Three Americans will look to get their first caps— Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones, Aston Villa defender Eric Lichaj, and FC Dallas winger Brek Shea. In all, eighteen foreign-based players make the squad, with Shea and FC Dallas teammate Heath Pearce the lone MLS players. Shea and Pearce will not be with the team for the Poland match, as FC Dallas will look to continue their run for the MLS Supporters’ Shield.
Thirteen vets of the World Cup are back along with three more players (Pearce, Örebro midfielder Alejandro Bedoya, Fulham forward Eddie Johnson) that made the 30-man camp in May. Michael Parkhurst, who has been doing well with Nordsjælland in the Danish Superliga, makes his first appearance since the 2009 Gold Cup (and even longer since he appeared with the full A-team).
GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton)
DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Étienne), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
MIDFIELDERS : Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton Wanderers), Jermaine Jones (FC Schalke), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)
FORWARDS : Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Eddie Johnson (Fulham)
Who excites you? What lineup would you like to see? Who’s missing?
With just two natural forwards I am curious to see if Bob Bradley tinkers with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.
I am also somewhat srprised to not see Sacha Kljestan and Mikkel Diskerud. It’s nice to see Michael Parkhurst rewarded for his efforts in Denmark.
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