The US World Cup Roster - Who's In...Who's Out

Bob Bradley has spent the past four years evaluating the U.S. national team talent pool, traveling to Europe to meet with players and see them play, checking out Major League Soccer games and selecting squads for big-time tournaments as well as your average friendly.

Still, when he said this week that he will cut his provisional roster from 30 to the FIFA-required 23 for the World Cup after just one exhibition game, Tuesday night against the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Conn., it came as a bit of a shock.

“It’s like anything else,” Bradley said during a news conference at Princeton University, where
the team is in pre-World Cup training.

“You have a plan in your head. But then you have to be able to adjust at some point, but the idea would be that by the time we get to Philadelphia (for the send-off game against Turkey May 29) we have made our decisions and we have our 23.”

So who's in and who's out for the US team in South Africa - there is a provisional roster of 30 players in Princeton, NJ, so there are 7 players in camp who won't travel to South Africa.

GOALKEEPERS - Each team heading to South Africa figures to take 3 goalkeepers with them, so figure on each of the goalkeepers in camp to make the final roster. Tim Howard is arguably the US team's best player - his level of experience with Everton and the English Premier League, coupled with his performance in last summer's FIFA Confederations Cup, rates him among the best goalkeepers in the world. Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) and Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves) both have experience in the English Premier League as well, and provide the US with the deepest position in their team. WHO'S IN: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann

DEFENSE - The backbone of the US team's success in South Africa last summer, injuries to Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit had tested the US backline over the past year. Both central defenders are in camp and given a full bill of health, so figure both of them to be in the US team. Carlos Bocanegra is the team's captain, and figures to play next to Onyewu at either left back or in the center of defense. Jonathan Spector had a good season for West Ham United this past 2009-10 English Premier League season, and between he and Steve Cherundolo, figure to play at right back. Those 5 defenders figure to make the final roster - leaving Jonathan Bornstein, Clarence Goodson, Chad Marshall and Heath Pearce to fight it out for remaining spots at the back. I think they will take another left-sided player in the event that Bocanegra moves inside, and another center back for cover. WHO'S IN: Onyewu, Bocanegra, DeMerit, Spector, Cherundolo, Bornstein, Goodson

CENTRAL MIDFIELD - Michael Bradley is a write-in for the US in midfield, and is the heart and engine of the team. He is a true box-to-box midfielder, and is the closest thing they have to a playmaker. Ricardo Clark had been a standout in qualifying and in South Africa this past summer, but injuries have plagued him over the past year. Maurice Edu had been a bright spot in the US team picture prior to injuries suffered while playing for Glasgow Rangers opened the door for Clark last summer. Figure that Clark and Edu will fight it out to play next to Bradley. Jose Torres is another central player in the mix, and could make the final roster as he is a very different type player to the other three. Benny Feilhaber and Sacha Kljestan have both played centrally and wide over the past two years for the US, and their versatility probably means that at least one of them will make the final roster. WHO'S IN: Bradley, Clark, Edu, Feilhaber, Torres

FLANK PLAYERS - Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey have been standouts in the English Premier League over the past year, and proved to be the team's chief attacking threats in South Africa last summer. Each can also play up front, and with Charlie Davies' injury, could be called into action on the front line. Stuart Holden had factored into a more prominent role in the US team prior to an injury suffered while playing for Bolton Wanderers in the English Premier League, and after recovering to full health, figures to be a solid wide option if Dempsey or Donovan are moved up front. DaMarcus Beasley, Alejandro Bedoya, Feilhaber, Kljestan and Robbie Rogers all will be vying for spots on the flanks. Beasley's inclusion has been controversial to some, but with the lack of another experienced left-sided player, I think he will probably make the final group. WHO'S IN: Donovan, Dempsey, Holden, Beasley

STRIKERS - Jozy Altidore had a disappointing finish to the English Premier League season for Hull City, but has been the US team's top target player throughout qualifying. The loss of Davies changes the dynamic of the US attack, and as Bradley looks to replace him, will lean on the likes of Edson Buddle, Brian Ching, Dempsey, Donovan, Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez and Eddie Johnson as candidates. Findley hasn't looked the part in recent appearances. Buddle (MLS), Johnson (Greece) and Gomez (Mexico) are all in form, and could merit inclusion. WHO'S IN: Altidore, Ching, Buddle, Johnson

So who does that leave out - Marshall and Pearce appear to be surplus to requirement in the back; Kljestan is versatile and a Bradley favorite, but might be squeezed out due to other versatile midfielders (Holden, Feilhaber); I really like Rogers, but hasn't played consistent enough to stake a claim; Bedoya is a little unproven, and both he and Rogers should figure in the US team in the future; Findley and Gomez are the odd men out of the attacking players.

So what do you think? Send in your comments, and check in and see who Bradley selects in his final 23-man roster.