Another injury crisis?

Just when you thought it was safe ...

Yesterday, US forward Jozy Altidore was removed from practice with an ankle injury. He was taken to the hospital, and X-rays were negative. He was diagnosed with a mild ankle sprain, and he is listed as day-to-day.

Ouch. Just when US fans were starting to deal with injuries at the back leaving Bob Bradley with some less-than-stellar options, now we have to deal with the possibility that the mainstay of the US attack may be unavailable or less than 100 percent.

We'll know more in the next few days, but with Saturday's friendly against Australia looming, the damage of the injury is real and present. It is likely Bradley intended to have his starting 11 play against Australia as a tune-up game. Now, it's likely that Altidore won't get a whole game, even if he is ready to go, and Bradley will have to use the friendly to do a little more experimenting.

If Altidore can't go, as much as Bradley would like to leave Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan on the wings, I think it's likely that you'll see one of the two (probably Dempsey) up front. Bradley is looking smart in bringing all the young, untested forwards he did, but it's hard to see him lining two rookies up top against England on June 11.

Watch this space for more details.