A Sea Of Red

With the loss today, I've started looking ahead to Brazil in 2014. Here's what I've come up with so far.

Of the players on this year's roster, here are the ones that, theoretically, could play in Brazil in 2014 (their age then in parenthesis).

Under 30
Keeper: Brad Guzan (29)
Defense: Jonathan Spector (28), Jonathan Bornstein (29)
Midfield: Michael Bradley (26), Stuart Holden (28), Jose Torres (26), Maurice Edu (28), Benny Feilhaber (29)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (24), Robbie Findley (28)

Over 30
Keeper: Tim Howard (35)
Defense: Oguchi Onyewu (32), Clarence Goodson (32)
Midfield: DaMarcus Beasley (32), Clint Dempsey (31), Landon Donovan (32), Ricado Clark (31)
Forwards: Herculez Gomez (32), Edson Buddle (33)

Players Most Likely To Step In
Midfield: Sacha Kljestan (28), Robbie Rogers (27), Alejandro Bedoya (27), Freddy Adu (25)
Forwards: Charlie Davies (27)

Our Under-20 team hasn't been bad lately and we currently have 11 playing professionally outside the US and another in an MLS academy.

I like our options at forward a lot. Our attack should be much better than this year with Jozy and Davies and maybe Findley will learn how to shoot by then.

Our midfield will be a little older. I could see us starting Benny Feilhaber, Michael Bradley, and Maurice Edu in the midfield. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan could challenge for one of those spots but I don't know how their 30's will treat them and if they'd be able to start. We'd have a solid bench though with Holden, Torres, and Adu and I've got to think Donovan and Dempsey could at least provide something as a reserve.

Our defense is a crap shoot. You'd think Bornstein would start again and that Spector would jump in there but I have no clue about the other two. I've got a feeling that Gooch is going to get old pretty quickly after that knee injury.

I hope Tim Howard still has it at 35 years old. Goalkeepers normally can play longer than outfield players. Another year of him will be great for us because I don't know who his replacement could possibly be.

SuperJon wrote: I hope Tim Howard still has it at 35 years old. Goalkeepers normally can play longer than outfield players. Another year of him will be great for us because I don't know who his replacement could possibly be.

As far as this one goes, most goalkeepers actually hit their prime between 31-35 years of age. Mostly has to do w/ experience and the fact that their position isn't as physically demanding as say a center-mid or striker. I still think he has one more good world cup in him. Also I do think Donovan and Dempsey will still have something in the tank for 2014 (barring any future injuries). There are a lot of players in the WC that are in the their early 30's. It's when you get to 34-35 that retirement talks start to set in for most great players.

I'm not so sure about Dempsey, he doesn't seem fit enough to play an entire 90 minutes now, let alone 4 years from now.

I think Donovan can/will still be around in four years. Dempsey could be a substitute around the 60/75th minute and be effective.

ALUmnus wrote:I'm not so sure about Dempsey, he doesn't seem fit enough to play an entire 90 minutes now, let alone 4 years from now.

That's very true. He does slack off a lot for a star player. One midfielder to watch out for in 2014 is Alejandro Bedoya. He narrowly missed this year's roster and he's been playing really well for his club team too. I think in 4 years he could be someone Really special.

There was a good article on ESPN today about the 2014 team and possible players.

Click here to read it.

SuperJon wrote:I think Donovan can/will still be around in four years. Dempsey could be a substitute around the 60/75th minute and be effective.

Donovan will be the Favre of soccer, and everyone will hate him, no matter how good he does in his career.

I think you'll see Adu on the '14 team, too.

I would love to see Adu do well since he was such a promising player a couple years ago.... I just don't know if it will happen.... Though I do think Donovan has 1 more good World Cup in him and will be able to leg it all out (barring some sort of major injury)

other than that we need to find defenders since that was a very glaring weakness from our team this year

I want to see jurgen klinsmann as the head coach.