Loss of Davies just starting to impact Team USA

It took just a glance around the lower bowl of RFK Stadium, turned temporarily into a sea of white placards bearing the number "9," to see how much U.S. Soccer misses Charlie Davies.

Davies, the national team striker who was severely injured in a car crash early Tuesday morning, received a series of touching get-well messages from teammates and the Washington, D.C., crowd Wednesday night.

Captain Carlos Bocanegra dedicated the team's dramatic last-ditch 2-2 draw against Costa Rica to Davies, who is almost certain to miss the World Cup after being ruled out for between six to 12 months.

But as thoughts turn to South Africa next summer following an intriguing and tumultuous qualifying campaign, how much will Davies' presence be missed on the field?

While it is hard to read too much into what was effectively a meaningless game for the U.S. on Wednesday, with qualification having already been wrapped up four days earlier, the performance gave some kind of a glimpse into life without the young Sochaux front-man.

Davies is the only player in the squad who possesses a genuinely electrifying pace and that is a major reason why he has become such an important cog in coach Bob Bradley's machine.

Without him, the tempo of the U.S. attack becomes more languid - and more aerial - with the taller and slower Jozy Altidore stepping in against Costa Rica.

Davies brought an extra option and the kind of blistering speed capable of troubling any defense.

With his effervescent personality, Davies swiftly became a favorite of both fans and teammates alike. He is sorely missed already, but he could be missed even more in South Africa next summer.

Share your thoughts and comments below.

Photo courtesy Getty Images

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1. Posted by Neah Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:32 am EDT
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Greatly, greatly missed- I could tell tonight- I see myself in this picture- the attack is much different without Chuck. Even when Chuck D had a mediocre game he was always a threat for the defense. Hopefully, Jozy develops over the next year, along with Kenny Cooper or maybe a renaissance from the much-maligned but speedy Eddie Johnson. Thank you Conor for the two goals but your services are no longer required. Although, I would rather have Casey playing than Ching. What Bob needs to do is start Jozy up top, with Deuce just behind him like he sometimes plays at Fulham. I think this would best utilize the players we currently have and Deuce would play at a better level since he was at his natural position. I love Stu Holden but he is beginning to look more like a super-sub than a starter on the right. So good to see Paco Torres come on and play well! He should be seeing Benny's minutes! Get well Chuck and get well Gooch!
2. Posted by Connor Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:34 am EDT
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Its gonna suck...Davies was good. Hopefully his time window is closer to that 6 months than 12. Crazier things have happened
3. Posted by basterisk Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:37 am EDT
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Davies is fortunate to be alive, based on what i've heard about the accident itself. Yes, he'll be missed most likely for SA in 2010.....The U.S. really cannot afford to be missing any of it's key players, but I guess injuries are certainly part of the game. I hope very much that the U.S. get's seeded this time around, for another 'group of death' would be very depressing. Get well, Charlie!
4. Posted by Mike Vick Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:41 am EDT
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charlie is from Manchester, NH. I am from NH. that is neat.
5. Posted by CardiacKids Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:04 am EDT
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They said 6 to 12 months recovery. They should still try to get him back. See how the recovery goes. It might not be as bad as it looks. He should try to get back to 100% as soon as he can. He is irreplaceable. He's gotta get back out there if he can. I bet there's a chance he can recover in time for the World Cup. Granted it's small beans compared to the loss of life from the accident.
6. Posted by Michael C Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:07 am EDT
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One can't measure the loss of Charlie Davies to the U.S. team in terms of the intanglbles ( emotion, desire, effort,
interminable energy, to list a few...), only in what we lose tangibly ( speed, finishing, strength, team player, etc...).
Therefore, we wish him a speedy recovery, perhaps a miracle in his long road back, and then move forward to
the agenda we are faced with - creating the best line-up we can to give us the best chance at success in South
Africa next year. I read a lot about what the pundits believe will help achieve this, but realistically, it is way too early
to say what will "fix" what ails the U.S. team. Soccer/football is a game of tactics and instincts, talent and savvy,
execution and creation, all flowing beautifully together. Problem is, you have to HAVE AN OPPONENT FIRST!!! When we actually have a group to try to emerge from, then we can theorize on what line-up Bradley may use to try
to advance, probably on a game-by-game basis. Until then, enjoy the fact we are in the tourney, pray for Charlie and those other unfortunate people, and relax on the thrash talk for a while. Take a deep breath...and think before you write!
7. Posted by gvsoccerguy Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:02 am EDT
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I hate to be this way because i am an avid U.S. soccer fan and want whats best for the team, but the world cup should be the least of charlies worries at this time. i know it was a huge accomplishment to have made it to the level that he was at in the eyes of the american coaches and fans alike, but you have to think realistically here. some people dont ever run again after the types of injuries he sustained, and he is lucky to be alive. it will be a long and trying road to recovery for him, and i wish him the best. all soccer fans should pray for him, no matter which nation you represent. he is a great talent and will be missed in his time away both at club and international levels. best wishes charlie, get well soon!
p.s: send him an email at charliedavies9@yahoo.com with your support
8. Posted by Z Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:31 am EDT
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I played against him numerous times in high school and in club soccer, and had more than my fair share of in-game fights with him as I was always the one marking him. During high school I never liked him as a person or player but always respected him and how hard he worked to get to where he was. He was never a prodigy, he was never expected to do anything special. He was just supposed to be another average college player. Something happened though, he went to BC and worked his ass off. It all paid off. This isnt someone who was born a talent, he earned everything he ever got. To see it all taken in 1 night is tragic. But if anyone can come back, if anyone can survive this, it's him, and i have no doubt he'll be out there on the pitch again. Friends, foes, we're all pulling for you, get well soon.
9. Posted by dereksessions Thu Oct 15, 2009 7:47 am EDT
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CD would have dressed for the Costa Rica match if he had respected and obeyed the rules set down by his coach and made curfew.
10. Posted by kevin w Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:25 am EDT
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I think Adu needs to step up and get it done in Portugal if we are to have ANY chance of advancing past the 1st round in S. Africa. He's the only guy that can match Davie's pace and power...just needs to get it done! Wish Davies had NOT broken curfew and hopefully this will serve as a warning to our up and coming younger talents. Staying out til 3AM is NOT only unwise but dangerous when you play at that level----hire a limo driver or cabbie. Very sad for the young man as he is our best pure forward. Oh well...time for someone else in the red, white, and blue to step up.
11. Posted by joerandom_01 Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:48 am EDT
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"CD would have dressed for the Costa Rica match if he had respected and obeyed the rules set down by his coach and made curfew. "
In a group of comments wishing Davies to get better this is what you post? I guess people will troll wherever.
Get better Davies. Take your time.
12. Posted by balls Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:49 am EDT
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yeah this suck but lets not be selfish, lets just be thankful hes alive
the good news is him and jozy are both young enough that they will be around in 2014
13. Posted by 909Soccer Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:59 am EDT
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6 to 12 months?? Maybe he can get back..... What about Jeff Cunningham?
14. Posted by lancethrailkill Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:24 am EDT
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i love the idea of having jozy up top with clint and landon playing attacking mids underneath in a triangle formation. Clint is much more effective in this role! I played club ball growing up with him and that is what he played a lot at furman as well. Everytime we put Clint up top he gets a goal! If davies isnt back, i think it is essential to play this formation. You can also designate a strictly defensive midfielder to form a diamond type formation. Get well soon davies!!! We need you at the Cup!!1
15. Posted by BairE Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:28 am EDT
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There is no trolling. A young woman died because he was out past curfew and she was taking him back to his hotel in DC. Another athlete lost in his position and not following the rules, which we see across all sports. It is a sad event. Having been through near death experiences due to my own fault, I feel for him and wish him a great recovery, but he blew it big time by putting his own interests before the team.
16. Posted by depauwfoz Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:50 am EDT
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We're going to miss the speed and work rate he consistently put out, along with goal scoring opportunities he created. He's a great compliment to what Jozy brings to the table. We got absolutely nothing out of Casey yesterday (you're 8" taller and 50 lbs heavier than the guy guarding you, win an aerial ball), and he scares me if he gets any significant time up front. Clint might be a good option or Ching. They've at least shown that they can score on the international level, and won't be needed to hold it as much as they used to pre-Jozy. It would also be nice to see Torres on the field more. He looked good in his limited time last night. He can move and he's creative, which is something we tend to lack. Considering how little time Davies actually has spent with the National Team, it's amazing how much he's come to mean.
We also may need to shore up the back line. It gets scary on the outside of our defense sometimes.
17. Posted by dereksessions Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:20 am EDT
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@ joerandom_01:
Truth hurts, my man. Nothing good happens at 3.00am. At BEST, he was going to be suspended or fined, probably both. He's not a golfer or tennis player, solely reliant on himself for achievement. He was an integral cog in his team's aspirations to win CONCACAF and progress as far as they could at the WC. And he made his choice.
I sincerely wish him the best. I hope he can play again; his injuries may prevent him from doing so. He unwittingly put his career in significant jeopardy. The unanswerable question is: can he compete again at the high level he achieved prior to his injuries. We'll hope and pray...and eventually we'll see.
18. Posted by Magid Thu Oct 15, 2009 11:36 am EDT
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I hope his recovery is quick. He had all makings and confidence of a star!
19. Posted by cheo s Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:21 pm EDT
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Why give not Freddy Adu a shot. he played up front with Altidore in the 2007 U-20 WC they seem to play well together. Freddy hasnt been playing much but we have along way byt he has the speed,one on one abilitiy and he very creative with the ball....this way he dosent need to defend to much which is his weakness...Davies gat well soon. For the young lady that lost her life my condoloences to her family.
20. Posted by toml Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:16 pm EDT
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Even without Davies, the U.S. had plenty of scoring chances in the 1st half as well as in the 2nd against Costa Rica. We do need speed, but we need much more accuracy from our strikers. It seems to me that we need extra practice in finishing. I would not replace our coach, but check into how much Franz Beckenbauer practiced with the ball to get that exquisite ball control. I'm sure that Cruyff and Pele would say the same. The USA can win on sheer grit against mid-level teams or a complacent top-tier team, but to move all the way to the top we need at least one world-class finisher of Ronaldo's caliber or better, or at least someone close. Both of our goals against Costa Rica were of the grit variety, which is great. But we need both grit and real finishing skill. I would also suspect that we need more practice on penalty kicks in case a game comes down to that. Tim Howard can hold down his end (as Brad Friedel did in spades before him) but the attackers need to be consistent and accurate too.
21. Posted by philip D Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:56 pm EDT
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Two Words: Clint Dempsey.
1. He wants to play up top and he's the only one with a skill set close to CD's
2. We have a number of midfielders eager to show they won't disappear for stretches of a match, but we still need a player of Dempsey's finishing ability on the pitch for the full 90.
22. Posted by patrick m Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:46 pm EDT
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Not that it helps on offense but lets get Jermaine Jones capped and on the US squad. They way our defense looks we could use a second defensive midfielder.
23. Posted by defmonk Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:00 pm EDT
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CD will be missed, but I was truly impressed by the focused emotion that the US side showed last night. That and a little luck figure into the formula by which second tier teams pip the big boys in the World Cup. The USMNT is not going to find success at that level through talent or tactics, but that level of passion might help them in the group stage next summer.
24. Posted by Brock O Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:32 pm EDT
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No doubt CD was a bull dog with his relentless work rate, hustle, and tenacity. He will be missed. However, we DO have replacements in our playerpool. Kenny Kooper, Clint Dempsey, Freddy Adu, and even Taylor Twellman. Charlie get well, but understand that you have back ups.
25. Posted by Gerry Thu Oct 15, 2009 4:43 pm EDT
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He'll definitely be missed. Dempsey and Altidore are both crap, both should be playing club soccer for free not making their living from the game, so it's tough to lose a true striker who adds a dimension to the game the US traditionally has not had.
FAR FAR too little is being said about him being involved in a fatal car crash at 3am. American society gives athletes a free pass when they show a blatant disregard for the law or team rules. He's let his team down, he's let his country down, and while it's tragic he was so badly injured, I think it raises questions about his character if he's out when he's supposed to be preparing to represent his country. Hopefully Bradley (and whoever replaces him when he gets fired the day after the US gets knocked out of the 2010 World Cup after an 0-3 showing), start cracking down and hold players accountable to do the right thing. When Davies returns to the line-up, he'll be hailed as a hero and everyone will forget the stupid, selfish decision that got him there in the first place.