 "Photo: David Zalubowski <br><i> The Associated Press </i>")
 "Photo:")
If I were dictator of the world, this is the American team I would put on the field for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa:
GK - Tim Howard
Howard is really a no-brainer. The historical bridge between Fabien Barthez and Edwin van der Sar at Manchester United has been stellar in goal for the Stars and Stripes, single-handedly keeping the U.S. friendly against the No. 1 ranked Argentina last summer.
RB - Michael Parkhurst
Parkhurst has received surprisingly little attention from the national squad despite taking home the MLS Defender of the Year award in 2007. Parkhurst lacks ideal size but is one of the headiest defenders in the game, rarely letting his concentration lapse or committing fouls.
CB Oguchi Onyewu
Onyewu, at 6-foot-4-inch the tallest person ever to suit up for the U.S., has shown flashes of brilliance and has the physical presence to mark big strikers like the Netherlands' Ruud van Nistelrooy.
LB - Heath Pearce
Pearce is here for lack of a better idea. America's strength has always been in goal and at midfield, not in defense, which is why I've picked the 3-5-2 setup popular in MLS. Someone has to play, and Pearce is as good a candidate as any.
RCDM - Sacha Klejstan
Klejstan is a solid two-way player and will be able to control the flow of play away from the vulnerable American defense. He is also versatile enough in midfield to play anywhere, which would allow the U.S. to rotate through its considerable depth.
LCDM - Maurice Edu
Edu was one of the up-and-coming stars in MLS before moving to Scottish giants Rangers. He's a stay-at-home midfielder who can stop opposing attacks before they become the defense's problem.
RWM - Freddy Adu
Do we really need to talk about Adu? He's fast, he's smart, he's good on the dead ball and it's about time he got a chance to show what he can do against the world's best.
LWM - DaMarcus Beasley
Beasley, a virtual no-show in 2006, still earns a spot on this team because he's the best winger with an American passport. While he's a risky pick due to injuries and inconsistency, he's too good a player when healthy to leave off the squad.
CAM - Clint Dempsey
Dempsey more or less slipped through the cracks of the U.S. developmental system and, as a result, is just about the only player on this team with a killer instinct. It showed in 2006 when he scored the only U.S. goal of the World Cup.
RS - Landon Donovan
The face of American soccer. Like Beasley, he's fast, small, creative and didn't bother to show up for the 2006 World Cup. Since then, he's managed to return to form, leading MLS in scoring this season and earning a trial run with German club Bayern Munich.
LS - Josmer Altidore
Altidore has all the skills he needs to be a dominant striker, and if he ever breaks into the starting lineup at Villareal, he'll have the stage to do it. In CONCACAF play, he looks like a man among boys, and it would be a thrill to watch him go up against the world's best defenders on the world's biggest stage.
Be the first to comment on this article!