The new man heading the attack at D.C. United has the potential to turn this World Cup into a spring board for the rest of his career. Eddie Johnson has been questioned recently on how good he actually is and whether or not he still is the goal scoring machine he used to be. Johnson will be bringing 61 caps and 19 goals to a U.S. squad that needs a speedy forward to attack opponent’s defenses effectively.
Jozy Altidore had himself an impressive 2013 on the international stage, scoring eight goals and assisting on two others. This Stoke City forward has been something of a head scratcher the past season. His moves to new teams have been excellent, but the level of production once there has been far from stellar. Altidore has the experience of playing at a World Cup, so that fact right there will be a large part of why he will do better than his previous experience. Currently, Altidore has 21 goals on 66 appearances for his country. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann will hope to see many more goals during friendlies as the U.S. continues to tune-up for Brazil.
The man of many moves, grooves and goals, Clint Dempsey has been one of the more consistent players for the U.S. in recent years. He currently is sporting 101 caps and 36 career goals for his country. Dempsey did have a minor slump when he decided to join the Seattle Sounders in the MLS, but now that he is back at Fulham F.C. for a short loan, he should have no problem returning back to his dominant form. Besides Landon Donovan, Dempsey has some of the most important and current experience playing in World Cups, and at high levels of competition. Team USA will look to Dempsey to use his shifty moves to score goals all throughout the World Cup.
Are you surprised by this placement? I know it does seem like a bit of a long shot, but Aron Johannsson is truly deserving of this rank. Even though he has only played in just six games for the U.S., he has shown some truly amazing things. This forward is just what the doctor ordered for the struggling offense of Team USA. He is my pick to break out in 2014 for the U.S. and is more than capable of doing so. Watch this young forward tear through the defenses of Portugal, Ghana and yes, even Germany.
Did you really think I had forgotten about the most decorated and talented player in U.S. soccer history? There are multiple words that can be used to describe Landon Donovan -- legendary, clutch, dependable, talented and trustworthy. Each one of those words describes a certain part of his game, how he continues to play his absolute heart out, each and every game. With 57 goals in 157 matches, Donovan gives the U.S. everything and more when it comes to scoring goals on the national level. Donovan is the very heart and soul of Team USA, and you can be sure that he will bring his A-game come this June in Brazil.
