Who's In Bradley's team in 2014?

This is an important time in a World Cup cycle - identifying and assessing members of the player pool to see who will be used in qualifying.

Bob Bradley and his staff have been busy in putting together a schedule of exhibitions against top-level competition in hopes of testing this player pool, and Leander Schaerlaeckens of ESPN writes about the questions that lie ahead for Coach Bradley as he continues to sift through his pool of players.

"I'm sure Bob began evaluating his pool, trying to see which players can or cannot be available for 2014 World Cup," said Bruce Arena, Bradley's predecessor (1998-2006) and the only other man to embark on a second World Cup cycle in charge. "There are going to be a number of players who are capable for the next year or two, and others that will not be ready. It's really forecasting those things and trying to evaluate the current pool. He's just gone through a cycle and knows which players can help him down the road."

That road, however, has many potholes Bradley will have to negotiate. Here are five of them:

An aging back line

The men who formed three-fourths of the U.S. back line in every single 2010 World Cup game -- captain Carlos Bocanegra, Jay DeMerit and Steve Cherundolo -- will be 35, 34 and 35, respectively, by 2014. Chances are slim that any of them will be at a level that he can compete effectively. Although clearing them out and replacing them with prospects straight away would be senseless, their ultimate successors should start seeing playing time immediately, so they can gradually grow into starting roles.

"Are there young players out there that can come up and provide not just the composure you need as defenders but the pure athleticism and the youthful exuberance that can sometimes make up for mistakes?" wondered Alexi Lalas, a starting defender on the 1994 team and a roster member in 1998.

The answer to Lalas' question is yes, or at least a strong maybe. The Los Angeles Galaxy's Omar Gonzalez made his debut against Brazil in an August friendly. Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls) and Ike Opara (San Jose Earthquakes) should follow suit. Now. As should Gale Agbossoumonde, once the U-20 star sorts out his messy club situation. Ideally, one of them will prove suitable to line up alongside Oguchi Onyewu, 32 in 2014, in the center.

West Ham United's Jonathan Spector, 28 in 2014, should take over at right back. As for left back, well, that could be the hardest hole to fill for Bradley.