5 Players the United States Need to Recall to the National Team

The United States men’s national team has big matches coming in early October against Honduras, October 8 and Ecuador, October 11, that will be good opportunities for Jurgen Klinsmann to get his first win or at least see better play out of his squad. However, changes should be made from the last three matches Klinsmann coached. Here are some of the players that were left off the previous squads and deserved another look.

5. Charlie Davies

He deserves to be back in the squad, plain and simple. He has been on excellent form for D.C. United and has great skill. Mainly, though, he is a great talent at a depleted position for the country. Juan Agudelo has yet to start for Klinsmann and with Brek Shea better suited on the wing, Davies provides the best strike partner for Jozy Altidore. If there is still a belief that Davies is not ready, Robbie Findley should be called upon again, but I think Davies has more to offer.

4. Eric Lichaj

The back line is a mess for the United States and it needs help. I think Timmy Chandler and Edgar Castillo could be great contributors to the team, but they need to be pushed competitively within the team. Lichaj is a solid right back who is 10 times better than Michael Fiscal, who has started in two of the last three matches, and is also three years younger. As well, I believe Lichaj to have the potential to be as good as Steve Cherundolo and Carlos Bocanegra in the next three or four years. Klinsmann would do well to start a competition for the outside backs of the future with Lichaj, Chandler, Castillo and Jonathan Spector and the team will be better for it. 

3. Stuart Holden

He honestly should be No. 1 on this list, but due to him just coming back from injury and likely to play his first match for his club Bolton Wanderers this weekend, the 26-year-old might be best served training in England. So, there is a reason he could be left out. He will be an integral part of the team when he is fully fit and is a key cog in any hopes the United States has going forward. Holden is one of the top five most important players for the United States and him coming back is huge for the team.

2. Brad Guzan

I understand part of the reason why Bill Hamid has been called up in the last three games. However, the way I see it, Klinsmann is looking forward at least eight years for Hamid. Guzan should be the heir apparent to Tim Howard after the Brazil World Cup, but yet Guzan has not been called up once this year. He has shown great skill and at 27 years old, he has at least eight years left in the tank. We could use a Guzan sighting because right now he is the best goalie the United States has less than 30 years old.

1. Benny Feilhaber

The United States simply does not have many creative center midfielders. Could you imagine a midfield of Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan on the wings, Stuart Holden the attacking center mid and Benny Feilhaber just behind him? We would immediately be better and have a much better attack going forward. Even if we wanted a true defensive midfielder, I think Jermaine Jones just behind Feilhaber and one striker would be a great lineup. Feilhaber is creative and has vision on the pitch. He has had some injury problems recently, but now that his ankle is healed, he should be a no-brainer to at least get a call-up. At only 26 years old, he can be a big part of the team for the next two World Cup cycles, but he needs to get back into the squad first. I think he would make a huge difference for a struggling United States team.