The Short List: Burning Questions

Can Eddie Johnson provide a spark?

You have to assume that Jozy Altidore is going to be a starter, but surely Bradley didn't bring in four strikers with plans to only play one of them. Conor Casey or Clint Dempsey would seem to be the most likely options, but it wouldn't hurt to get a look at Eddie Johnson and Jeff Cunningham.

With Johnson playing more for the Fulham reserves than with the first team very few people have any concrete idea of how much he has improved over the last couple of years. In short stints with the Fulham first team Johnson has looked somewhat dangerous, but a nice long run out for the national team would be good to see.

Cunningham was light-out after Kenny Cooper left F.C. Dallas and also deserves to get another look. The U.S. needs to find a replacement for the injured Charlie Davies and Cunningham may be best like-for-like switch available.

2. Can the midfield do enough to keep pace with Slovakia?

Landon Donovan, Ricardo Clark, Jose Torres, and Stuart Holden will all be missing from the midfield leaving the line a bit thin. Dax McCarty, probably the most surprising name on the roster, and Sacha Kljestan, are the two likely subs behind a starting four of Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber, and Robbie Rogers.

This is clearly not the U.S.'s first choice group, and while there will probably be some help on the way before the Denmark match it will be interesting to see if this group of midfielders can hold their own with a good international side.

Dempsey has been on great form with Fulham and Bradley has played well since climbing out of the dog house at Monchengladbach, but they'll be asked to carry a heavy load. Rogers and Feilhaber can both provide moments of brilliance, but can the four of them do enough as a group to protect a banged up back line and create goals for a thin strike force?

3. Will we ever get to see Jonathan Spector and Steve Cherundolo at the same time?

Can Spector fill the void on the left.

It would be nice to see if one of these two players can move to the left side of the defense and do the job. The left back spot is the one glaring hole in the U.S. lineup, and with Carlos Bocanegra sure to be moved into the middle, the Slovakia match seems like a very good time to slot one of the two right backs onto the left side.

While the prospects of Edgar Castillo coming into the side look good, it would be nice to know that even without him being spectacular (and I still question Castillo's defensive abilities, though he can be a force in the attack) the U.S. has a reliable option.

That said, Heath Pearce and Jonathan Bornstein are both in camp, so I doubt we'll see much of a shake up.

4. Can Chad Marshall and Clarence Goodson fill in for Gooch and DeMerit?

Marshall could be playing for a World Cup spot this weekend.

It seems obvious that the U.S. loses a lot by not having Oguchi Onyewu on the field, but it may be that way for a while. Onyewu should be fully recovered by the time the World Cup comes around, but match fitness will probably still be an issue.

With Jay DeMerit also sidelined Goodson and Marshall will both likely get the chance to see some playing time in the next two matches. The two younger center backs are likely playing for one spot on the World Cup squad. It should be interesting to see if either of them can fill the void and make their mark with the team.

5. Who will come and go before the Denmark match?

The MLS games will certainly play a huge part in deciding who makes the trip over for next week's match against Denmark. At least three of the four MLS sides still involved have at least one player who should get a call in if their side is beaten out. The U.S. players based in Mexico could also get a late call in.

It wouldn't be a shock if some of the players who play on Saturday and are regular starters head back to their clubs (Bradley, Dempsey, Bocanegra), but it will be interesting to see who leaves and who is brought in to replace them.

Allen Ramsey is an associate editor for Goal.com USA. The Short List runs every Wednesday on Goal.com.

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