US Announces Roster for El Salvador Friendly

While its rival to the south, Mexico, has announced a veritable fiesta of pre-World Cup friendlies -- including up to six on U.S. soil -- the U.S. men's national team has just two schedule games between now and its highly anticipated June 12 showdown with England in South Africa.

Thursday U.S. coach Bob Bradley announced his 23-man roster that will begin training at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., on Feb. 10 in anticipation of a Feb. 24 friendly against El Salvador in Tampa, Fla. Unlike the group that trained last month, this group of players are is entirely domestically based in MLS.

At first glance not much jumps out at Thursday's roster announcement.

As expected the European-based players (Benny Feilhaber, Clarence Goodson, Alejandro Bedoya) went back to their respective clubs. Also dropped, unsurprisingly, was defender Jimmy Conrad, who's days with the U.S. are likely over after his pair of yellow cards and sending off rendered the Jan. 23 friendly 3-1 loss to Honduras almost impossible to evaluate since the U.S. played 70-odd minutes down a man.

Newcomers to the 2010 roster mix include Eddie Gaven, Brian Ching, Kevin Alston, Omar Gonzalez and Micahel Orozco, fresh off his transfer to the Philadelphia Union from Mexico. Orozco hasn't been much a part of the U.S. setup since his third-minute red card vs. Nigeria in the final group stage match at the 2008 Olympics.

Overall the most intrigue in this roster and the U.S. World Cup lineup makeup likely still remains at forward. Even with the improved diagnosis about Charlie Davies' recovery from an October car accident, the position is still the most undecided less than less five months away from the World Cup.

Against Honduras neither Findley or Cunningham impressed much as starters, though they didn't get much service and Cunningham was subbed off at halftime for a defender, since the U.S. was down to 10 players. There will probably be some debate between Ching and Casey, too since they are both built in the burly center forward role. Casey is probably a better scorer, but Bradley has always favored Ching's ability to win balls in the air and hold up the ball for the rest of the U.S. attackers.

The U.S. midfield looks like a mixed bag with a group of nine players all getting one last final audition to impress Bradley. All nine seem like longshots to make the final 23-man roster for South Africa though.

In fact, as odd as it sounds, perhaps the only sure thing for the plane to South Africa in this group of 23 is the much-maligned Jonathan Bornstein, who's been a Bradley favorite since he assumed coaching duties in 2007.

The only other U.S. game scheduled at this point is a March 3 game against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, which will likely include mainly European-based players.

GOALKEEPERS (3): Troy Perkins (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), Zach Thornton (Chivas USA)

DEFENDERS (7): Kevin Alston (New England Revolution), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Omar Gonzalez (Los Angeles Galaxy), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Michael Orozco (Philadelphia Union), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)

MIDFIELDERS (9): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders), Eddie Gaven (Columbus Crew), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Chris Pontius (D.C. United), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

FORWARDS (4): Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake)