The USMNT's 23-man roster is due out shortly, but I'd like to take a quick minute to talk about what concerned me most last night against the Czechs. And that, dear reader, is the position of left back. At most positions, we at least have one or two players who if, unspectacular, are at least solidly reliable against good opposition. At left back, we've got Jonathan Bornstein and Heath Pearce. A lot of people have noticed that this is a problem area, and you can bet that Fabio Capello is aware of it, too.


I've never really been a fan of Bornstein's. He seems to have graduated cum laude from the Marvell Wynne School of Defense (If you get beat, be fast enough to get back and foul him), and that was painfully evident last night. The main weapon in his defensive arsenal seems to be hurling himself in the general direction of the attacker's feet. As far as I'm concerned, the Hondurans can have him. He's one of a select group of USMNT players whose presence on the field genuinely frightens me.


Heath Pearce, on the other hand, frustrates me because I think he has a lot more to offer than he's currently putting out. I remember his debut, a friendly against Scotland. He came on as a sub and immediately impressed me. He wanted the ball at his feet, was dribbling at the opposition, making incisive runs off the ball, and tracking back on defense. None of that was on display last night, and to be honest, I haven't seen him play well in a while. I was in the press box for Goal.com during the FC Dallas v. Philadelphia Union game last week, and at times, I forgot he was even playing. After the game, I was asked to write a paragraph on him, as part of a collaborative piece on MLS players on the 30-man roster. I went back and re-watched the game, specifically him, and my initial suspicions were confirmed. He seemed content to jog and watch play, rather than get involved. I'm convinced that it's only the dearth of talent at that position that he's even involved.


But the problem still exists of who should play in that position. Carlos Bocanegra has been an option there, and I wouldn't be surprised if he is used there in some World Cup games. But in the England game, we'll probably be facing Aaron Lennon, who has enough speed to negate Boca's defensive capabilities and cause a lot of problems on the back line, or Theo Walcott, who has even more pace with less of an end product. Another option would be moving one of our two right backs, Steve Cherundolo and Jonathan Spector, to the left. Frankly, at this short notice, I'd lump for Dolo. He has enough pace that he won't be completely marginalized, and is a seasoned international defender with a lot of games under his belt.


Whoever Bob Bradley decides to take, I'm not envious of the responsibility facing him. This is, in my eyes, the most problematic and potentially disastrous area for the Yanks, and may be the most difficult decision he has to make before June 12.

An American in desperate need of a club has come home and signed to play in the US. Defender Heath Pearce has penned a deal with the MLS and was snapped up by top-of-the-allocation-list FC Dallas today; Pearce's move to the States follows a trying end to his European stint, which included a falling out with Hansa Rostock over "performance issues" (which include rumors of a faked injury), and a failed deal with Turkish side Bursapor.

Pearce's deal with FC Dallas is only for the remainder of the season; the guess here is that the defender will attempt to revive his European ambitions once the international transfer window opens again in January. Pearce is a contender for the American World Cup roster, of course, and so playing time is important. He certainly couldn't afford to sit out until the winter, both because of those World Cup ambitions, as well as his need to showcase himself to potential employers abroad.

Pearce, only twenty-five, is among other American internationals to sign with MLS in recent months after hitting a lull in Europe. Winger Bobby Convey joined San Jose in February, moving from England after being released by Reading. Danny Szetela returned to MLS and joined DC United, after FC Dallas on him passed despite having first right of refusal to sign him. Szetela has yet to make an impact with DC, and appears to be on the outs with head coach Tom Soehn.

Several other American players remain in limbo with their club situations, including National Team veteran DeMarcus Beasley (currently with Rangers) and U-20 midfielder Vincenzo Bernardo (unattached, last with Napoli).

What contribution Pearce can make to a club headed nowhere isn't exactly clear; he certainly adds quality to FCD's back line, though I'm not sure what that might get them. A stay of execution perhaps.

What do you make of Pearce's move to MLS? Who do you think the next American player to "come home" might be?

I wrote a piece back in February on Convey's move to MLS and the issue of Americans returning home that you can read here.