The Roster, What?

I promised earlier this week that I would examine the possibilites for Arena's thirty-five man roster. So here it is:

US National Team coach Bruce Arena was supposed to announce his tentative thirty-five man World Cup roster this Wednesday. However, it looks like this decision will now be postponed until May 2 when Arena will announce his complete twenty-three man roster. Since that's the case, let's just look at thirty-five players who are locks, likely, and on the bubble for this World Cup squad.

Locks:

Goalkeeper

Kasey Keller - Keller is the undisputed top choice keeper for the US. With a plethora of national team experience, no competition with the retirement of Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel, and in top form with club team Borussia Monchengladbach, Keller will, barring injury, be starting in net for the United States in Germany.

Marcus Hahnemann - Some may be surprised that I consider Hahnemann an absolute lock, but his form with Reading has been excellent, he hasn't completely squandered his national team chances, and he's been as much a part of Reading's promotion to the Premiership as anyone else in their starting eleven. He's the solid, but not spectacular, number two choice now.

Defender

Oguchi Onyewu - Onyewu, only a little more than a year ago, was just being run out with the national team. Now, with only twelve international caps to his name, is the US' biggest defensive asset, an absolute rock in central defense that brings size, skill, pace, and most importantly, youth to what is essentially a patchwork backline. While he struggled in Azteca against Mexico, he booked his trip to Germany in the second leg of that series, effectively shutting down the Mexican attack in Columbus.

Steve Cherundolo - Cherundolo is the US' most talented right sided player, and will be the US' most important right sided asset in the World Cup with the ability to play in both defense and in midfield. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with pace, technical skill, and defensive smarts. He always provides the US with a talented crosser of the ball from the right side, making him a last-minute for Arena in right midfield as well as a dangerous threat to make deep runs from the defense. Already a starter for Hannover 96 in the German Bundesliga, he should feel right at home in Germany in June.

Eddie Pope - Pope's position was looking rather tenuous a year ago when he struggled against England in Chicago. However, since this fall, he's demonstrated exactly why Arena trusts and appreciates him so much, demonstrating calm, excellent positioning, and leadership to the American backline. I don't expect Pope to be starting against the Czech Republic, but I wouldn't be surprised either. He'll bring veteran leadership to a defense with little or no World Cup experience.

Eddie Lewis - The US apparently has no solid left-sided defender. Sure, there are great talents like Dunivant, Burciaga, and Pearce, but so far, only two of these three have received chances this year (Dunivant and Pearce), and both remain bubble players. Lewis, a converted midfielder, lacks good pace and has little defensive experience, but he does have tremendous soccer smarts, a wicked left foot, and is one of the few US players dangerous on free kicks. He and Cherundolo provide fearsome offensive talent from the back that should prove useful in Germany.

Cory Gibbs - That Cory Gibbs is a "lock" is a slightly controversial statement, I know. After getting injured in 2005, he spent most of the first few months of 2006 sidelined with injury. When he was finally healthy, his club, Feyenoord, released him. He finally settled with John O'Brien's old club, ADO Den Haag, but even there, he only recently has had a chance with the first team. Now it looks like he's aggravated his hamstring again. However, when healthy, Gibbs is one of the best man-markers in the US pool. For evidence, look no further then the US friendly with the Netherlands two years ago, in which Gibbs single-handedly shut down Ruud van Nistelroy. Not only is he a strong central pairing with Onyewu, but Gibbs can also play on the left in a pinch. This type of versatility means that if he's healthy, Gibbs will be on Arena's 23 man roster.

Midfielder

Claudio Reyna - Reyna was a big reason for the US' unprecedented success in World Cup 2002, and the US needs him now more than ever. What Reyna brings to the US team is an incomparable soccer mind, intelligent passing, and possession. Without him, the US is too predictable, resorting to long balls or to the counter-attack. With him, they're capable of a much more varied, nuanced attack. Without him, there's no way the US makes it out of the first round.

Landon Donovan - It'll be interesting to see where Arena plays Landon since he seems to work better up top with Brian McBride (especially considering the weakness of the forward talent pool) than he does pulling the strings in midfield. I expect there'll be games with Landon controlling the offensive tempo in central midfield, but against the Czechs I suspect he'll be starting up top with McBride. Regardless, he's still the most talented player in the entire pool, and is a lock no matter what.

DaMarcus Beasley - While he's hit a poor run of form both with club (PSV Eindhoven) and country in recent months, Beasley is still one of the most unpredictable and talented players in the US pool. He brings pace and quickness to the attack, and can be an absolute terror around the goal (just ask Jaap Stam). Regardless of this run of poor form, Beasley is a lock no matter what, but he needs to bring that speed and quickness with ball to Germany if the US is going to beat either the Czech Republic or Italy.

Pablo Mastroeni - The only true defensive midfielder that's healthy and has played well for the national team is Pablo Mastroeni, and it looks like he'll be the only true defensive midfielder that Arena takes to Germany. This may or may not be the same Pablo Mastroeni that so totally dominated the Mexicans in 2002, but he's been huge for the US in big games and he has the experience. It was never really a question of whether Mastroeni would go to the World Cup, but whether another defensive midfielder would be going with him. Armas is injured and Zavagnin played himself out of a spot, leaving only Pablo.

Bobby Convey - Convey has been a big part of Reading's massively successful 2005-2006 season, and he's earned his spot to Germany. He was one of the few bright spots against Germany in Dortmund, and has looked confident and creative, one of the few players willing to challenge the German defense one v. one. His presence with the squad means that Lewis can concentrate solely on playing left back and it also means that Beasley can slide into a different position, or take a rest without any major drop-off in quality.

Forward

Brian McBride - Old reliable, Brian McBride, will be making his third World Cup appearance for the US. Without him up top, the US loses balls in the box, it loses a big target, and it loses a reliable finisher. With McBride, even at age 33, the US has a player who can hold the ball in traffic, win balls in the air, and finish confidently and reliably. No matter who starts alongside him, he'll make that other player that much better. He was a lock from the beginning.

Eddie Johnson - Johnson, for all his faults, is still a strong, lighning fast poacher, even after his injury. If he can return to form in the next two months, he may even earn himself a start in the opening match against the Czech Republic. Until then, he remains a solid player who offers enough intangibles (like his speed) to ensure his spot with the squad.

Likely:

Goalkeeper

Tim Howard - Howard has more national team experience than most of the other goalkeeping options, and he certainly has the talent, but his only game experience this year has been in meaningless cup games. He needs to find a starting job (with any team) if he wants to start in 2010.

Defender

Frankie Hedjuk - Surfer Dude played terribly against Jamaica and probably deserved a red card, there are no questions about that. But if there's one player who has been one of the US' most solid big-game performers its Frankie. Arena loves him and that's all that matters, regardless of how you might feel about him. He'll be there in Germany, if only because he's versatile and he's been there before, through the highs and the lows.

Gregg Berhalter - Berhalter played appallingly against Germany, and was responsible for at least two of Germany's four goals. But he's played well with Onyewu, he's played in the World Cup before, and he's solid when not matched against teams with incredibly fast forwards. He'll provide depth in central defense and he understands his role with the team. To Arena, that's all that matters.

Midfielder

John O'Brien - O'Brien's just getting first team action again after recently signing with Chivas USA. He looked fine against Jamaica but the rust was evident. If he can get some playing time in the next three weeks and not get hurt, he'll make Arena's squad for sure. We're a far weaker team in central midfield without him.

Clint Dempsey - The on again, off again star of the US National team, Clint Dempsey looked likely to make the squad a year ago, then hit a rough patch and looked like he'd played himself out of the picture. Now some fans are saying he's the type of intangible player that we'll need in Germany to stretch defenses and keep opponents honest. It's hard to tell yet whether Dempsey's the type of player who'll raise his game when it counts the most, but he's the US' best option on the right, and a great substitution option.

Forward

Josh Wolff - Wolff certainly has the talent, but it's been a rough year with the National Team. That said, he's an Arena player through and through, and that'll mean everything when it's time to select his twenty-three man roster.

On the Bubble (in order of most likely):

Goalkeeper

Matt Reis
Tony Meola
Kevin Hartman

Defender

Jimmy Conrad
Carlos Bocanegra
Chris Albright
Jonathan Spector
Todd Dunivant
Heath Pearce

Midfielder

Ben Olsen
Kerry Zavagnin
Pat Noonan
Steve Ralston
Chris Klein

Forward

Taylor Twellman
Brian Ching
Conor Casey

This is only speculation of course. There may still be some surprises yet, but with Arena, that's probably unlikely. The starting line-up is strong, but if there are any injuries this team lacks the depth to go far in the Cup. The group stage will test the true talents of Bruce Arena to mix and match his line-ups to go toe to toe with the Czech Republic, Italy, and Ghana. We shall see.