Canadian Soccer News does not routinely cover the US national team. It should be obvious why -- we aren't American.
However, we do know a lot about the US national team. We can't help it. We absorb a great deal of US soccer media and, as such, we have been inundated with information and debate about Jurgen Klinsmann's side for the better part of a year.
In many ways we're in a unique position. Since the Canadian system is directly tied into the American one we have no choice but to follow American issues as closely as we follow our own. So, we know stuff.
But, we don't care. Not to be flippant, but we don't (outside of the odd person, or dual national that is). Not really. We're not American so we don't have an emotional attachment to the side. We may intellectually understand that the growth of US soccer benefits Canadian soccer indirectly but, yeah...
Don't care. It's a lesson I learned in 2010 when I had intellectually decided that I would root for the US out of respect for my many American friends and out of a desire to see that benefit. This decision lated until the exact moment England scored on them and I let out a scream that I suspect my family in the UK heard.
Blood is thicker than MLS allocation.
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I digress. The point is our position as indifferent experts allows us to evaluate the US in a way that more invested (or distant) observers can't.
So, what do we make out of today's line-up announcement. Before we get into that, the roster is below (although if you're relying on the Canadian Soccer News for your American line-up announcements I have to question whether you fully understand this whole Internet thing).
FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore, Clint Dempsey, Aron Johannsson and Chris Wondolowski
MIDFIELDERS: Kyle Beckerman, Alejandro Bedoya, Michael Bradley, Brad Davis, Mix Diskerud, Jermaine Jones, Graham Zusi and Julian Green.
DEFENDERS: DaMarcus Beasley, Matt Besler, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron, Timmy Chandler, Omar Gonzalez, Fabian Johnson and DeAndre Yedlin
GOALKEEPERS: Tim Howard, Brad Guzan and Nick Rimando
It's Clint, Tim and Michael's team. In those three players you have three guys that would challenge for spots on the majority of teams in the draw. As for the rest, well...
It's a good thing they're in CONCACAF (and before an American commentator cleverly dismisses all this by pointing out how bad Canada is I have two points: 1) No one is more aware of that fact than I and 2) it has literally nothing to do with the topic at hand).
My initial thought was that Klinsmann is looking ahead to 2018. He saw the draw, looked at the back-line and decided this was a four year project. There are crazier ideas out there.
This thinking could explain the most controversial decision made today (no one is talking about Eddie Johnson anymore, that's for sure). The decision to leave Landon Donovan at home and to take Julian Green (not that one is necessarily a direct swap for the other).
What can you say? Donovan is clearly better than a teenager playing in the German fourth tier right now. Donovan will also clearly be gone by the time the next cycle starts. Hell, Donovan's head space is such that might have retired by the time you read this.
If I did care about the USMNT prospects I'd be pissed right now. Speaking as a Canadian, I know how precious a World Cup spot is. To not bring your best line-up possible seems criminal to me.
Using club form data the decision is baffling. Performance data shows that Donavon has produced the second most scoring chances (shots + KP) in MLS this year. He has the highest KP total of any forward.
Do we really think he's not good enough for at least a super sub role?
Even though it's not a direct swap for Green, Klinsmann had better hope his Wunderkind is.
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