Mexico unlikely to upset U.S. in qualifier
With the U.S.-Mexico matchup (Feb. 11, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and David Beckham dominating conversation in U.S. soccer, here's what I'm thinking about Monday:
1. U.S. versus Mexico. I don't think there are any real surprises on Bob Bradley's final roster. That's not to say that I don't think players such as Freddy Adu and Jay DeMerit should be involved; it's just that I didn't expect Bradley to call them up for this game. In Adu's case, it's not as if he would have seen much game time even if he had been part of the squad. I don't agree with the decision, but the reality is that Bradley probably has a higher comfort level with Robbie Rogers right now, with the game being played at Rogers' home stadium and Bradley having worked with Rogers since the January training camp. And Adu's minimal playing time in France certainly didn't help his cause.
On the bright side, Jose Francisco Torres did get called up, and although he too is unlikely to earn any game time, he can apply some pressure to DaMarcus Beasley for the left midfield spot for future qualifiers. With Steve Cherundolo out, Bradley likely will stick with the veteran experience of Frankie Hejduk at right back over the potential of Marvell Wynne. To be fair, there aren't many coaches anywhere who would bet on a young, inexperienced player such as Wynne standing up to the heat of a big World Cup qualifier like this.
As for the game itself, I can't envision anything but a win for the U.S., especially since the "Golden Generation" of Mexican talent -- Carlos Vela, Andres Guardado, Nery Castillo and Gio dos Santos -- all enter this game injured, suspended or lacking in form and playing time. Without their flair, Mexico's attack will once again lack a cutting edge on offense, something that has crippled it time and again versus the U.S. in the past. On defense, Mexico has yet to prove it can deal with the threat posed by U.S. set pieces. A loss for Mexico could also spell the end of Sven-Goran Eriksson's stint as coach, especially now that Javier Aguirre is available after his recent firing by Atletico Madrid. As some might say, it's time to put up or shut up, Sven.
2. Galaxy reject Milan bid for David Beckham. It's no surprise that Tim Leiweke and the Galaxy rejected Milan's opening bid of $10.5 million for Beckham. That's far too low an offer to a team that is holding all the cards. Granted, the Galaxy stand a chance of ending up with an unhappy midfielder on their hands -- one who can opt out of his contract and walk away in November. But the reality is that Milan, in the midst of a push for the Serie A title and in need due to Kaka's recent injury, is desperate to add Beckham. When you factor in the marketing gold mine that Beckham represents to any club, there's no question that the Galaxy should demand a minimum of $15 million before agreeing to let Beckham go.
In addition to monetary compensation, the Galaxy are in a position to ask for certain additional perks, such as a series of exhibitions against Milan. It's also worth asking whether Milan, in return for Beckham, would be willing to part with some of its star youth-team prospects (such as midfielder Wilfred Osuji Chinoye) on loan. Pushing for Ronaldinho makes little sense because it's highly unlikely that the Brazilian would want to move to MLS and jeopardize his 2010 World Cup spot with Brazil. Bear in mind, though, that Milan has on the books an iconic (but past-his-prime) striker in Andriy Shevchenko, who is married to an American model and might be willing to consider such a move.
As for Beckham, there was no doubt that as soon as Posh gave her stamp of approval for a move to Milan, it was on the cards. The one downside for Becks? He'll no longer be able to engage in his favorite off-the-field hobby.
3. United looks like the title favorite. West Ham coach Gianfranco Zola hailed Man United as the "best team in the world" after the Hammers lost 1-0 on Sunday to Sir Alex Ferguson's men. In the process, goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar set a new British record of 20 hours and 12 minutes without conceding a league goal, beating Bobby Clark's 38-year-old record at Aberdeen. Despite the immense firepower that Dimitar Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez represent, the fact is United's success this season is owed mostly to an impregnable defense. Of United's 17 league victories so far this season, nine have been by the score of 1-0. With Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand making up arguably the world's best central defense pairing right now, it's hard to imagine United losing its grip on the English Premiership title race, though Liverpool will run closer than people think.
Player Pimping
If you're an MLS team looking for a talented, enigmatic, left-footed attacking midfielder/wing back with dead-ball expertise, look no further than Al-Sadd's Brazilian playmaker Felipe (Jorge Loureiro). Felipe was an explosive talent in the late 1990s who first made his name at Vasco Da Gama, and big things were expected of him. How he fell by the wayside and ended up in Qatar is a mystery, but one possible explanation could be his reputation for being temperamental. That said, he's only 31 and -- unlike another left-footed Brazilian, Denilson, who failed miserably in MLS -- Felipe seems to have retained most of his flair and skill.
Keeping it in perspective
While U.S. fans everywhere are sure to debate this week the pros and cons of whether forward Brian Ching should start against Mexico, bear in mind that even the greatest players are capable of the type of miscues for which Ching has been panned. And if that example isn't enough to sway you, here's one more for good measure.
Jen Chang
