Robbie Rogers makes US Open Carolina trip with LA Galaxy

As Memorial Day kicks off the summer season, LA Galaxy players are about to be dispersed to the four winds. The first wind carries players to international duty. On that front, Omar Gonzalez joins the United States in Cleveland while Robbie Keane heads to London to join Ireland. Both national teams are participating in friendlies, preparing for World Cup Qualifiers.

Oscar Sorto is currently off with the US U-20 team in a French tournament, preparing for the U-20 World Cup. Jose Villarreal will join him shortly, but is still with LA at the moment. Jack McBean and Todd Dunivant are out with injuries. With all that established, the following players have confirmed they are on the plane for LA's US Open Cup tilt with the Carolina Railhawks: Robbie Rogers, Greg Cochrane, Kofi Opare, Rafael Garcia, Brian Gaul, Michael Stephens, Colin Clark.

Last night when Robbie Rogers confirmed he was making the trip to Cary, North Carolina, he called himself one of the older players going. Assuming any starter from last night's tilt against the Seattle Sounders is staying home and resting in Los Angeles, we can fill out the roster with: Tommy Meyer, Charlie Rugg, Brian Rowe, Kenney Walker, Hector Jimenez, Brian Perk, Leonardo, Chandler Hoffman. Jose Villarreal may have traveled, but Arena is going to need forwards for at New England this weekend so he may have been spared.

Probable starting lineup with those available players: Perk; Opare, Meyer, Leonardo, Gaul; Jimenez, Walker, Garcia, Clark; Hoffman, Rugg.

Robbie Rogers could be used off the bench for twenty minutes, just trying to get his legs back. If Jose Villarreal made the trip he could be a super sub.

It's a lineup capable of winning, putting the Carolina Railhawks on the level of the LA Blues which the reserve squad has taken on before. However, it is in Carolina's backyard and they'll be up to face an MLS side. Should LA survive the round, they'll take on the winner of Chivas USA and the LA Blues.