4 Players, 2 Teams, 1 Dream

There are just six months left until the 2010 World Cup, and there is still plenty of jockeying going on for spots in Bob Bradley's final 23. The winter has been good to four hopefuls who are currently on the fringe of the final roster and in need of a strong finish to the season to earn their ticket to South Africa.

December was a great month for DaMarcus Beasley, who has brought himself back into the national team conversation with a fantastic run of form that was only recently stalled by a minor injury. Though he has missed Rangers' past couple of matches, Beasley should be available in the coming week and could very likely feature in this Sunday's Scottish Cup match against Hamilton. He hit the ground running upon making his return to the Rangers lineup, and his play was strong enough to earn an assurance of playing time from manager Walter Smith. Quite the turnaround for a player who was expected to be a transfer window castoff just weeks before.

If Beasley can consistently contribute for Rangers in the coming months and stay healthy (which could prove to be a big "if" in the rough-and-tumble SPL), I would put good odds on him earning a spot in the final World Cup roster. His attacking ability could provide a spark (probably off the bench), and he would add depth at outside midfield for Bob Bradley. He also brings loads of international experience to a roster that will likely feature number of players heading to their first World Cup.

Also at Ibrox, Maurice Edu appears set to make a late push for a World Cup roster spot, as he has returned to the playing field after months on the sidelines recovering from a knee injury. Though Edu did not look particularly strong against Celtic this past Sunday, he did make some positive contributions and will likely get more playing time in the coming weeks thanks to injuries in the Rangers lineup. If Edu can shake off the rust and regain his form, he will have a shot at South Africa.

The big obstacles for Edu are the fact that he plays at arguably the deepest position for the USMNT and that Ricardo Clark has established himself as the defensive center midfielder of choice over the past 6 months. Clark's move to Europe could very well level the playing field, though, if the former Dynamo standout cannot earn consistent playing time.

Unlike Edu, Eddie Johnson benefits from the USMNT's current roster situation. With the striker position still far from settled, Johnson has a shot to fill the void left by Charlie Davies' injuries, and his hopes were given a big boost by a recent loan move to Greece. Reports out of Greece seem to indicate that the Aris manager is keen on Johnson, so EJ may very well find his first consistent minutes in Europe since leaving MLS a couple years ago. He was specifically brought in to help fill a need for "the God of War", who have scored just 15 goals in 15 league matches, so he should get a chance to impress Bob Bradley in the coming months and display the progress he has made over the past year.

EJ might not be alone in his Greek odyssey, as reports are coming out that Freddy Adu is on the brink of joining Aris on a 1.5 year deal. Adu is probably the biggest longshot out of the four to make it to South Africa, but he brings an undeniably unique skill set to the table that might entice Bob Bradley to bring him along to South Africa. In order to make his World Cup dreams come true, Adu needs to earn consistent minutes over the next five months and show both his offensive and defensive abilities. Though he only made a few brief appearances for Belenenses, Adu did look dangerous and creative on the offensive end, so there is some (albeit a small one) reason for optimism.

Looking past the 2010 World Cup, Adu's move to Greece could be the club move that helps revive a career that has stalled over the past two years. At just 20 years of age, Adu could be a potential contributor in several World Cups down the road, so this move has USMNT implications beyond just this summer.

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Keep an eye on Rangers and Aris in the upcoming weeks and months as four USMNT players look to make their case for inclusion in the 2010 World Cup roster.