Join Scott Bornstein, Brian Bentley and Sarah Wilson as they discuss that week that was and the week that will be in Major League Soccer along with fans from cities across North America. http://www.csrnusa.com

In case you missed it, last night ESPN hosted the 18th Annual ESPY Awards. Amongst awards for "Best Jockey" and "Best Bowler", they also handed out three awards to the US Men's National Team (or specific players from the squad). Landon Donovan picked up the award for "Best MLS Player" and the "Castrol Edge Performance Under Pressure Award" (not quite the Ballon d'Or, but it still counts).

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. men's national team will play its second match of 2010 in less than a week against El Salvador, and while the match is carrying much less buzz than future matches against the Netherlands, Turkey and the Czech Republic, it is important in its own right.

The roster was just announced. Here it is plus some immediate reaction to it: Keeper (3): Howard, Guzan, Hannehemann Defense (7): Onweyu, Spector, Cherundolo, DeMerit, Goodson, Bocanegra, Bornstein Midfield (9): Donovan, Dempsey, Edu, Clark, Bradley, Beasley, Holden, Torres, Feilhaber Forward (4): Altidore, Buddle, Gomez, Findley The Good I'll start with the good news about this since the bad news is going to far outweigh it.

The first chance to see a close to full-strength U.S. national team will come on Wednesday, and while there are still several top players recovering from injuries, the match vs. the Netherlands should provide a good measure of how strong the U.S. squad is just three months from the World Cup.

The U.S. national team will take on one of the world's top teams in its final test before the World Cup roster is due when it faces the Netherlands at Amsterdam ArenA today (2:30pm, ESPN2 and Galavision).

The U.S. should have its hands full as it faces a nearly full-strength Netherlands squad that boasts plenty of attacking flair.

I'm sure that many of you had watched yesterday's friendly versus Holland, and if you are a US supporter, you had to come away encouraged by how they clawed back in the final 15 minutes.
Playing away to one of the best footballing nations in the world is not an easy task, and I think we learned quite a bit about the Bob Bradley's team heading into the selection of the 23-man roster:

* We all knew that this match would be a challenge going into it - playing one of the top footballing nations in the world, and on the road.

On Tuesday, Bob Bradley announced the 30-man preliminary United States mens' national team roster for the World Cup. Here it is:

GK: Howard, Guzan, Hahnemann
Def: Bocanegra, Onyewu, Cherundolo, Spector, DeMerit, Goodson, Pearce, Marshall, Bornstein
Mid: Donovan, Dempsey, Bradley, Holden, Kljestan, Rogers, Feilhaber, Torres, Bedoya, Beasley, Clark, Edu
For: Altidore, Buddle, Ching, Johnson, Findley, Gomez

First things first.

The roster for the upcoming friendly against Brazil was announced last night: GK: Brad Guzan, Timmy Howard D: Carlos Bocanegra, Jon Bornstein, Steve Cherundolo, Clarence Goodson, Chad Marshall, Jon Spector M: Alejandro Bedoya, Michael Bradley, Landon Donovan, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, Jermaine Jones, Sacha Kljestan F: Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley, Herculez Gomez This roster is interesting to say the least and not at all what some of us.

1. After the extensive coverage and excitement generated by Wednesday's dramatic finish, this match will set the records for both internet and television viewings of a USMNT game in the United States. I'll guess 1.5 million followers online and 12.3 million on television.

2. Has anyone else noticed stone-faced Bradley doing his best Maradona impression on the sidelines ever since the second half of the Slovenia game?

The USMNT continues there World Cup vetting process, this time featuring a squad rich in stateside talent that are looking to move out of obscurity and into the limelight. Bob Bradley's domestic internationals will be taking on the ever dangerous El Salvador, who have never won on American soil.

Join Scott Bornstein, Brian Bentley and Sarah Wilson as they discuss that week that was and the week that will be in Major League Soccer along with fans from cities across North America. http://www.csrnusa.com

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

The most important non-World Cup match of the year for the U.S. national team will take place on Tuesday, when the United States faces the Czech Republic in a friendly in East Hartford, Connecticut.

They have the eyes of the nation (well, some of them) upon them. They have insanely important matches against Slovenia and Algeria coming up. They have injury scares. Even in their relaxation time, they still have drama. Indeed, taking a look at their hotel game room, one can't help but notice that for every seemingly positive element, there is a distinctly negative one to go along with it.

Tomorrow the US looks to at least equal their 2002 World Cup finish by advancing to the quarter finals. Already the US has done more than was expected by finishing at the top of Group C. By winning the group, the US does avoid a rematch of the 2002 quarterfinal against Germany, but instead will be facing Ghana who beat the US at the last World Cup.

... A nation was ready to believe on this Saturday afternoon. Across the United States, the hardcores and the newbies gathered alike in bars, basements, and outside viewing areas to watch their new heroes take on Ghana and try to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals.
They were ready to back their heart-filled group of 11 .

Revisar
Alemania
Miroslav Klose – @KloseMiroslav
Manuel Neuer – @ManuelNeuer
Lukas Podolski – @Podolski10
Argelia
Hassan Yebda – @hassanyebda19
Argentina
Sergio Agüero – @aguerosergiokun
Gonzalo Higuain – @HiguainPipita
Fernando Gago - @GiseyFer
Javier Mascherano – @javimascherano
Diego Milito – @SignoreMilito
Australia
Harry Kewell – @harrykewell19
Tim Cahill – @TimCahill30
Brasil
Alex Silva - @alex_silva03
Felipe Melo – @_FelipeMelo_
Fred - @fredgol9
Gilberto Silva – @GilbertoSilva15
Grafite – @Graffa23
Juliano Belletti – @julianobelletti
Julio César – @JulioCesarGol
Kaká – @RealKaka
Luis Fabiano – @luis_fabuloso
Robinho – @robinhoooficial
Ronaldinho - @Ronaldinho
Chile
Alexis Sánchez – @AlexisS7
Humberto "Chupete" Suazo – @ChupeteSuazo
Colombia
Radamel Falcao García - @R9FALCAO
Corea del Sur
Park Chu-Young – @JYPark10
Park Ji-Sung – @jisung81
Costa de Marfil
Didier Drogba – @realdrogba
Dinamarca
Nicklas Bendtner – @Bendtner
España
Xabi Alonso - @XabiAlonso
Álvaro Arbeloa – @aarbeloa
Santiago Cañizares - @santicanizares
Iker Casillas – @icasillasf
Cesc Fabregas - @cesc4official
Andrés Iniesta – @andresiniesta8
Juan Manuel Mata – @juanmata10
Gerard Piqué – @GerardPique
Carlos Puyol – @Carles5puyol
Sergio Ramos – @Camas1986
Gaizka Toquero - @gaizkatoquero
Fernando Torres - @it9
Estados Unidos
Jozy Altidore – @JozyAltidore17
DaMarcus Beasley – @DaMarcusBeasley
Alejandro Bedoya – @AleBedoya17
Jonathan Bornstein – @jonnyb_13
Edson Buddle – @EdsonBuddle
Charlie Davies – @CharlieDavies9
Landon Donovan – @landondonovan
Maurice Edu – @MauriceEdu
Alecko Eskandarian – @alecko11
Hérculez Gómez – @herculezg
Brad Guzan – @bguzan
Stuart Holden – @stuholden22
Oguchi Onyewu – @OguchiOnyewu5
Carl Robinson – @CarlRobinson33
Robbie Rogers – @robbierogers
Francia
Nicolas Anelka – @anelkaofficiel
Drauode Cissé – @edu6c
Lassana Diarra – @lassanadiarra
Patrice Evra – @FrenchPat
William Gallas – @WilliamGallas
Yoann Gourcuff – @Yoann_Gourcuff
Steve Mandanda – @stevemandanda
Florent Malouda – @realflorentm
Ghana
John Mensah – @MensahActing
John Pantsil – @JohnPantsil
Grecia
Sotirios Kyrgiakos – @SotoKyrgiakos
Holanda
Ryan Babel – @RyanBabel
Klass-Jan Huntelaar – @klaashuntelaar
Arjen Robben – @RealArjenRobben
Gregory van der Wiel – @Gvanderwiel
Robin Van Persie – @RobinVanPersie7
Sneijder Wesley – @sneijder_wesley
Honduras
Carlo Yair – @carlocostly13 (lesionado)
David Suazo – @dsuazo
Maynor Figueroa – @MaynorFigueroa
Inglaterra
David Beckham - @davidbeckam_23
Ashley Cole – @ahleycole
Peter Crouch – @PeterCrouch
Jermain Defoe – @JermainDefoe
Steven Gerrard – @Stevie_Gerrard
Emile Heskey – @EmileHeskey_18
Ledley King – @ledders_king
Frank Lampard – @franklampard8
Wayne Rooney – @waynerooneyno10
Italia
Gianluigi Buffon – @gigi_buffon1
Fabio Cannavaro – @fabiocannavaro
Giorgio Chiellini – @chiellini
Alberto Gilardino – @Gilalberto11
Federico Macheda – @f_macheda
Japón
Shunsuke Nakamura – @realNakamura
México
Jesús Arellano - @Kbrito38
Pablo Barrera – @pablitobarrera
Cuauhtemoc Blanco – @cuauhtemocb10
Andrés Guardado – @andresgual8
Efraín Juárez – @efrajuarez
Rafael Marquez – @MarquezMX
Luis Ernesto Michel – @luisemichel
Guillermo Ochoa – @yosoy8A
Ricardo Osorio – @RicardoOsorio3
Gerardo Torrado – @gerardotorrado6
Nigeria
John Obi Mikel – @johnobimikel
Nueva Zelanda
Ben Sigmund – @Siggy2010
Paraguay
Roque Santa Cruz – @R_SantaCruz
Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo – @OfficialRonaldo
República Checa
Tomáš Ujfaluši - @TomasUjfa
Serbia
Aleksandar Luković – @zerikc
Suecia
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - @ZlatansOfficial
Suiza
Tranquillo Barnetta – @barnettafan
Sudáfrica
Lance Davids – @ldavidsofficial
Kagisho Dikgacoi – @Kgdikgacoi
Benni McCarthy – @RealBenniMcCart
Aaron Mokoena – @aaronmokoena
Steven Pienaar – @therealstevenpi
Uruguay
Diego Forlan – @DiegoForlan7Todas mis notas en Periodismo de fútbol internacional

U.S. 1 Honduras 3

This one is mercifully over (if you're a U.S. fan).

Conor Casey shooting wide in second half stoppage time with only the goalkeeper to beat pretty much summed up this poor effort.

A crowd of 18,626 - the largest crowd to see a U.S. friendly at Home Depot Center - witnessed this one and it's hard to think of an American player who stood out tonight (although Robbie Rogers was pretty active and did hit the post).

Heath Pearce vs. Jon Bornstein As I've chronicled several times, our left-back situation is interesting to say the least. I've been under the opinion that the only left back in America worse than Bornstein is Heath Pearce, and we need... Read more

They maybe leading the Eastern Conference MLS table with 2 victories from 2 games but, the New York Red Bulls are a team in Mourning. Their coach Hans Backe is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to remove his gall bladder. Backe who complained of Severe stomach pains just before his sides 1-0 victory over Seattle looks set to miss the rest of the season.

(I think the wry look on Carlos' face says it all.)

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the options the USMNT has in central midfield, but now seems to be a good time to discuss a more troubled position in the team: leftback. During the World Cup qualifying campaign and Confederations Cup, Bob Bradley made use of four different fullbacks on the left (Pearce, Beasley, Bornstein, and Bocanegra).

Second night in a row glued to the DVR. Thank you, TiVo, for introducing me to such a beautiful service. Last night I analyzed some of the fantasy studs that England and Mexico will showcase at the World Cup, and tonight I plan on taking a deep look at the USA. Join me for the minute by minute stream of consciousness analysis:

• Pregame: Looks like a sell-out crowd here in Hartford, CT.

While we wait for the highlight reel, you can enjoy 101 Great Goals' 101 Greatest Goals of 2009/2010 below.As for my USMNT World Cup squad prediction? Howard, Hahnemann, Guzan, Cherundolo, Spector, Onyewu, Bocanegra, DeMerit, Goodson, Bornstein, Pearce, Bradley, Edu, Clark, Feilhaber, Donovan, Holden, Beasley, Torres, Dempsey, Altidore, Gomez, ChingUPDATE: First half goals.

US/World Cup

The final 23-player roster for the US will be announced live today at 1pm on ESPN's Sports Center. Those of us who are stuck at work tied to a computer can watch the announcement on Free Live Sports TV.

The New York Times looks at what was learned from yesterday's friendly. Beasley, Buddle, Edu, Gomez, Holden impress.

Beginning Friday there will be 736 of the world's best athletes hanging out in South Africa. Here are some interesting facts regarding these soccer players and where they spend their time between international competitions:

A whopping 16% kick it around in the English Premier League.

Union/Local/MLS

The Union lose again, this time to Kansas City. It says in Latin on the collar of their shirts, "Join or Die." Anyone know what the Latin for "Win or Lose" is?

The BBC looks at Philadelphia'a World Cup hopes and the Union.

Here's a nice rumor to chew on as MLS heads into the World Cup break: Ronaldhino is "heavily" linked to LA Galaxy.

The USA has called in 18 players for the game against Brazil, including first timer Jermaine Jones from Schalke in Germany.
G:
Brad Guzan - Aston Villa
Tim Howard - Everton
D:
Carlos Bocanegra - St Etienne
Jonathan Bornstein - Chivas USA
Steve Cherundolo - Hannover
Clarence Goodson - Start
Chad Marshall - Columbus Crew
Jonathan Spector - West Ham
M:
Alejandro Bedoya - Orebro
Michael Bradley - Monchengladbach
Landon Donovan - Los Angeles Galaxy
Maurice Edu - Rangers
Benny Feilhaber - Aarhus
Jermaine Jones - Schalke
Sacha Kljestan - Anderlecht
F:
Edson Buddle - Los Angeles Galaxy
Robbie Findley - Real Salt Lake
Herculez Gomez - Pachuca
14 of these players were on the World Cup team, while 9 others were left off this team.

Photo by IISIphotos.com

The highly-anticipated USA-Brazil friendly is just five days away, and now that we know who the United States will be fielding, it's time to take a look at what the starting lineup might look like on Tuesday.

The inclusion of Jozy Altidore to the squad should shake up the look of what we can expect from Bob Bradley against the Brazilians.

Since Sunday is Halloween and since I haven't done a soccer video post in a while, I figured I'd do my best to combine soccer & Halloween for a post, here's what I got for you:
Prior to playing Brian Clough in "The Damned United," British actor Michael Sheen appeared in this short film of Saki's classic story "The Open Window:"
Did you miss this past week's Halloween episode of Community on NBC?

I know this is VERY short notice, but I'm here to liveblog the game. I had a job interview today, so I didn't think I'd be able to liveblog this, but I made it in time! If you're around, join me! Coverage of the game begins at 2pm Easter US time on ESPN2.

USA Lineup (4-2-3-1 deep)
GK: Guzan
Defense: Lichaj, Goodson, Ream, Bornstein
CDM:Pause, Carroll
Midfielders: Pause, Carroll
FW: Findley
Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup

We're expecting a fourth consecutive day of at times torrential rain that hopefully is going some way to easing the drought in Southern California, but the weather looks a helluva lot better for Saturday when the U.S. plays Honduras at 6 p.m. in Carson.

The game is live on Fox Soccer Channel, but U.

Chivas USA and U.S. international defender Jonny Bornstein is auctioning off the pair of boots he wore when he scored a goal for the U.S. on the final day of World Cup qualifying that sealed Honduras' trip to South Africa and made him a national hero in the Central American nation.

Bornstein, of Los Alamitos, has autographed the boots and put them up for sale on eBay today with 100 percent of the proceeds to go to the American Red Cross to aid in their relief efforts in Haiti.

We're less than an hour away, and we have the USMNT line-up card. O brother, where art Geoff Cameron?Perkins; Wynne, Conrad, Marshall, Bornstein; Kljestan, Feilhaber, Beckerman, Rogers; Cunningham, FindleyBench: Rimando, Goodson, Pearce, McCarty, Bedoya, Casey, DavisBack later with the wrap, enjoy the game.

The U.S. men's national team will kick off the new year tonight looking for a win against a familiar foe in Honduras at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California (9pm ET, FSC and Telefutura).

While tonight's match won't have most of the U.S. team regulars, there are potential World Cup spots up for grabs, so it should be interesting to see how the fringe players fare in one of their last opportunities to impress head coach Bob Bradley.

This week I had the pleasure to join Scott Bornstein, Sandra Franz, and Joe Covino on Winning Ugly Radio's Episode 60: "Don't Sweat It, Bornstein is Gonna Get It." If you've never tuned in, it's a comedy game show about the beautiful game. Trust me, it works.

Match & Score:
-Wed Feb 24
USA v El Salvador
Where: Tampa FL
The USA will convene a training camp on Wed Feb 10 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA in preparation for the International Friendly two weeks later.
Here is the all-MLS-player roster for that camp:
G:
Troy Perkins - DC United
Nick Rimando - Real Salt Lake
Zach Thornton - Chivas USA
D:
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
M:
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 - DC United
Robbie Rogers - Columbus Crew
F:
Conor Casey - Colorado Rapids
Brian Ching - Houston Dynamo
Jeff Cunningham - FC Dallas
Robbie Findley - Real Salt Lake

photo credit: Hamed Saber

The Side: The Goats had a decent 2009, but they once again failed to collect any hardware. Plus, they lost Preki to the cursed Reds, so 2010 isn't exactly looking like the year they will finally break through. Sure, they still have the silky smooth playmaker known as Sacha Kljestan (who probably leads the league when it comes to having his named misspelled), but I just don't think they will make a run this year.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. men's national team will play its second match of 2010 in less than a week against El Salvador, and while the match is carrying much less buzz than future matches against the Netherlands, Turkey and the Czech Republic, it is important in its own right.

Tonight's interesting starting line-up for the USMNT against El Salvador:Rimando; Evans, Goodson, Bornstein (c), Pearce, Kljestan, Beckerman, Rogers, Davis, Findley, CaseyI'll be back later with the highlight clip and will post my U.S. Player Ratings at S365 tomorrow. Enjoy the game, folks.- Greg Seltzer

Only 20 minutes until the U.S. take on the Netherlands. Lineups are in:

Dutch: Stekelenburg, van der Wiel, Heitenga, Mathijsen, van Bronckhorst, van Bommel, Robben, de Jong, Kuyt, Sneijder, Elia

U.S.: Howard, Spector, DeMerit, Bocanegra, Bornstein; Holden, Torres, Bradley, Donovan; Altidore, Findley

Head here for commentary via OleOle's match centre.