6/4, USA v Costa Rica WCQ -- pre-game & PbP thread {R}

[babytiger2001]

Back to qualifying, and putting the England loss in the friendly last weekend behind us...

CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying

USA vs. Costa Rica
At Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City, UT

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, (and 9:30 a.m. Melbourne time for me)
TV: Live on both ESPN2 -- and also live on ESPN Int'l in Australia, all at the times listed above. Same-day tape-delay on Telemundo, at 11:30 p.m. ET & PT.
Webcast: The USSF (http://www.ussoccer.com) has their usual matchtracker on its website. Other than that, if anyone has any ideas of webcasts in either English and/or Spanish, feel free to share your links here...
AIM Chatroom: Invite yourself to a room entitled BigSoccer USA WCQ (note the case-sensitive and lack of punctuation natures of that title). If that one fills up, then invite yourself to another room entitled BigSoccer USA v WCQ 2, and so forth. This is the old stand-by, recommended as an alternative as to take some of the pressure off of BigSoccer's servers (and still recommended, amid the recent upgrade).

Rosters: The home side's is pretty much cloaked in secrecy, as is Bruce Arena's custom prior to a World Cup qualifier. However, can't imagine too many changes from the squad that faced England last weekend, save for the additions of a couple of European-based players.

If anyone's seen rosters for both sides, please post them within -- and if you have any guesses at the lineups and some full-time predictions, have a fair go at it, too...

Some articles of note:

U.S. geared up for Costa Rica -- Soccernet (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=334868&cc=3436) (Marc Connolly match preview article)

Bocanegra likely to return to lineup -- Soccernet (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=334931&cc=3436) (another Connolly article)

U.S. deep in Cup qualifiers -- USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/national/2005-06-01-us-qualifiers_x.htm)

Mighty Kasey -- SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/06/03/keller/index.html) (Grant Wahl's interview with Kasey Keller)

U.S. looking for home crowd in Salt Lake -- SI.com (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/soccer/06/03/bc.soc.wcup.costarica.u.ap/index.html)

Add more links, if you've got them...

Also, this will be the only thread on any USA Men's forum for discussion on the match, before it and while it is in progress. For post-match discussion, superdave (I hope) will have the same breakout threads on the USA's strikers, midfielders and defenders as he's done on this forum in the last few matches.

Enjoy the game, everyone! And play nice, no flaming, baiting or trolling... as a reminder, this thread will be strictly moderated.

[Winoman]

Here's a link to the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/03/AR2005060301631.html

If you're asked for a sign-on & password, use the usual "bs@bigsoccer.com, bigsoccer"

[Delsocfan]

Hopefully Radio Columbia will have spanish audio of the game, for those of you who might not be able to watch it for whatever reason(also so we can get the starting lineups before the ESPN2 broadcast comes up at 7:30).

Just in case the link is

http://www.columbia.co.cr/
(click on "audio en vivo")

[Geneva]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-ussoccer4jun04,1,1728340.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-soccer&ctrack=1&cset=true

The LA Times article. The actual paper had a chart of the roster that I don't see in the online version - but the interesting thing is that Cobi Jones wasn't on the US roster. Also the Galaxy preview (click on Galaxy Tonight on the right) didn't have him listed as MIA for the game tonight. Has he been sent home?

Ah, my question has been answered:

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/3662668

[capitalist]

You can watch the video shortly after the game

As always, full video will be posted on Maxxed Football Forum at
http://www.fbtz.com/forum/index.php?

[Jay510]

Keys to the game

1. get solid play out of whoever is the left back....probably bocanegra if im not mistaken....get him comfy in that role

2. Get dempsey involved early and get him playing well with donovan

3. Control Wanchope....that guy has been a menace to us....keep him down, keep CR down

[IMOX77]

http://3rddegree.matchnight.com/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=707
DALLAS (MNN) - According to a source close to the team, defender Greg Vanney has been released from the US National Team and will now be eligible to play for FC Dallas against Real Salt Lake. Vanney had started the friendly versus England but now appears t be out for this Saturday's game against Costa Rica. It remains to be see if Vanney will rejoin the US for Wednesday's trip to Panama.

[flowergirl]

http://3rddegree.matchnight.com/thirdindex.cfm?page=article&show=707

So I assume if Vanney's out that Boca will be on the left and Pope in the middle?? please i hope it's Gooch instead... but i bet it'll be Pope. sigh.

[onefineesq]

So I assume if Vanney's out that Boca will be on the left and Pope in the middle?? please i hope it's Gooch instead... but i bet it'll be Pope. sigh. Is Onyewu injured (still)? I haven't heard much about his situation.

[Colo-Colo]

So I assume if Vanney's out that Boca will be on the left and Pope in the middle?? please i hope it's Gooch instead... but i bet it'll be Pope. sigh.

Gooch started the last to WCQs. I don't think Pope has done a whole heck of a lot to push Gooch back to the bench...but yeah, it'll be interesting to see who gets to mark El Chope.

[ETSC]

Grant Wahl (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/grant_wahl/06/04/us.costarica/)

Gooch and EJ out. DMB starting up top. Noonan likey sub.

[IMOX77]

Grant Wahl with some good stuff

--Gooch hurt his knee in Belguim, coaches are hoping for him and EJ to be healthy for Panama
--Clyde Simms has had an encouraging week of training should see good amount of time during the Gold Cup
--Beasley to start upfront
--Beasley has been the best player in training camp this week

[pasoccerdave]

Lest they be left out - the home town paper, the Salt Lake City Tribune:

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2779002

[NoSix]

Grant Wahl with some good stuff

--Gooch hurt his knee in Belguim, coaches are hoping for him and EJ to be healthy for Panama
--Clyde Simms has had an encouraging week of training should see good amount of time during the Gold Cup
--Beasley to start upfront
--Beasley has been the best player in training camp this week

So who starts at left mid - Dempsey? Convey?

[ETSC]

So who starts at left mid - Dempsey? Convey?

Left side? We don't need no stinkin' left mid. Bruce is going to overload the right again with Dempsey. :D

[IMOX77]

So who starts at left mid - Dempsey? Convey?
Since Gooch is out Bruce might use Convey at LB with Boca & Gibbs in the center.

[socks]

Since Gooch is out Bruce might use Convey at LB with Boca & Gibbs in the center.

Convey? couldn't we just play with 10?

[NoSix]

Since Gooch is out Bruce might use Convey at LB with Boca & Gibbs in the center.

Sure looks like either or both of the "Dempsey is not a wing" or the "Reading reserves don't belong on the Nats" crowds are going to be disappointed. :p

[appoo]

Sure looks like either or both of the "Dempsey is not a wing" or the "Reading reserves don't belong on the Nats" crowds are going to be disappointed. :p

******** em both. especially the 2nd. I'll be damned if some jackass 2nd division oach has a say on who does and doesn't belong on the USMNT

[alexdergrosse]

I think based on the lack of other options, and the obvious reality that Dempsey can't play there, Convey will get the start on the left (mid).

I'm surprised no one else has offered a tentative line-up:

Keller

Pope Gibbs Boca
Cherundolo

Zavagnin

Dempsey Convey

Donovan

McBride Wolff

An explanation:

Keller because he's our go-to guy.

'Dolo was great last week, and I would be shocked (and mainly, horribly appalled) if Hejduk got the call over him. If we're ahead, Hejduk may come in though. He'll play a little more forward, almost a midfielder role on the right.

Pope because Gooch is hurt, and also as a chance to redeem himself.

Gibbs because he played well against England and these qualies are a chance for him to secure that position.

Boca because Vanney has been released (if I'm not mistaken), and because he's a great header threat. Plus, he played there for Fulham. A good opportunity to see if he can play left back in an important game.

Zavagnin because Mastroeni is hurt, and who else do we have there really? Reyna and O'Brien are out if that's what you're thinking. And Dempsey plays a little more forward.

Dempsey to see if he can control the midfield with Donovan and become a big-game player for the MNT.

Convey because we have no other options <inappropriate comments snipped by moderator> (and this coming from a DC fan who thinks Convey is a great player).

Donovan. Eh, nothing interesting to say about him. Creapy relationship with his sister, but no soccer or position-related comments worth making.

McBride - Ching is hurt? and Casey didn't overwhelm against England to take the start over McBride. He's still pretty good, especially coming off his late-season tear at Fulham.

Wolff - I liked his hustle against England, and so did Bruce. He'll overlook his atrocious crossing for his speed.

Subs:

DMB - If Beasley says he can't go 90, I doubt Bruce will start him. I think he'll come on at 70 or so, earlier if we're down (for Wolff). That little video of the scrimmage against RSL was great - DMB looked confident, and fast.

Hejduk - in for 'Dolo if we're up.

Casey - in for McBride, timing depends on whether we're down (in earlier), or up (in very late).

Rest of bench:

Who cares? I don't think they'll play, so eff 'em.