Can the U.S. Succeed Without Charlie Davies on the 2010 World Cup Roster?

As much as Americans love a good comeback story, US National Team coach Bob Bradley decided to use his intelligence over sentiment in his decision to not include Charlie Davies in his preliminary roster announcement today.

The 23-year old striker had captivated the hearts of fans and fellow players alike, as he extensively trained against long shot odds with the hopes of being included in the initial 30 names listed.  It is unfortunate that Davies ambitions didn’t become a reality, but the USMNT now has the answer the following question:  Can the team continue its momentum from last summer without Davies?

There has already been a public outcry against Bradley’s decision, but fans of the red, white, and blue should take heart in three things. First, the return to form of Eddie Johnson, Edson Buddle, and Hercules Gomez is a very positive development for the USMNT. Especially for Johnson, whose fall from grace saw him go from one of America’s most promising talents, to irrelevant journeyman in Greece.

His encouraging play in the Greek Liga playoffs (three goals in three games) has led many to believe that the 26-year old is finally putting things together.  If Johnson’s recent form proves to be a flash in the pan during World Cup training camp, Bradley will also take a look at Gomez who led the very competitive Mexican league in scoring, and Buddle whose magnificent play with the Los Angeles Galaxy has been nothing short of brilliant.

Second, even if the three strikers mentioned don’t pan out, there is always a chance that Bradley’s trio of promising wide midfielders might allow Clint Dempsey to move up front without much drop off.

Alejandro Bedoya, Stuart Holden, and Jose Francisco Torres have all displayed a good amount of potential over the past few months and the newfound versatility of the position provides Bradley with a level of depth that he isn’t accustomed to.

Keep an eye out for Bedoya, whose story isn’t dissimilar to Davies as an American who has made significant progress in a Scandinavian league. If he is successful in training camp, he could become a prominent player both in the eyes of the USMNT and scouts from bigger clubs.

Lastly, several players on the national team have chips on their shoulders with something to prove.  Both Altidore and Landon Donovan had opposing fortunes during their loan spells in the English Premiership. Donovan was a huge success with Everton and if he continues his torrid play, several huge clubs including Chelsea and Juventus might decide to make their interest formal by purchasing the 27-year forward from Los Angeles.

On the other hand, Altidore came into Hull City with huge expectations over his potential and was generally considered disappointing despite improving overall as a player. If both players want to continue to have a future in Europe’s top leagues then it is obvious that anything less than stellar will affect their chances.  More than any other sport, soccer is determined by the collective efforts of a team unit.  If the team can find the right chemistry heading into South Africa, there is no reason why the US shouldn’t exceed expectations.

My prediction for the final 23 player World Cup roster:

Goalkeepers (3): Tim Howard, Brad Guzan, Marcus Hahnemann

Defenders (7): Jonathan Spector, Jay DeMerit, Carlos Bocanegra, Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, Clarence Goodson, Jonathan Bornstein.

Midfielders (9): Landon Donovan, Alejandro Bedoya, Stuart Holden, Jose Fransico Torres, Ricardo Clark, Maurice Edu, Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber,  DaMarcus Beasley

Forwards (4): Jozy Altidore, Hercules Gomez, Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson

Players Omitted(7): Robbie Findlay, Edson Buddle, Sacha Kljestan, Robbie Rogers, Brian Ching, Heath Pearce, Chad Marshall.