’ll be fine. If not it could be a very long night in Amsterdam.

The Dutch also like to shoot from range, so guys in the midfield and in the center part of the pitch must be on guard. One slip up will put Tim Howard in some jeopardy. Protecting the ball in the midfield will be key for the US.

I expect a high tempo to this game from both sides but the US will be wise to slow it down at some points to keep the pressure off the defense. Our forwards will need to work together to get quality looks on goal. The Dutch defense is a savvy one, but isolating one of them at a time can help work wonders. A big game from Landon Donovan also wouldn’t hurt!

This won’t be an easy game by any stretch for the US. Holland is damn good and they are very tough to beat in Holland. Forcing mistakes early will boost our confidence if we can get them but giving up silly passes in the midfield and on the wings will doom us. I hate going against the US but until we show up on the road, particularly in Europe I have to go against us. It should be fun to watch…key word is should.

WVH Prediction: Holland 2, US 0

How has Eddie Johnson has changed our lives? New WVH writer John Parker takes a look.

By John Parker

Brian Mcbride was a good player. So was Joe-Max Moore. Eric Wynalda held the American scoring record for nearly a decade.

Alright, I don’t know where to start with this, and my free writing is a little sub par here. But there is a point, and it’s not that subtle. The US has produced some adequate players up top, but the position has been the country’s Achilles heel…and an anomaly. This is a nation that hosts the most astonishing athletes in the world, and yet cycle after cycle we see gadflies, overachievers and “hard workers” leading the line. Meanwhile, the Damani Ralph’s of the world were entering the MLS and snatching golden boots.

Before the 2006 cycle, this is what we not only experienced, but expected. We waited on the coming Hispanic infusion that would introduce craft to the position; the demographics of America were rapidly changing, and the future of American soccer supposedly with it. We would see a new breed of player, one who preferred to play on the ball, to strike it from distance and to create for his teammates. Brian Mcbride was great, but we could improve.

But then something curious happened. Eddie Johnson, an American striker with sub par ability on the ball won the golden boot with the U-20’s, and then again with the MLS. It was astonishing…because he was an astonishing athlete. Playing off the hips of the defender, Eddie looked to impose his will with his speed. He didn’t finish off of crosses or set pieces but rather through balls. He was introduced to the National Team and quickly reeled off seven goals. The message boards lit up. People bought the jersey they were sure to wear for a decade…after all, who offered what Eddie did up top? Those seven goals may have been somewhat of a fluke, but they may also have been proof of something greater than just Eddie. The American style, with its counter-attacks and its high pressure defending (which leads to interceptions up the pitch) could take advantage of a forward who routinely got behind the defense. The Twellman’s of the world slowed down our attack when, if anything, we needed to be speeding up.

Don’t beat yourself up for falling for the hype to early. I did…and your favorite blogger probably did too. After all, it’s not like we could complain that Eddie’s ball skills didn’t compare with the rest of the pool. We’d later realize how much better Mcbride’s first touch was, or how much better Moore was off the ball…but the point is for a youth player it was tough to criticize him in comparison (remember, he was battling Taylor Twellman for a spot).

Yes, in the end it did not work out with Eddie. However, his fiery start revealed a seed that is just barely now sprouting. The American striker was not going to be born out of Latino influence but rather an American one. Our obsession with physically dominating our opponents…of physically imposing our will…that was the future of the position, and one that fit our American sensibilities.

Yeah, we are still lacking at the position, but let’s go back to the beginning of the current cycle. Eddie Johnson was beginning to be exposed…and…and…who started against Mexico in the Gold Cup? (Hint: one isn’t a forward, and the other probably won’t be there this summer. Look it up…it took me five minutes to figure it out too.)

Now, the trail-blazing Eddie Johnson has left us with two (yes two!) options up top who offer an array of talents. I know Davies is injured, but as an American product, he must be discussed. You see, we now have a striker tree building from Eddie. One branch, Jozy Altidore, offers extraordinary power, good speed, and a penchant for taking players on off the dribble. The other, CD9, has fantastic speed, good power, and consistently attack the goal with fiery determination. Both can score off through balls, or create a goal themselves. They can play off the defenders hip, but can also be effective receiving it with their backs to the goal. In general, they’re advantage is an athletic one coupled with adequate skills and a confidence we haven’t seen in our past strikers…it’s a confidence that wants to take over the game rather than simply be a cog. Yes, “team” play is great, but sometimes you need more from your strikers than target play. Sometimes you need a goal like Jozy’s against Spain, or Charlie’s against Mexico. Sometimes you need it from both your strikers.

So where do we go from here? Sheer math makes me believe that the previously mentioned dearth of Hispanic influence will be overcome. However, if you look at the current prospects, the proof points more to the growth of the Eddie tree.

• Brek Shea, a tall, lanky winger/striker was taken second by FCD in the draft a couple of years ago after a display of speed and flair at the combine. He may not be a striker in the end, but the mere fact that he was drafted with the position in mind was proof of a new American mindset. He still might have a future at the position.
• Robbie Findley will probably see little time on the pitch for the US in any competitive matches, but Findley seems to have become a preferred option to the Conor Casey’s of the world because of what he offers athletically (which, unfortunately, is about all he offers).
• At the U-20 level, Juan Agudelo and Stefan Jerome seem to be top options for the next cycle. Agudelo is looking at offers from NYRB and Millionaros because of an intriguing balance of size, speed and technical ability, especially at his age. Jerome, who has fallen off quite a bit since his stunning performance against Brazil a couple of years ago, is a tall, lanky striker with speed and desire to beat his defender off the dribble (perhaps too much). [Note: The other striker here is Jack McInerney, but he is unlike any American striker produced, so I’ll pretend he doesn’t exist for the purposes of this article]
• Then there is the 2010 draft. Teal Bunbury may be playing for Canada, but he fits the mold, and MLS large GA offer is proof to his value in the American game. However, Danny Mwanga, the first pick of the draft, should be of more interest to us. Mwanga told a soccernet reporter he hoped to play for the U.S., and given his status as a refugee with a green card, he shouldn’t be too far away from his citizenship. As a 6-2 striker who wows with both elite level athleticism and the technique to match, he would be a natural fit in the new breed of American striker.
• Finally, there is Alfred Koroma, the 15 year old who recently left Bradenton after beginning his second cycle. Koroma was highly advertised as the star of the new class as a player who was not only physically dominant but also technically advanced. Yes, he is young…but Jozy got his first cap at 17 and Koroma will turn 19 before the next world cup.

All of this is admittedly wild speculation. All the speculation, however, points towards one conclusion. Many of these players won’t make it, but the fact that almost all of America’s top prospects at the position fit the Davies/Altidore mold speaks to what we can learn from the past and expect of the future. Current trends point towards a focus on strikers with the ability to get behind defenses off the ball and to overtake them off the dribble.

With Davies and Altidore taking two positions in the next cycle, two remain open. Will we see an entire leading line built in a similar fashion? Will it become a position of strength? Will the American striker become a unique character in the world of soccer?

All of this is unlikely…but it’s still cool to think that Eddie Johnson may have changed American soccer forever.

Editor’s Note: John Parker is new to WVHooligan.com. Feel free to leave him a comment below.

Now I’m not saying Richie Williams should be the next New York coach, because let’s face it the Red Bulls front office brass aren’t smart enough to hire him for the full-time gig anyways. They didn’t do it before when they took over a few years ago and they won’t do it now.

Sad too since Williams should be a head coach in this league and will eventually get his chance to someday soon.

But you want some fun perspective about Williams? He is the club’s best coach in the history of the club. I’m not even kidding. Brad Lewis wrote this yesterday about William’s return to the main seat and the proof is how they say in the pudding:

Williams coached the team to a 4-3-2 record in all competitions after Mo Johnston got sacked in 2006, including 3-3-2 in eight league games. It’s a sad indictment of this woebegone club that now, with 14 points in his nine league games, that’s statistically the most successful tenure ever as coach. No, seriously.

Only Carlos Queiroz (34 in 24 for 1.42 ppg) and go-for-broke Octavio Zambrano (who eschewed ties and amassed 131 points in 85 games for 1.54 ppg) come close. With today’s win, Williams jumped up to 1.55 ppg and leapfrogged both of them by getting this dysfunctional and dispirited team to band together and work for each other for 90 minutes.

I love when things are like that for a club that just can’t seem to figure it out. The answer is right in front of them and yet they still will screw the next coaching hire up.

More on the Red Bulls Future

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SBI got a big long interview with Red Bull front-man Erik Stover about the state of things surrounding the club. A lot of usual management speak out of Stover here. But still worth a read to see what he has to say about the club’s future going forward here. All I can say it is a long and bumpy road ahead for this club.

Houston Stadium Getting Closer

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There has been a lot of money and tax hold up in the Houston Dynamo stadium situation but it is getting closer and closer here. The Houston Chronicle says the deal is in the home stretch and that can only mean we are closer to seeing some shovels in the ground.

Thornton’s 2009 Successes

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Zach Thornton’s successes this season have been well documented and talked about on here and other places this season. Hard to believe Thornton has eight shutouts this season! If you had told me at the start of the season that he would have done that I would have thought you were crazy!

I have to say thought he is easily on the fast track for Comeback Player of the Year and possibly Goalkeeper of the Year this season.

Jozy Experiment Going Well So Far

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Not a bad start to his EPL life for Jozy Alitdore. He comes in late in the game for Hull and quickly helps his club to a game-winning goal. I like this Big Soccer post because of the fun Twitter comments from Jozy. Its a decent read.