Herculez, Herculez, Herculez

I would love to see Charlie Davies playing alongside Jozy Altidore in the World Cup. But if Davies can't make it back, the U.S. needs another at least semi-competent striker.

So what about this guy?

Herculez Gomez, an MLS castoff, is on fire. On Sunday, he almost notched a Zinedine Zidane hat trick (goal, assist, red card), scoring two goals before getting sent off late in the match. The 28-year-old forward, who has 10 goals for Puebla, is in range of becoming the first American to lead the Mexican league in scoring.

Experts love to talk about players needing to be in top form for the World Cup. Gomez, he of only two national team caps, is in top form. He didn't join Puebla until January. He's been an automatic weapon for his new club.

But, as SI.com's Luis Bueno pointed out recently, it all may be for naught, at least as far as Gomez's World Cup Hopes are concerned:

In many ways, Gomez picked a bad year to have a good year. In 2007, he was still in the national team picture, although in a bit of a haphazard way. Gomez played for the U.S. in Copa America as (coach) Bob Bradley pieced together a makeshift squad to send to South America. Top U.S. players competed in the Gold Cup, played in June of that year, and a few carryovers plus MLS players filled out the Copa America roster.

Gomez played against Argentina and Colombia in that ill-fated tournament and was never to be heard from again.

But why not? The U.S. suffers from a severe lack of creative firepower up top. Give Gomez a shot.

P.S. At least Bob Bradley doesn't have to deal with this problem. Yikes.