By Jared Launius
Here are the 22 players called in for the October 8th and 11th friendlies in Miami and New York (er, Harrison), respectively. My commentary after the jump.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C.United), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Oguchi Onyewu (Sporting Lisbon), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jeff Larentowicz (Colorado Rapids), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)
FORWARDS (5): Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Teal Bunbury (Sporting Kansas City), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy)
The keepers brought in offered little surprise, though it certainly reinforced Klinsmann's goal to only bring in players getting regular club minutes. Based on talent alone, it's hard to think Brad Guzan couldn't crack this group. But Aston Villa's bench is decidedly not Aston Villa's goal.
Here's a friendly YA Videos welcome back to Oguchi Onyewu, who I'll delightedly admit I was wrong about. Gooch has stolen his way into the Sporting Lisbon lineup and secured a weekly spot in the Portuguese side's XI. I'm not sure the two-time World Cup veteran will ever be a fixture in Klinsmann's XI until he learns to play the ball out of the back, but good by him to put his name back in the conversation.
Speaking of center backs who struggle with playing the ball out of the back, Michael Orozco Fiscal's third-straight camp invite wasn't greeted with such warm warm approval here. I struggle to see the logic. His defending has been shaky and his distribution sporadic in his first two appearances under Klinsmann. Plus, we know what he is. Why bring him back in? Omar Gonzalez's phone line down? Geoff Cameron not worth a look? Clarence Goodson live to far away? I'm confuddled.
It's also worth noting no natural left back was called in. Not that this is any sort of grand surprise, but I'm led to assume Klinsmann is planning on operating with Tim Chandler playing wrong-footed on the left flank going forward. Unless he has some sort of 3-5-2 cooking.
Also: Klinsmann has called Tim Ream into all three camps now, but the Red Bull man is yet to see the field under das coach. I'm actually not certain he's even dressed yet. He has to get a run out this time around, right?
Now, let's talk about the mixed-bag midfield.
Cheers to Klinsmann for bringing in German-American Danny Williams, who has gotten a good run of games for Hoffenheim of late. Williams, I think, has moved to defensive midfield from right back, where he got a decent run of games a couple years back with Freiburg. I don't know a whole lot else about him, but I'm always in support of blooding new players – particularly when they are eligible to represent more than one nation.
The mixed-bag part involves the horde of holding midfielders brought in and, conversely, the dearth of central attacking options. I mean, I suppose I get it on some level. This nation doesn't produce number 10s. But that doesn't mean there aren't some decent options. Benny Feilhaber, Sacha Kljestan and Mix Diskerud all feature in more advanced central roles for club. Does Klinsmann really need to see Jeff Larentowicz again while calling in Bradley, Edu, Beckerman and Williams? The rumors are still swirling about Norway's pursuit of Diskerud, which makes his exclusion even more unnerving for me.
Also, I suppose Alejandro Bedoya was left off to work his way into the side at Rangers? I'm having a hard time grasping why the crafty winger hasn't gotten a sniff from Klinsmann. Particularly with Robbie Rogers not getting the call, I'm quite shocked Bedoya wasn't brought in.
On a brighter note, Michael Bradley has earned his way back into Klinsmann's camp, though I would argue it was never really in doubt. Bradley has logged back-to-back 90-minute shifts for new club Chievo Verona and had a hand in both of his side's goals last weekend. It will be interesting to see if he jumps back in front of Maurice Edu on the depth chart.
The forward corps surprised few, I'm sure, aside from national team zombie DaMarcus Beasley getting another call. Beasley has been in strong form for Puebla and has a lot to offer from an experience/leadership perspective, I think. I'm beginning to wonder if I should start some sort of Herculez Gomez activist group, though. Gomez scored again last weekend, and I can't help but think he's a better option than the still-very-raw Teal Bunbury, who I wrote about when Klinsmann's last roster was announced.
We shall see.
