It's that time of year again! (to bite our finger nails and suffer from anxiety attacks) United States vs Honduras Kickoff: 10:35pm ET Stadium: Avaya Stadium, San Jose, California Broadcast: FS 1; UniMas Overview (from mlssoccer.com) More than four months after opening the Hexagonal with a 2-1 home loss to archrival Mexico and a 4-0 shellacking at Costa Rica that ultimately cost Jurgen Klinsmann his job, the US national team will return to action with a World Cup qualifier against Honduras on Friday – and the stakes couldn’t be much higher. The USMNT are dead-last in the Hex through two matches, a tenuous position that would be made even more perilous with anything less than a win at Avaya Stadium. The almighty Bruce is dealing with a slew of injuries that have left the US short of several surefire starters, including Bobby Wood, DeAndre Yedlin and Fabian Johnson. Shorthanded or not, this is a game the US will be expected to win. If they fall flat at Avaya Stadium, they’ll have a huge hole to dig out of as they attempt to qualify for Russia 2018. A loss on Friday would leave us at least four points and potentially up to six out of fourth-place in the Hex. According to Ives, no team has ever reached a World Cup after failing to record a point in their first three Hex matches, no team has lost its first two home Hex matches and qualified for the World Cup, and no team has secured an automatic spot in the World Cup with just one point from its opening three Hex contests. Current Standing Roster Goalkeepers (3): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) Defenders (10): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) Midfielders (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund) Forwards (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
Some key lineup questions: 7 certain starters: Altidore Dempsey (maybe 90%) Pulisic Bradley Brooks (95%) Cameron Howard That leaves four spots open: 1. Who will play the other wing midfielder? Nagbe if attacking, Bedoya if conservative. 2. How about Bradley's partner? Kljestan? Acosta? Lletget? Perhaps even Bedoya or McCartney. 3. Will GCam play at Central defender or right back? If he slots in at center back, Orozco or Zusi will start. If he plays right back, it will be Zimmerman or Omar likely with Brooks. Besler is the dark horse, here. 4. Left back will probably be Villafina, Beasley a veteran presence. Let's get 3, Go USA!
IIRC, There was a source or two that mentioned BruceFace was trying Pulisic in the middle during training, I'm not sure how that might play out against Honduras, but it's something that may happen.
What I'd do with those available... Nagbe----Jozy-----Pulisic -----Acosta---Sasha----- ----------Bradley----------- Villafana-Brooks-Zimm-Cam -----------Howard------------- What I think Bruce will do... ---------------Jozy---Duce------------ Nagbe----Bradley-Llegete-----Pulisic Beaz---Brooks----Omar-----Cam -----------------Howard-------------------
Arena really put the team in a tough position with his call ups. Best I think we could do is this lineup. Howard Cameron-Brooks-Besler Acosta Bradley-Lletget Bedoya Pulisic-Dempsey-Nagbe Tough spot for Acosta, I think everyone else would do well in the formation. If we need a goal late, bring in Altidore to score a goal and Kljestan to set it up.
Costa Rica was the snow bowl. They can call this one the soggy oatmeal bowl. They can call it whatever they want, as long as we can call it a win afterward.
Don't care how ugly it gets as long as they take the 3 points. Hope they get a first half goal or else we're in for a lot of time wasting late in the game.
I rewatched the last games of importance for the USMNT and Brooks blows, Gonzalez is a very close second, and someone besides Bradley should be On the pitch. Start Cameron (experienced, fewest f ups amongst other defenders in pool) Start Beasler (experienced, solid) Start Beasley (experienced, great wing option, can actually get a cross in) Start Dempsey (experienced, sub early in second half) Start Pulisic (earned, fast as hell, confident) Start Nagbe (possibly better options available but he has somewhat earned it) Start Howard (because he's TIMMY!) Start Zusi (he's just as good as the other options for a player that will advance and take on players also provides defense if we only play three back line) I don't care if we only get a draw this match. We must not let ANY "oh shit" goals end up in the back of the net. SOLID DEFENSE will win this game. Not a bunch of goals. Go USA. Long Live Preki!!
Leaving for San Jose now. Hoping for good fortune from the freeway gods. ETA is 2 hours with current traffic... Look for me in Section 123, row 5 - no clue where that is compared to the camera
In 15 years when there is no question Christian Pulisic is the greatest US player ever, we will look back at tonight as the game he arrived I predict a goal and an assist and clearly the best player on the field
It's a weird feeling when it's not so much the opponent but how high the stakes are. Aside from MX (sometimes CR), playing at home against any other concacaf team has always felt to me like an automatic win. Feels a little more intense than the Guatemala game, I hope the result is the same.
When is kickoff? Anyone know of a live stream? ETA: I thought it was at 7:30 EDT.... LOL, I have a ways to wait!
supposedly 7:30pm PT but I'm thinking it might be more 7:50, they always delay these things. No streams that I know of but you can you try a free trial for sling or fubotv apps, they each have FS1.
In other hex game news, Trinidad just took a 1-0 lead over Panama. I've only been half paying attention, but Trinidad has looked far more dangerous of the two
Trying to figure out what results one would prefer for teams other than Mexico and Costa Rica right now is kinda difficult. Im supporting this simply because I expect us to take the full 6 from T&T.
This guy on reddit is claiming to stream it on YouTube, though I have to wonder how long that will last Outside of that there's the standard illegal sites firstrow vipbox atdhe