SoccerAmerica - Donovan, Torres and Chandler out of friendly 02/26/2012

[USA MEN] It was not a good weekend on the injury front for the U.S. national team. Timmy Chandler (left hamstring strain) and Jose Torres (right hamstring strain) became the latest to pull out of Wednesday's Italy-USA game because of injury. Jermaine Jones (calf injury) withdrew after the announcement of the roster, and Oguchi Onyewu was lost last week with a knee injury. In addition, Landon Donovan will miss the game with bronchitis, once again depriving Coach Jurgen Klinsmann of a chance to team Donovan with Clint Dempsey.

Klinsmann has added midfielder Sacha Kljestan and forward Brek Shea to the training camp roster for the match against Italy in Genoa.

Chandler will miss two weeks after straining a gluteal muscle during Nuremberg's 1-0 win at Werder Bremen on Saturday.

Torres, who had missed four friendlies last fall with a foot injury, injured his leg in Pachuca's 1-1 tie with Tigres but played the entire 90 minutes because Pachuca coach Efrain Flores had made three substitutions.

Shea has appeared in every game under Klinsmann, starting seven and entering as a sub in two. Shea was part of the U-23 squad preparing for its match with Mexico on Wednesday in Frisco, Texas.

Kljestan, who has 34 caps and four goals for the national team, has had a strong season for Anderlecht but hasn't appeared for the national team since September 2011, coming on as a second-half substitute in the USA's 1-0 loss to Costa Rica at The Home Depot Center.

U.S. Roster:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (6): Carlos Bocanegra (Rangers), Geoff Cameron (Houston Dynamo), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Parkhurst (FC Nordsjaelland), Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Michael Bradley (Chievo Verona), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (AZ), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

7 comments

R2 Dad

commented on: February 26, 2012 at 4:01 p.m.

The MNT cannot develop chemistry when the core of the team (Holden, Donovan, Dempsey and Torres) never play together. Get better soon, El Gringo.

Reuben Valles

commented on: February 27, 2012 at 11:59 a.m.

Superman, you are spot on with that. However, i would like to see if Torres could be part of that core along with Holden and young Chander. It seems we can never get all these guys together. We have actually been on the injury bug for quite some time now. I feel its one reason we seem to have underachieved in gold cup and recent friendlies under Klingy. We are quite depleted right now.

Scott O'connor

commented on: February 27, 2012 at 12:27 p.m.

Geez. I was really looking forward to this game with the possibility of seeing the trio of Donovan-Dempsey-Torres on the field together under Klinsmann.

Scott O'connor

commented on: February 27, 2012 at 12:29 p.m.

Who starts at Left Back? Spector is a possibility. I would prefer to see Carlos on the left. Cherundolo on the right. Perhaps Goodson and Parkhurst in the middle. Parkhurst is a good "quarterback" for the defense, keeps them organized. That may allow Goodson to have an effective game.

Allan Lindh

commented on: February 27, 2012 at 2:41 p.m.

Might as well face the music and start Geoff Cameron at center back for the foreseeable future. We've gotten too old in back, come the next WC Cameron will be the starter, might as start breaking him in now. Question is whether he and Parkhurst are a viable duo??

Paolo Jacobs

commented on: February 27, 2012 at 8:04 p.m.

Good Point Allan... if it isn't goin to be Tim Ream, might as well be Geoff Cameron...Los and Goouch r up there in age...Clay Goodson just needs to bulk up on the muscle..

Kent James

commented on: February 28, 2012 at 2:01 p.m.

I'd like to see Torres as the offensive midfielder and M Bradley as the defensive, and get Holden & Donovan on the flanks (I'd also like to see Feilhaber in the mix). I hope he does not play 2 holding defensive center midfielders.

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