Dempsey on pace to return

Fox Soccer reports that Clint Dempsey is healing nicely and should return before the end of the Premier League wraps up.  This will put him back in place/shape for the start of WC action.

Make the "power play" a part of soccer friendlies

Jimmy Conrad taught us all one valuable lesson with his performance last Saturday night: the rules should bend a bit when it comes to friendlies.  What's the point of having a friendly with a man down?  It isn't good for either team.  Neither coach can really evaluate players or strategy because both teams have to adjust to the rare situation of being a man up (or down).  Going a man down - particularly in the first half - gives the 11-man side a 86% chance of winning (I completely made that up.  Seems about right, no?  Will someone fact-check please?)

Now I understand that there still has to be the threat of ejection.  Some sort of rule-of-law in order to prevent anarchy.  It'd be like modifying drug laws to exclude prison time for marijuana possession or rolling back the seat-belt law and letting evolution take it's course.  COMPLETE ANARCHY!!!  But playing 11 v. 10 does nobody no good (not, never???).

So here's what I propose in order to make the friendly useful for both sides if a red card occurs, while at the same time sufficiently punishing the team that pulls a Conrad (God I hope that catches on):
- Red card = ejection of said player
- Team with man advantage (we'll refer to them as Green Card team for ease) will get penalty kick despite infraction or location of infraction on the field, and play the next 15 minutes with a man advantage
- After penalty kick and 15 minute "power play" for Green Card team, Red Card team can replace ejected player.
- Player replacing ejected player from Red Card team will count against whatever number of subs was previously agreed upon.

Thoughts?

Charlie Davies alive, but - wait - WILL play in 2010

In a dramatic turn of events, Soccer Fanhous reports that Charlie Davies expects to make a full recover and be available for the WC.  "The World Cup is easy for me to be back for. I want to get back to France and I don't just want to get back. I want to be good," he told ESPN on Monday.  Whoa!

According to ESPN, a broken right femur and tibia, left elbow and face, as well as a torn PCL in his left knee have all healed and he is working on agility drills as we speak.

A comeback to real match-fit form would certainly change my mind about this team.

Dempsey: Just another Terrell Owens?

Apologies to the purists for the NFL reference, but T.O. is who comes to mind when I think of Dempsey.  Back in the 2006 World Cup I believed Dempsey to be the most daring and "artistic" American player we've ever seen.  He was not afraid to take on anyone; not afraid to flick the ball; not afraid to dial-it-up from 20+ yards away.  That's what made his performance in the Confed Cup so confounding.

Is he the T.O. of the U.S. MNT?  Is he capable of brilliance on the field - check.  Does he sulk if he doesn't get the ball - check. 

Michael Cardillo of Soccer Fanhouse asks about Dempsey, "Does it matter that he doesn't show up for 89 minutes, but scores a 90th minute winner?"

Will Freddy Adu ever play for USA MNT?

Thomas Rongen - U.S. under-20 head coach - thinks so, but not this year.  He says in a mediocre podcast from Sports Illustrated that the young Nigerian - oops I mean - American has the potential to contribute, but needs to toughen up and grow a bit more physically. 

I've only seem Freddy play a couple of times and he looks lightning quick and seems to have some tremendous technical ability, but is soooooo small.  The media may have set the bar too high on this prospect.

Food for thought:
Freddy will still be in peak physical shape for the 2014, 2018, 2022 and quite possibly the 2024 World Cups.  Whoa!

Charlie Davies alive, but out for 2010

As reported by FoxSports Charlie Davies is out of the hospital, but not out of the woods. Rehab from not one, but two broken bones in his leg will keep him out of the lineup this summer.

Shame since he was progressing nicely and promised to be one of the most electric attacking strikers the US has ever had.