Pre-match: 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying: USA vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines November 13th

I like the idea of St. Louis hosting a game, but I'm tired of watching games on fake grass, real grass laid over fake grass, or baseball infields covered with real grass (I watched the otherwise entertaining NYCFC game yesterday). Especially for these early round qualifiers, I'd rather they play in MLS SSS with real grass.

 

St Louis will make the World Series and it will delay to laying of the turf. Watch.

 

Like a Caribbean cricket grounds converted to soccer. At least the field is bigger than yankee Stadium.

Here it is:

 

From a Man City-Chelsea game last year.

Field width looks tolerable. Hard to judge the length as the perspective of the photo is not great. 3 out of 4 sides seem OK for viewing angles. They'll have at least 2 weeks to prepare the grass--more if the Cardinals don't go far in the postseason.

This will probably be the opponent with the weakest drawing power for the entire qualifying cycle.

 

Does anybody know Steven Goff's source for the November 13 opponent? I looked around to see if the complete Semifinal schedule was out and I didn't see it.

 

Its 72-74 yards wide based on the CK hashes.

Home plate (where the end line is) to the right field is 335 ft., 400 ft to dead center. My posted image shows that that grass is laid over the warning track in the right corner. Field is probably right around 110 yards long.

 

Looking forward to seeing our "win now" roster for this WCQ.

Don't know what it's like to watch a match there but I did have the pleasure of catching an MLB game there -- it's a beautiful park in a great in-city location.

 

Call up the U-17 team for this game. They should be in good form coming off the U-17 WC at around this time.

GK: Silva, Pulisic, Lopez
RB: Olosunde
CB: Barbir, Arellano, Velela, Gruno
LB: Nelson, Dieterich
DM/CM: Adams, Calvillo, Albelo, De La Torre
AM/Wing: Pulisic, Perez, Zendejas, Taitague
CF: Wright, Gallardo, Gaines, Da Silva, Koreniuk

4-3-3: Silva, Olosunde, Arellano, Barbir, Nelson, Albelo, De La Torre, Pulisic, Perez, Gallardo, Wright

 

Surely you're kidding?! As much as I want youth, calling in a sub-23 mens team, for a WORLD CUP QUALIFIER is ridiculous.

 

Clearly, I'm joking. I'm just pointing out that this could be a match for experimentation since our U-17 team could probably beat the opponent we are playing in this game.

Maybe this is like a combined camp cupcake with MLS and European-based players.

 

I believe Sunil has hinted that Jurgen could come up for review if he loses this one.

 

Can we all agree that if Klinsmann somehow loses to either Aruba or St. Vincent, that he should be fired as coach?

 

Yes. Much like Cuba, however, this is a moot point.

 

Are there any players for Aruba and St Vincent that the US should be wary of?

 

St. Vincent has Oalex Anderson, 19-year-old forward for Sounders 2 with 4 USL goals this year.

Aruba is very weak--they have only won one two-legged WCQ tie on the field in their history, over Puerto Rico in 2000, and have only made it this far because Barbados had to forfeit. It would be a big upset if SVG don't make it through.

 

USSoccer.com has it in their press release. Strangely, it's the only place I've seen it:

Nov. 13: Home vs. St. Vincent/Aruba
Nov. 17: Away at Trinidad
March 25: Away at Antigua/Guatemala
March 29: Home vs. Antigua/Guatemala
Sept. 2: Away at St. Vincent/Aruba
Sept. 6: Home vs. Trinidad

St. Louis on Nov. 13 is the only confirmed home venue. I'm assuming the road games would be played in the various national stadiums since Trinidad and Tobago have gotten over their Hasely Crawford Stadium hang-up with us, seemingly.

 

I'm guessing the MLS playoffs break is going to be during this week again. Because of the nature of the opponent, wondering if some players will stay home. It's still WCQ, so the answer should be no, but....

 

On current form, I make us slight favorites in this one.

 

Ah, forgot the 2nd game was a road game. You're right.

I LOLed. Kinda nervously and uncomfortably.

 

Thank you. That's the same order of home and away games as last time.