Your October Questions Answered (Part Four)

 

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Welcome to the latest installment of Your October Questions Answered, where we take your reader-submitted questions and try to offer up our best responses and opinions to those questions.

This batch of questions covers everything from Brian McBride's potential return to the U.S. national team, to my pick for Top Five Jay-Z songs. DaMarcus Beasley's international future is also discussed.

Now, without any further delay, here are More of your October Questions Answered:

MCBRIDE‘S THE MAN- Is DaMarcus Beasley done at the International Level? I'm guessing he for sure won't be part of the team in South Africa, but is there a possibility he could get himself back on the International scene? Why do you think he has sputtered so badly with Rangers?

IVES- I know some U.S. fans want to write him off after his awful summer showings and because of his lack of playing time at Rangers, but I can’t see how he gets written off just yet. If he can score a winter move to a club where he will play, Beasley could certainly play himself into form and work his way back into the national team mix. We haven’t heard the last of him as a national team player.

As for his problems with Rangers, it’s tough to say because he got off to such a promising start with them before the knee injury. If he has indeed lost a step then he could struggle to ever make the same impact again, but until he goes somewhere and has a chance for playing time, I’m not sure we can assume he’s finished on the international level.

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DURDEN- 1) What's your current All-CONCACAF team look like, assuming everyone is at full health?

2) Your top 5 Jay-Z songs are..?

IVES- Here is my All-CONCACAF Team right now, excluding injured players:

---------------------Kenwyne Jones------Bryan Ruiz----------------------

--------------------------------Landon Donovan------------------------------

Andres Guardado--------------------------------------------Clint Dempsey

------------------Wilson Palacios-------Michael Bradley------------------

Carlos Salcido--------------Rafael Marquez--------Jonathan Spector

-----------------------------------Tim Howard-------------------------------

This is based on current form so a player like Gio Dos Santos, who isn’t getting a sniff if playing time for Tottenham, misses this list.

Jay-Z Top Five songs? I’d probably come up with a different list every few months, but here goes:

Big Pimpin

Lucifer

Brooklyn’s Finest

Do It Again (Put Ya Hands Up)

Renegade

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JOHNATHON ROSS- Senor Ives,

In your opinion, which MLS stadium has the best food options?

IVES- I don’t really get to eat at stadiums when I go visit so I can’t really say for sure. That said, I seem to recall BMO Field having some great options.

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MARK SPENCE- Dax McCarty's form has been stellar during the recent run from FC Dallas. His ability to maintain possession and passing efficiency have been excellent.

These two aspects of his game that are often found wanting at the end of a game for the USMNT. I would like to see him inserted for the last 20 minutes of a game the US is winning, when the USMNT has a tendency to resort to booting the ball down the field rather than maintain possession and complete passes.

Do you think there is a chance Dax could be called into the January USMNT camp?

IVES- McCarty’s chance has come even sooner than you might have expected. There’s little doubting that he turned in a career year and really matured as a player, and with other players such as Jose Torres and Kyle Beckerman involved in the playoffs, this was the perfect opportunity for Bob Bradley to take a look at the young midfielder.

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DAVID- For our friendly against Denmark, do you think it is best to give our locked-in players a rest and try out some players on the fringe? Which fringe players would you like to see?

Is it 6 subs at a friendly? How many can be on a roster?

IVES- I don’t think you can afford to rest too many key players. That sort of defeats the purpose of having a friendly like that. Aside from players who are playing in MLS Cup, I’m pretty sure we’ll see as close to a full-strength squad of Americans facing a tough Denmark team.

As for fringe players I’d like to see, I’d say Jose Torres is one player who I’d want to see, as well as Chad Marshall. If you’re thinking more fringe than that, I’m not sure who will get a look. Jeff Cunningham is obviously an interesting option and one I’d like to see get minutes, but you can say the same for Eddie Johnson, who I’m curious about.

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BRENDAN- Will Charlies Davies' long term injury impact his status with Sochaux? Any chance they release him?

IVES- Considering the amount of money Sochaux spent to buy Davies from Hammarby, I doubt they’ll cut ties so quickly. All signs are pointing to Davies making a comeback, and Sochaux would be crazy to cut ties with a player who was making a major impact before the car accident.

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SEAN- 1. Of our current group of healthy central midfielders (not including Jones or Edu) what combination do you think is best? Why?

2. Do you think Bradley will try pairing Dempsey with Altidore at forward and starting Holden at right mid.

IVES- I’d say the Bradley-Feilhaber tandem has the potential to be the best, though a Bradley-Torres combination intrigues me. I know Bradley-Clark did well in Confederations Cup, but I think pairing Torres or Feilhaber with Bradley provides that much-needed offensive spark from central midfield.

I think it is inevitable that we will see an Altidore-Dempsey forward tandem, especially if Stuart Holden continues to grow as a player.

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ACES- Should the USMNT look into changing the coaching staff regardless of our outcome next year in South Africa?

IVES- It’s an interesting question because I do happen to think that having coaches stay on for multiple cycle isn’t exactly always an ideal thing. That said, if Bob Bradley leads the team to a strong showing, and he wants to stay, I don’t see why he wouldn’t stay on. I do wonder whether Bradley might be tempted by the opportunity to coach in Europe if given the chance. It might sound far-fetched to think that an American coach would get a serious look abroad, but after the U.S. team’s Confederations Cup performance, if Bradley also added a strong World Cup run to his resume I think we just might see our first American coach to land a head coaching job at a top European league. It’s something that shouldn’t be ruled out.

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JOSH- Are there rules/guidelines for compensation when a player is injured playing for a national team? In other words, do AC Milan have legal recourse to compensation from the USSF for Onyewu's injury?

Second question: although it's unpleasant to talk about, whose stock rises in the wake of the injuries to Davies and Gooch? (Side note: now I'm really happy that Bradley used the Gold Cup to develop some depth in the player pool.)

IVES- To answer your first question, no, not really, Milan is simply a big club whining about something FIFA just isn’t going to change.

I’d say players such as Jay DeMerit and Chad Marshall will get even more playing time with Onyewu out, while forwards Eddie Johnson and Jeff Cunningham stand to get looks as Bob Bradley tries to find new speed options at forward.

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STEVEN M- What would be the point of moving soccer to the Winter season? I know soccer is an international sport, but in this country we have other popular sports that would crush soccer in ratings and attendance. Why isn't FIFA barking upon any other league's trees?

IVES- I suppose the only real benefit of moving the MLS schedule to a fall/spring schedule would be to align it with most of the rest of the world. I just don’t see that being a viable alternative any time soon and I don’t think it should be assumed that a change is imminent just because Sepp Blatter shoots his mouth off.

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GJ- There are already some 150 posts on here and I have not read through all of them. So this question might of already has been asked.

With Gooch out, can we have spector in the middle with boca and have Bornstien and Dolo at the ends.

IVES- I’m not really sold on Spector being a strong center back alternative on the international level. At least I don’t see him being a better alternative than say a Chad Marshall or Jay DeMerit when healthy. Spector seems to be a better option at left back than center back, and continues to battle Steve Cherundolo at right back.

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BRIAN- Can Landon Donovan ever be considered an elite player in world soccer?

IVES- This question is sure to stir debate, but in the end all we would be doing is arguing semantics. Donovan is the best player on one of the Top 15-20 teams in the World. By that definition he is an elite player in World Soccer. Would he make my list of Top 20-30 players in the World? No, but he’s a special talent. I suppose the answer to the question above depends entirely on one’s definition of “elite player”. I personally don’t see how you can’t call him one.

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RUFFY- I second Mike's question- what did happen to Adin Brown?
Tim Howard was his backup, then he was always injured, then went to Scandanavia, then...?

IVES- As far as I can tell, Brown is still on the books with Aalesunds of the Norwegian League, though he hasn’t been dressing lately. He had been battling injuries that cost him most of last season, but he is still on the team (just not as a starter at this point).

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DAVID- With Davies out do you think we will see Bradley take another look at speedsters like Johnson, Adu, or even Robbie Russell?

IVES- Obviously this is already happening, but my question is do you really think of Freddy Adu as a speedster? Really? Not sure about that one.

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LESTER- Do you think anyone would care if we called up Mcbride again. I know he has lost a lot, but I still think he is decent

IVES- I’m not sure he still has enough in the tank to be a true impact player on the international level. He has shown signs this season in Chicago of still having plenty left, but I don’t think we’ll see him wear a USA uniform again.

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