Pre-match: Hex Match 1: Feb 6 USA @ Honduras

Is it more or less pathetic than thinking the phrase is "right (sic) of passage?"

 

Rite [sic] On!

 

Write on!

 

Lite-on!

 

Please move if this doesn't belong here but interesting article and is it writers conjecture that JK wants Aron in US fold?

http://insider.espn.go.com/sports/s...-answer-striker-espn-magazine-interview-issue

Now U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann wants their son to do the same....

With 13 goals in his first 16 matches played this season, Johannsson earned attention from bigger clubs in Europe -- and a phone call from Klinsmann. "Jurgen said I should keep an open mind about playing for the U.S.," he says. "I respect that he took the time to call me."

...Johannsson insists he's still on the fence, not least because Iceland has never reached a World Cup. "I've wanted to play for Iceland since I was a small boy," he says, "but it's a bigger career opportunity with the U.S."
He may have to decide by March, when Iceland plays its next qualifier in Slovenia.

 

This should be one of the biggest talking points. If Chandler is there and ready to go he needs to start imo. He is just a flat out better player than whoever his inclusion pushes out of the 11.

My preference would be to start TC on the left and push FJ up to the LW position. Fabian is as dangerous an attacker as we have on our roster, even with Dempsey and Donovan imo.

The biggest question mark obviously is CB and that is why we must have a January camp. Open audition for all eligible candidates to figure out our starter next to Cameron and our pecking order after that.

 

Agreed.

Will Jay Demerit be invited to the open audition (if it is held in January)?

He's clearly looking for something worthwhile to do this off-season:
http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2012/10/offthepitch-demerit


http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2012/11/demerit-enjoys-2012-revival

 

Jay's had a good season, but at 34 I doubt he'll be World Cup material. Speed becomes an issue. At this point, I want the team to focus on the guys who will be used in Brazil.

 

Wrong. This Honduras team is quite solid. Lacking in defense, but formidable at home. The USA should consider taking one point in El Olímpico a good result.

 

For this thread, and on Feb 6th specifically, I want players who will help the US pick up 1 or 3 points in Honduras.

The open tryout (if one is arranged as part of a January camp for guys who are not in season with their clubs) for players should be a good opportunity for JK to decide who can best help the team on Feb 6th.

(The team must get through 2013 before they can really start to solely worry about the 23 that will be used in Brazil. There, very likely, are going to be a couple of or several players who help get the US through qualifying but don't make the WC roster in 2014.)

 

I agree. I will take the 1 point and be happy.

That said, if we have Dempsey, Donovan and Bradley on the field at the same time I may get greedy. We can sneak out 3 points and set the tome for Brazil.

 

The two teams that managed to beat them at home in the last couple of years, Paraguay and Panama, used mainly the bunker-and-counter strategy. So perhaps it'd be a good time to get ugly, play 2 or 3 DMs, and wait for their inevitable defensive mistake. Panama used fast counters on the wings, barely had the ball 30% of the time, but beat them 2-0. And Paraguay can be impenetrable when they want, so they controlled that game through precise passing and driving the Catrachos crazy, for a final 3-0.

I think the Panama approach would be a good one for the USA. The precise passing thing is not the American style, so rather waiting for the ideal counter on the wings could work. Using young fast guys on the sides, like Zusi and Shea.

 

Shea was ruled out for 14 weeks after surgery in November. I would not expect him to be ready by the Honduras game.

Zusi is a lot of things but fast is not one of them.

 

The scenario below is probably playing out in Donovan's head:

 

Then Shea and Johnson. Honduras can be surprised on the sides. I figure something like:

-------------------Howard----------------------
Parkhurst--Cameron--Bocanegra---Castillo
---------------Williams---Jones---------------
---------------------Bradley--------------------
------Shea--------------------------Johnson--
---------------------Gomez---------------------

 

Why do you keep putting Shea in your lineup when he is going to be barely back on his feet in February, much less have had any practice or fitness?

If you missed it the first time it was posted above, Shea just had surgery.

 

Ok, replace him with someone similar. My lineup was my ideal one to play Honduras. He won't be ready, so you can just put someone else in his stead. Perhaps Chandler will finally compromise and play, then he'd be RM. Or, failing that, try Dempsey on the left and Johnson on the right.

 

As huge as our team's problems have been at centerback it also should be in the conversation at least for pushing Cherundolo inside. A Chandler-Cherundolo-Cameron-Johnson back line might be preferable to some of the horror we've seen out of Goodson lately.

 

I remember Steve playing as the third CB in a 5-3-2 for Hannover, back when hen had teeth. He did it only twice, and was not good either time, so they didn't try that again.

 

Dolo can't play CB.

 

That (supposed fact) doesn't disqualify him then for consideration of the assignment, given the others in contention.

 

Dolo is ~5'6". That fact disqualifies him from any consideration whatsoever.

 

Not at all.

You'd be amazed at what some coaches might consider, in certain circumstances.

 

While I don't for a second see Cher as a center back, some of the all time great central defenders like Baresi, Costacurta, and Passarella were only a little bigger than Cher.