Cooper heads back to Europe

It's a good time to be an American striker abroad, and Kenny Cooper is joining Charlie Davies and Jozy Altidore as Yanks forwards making transfer season moves. The former FC Dallas forward is now a member of 1860 Munich in Bundesliga 2, where he'll compete against Yank keeper Luis Robles, who plays for FC Kaiserslautern.

Cooper scored 40 times in 93 games for Dallas, but his professional career began abroad. His father was a Blackburn reserve before moving to the States for regular playing time, and Cooper had to do the same. The 6'3" younger Cooper spent time at Manchester United, Oldham Athletic and Academica Coimbra before moving to Dallas.

He's scored four times while being capped on nine occasions for the States. He notched two tallies for the US in the recently-completed Gold Cup. Americans Josh Wolff and Greg Berhalter have also suited up for 1860 Munich during their careers.

Gold Cup Roster - Midfielders

It's a crowded house in the middle of the field for the USMNT. With the Confederations Cup success of Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark in the middle, flanked by Clint Dempsey and the conversion of Landon Donovan to the left side, the United States midfield appears to be set for the next World Cup.

Right?

Maybe?

Benny Feilhaber came off the bench and did well in the Confederations and Gold Cups as a creative spark. Feilhaber's excellent passing adds some composure to a US team that seems to over-rely on long passes coming out of the back. So Feilhaber's in. Jermaine Jones recently announced he'll be trading in his German kit for the US digs, and he's the sort of defensive midfielder that can make the US's back four look world class. Jones is a tough tackler, the type of player who sets the tone in the midfield, the type of player that can will lock up other team's best forwards and attacking mids and take a lot of pressure off of his defense. So Jones is in. There are a few more options in the middle including Jose Torres, Freddy Adu, DaMarcus Beasley, and Sacha Kljestan. Torres is a starter for Pachuca in Mexico, add some more experience to his international game and I believe he's in. Adu is still looking for playing time with Benfica, or anywhere for that matter. His two games in the group stage of the Gold Cup were marred with inconsistent play. This upcoming European season could be a make-it-or-break type of year for his 2010 chances. Adu's a 50-50. Beasley is in the same boat as Adu. His stint at Rangers looks to be heading towards its end and if he wants to figure in Bob Bradley's 2010 plans he needs to play regularly and stay healthy. Another 50-50 shot. Kljestan is one of Bradley's favorites, but he needs to perform more mistake-free football. That aside, Kljestan is in.

Let's recap: Donovan, Bradley, Dempsey, Clark, Jones, Feilhaber, Torres and Kljestan. That's seven midfielders. Bruce Arena carried eight on his 23-man roster at the 2006 World Cup. Beasley has a boatload of international experience but needs to regain his confidence. Adu is talented young player but needs to find a home where he plays regularly and rounds out the rough edges to his game.

So what does that mean to the midfielders that performed so well at the Gold Cup? That means Bob Bradley was exploring his depth options. In case of injury, catastrophe, suspension (his son has something of a temper), whatever else, it's good to have options.

Kyle Beckerman had an outstanding tournament. He was tough defensively, kickstarted the attack with his precise through-balls, and for the length of the tournament was box-to-box doing the little things to help the US succeed. To a lesser extent, Logan Pause played a similar role. His play was a scattered at times, but otherwise, with Beckerman created the catalyst for the US attack by winning 50-50 balls and distributing effectively.

The revelations in the US midfield were along the sidelines. Stuart Holden was cap-tied to the US during the Gold Cup and he made the most of it. One-v-one, passing, set pieces, in the air, long-range shooting, defense, Holden was all over it during the Gold Cup. His counterpart Robbie Rogers gives the US a natural left-footed player whose pace and skill lend him plenty of opportunities to serve from the flank. Rogers took advantage and besides some immature mistakes, made it clear that he will be getting more looks on the left side in the future.

Santion Quaranta, Brad Evans, Colin Clark, and Sam Cronin all got a look at some point during the Gold Cup, but I can't imagine any of them climbing up the chart too soon.

Let's imagine Bob Bradley is thinking eight in the middle in 2010. Barring whatever circumstances we've got seven. I'd like to see Holden off the bench a few more times during qualifying before I give him the advantage. The spot is there, who's man enough to take it?

The Gold Cup Roster - Who's In, Who's Out

The 5-nil drubbing Mexico hung on the USMNT yesterday still fresh in our minds, I'm taking a look at the US Gold Cup Roster and trying to make sense of who's moving forward today, who put themselves on the map for the 2014 World Cup, and whose national team careers are over.

In net:

With Tim Howard entrenched as the first choice keeper and Brad Guzan his heir apparent, the number three spot is wide open. Troy Perkins started 5 of 6 matches and was solid in net. The third spot for 2010 is up for grabs between Perkins and Marcus Hahnemann. Luis Robles is still young and starting in the 2nd Bundesliga for Kaiserslautern. Robles should factor in a depth roll in the future as Howard and Guzan are 30, and 24 respectively. Jon Busch is a respectable MLS keeper, but should not factor again for the USMNT.

Defense:

The starting back four is set in the middle with Oguchi Onyewu and either Carlos Bocanegra or Jay DeMerit next to him. Chad Marshall and Clarence Goodson each performed well enough to move them up the depth chart. Michael Parkhurst is still an option at center back, but the depth at the position could find him hard-pressed to see more time with the MNT. Jimmy Conrad was playing very well before he suffered a concussion to end his tournament. Right back Jay Heaps finally got the call to represent his country at the international level and after receiving four caps won't get called back. Heaps is a likable player and a strong competitor (and he was absolutely wronged on the penalty call for Mexico's first goal) but he's on the wrong side of 30 and didn't do much to impress. Left back Heath Pearce had some up and down performances and hasn't done much to cement himself as the first choice left back. With Luis Castillo declaring his American allegiance and Carlos Bocanegra's capabilities at left back Pearce may find himself on the bench in a battle with Jonathan Bornstein for depth.

Next up: Midfielders and Forwards

States Embarassed by El Tri in Final

The United States fell on its own soil for the first time in ages, and "fell" is an understatement. The States were picked apart by Mexico, 5-0, at Giants Stadium in the Gold Cup final.

Thanks to head-scratching defense from the Yanks, and superlative performances by Premier League attackers Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela, the "C-plus" team ceded their trophy back to El Tri, who will certainly have a chant or two for the visiting Americans come Aug. 12's World Cup qualifier at Azteca.

Where to start with the back end? Jay Heaps was an abhorrent for the second time in two weeks, while Heath Pearce wasn't much better. The latter defender remains unsigned, and would be best suited to hit the Major League Soccer circuit and practice against less than world class talent.

It's a shame for goalkeeper Troy Perkins, whose defense played tentative. Strike that, they played scared, and that's the most embarassing label you can apply to any unit. After a scoreless first half, the four backs played all sorts of ugly. This was more like the 3-1 loss in Costa Rica than the first team's losses to Italy and Brazil in group okay of the Confederations Cup.

Other notes...

-- Watching the Mexicans dance all over the New York grass -- and rightfully so -- really puts some heat and fervor back in a rivalry that has been one-sided. The States real squad needs to get something special going for the trip to Azteca next month.

-- Dos Santos was stunning, and Vela's addition to the game really underlined what the States were missing. As Max Bretos pointed out during the broadcast, Charlie Davies up top would've helped a ton.

-- Sure, I'm bitter right now, but before I suit up for a mens league match, let me comment on the broadcasting. Fox Soccer Channel's Bretos picked his most inept moments for the States most embarassing game. Tell me, Max, do they keep a whipping post inside a woodshed? Mixing up his metaphors with a shocking lack of knowledge for an announcer on his stage, Bretos couldn't believe Heaps was whistled for his PK ("not in my books"?) and completely skipped over the clear offside on the Mexicans second goal.

Throw all of that together with his first half disbelief that anyone could call this US team "less than a B-team." Hey, Max, B-teams are commonly referred to as reserve teams. Besides Ching, who else on that field is going to be there on Aug. 12? Maybe Stu Holden. Also, when Bretos is doing a better job, it's a heck of a lot easier to brush over his horrible pronounciation of every player with any sort of different name. You don't have to sound like a Mexican to properly announced a last name.

As a last note, the FSC crew might want to put the microphone a little closer to color man Christoph Sullivan's mouth.

Final set, rivalry renewed: States and Mexico on Sunday

Well, this will not be pleasing to my wife at all -- our first anniversary will feature something I have no desire to watch on DVR.

The Mexicans defeated Costa Rica 5-3 in kicks after the game ended at 1-1, clinching a berth in the Gold Cup final and setting up another USA/Mexico match-up.

The States and El Tri for hardware deserves live viewing.

Thursday night's semifinal found the Mexicans thrived in a thrilling setting, and showed great gumption in not quitting after a stunning injury time equalizer from Costa Rica helped send the game to kicks.

El Tri scored the game's first goal in the 88th minute, as Guillermo Franco followed up what appeared to be a goal with a no-doubter rebound, but the 93rd minute found Froylan Ledezma alone and ready to equalize.

Ledezma went from hero to goat minutes later when Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa guessed right before the Costa Rican had taken his first step. Couple that miss with all five Mexicans converting their attempts, including a nasty guessing game goal from Giovani dos Santos, and we're set for -- hopefully -- another "Dos a Cero" at Giants Stadium. It's a 3 p.m. kick-off on Sunday, and will be aired on Fox Soccer Channel and Univision.

An early guess at the outcome? 2-1, States, though this is where my prediction skills generally deteorate into patriotic fandom. The Americans need a strong showing, with their next WC2010 qualifier coming up in August down in Mexico.

First-half goal, second-half excitement: US to Final, 2-0 over Honduras

Unlike a great many of the Gold Cup games, I genuinely enjoyed the soccer on display during Thursday's semifinal between the States and Honduras. The Hondurans play with such passion -- and dirtiness -- that they have skipped the stairs and taken the escalator to 1a to Mexico's 1 on the list of CONCACAF teams I despise.

While the first half was almost entirely the teams feeling each other out -- odd for squads that have met several times in recent months -- it ended with a spectacular corner kick goal that set the tone for a dynamic second half.

Clarence Goodson headed home a picture-perfect corner service from Stuart Holden in the 45th minute to give the US its first of two goals on the night, but the second 45-plus minutes were a sales pitch for soccer in America.

Holden was phenomenal for this cliched rag-tag group of misfits (and by "misfits," I mean "mostly second-choice players" in the nicest of fashions). His speed was fantasic, his creativity necessary and his services were first-class. With apologies to goalkeeper Troy Perkins, Holden was unquestionably the man of the match. He played a game very similar to that of Robbie Rogers during his brilliant group play, only -- maybe -- more disciplined.

Kenny Cooper's goal was another piece of great football. Brian Ching continues to impress, holding up his man and touching the ball to Holden who found the barely onside Cooper for his second goal in two matches. It looked a little funny from the camera angle, but Cooper's finish was very nice, perhaps even understated.

There was great pace and guts to the second half, with both teams providing a great contest. It's an absolute shame the Mexico/Costa Rica semifinal isn't be aired on FSC. The venue will be Giants Stadium on Sunday for the 2009 Gold Cup Final, and I've got absolutely zero love for it being scheduled on my first anniversary. I'll wait to see how the other semi plays out before I go predicting "Dos a Cero, v5.0"

Also important to point out that Bob Bradley has been pretty solid with his line-ups and substitues. Kudos.

By the way, Freddy Adu "tweets" that there are some interesting developments going on... full-time to Monaco? Actual time on Benfica? A transfer elsewhere? Getting back together with JoJo? What an American moment for soccer this music video was...

Look at this joker

"I just thought I'd support Brazil and Honduras, bro, cause like Brazil isn't playing. I know this guy from Brazil though, and I got this flag so, put two and together, bro... I'll take off these glasses, but I'm not saying sorry."

1-0 States at the half. Clarence Goodson gets up and over on a Stuart Holden corner. That's how you get some looks.