USA - Wales

USA v Wales

bet365: 1.80 3.20 4.00
BetOnSports: 1.83 3.20 3.40
Canbet: 1.81 3.33 4.40
Ladbrokes: 1.67 3.25 4.50
Marathonbet: 1.92 3.19 3.85

The USA is fielding its weakest squad in years for this match. A small number of second tier European-based players will play. The rest of the roster will come from the only 2 MLS clubs not playing this weekend, San Jose and DC United. San Jose is playing well but DC United is probably the second worst team in the league. I realize Wales are also not bringing most of their top players, but the US camp features guys who really have no business ever playing with the national team.

So take it from an American, the bookies are seriously overestimating the USA in this match (for a change).

Tranmere Rovers striker Simon Howarth has withdrawn from the Wales squad to play the USA next week.
Howarth will be on honeymoon while Wales play in San Jose, California on Monday, 26 May.

Manager Mark Hughes has called up Millwall defender Matthew Rees to take Howarth's place.

Rees, 20, won his first Under-21 cap against Finland this season.

Gareth Taylor, Neil Roberts and Christian Roberts are now the only strikers Hughes has available.

Taylor has won 11 international caps, Neil Roberts has two caps while Christian Roberts is waiting to make his first appearance in a Wales shirt.


Hughes had already been forced to name a weakened squad for the friendly match.

Only Paul Jones, Andy Melville, Mark Pembridge and Simon Davies are the recognised first choice players likely to figure in the match.

Captain Gary Speed will travel with the squad but is not expected to play.

Sunderland midfielder Claudio Reyna is one of five European-based players called up by United States coach Bruce Arena.

Reyna, who helped lead the USA to the quarter-finals in last year's World Cup, has been sidelined since October after he tore knee ligaments while playing for the Black Cats.

Despite the recall, Reyna is not expected to play in San Jose.

"The Wales match gives us an opportunity to see several of our European-based players for the first time this year," said Arena.

RC Lens goalkeeper Joe Cannon, along with defender Greg Vanney (F.C. Bastia), midfielder Eddie Lewis (Preston North End) and forward Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham City) round up the European contingent.


Wales squad

Goalkeepers: Paul Jones (Southampton), Darren Ward (Nottingham Forest)
Defenders: Gary Speed (Newcastle United), Andy Melville (Fulham), Adrian Williams (Reading), Rhys Day (Mansfield Town), Matthew Rees (Millwall)
Midfielders: Mark Pembridge (Everton), Simon Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Matthew Jones (Leicester City), Carl Robinson (Portsmouth), Andy Johnson (WBA), Paul Trollope (Northampton Town), John Oster (Sunderland), Jason Koumas (WBA), David Vaughan (Crewe Alexandra), David Pipe (Coventry City)
Forwards: Gareth Taylor (Burnley), Neil Roberts (Wigan Athletic), Christian Roberts (Bristol City)

USA squad

Goalkeepers: Joe Cannon (RC Lens), Nick Rimando (DC United)
Defenders: Jeff Agoos (San Jose), C J Brown (Chicago), Richard Mulrooney (San Jose), Mike Petke (DC United), Greg Vanney (FC Bastia)
Midfielders: Bobby Convey (DC United), Ramiro Corrales (San Jose), Eddie Lewis (Preston North End), Ben Olsen (DC United), Claudio Reyna (Sunderland), Earnie Stewart (DC United).
Forwards: Brian Ching (San Jose), Landon Donovan (San Jose), Alecko Eskandarian (DC United), Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham City).

Wales at 5.50 at William Hill.

Is that due to the threatening Wales' line up in attack or in defense, Justin???????

One long, good look at those squads was enough to make a medium stakes bet on the yanks...

Well, I over-estimated Wales. It seems to me Welsh fans should be a bit concerned. I don't know exactly how many of the Welsh players who played will ultimately be getting any minutes in meaningful matches, but I'm shocked that that US line-up could decisively beat anyone. The field was filled with American players who will probably never play a meaningful match again (Eskandarian, Brown, Agoos, Petke, Lagos, maybe Ching, hell....Rimando is at best the number 6 keeper for the US.)