Injuries May Not Hurt the Stars and Stripes as Much as Imagined

Perhaps we all find this supposition a bit inconceivable. How can the U.S. national team not only overcome the likes of England, Algeria, and Slovenia, but progress in the World Cup this summer without the talent of Clint Dempsey, Charlie Davies, and Oguchi Onyewu?

While things may seem gloomy, I assure you that the Stars and Stripes are not out for the count.

Although there has been much speculation that this trio of stars will not be making appearances at the Earth's greatest sporting spectacle this summer, nothing is yet certain. Even if only one can recover in time (most likely "Gooch", who will hopefully be making his return to football within the next two months), the Red, White, and Blue still have enough to potentially cause a stir in South Africa this June.

What even the most pessimistic of us must remember is that what has and will always make the U.S. dangerous and exciting in football is our unpredictability, work rate, and unabashed grittiness—not our skill.

People love us for our heart and physical toughness, the characteristics that get us results when not even Bob-o expects much (which we could argue he often doesn't, considering his unbelievably conservative tactics).

Also, let us remember that while missing Davies and Dempsey may be huge blows, the biggest of all, to a rock-solid defender like Gooch in our backline, is the most worrying. But it seems like he's the most unlikely to be absent from the World Cup.

Attacking options always appear out of nowhere for us, especially noting that our strikers are nowhere near the top in the world, unfortunately. Charlie Davies only emerged as a star this summer. And Jozy Altidore is remarkably inconsistent, but nevertheless useful and necessary for the national team.

Who is to say that Adu, Eddie Johnson, Cunningham, or any other attacker could not fill his role and provide a similar spark, even considering their overall mediocrity?

This is not to say that I do not hope and wish Dempsey and Davies recover in time for this summer, and will not be severely missed if not. They are talented, significant, and accustomed to our squad.

But let us have faith.

Stuart Holden is linked with a possible move to table-topping Portuguese side Sporting Braga, and has shown great similarity to Dempsey when playing out wide. Similarly, a squad that could be strengthened by the addition of Jermaine Jones, if he recovers properly from his long-term leg injury, could open up more possibilities in the midfield.

Edgar Castillo also shows the talent and ability to play as a winger, although he is more naturally inclined as a left-back.

Who knows? Adu and Johnson might get it together just in time to reclaim spots in the frontline this summer. And, they would definitely be more useful when partnered with Altidore than similarly large strikers like Ching or Casey.

Fans of the Red, White, and Blue are all suffering now. We all know that things are getting tough for a side that is already likely to underperform in South Africa. But, despite everything, we must know that there is still time.

And there is still hope.