Here is the second article on the examination and analysis on building the uber U.S. Men’s National Team if we lived in a perfect soccer world and there was only one sport for all our athletes to play.

We’re covering the Midfield in this installment.  Check out the Intro & Forwards and the Defense.

Midfield: In my 4-4-2 scheme, the midfielders fall into three types.  The first are the wingers.  These guys need crazy speed, a relentless engine, and preferably some play making ability or crossing.  The second is the ball winner and possession holder in the middle of the fielder.  In my opinion, the best in the world is Michael Essien, who is able to play nearly any position on the field.  The last and most important is the creative force and talisman of the team, setting up the transition game from defense to offense, creating scoring opportunities for the forwards and wingers, and setting the tone and pace of the with other center mid.

Chris Paul (6′, 23): The only other American sport that embodies the free flowing creativity and non-stop play is basketball.  For the creative force in the center of the field it was a natural conclusion that I should find the best point guard in the NBA.  A perfect example of this natural transition is Steve Nash’s ability to create in soccer games that he plays in his off-season and even Thierry Henry has commented that he’s got the eyes of a soccer player.  So here is Chris Paul, starting center mid for Team USA.

He’s been in the Association for three years and last year was his coming out party – All-Star, NBA First-Team, All-Defensive Team, and second place MVP.  If you watch Paul play, especially in the All Star, game you can see his feel for the game, play making abilities, and passing.  He’s got eyes in the back of his head.  In addition, he handles the ball particularly well, which lends me to think that a lifetime of a ball at his feet would translate equally as well.  Paul is a slasher and scorer when needed, so he’s got the speed and quicks as well.

Don’t let the young age fool you.  The two best players in international soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, are either Paul’s age or younger (23, 21).  In the world football, players start playing professionally much earlier (no college league) and can master the game much earlier.

LaDainian Tomlinson (5′ 10″, 29): When you didn’t see LT in the list of forwards, you know that he’d show up here.  I have been a big Tomlinson fan since his days of destroying teams at TCU.  He’s a 5x Pro Bowler, 4x All Pro, and NFL MVP.  He destroyed the single season total (31) and rushing (28) TD records.  He’s got a string of other records to his credit as well.  In addition, this guy throws touchdowns as well.

At the NFL Combine, he posted a 4.38 forty and a 40.5″ vertical, so he’s in the elite class of athlete.  He’s strong, quick, agile, smart, versatile, fast, and clever.  Though not necessarily one of the criteria for selection, LT is a good person as well (Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2006).

I see LT being the American Michael Essien, able to switch from a high midfield position in attack to filling any defensive role.  He’s who I’ve got tabbed for winning the ball in the midfield and holding possession.  In addition, he’s got the complete set of physical abilities to really play at any position.  For a RB he is getting older and is showing some wear and tear, but as a soccer player he’d be out of the most damaging position in American sports, so he’d have more longevity than what we’re likely to see.

Reggie Bush (6′, 23): Bush generated such excitement after his days at USC because of his preternatural acceleration, agility, and speed.  He registered a 4.33 at the NFL Combine (40.5″ vertical, 24 presses), but he’s clearly faster than that on game day.  Along with Devin Hester, he’s probably in the top 5 fastest players in the NFL.  Period.

His game production has been limited, because his size has his coaches worried about his durability in taking big hits, particularly as a back.  Welcome to proper football, Reggie.  Had this guy grown up in England, I’m sure that his rabid athleticism would have shown up at Chelsea or Man U.  If and when soccer gets big in America, athletes of this size and build are going to be thrilled.

With his insane quickness, agility, and acceleration, Bush is a perfect candidate for winger.  I don’t see him as the crossing type, but rather something closer to Shaun Wright Phillips, an aggressive player looking to push the ball and attack.

Brian Westbrook (5′ 8″, 28): Another short stature, big player in the NFL.  This guy is the entire offense for the Philadelphia Eagles (no offense Donovan).  Prior to entering the NFL, he registered a 4.33 forty time, a 37″ vertical, 26 bench presses, and a 31 on the Wonderlic (which means he’s smart, too).

For the first few years of his career, he had to share the ball with a bigger back.  In 2004, he got his chance and blew up.  Last year he generated over 2,000 yards of total offense between receiving, rushing, and returns.  In his career, he nearly has as many receiving yards as rushing.  To help his candidacy, Westbrook was also a standout basketball player in high school.

Westbrook rounds out the four starters in midfield.  He’d join Reggie Bush as a flash player down the wing.  With his versatility, I can see Westbrook having more touch on the ball than Bush in terms of long passes and crosses, but clearly he’s a speedster.

At his size, he’d be perfect for the soccer pitch.  He’s another perfect specimen for soccer in this country, right height, amazing physical skills, but no money or exposure to play the world game.

Allen Iverson (6′, 33): You knew that for the USA to be properly represented, we’d have to add a thug.  Despite his reputation in white America, there is not a player in the NBA that plays harder every night and every game.  Practice, that’s another story.  Iverson has accumulated quite a few honors in his career, including NBA Rookie of the Year, NBA MVP, 2x All-Star game MVP, 3x All-NBA, and 9x All-Star selection.

His pure athleticism is evident when you consider that QBed his high school to the state championship.  Amazingly, despite his size and reckless playing style Iverson has been able to avoid serious injury throughout his entire career.  What I really like about his game is that he can be a scorer or a creator.  He’s got superb speed, elite quickness, an endless reservoir of stamina, and excellent vision.

Iverson would likely be the back-up to Chris Paul.  I think at his advanced age, he’s probably lost too much of his pace to play on the wing in the style of the team (Go! Go! Go!), but he could work in crosses and touch from the edge.

Nate Robinson (5′ 8″, 24): Few people outside of NY and NBA fans will have heard of this guy.  He’s a halfling among giants on the Knicks.  The truth is Robinson is a ridiculous athlete.  He’s got a vertical leap of 43.5″.  Yep, that’s right.  He even blocked Yao Ming’s shot, look for it on YouTube.  And he won the 2006 Slam Dunk contest.

He was a standout in track and field.  He even set a state record in the 110 meter hurdles in high school.  He also played football in college as a corner and returner.  Surprisingly, he chose basketball over football, even though his prospects here bigger in the NFL.

Despite his size, he’s played in most of the games in his short career, starting about 20% of them.  He’s a good scorer with the ability to create and pass.  Surprisingly, he’s a decent rebounder for a point guard considering his short statue.  Had soccer truly been a big sport in the USA, Nate Robinson would be a star. Once Westbrook loses a step or two, Robinson is taking his spot.  He’s at the prime height for a soccer player, which means that his foot skills will likely match his ball handling, he’s got cover skills from college football, crazy speed, and Unearthly (100) hops.

Warrick Dunn (5′ 6″, 33): Short is OK in soccer.  In fact, some of the best players in the world were very short.  Maradona and Messi are only 5′ 5″, Romario and Roberto Carlos are both 5′ 6″.  So there is no problem for Dunn.  He’s clearly got the skills.  In limited action as a RB, he’s been the Offensive Rook of the Year, 3x Pro Bowler, and a NCAA championship.  One of the reasons that I really like him is that he’s played quarterback, running back, and corner during his formative years.  He knows how to defend, create, and set-up other players.

There is a reason that such a short player made it into the NFL.  His forty time is was 4.28, which means that he is one of the fastest people to ever put on an NFL uniform (see Joey Galloway, 4.18).  He’s got incredible pace, agility, and vision.  He’s a perfect fit for the midfield.  I also have to say that he’s really one of the nicest and most generous people in the NFL.

If Dunn were younger, he’d be a starter.  He probably lost his position to Reggie Bush after the 2006 World Cup.  For the time being, he’s on the bench as a cagey veteran with free reign along the sideline and the ability to create crosses in traffic.

Eric Crouch (6′, 29): I bet this pick will surprise some people, but the truth is that Crouch is an amazing athlete that played QB at Nebraska, but just didn’t have the prototypical height of an NFL starter.  He was asked to convert to WR or CB and just didn’t want to do it.  He’s bounced around a few leagues looking for a chance to prove himself without much luck.

His credentials are impressive – Heisman winner, holds NCAA records for rushing TDs by a QB, and one of three players to rush for 3,000 and pass for 4,000.  In addition, at the NFL Combine, he ran a 4.4 forty.  He’s the winningest QB in school history along with a bevy of other school, conference, and NCAA records.

Despite what you think about Nebraska, he’s a freak athlete that just didn’t meet the size requirements for the NFL, which is why soccer is perfect for this player.  He’s got touch on the football, speed, and insane agility – as seen in his 95-yard run against Missouri in 2001.  I can see Crouch playing in center or on the wing.

TJ Ford (5′ 11″, 25): Here’s another surprise selection.  Before the injuries and the resulting jokes, Ford was a dominant point guard out of Texas.  Now that he is finally healthy, his numbers are starting to reflect his actual talent.  In college, he earned every individual award imaginable, including the John Wooden and the Naismith.  He’s got slashing ability, play making, and is one of those rare point guards in the modern NBA that makes other players better by creating opportunities.

He’s a back-up central midfielder.  Unlike the other players in the midfield, I’m not too sure if he’d have a role in other positions on defense or attack.  For the NBA, there isn’t a lot of information on his speed or other measure-ables.

Now I don’t considered Ford to be injured in this perfect soccer world, because his injury happened as he was under cut on the hardwood.  In soccer … on grass … he’s back in action after faking an grievous injury for five minutes to illicit a yellow card for his opponent.  Either way, he’s back now and productive.

Who I Didn’t Pick: The obvious one here is Jason Kidd.  He’s the most dynamic passer and creator that holds US citizenship.  The knocks against him are that he is a big guard (6′ 4″) and he is very old (35).  If either of these were just a bit lower, younger or shorter, he’d have made the team.

I also really looked at Deron Williams and Baron Davis, but I had the same problems with both.  They are on the tall side and neither of them have the runner’s body.  Plus, Davis is aging and injury prone.  Finally, I wanted to put Rafer Alston (aka Skip To My Lou) on the team, just to start inventing the American freestyle, street soccer that could create our unique identity.  Again, he’s just a bit too tall (6′ 2″).

Another guy that I thought about was Jay Williams, but unfortunately the motorcycle accident takes him out of consideration.

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