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

Set pieces are something that are hard to bank on. They require just winning your individual battles. You either do once or more or you don't. There is little structure to them. You win them a crazy low % of the time empirically, at least when the competition is stiff or big. In the Premier League the # I saw was 2%. And you need to stretch the defense to get them first. Hard to do that 1 on 2 on the wings. I don't think set pieces should be a justification for Bruce employing both Brooks and Gonzalez. It's a way Lalas would think about the game. And if we do get the fb sucked up the field somewhat, which we kind of have to do so the wings aren't isolated, it would help greatly if we have Cameron or Dax in cm. He can rotate and then the fb on the other side who is only around the midfield stripe. We can't do this with Bradley and Lletget/Bedoya as the 6's and 8's. They'd run down our wings and centers. That could be ugly.

 

What say you, @Catracho_Azul? Escober or Lopez?

 

Ah, the Conor Casey effect.

 

It seems that way on paper since neither are "runners", but this squad has done damage with those two up top (vs. Italy (F), vs. Germany (F), vs. Ghana in the WC). Dempsey also was the best player in the Copa waaaaaay back in summer of 2016. He kinda works well with anyone.

 

The last time they started together was the CONCACAF Cup in October 15, and they were graded as the worst two guys on the field. I am having trouble shaking that memory even though they are both strong options individually.

 

Definitely going to roll tonight. Very optimistic. We'll play Arena ball and squeek out a vic! Has to happen. Moral is high and too much at stake to underperform. The boys are ready.

 

Acosta is the best at that. He's played fullback on both sides and does this regularly for FC Dallas. Very underrated and unnoticed part of his game. This is why you have to consider the whole team when making choices. Acosta would be of most use if you're using bombing fullbacks like Villafana and Zusi. If you go with MOF, Besler or Ream then you may want a more attacking mid.

 

I sure do: headline read "England win 10-0."

 

But as the dm part of that rotation I'd imagine. He probably knows what he's supposed to do as the fb on the opposite side, but it may not be consistent if not drilled into muscle memory. I know Villafana is superb when it comes to rotating. 10/10 in that regard. Tremendously heady fb he is.

 

So everyone expects the back line to consist of Brooks, Gonzo, and Cam (and some as lb).
I think I just realized why. One, the largest threat from Hondoras likely comes down the right flank - so Cam on the right.

The second part? Set pieces. http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/03/23/armchair-analyst-tactical-preview-usa-vs-honduras

"Honduras have conceded two goals in two World Cup qualifiers to start the Hexagonal. Both have been off of set pieces."

That makes Gonzo and Brooks as two guys you really want on the field...

 

Klinsmann tweeted good luck to the team. Thought that was cool. No skin off his nose to do it, but still . . . .

 

My projected lineup:

-------------------------Jozy
Nagbe -------Dempsey ----Pulisic ------Lletget
---------------------Bradley
Vill
-------------Brooks---------Gonzo---------Cam
------------------Howard

Jozy needs guys to work off of him and in a 4141 - he gets two really good ones in Dempsey and Pulisic. The two together add a nice combination of creativity, savvy, speed, and technique.

Nagbe will cut in and act as winger/ #8.

Vill will get forward and overlap with Nagbe for width. My bet is Lletget will create the width on the other side, and Cam will stay home more.

Bradley as the 6 and then the CB's .

A large part of the strategy will be Nagbe, Dempsey, Pulisic, and Llelget to draw fouls so they can get Brooks and Gonzo in on set pieices.

My bet is at least one goal will be via a set piece.

 

I'm confident Lletget is starting, just a question of where, 8 or wing. Latter, I'm totally fine to good with. Former, I think we got a problem. But you see him in multiple promos. They're trying to warm people up to it.

Regardless, he's a 60-minute or so player. Then he fades because of the muscle. So he's going to need to come off, and possibly Nagbe would replace him, or Dax if it's cm and we have the lead otherwise might bring in Acosta or something like that.

 

4-1-4-1? Ballsy. I am pretty sure it is going to be terrifying to see Elis or Quito running at Gonzo but that's just me.

 

Clint carried a hamstring injury into that game and Jozy was in bad form. Both guys are healthy and HON midfield isn't Mexico's; we shouldn't have any issues getting Clint on the ball.

 

- Brooks is good on headers
- Cameron, Altidore, and Dempsey are pretty good
- Kljestan, Pulisic, MOF, and Besler are decent

Regardless if Omar is in there and pretty much who we play, we should have the advantage on the average set piece relatively to what you'd expect. Omar has only even scored 1 goal in 35 appearances for the usnt. He's not Headbaum. I would think Honduras' problems on set pieces have more to do with discipline. They are athletic, and I don't think they are small. So dial up some picks and tricky movement. Don't justify putting such a potential defensive liability in there and mismatched pairing.

Incidentally, Bocanegra was our highest scorer as a defender w/ 14 goals, and he was like 5'11".

 

I don't disagree at all with your general premise, including the fact that anyone involved with soccer should know about Pulisic (unless they live under a rock and work from home) and, at the very least, the other Europeans who have seen time with the NT. For me, however, it seemed that Porter was caught off guard by the question and the fact that he is in season and most of his focus is (and should be) on MLS and the players from MLS I see it as an oversight. I have the feeling that if he had made a list that evening, not on camera, and took his time a bit more, then we would have seen Pulisic and some of the other Europeans feature in his lineup.

I think it would be very interesting to see the various lineups that the coaches would put on the field but I think it is probably difficult for them to accurately compare players in Europe with those in the US. For players that are not even close, that doesn't matter (Pulisic vs. Bedoya, for instance). For players that might be a bit closer, the coaches would, of course, have to spend more time scouting and see them in person.

 

I think they won't play as high of a line as they have under jk. That should help. 4141 doesn't change much about Gonzo.. the back line is pretty much the backline. All but the lb seems like everyone knows who is playing....

 

If Honduras is bunkering, I want Acosta in to shoot the damn ball.

 

DVR for me.

 

Confirned, Andy Najar starting instead of Martinez.

 

I agree. Classy from Klinnsy.

 

If Arena does get the US to the World Cup, then the Fox studio team should hire Klinsmann to work in June 2018 with Donovan, Holden and Lalas. Hell, they should probably hire Bob Bradley too.

 

This is what i anticipate as well

 

4-1-4-1 with Bradley as the lone CM against anybody scares me. I would be much more confident with Geoff there, otherwise I think we need to go 442 and play somebody (I think it is LLeget or Stasha, next to Bradley.)