Pre-match: 2018 World Cup Qualifying: USA vs Honduras; March 24th in San Jose

I would play something like this:

----------- Altidore ---- Wood

-- Nagbe -------- Kljestan --------- Pulisic
------------------- McCarty

Johnson - Brooks - Birnbaum - Chandler

--------------------- Guzan

 

So what do we want? We want everyone else to tie every game while we win all of ours.

More realistically, here is what I expect the standings to look like at the end of the day:

Mexico - 7
Panama - 7
Costa Rica - 6
Honduras - 3
US - 3
T&T - 0

US behind Honduras on goal differential. Jorge Pinto's teams are organized defensively and hard to breakdown. The game will not be a blow out, but I think 2-0 it a reasonable expectation.

 

It's the game I debated the most. I can see them losing, but a tie is possible. That would obviously drop them below Costa Rica. It would make third place that much closer for us.

 

Chandler is also suspended

At this point Cameron is questionable at best

 

uh-oh

Sciaretta http://americansoccernow.com/articles/4-thoughts-on-the-united-states-win-over-jamaica

has this in mind

-------------------------------------jozy---wood---------------------------
-----------------------------------------Feilhaber




-----johnson--------------------------------------------------------------------pulisic





-------------------------------------------Bradley---

---v.fana------------brooks---------------------------------z.man--------Yedlin?

 

Woody--------Jozy

Nagbe-----Lletget-----Bradley-----Pulisic

FabJo-----Brooks-----Hedges/Zimm------Yedlin

----------Guzan--------
​

Subs I'd use: Manneh, Morris, and either Benny or Sacha

If we're sticking Fab in midfield then I'd put Villafana at LB (which I hope is the case)

 

Zimmerman based on 90 minutes against Jamaica "C" is now starting a must win qualifier. O.K.

 

A must win game and people are putting Chandler and Zimmerman in the back line and Fabian Johnson in midfield?

Maybe we don't deserve to qualify.

 

I could live with this but I would change Yedlin for Chandler and Bradley for McCarty. I know Acosta had to leave camp early due to injury but I wonder where Arena sees him in hte 23? I know there are a lot of people that disagree with me on Bradley.

 

My guess is most (including Arena) would prefer Bradley. I think he slows the game too much in attack and does not offer enough defensively. But I expect him to start.

I forgot Chandler is suspended, so Yedlin probably does start. The other option is to put Johnson on the right and put a player like Villafaña left, but I think that is a pretty risky move.

 

If we don't it won't be due to opinions on BS.

 

I don't think it's a lock Guzan starts

I think we might see this from Bruce

Rimando/Guzan
Yedlin-Brooks-Birnbaum-Villafana
Pulisic-Bradley-Kjlestan-Johnson
Wood-Altidore

 

I would go with a 4-3-3 consisting of-

Pulisic--------Wood------Johnson
---------Feilhaber-------
--------------------Nagbe----------
-----------Bradley-----------------
Villafana---Brooks---Gonzalez---Yedlin
--------------Howard----------------


I think we will see some combination of this or a 4-4-2 in which case I'd probably take out Feilhaber and put in Altidore. Also idk what would be better, a Howard coming off of injury or a Guzan coming of the bench???

 

Front line:
------------morris---agudelo---pulisic

mids:
-------------zardes--dax---Bradley

back 4:
some combo of

-----Besler/fab---?-----?----Yedlin/fab


subs: zusi or Feilhaber, jozy or wood

if Zardes isn't fit I would use Zusi. Wood might get the nod over Agudelo based on match fitness.

 

LW: Wood
ST: Altidore
RW: Pulisic
LAM: Lletget
RAM: Nagbe
CM: Bradley
LB: Johnson
CB: Brooks
CB: Cameron
RB: Yedlin
GK: Hamid

Top subs: Morris, Manneh, Feilhaber, Villafana, Zimmerman, Guzan

 

My ideal lineup:

Wood - Morris
FJ - Nagbe - Benny - Pulisic
Villa - Brooks - Birmbaum - Yedlin
Guzan

Subs: Carter-Vickers (for the cap tie), Lletget, Jozy. Dax if we need to tighten it up.

What I expect:

Wood - Jozy
Nagbe - Lletget - MB - Pulisic
FJ - Brooks - Birmbaum - Yedlin
Guzan


I think calling in and capping CCV is important. England fans/press are starting to talk about him more and more. He looks like he might break the starting 11 with the way they are playing.

Brooks-CCV I hope is our CB pair for the next decade.

 

Arena says staff will see Arriola and Lichaj in next couple of weeks and decide about them. Both in consideration.

— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) February 9, 2017

Bruce Arena mentions Wood, Pulisic, Yedlin, Johnson, Chandler, Brooks, Green as playing well in Europe & meriting consideration for callups.

— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) February 9, 2017

Arena says staff is tracking about 70 players.

— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) February 9, 2017

 

Man I'd like Johnson to not be called in for a while.

 

You're gonna have to break Honduras and Panama down, and that means creativity and passing. Also gotta watch out for the counter

---------------------------Rimando----------------------
--------------Hedges----------------Brooks------------
---Yedlin-------------------------------------FJ----------
----------------------Bradley------------------------------
---------------Sacha------Benny-------------------------
-----Pulisic----------------------------Nagbe------------
--------------------Green----------------------------------

BENCH
GK - Guzan
CB - Birnbaum or Zimmerman
FB - Villafan
DM - Dax
CM - Emo
AM/ST - Wood
ST - Jozy