There's a certain amount of gnashing of teeth over Eddie Johnson's recent play for the U.S. Men's National Team and his inclusion on the roster for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches with Barbados, but I'm starting to see the method to this madness. First off, everyone seems to think Eddie Johnson might be a terrific goalscorer, so I don't think it hurts to give him every opportunity to succeed (or fail) in the three recent friendlies.
Second, the reason most people think Johnson may be a force to be reckoned with is still his performance against CONCACAF minnows like...Barbados. This is where I'm going to trust Bob Bradley over any armchair manager-slash-blogger. I get the feeling that player development is something the average Joe Bigsoccer isn't every going to really understand.
If you give up on Johnson during the "Group of Death" friendlies, you risk losing any chance at effectiveness against less skilled opponents. On the other hand, if he's measuring himself up against the likes of Wayne Rooney and Fernando Torres, he'll be ten feet tall against regional squads.
Chris, I really like your perspective here. This is an 18 month process of building a roster. And for each reason why one could argue a player should not be included, Bradley probably has 25 reasons why his decision makes sense. I'll side with Bradley.
The Shape of Things To Come, 2013 Edition
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Firing Away: Chicago Fire at DC United
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A Few Thoughts On The Home Opener
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Firing Away: Chicago Fire at Montreal Impact
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