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

In the end, we can disagree about the relative strengths of SPL v. MLS, but Hyndman's shown enough to put him in contention for serious minutes, particularly in light of BF and SK's weaknesses

 

After reading Arena's comments about the early-season MLS warm-up period, I took a look at last cycle's player mix in the early qualifiers (anything in Feb, March, or early April.)

The playing time definitely skewed toward guys who were in-season:

@Honduras: 3 MLS players, 11 non-MLS players
Costa Rica: 4 MLS players, 10 non-MLS players
@Mexico: 5 MLS players, 9 non-MLS players

I'm in the process of looking at Bradley's cycle and Arena's second cycle to see how these numbers compare.

 

Playing pretty doesn't win you games. What matters is scoring. I feel he'll be more likely to score against tired legs.

Physicality in international games is entirely different. I remember reading about the surprising number of bad injuries that happen in international duty, one of the reasons why club owners get mad that so many are played.

These are young guys representing their country and coming out with the idea that the match is similar to a battle.

 

Well that all sounds well and good but his first Bundesliga start was in the revier derby against S04. The Buli and the CL may not be Concacaf, but they do have some dirty players. Puli has been getting kicked since he began playing soccer and will until he becomes big time enough he gets nearly every 50/50 call.

Injuries are a part of football. Hell Jozy is a big man, and he is easier to kick out of a game than CP. On top of that Jozy gets non-contact injuries at the worst of times and Michael messed his ankle up in the last kick of pregame warm-ups.

What good is he if we are afraid to play him?

 

This is 10 days away... roster Sunday night?

 

Emerson Hyndman has 4 goals and 4 assists in 28 games worth of pro minutes, obviously he is our best player. Only a cuck would think otherwise.

 

I think we're looking at Wednesday

 

I am happy to see that some of BS members are for replacing MB, at least for part of the game. I am not going to venture a lineup, but I would like to see Wood, Nagbe, Feilhaber, Johnson, Pulisic, Cameron, Yedlin (if he can go), and Brooks for sure. Bradley and Kljestan and Dempsey possibly at some point. I also would not mind Villafana at LB. If TH can go the distance, I prefer him to any other goalie.

MB, of course, will be used for the entire game...no matter how he plays, as will Altidore. Right at this moment we appear to have quite a few options. But being that it is such an important game, I do not look for many changes. BA will play it safe, so forget Hyndman or any other player without some NT experience.

 

Playing pretty? But playing well, playing aggressive, playing with talent certainly helps. Simple soccer strategy is playing your best players from the beginning of the game so that talent has a longer time to positively impact the game. We need to score before the end of the game. Please post the link about more injuries happening during International play rather than league play. Let me summarize your logic: Because the US is afraid of Christian Pulisic getting injured we can't start him so when we're losing late in the game and need a goal you would rather have him enter the game to be able to play against tired players who are much more likely to not keep up so they'll just foul him hard.
Makes no sense.

 

Advocating for Pulisic to come off the bench is almost as silly as the people suggesting Dempsey not start qualifiers last cycle or come off the bench against Portugal in the WC.

Neither is as silly as pimping Emerson Hyndman as worthy of a call up for 2 must-win games.

 

What if we did....

----------Wood------Jozy------
FJ-----MB-----Jones------Puli
Lichaj--Brooks--Cam---Yedlin/Chandler
Guzan/Howard (idc at this point)

 

FJ should be at LB, not in the midfield, and Dempsey needs to be starting with Wood.

 

Chandler and Jones are suspended for Hondurus and Yedlin is injured at the moment and a question mark. Additionally, I don't want to see any line up that does not have a dedicated 6 and central attacking midfielder again and in a 4-4-2 diamond, no I don't want Bradley and Jones. Particularly in CONCACAF situations where we are going to have the ball and the opponent will be sitting back. Playing line ups built to counter against packed defenses is how we ended up in this situation and JK got fired. Just my opinion.

So if we are talking 4-4-2 with the players eligible, I say

----------Wood-----Jozy---------
FJ-------------CP/BF/SK------------Nagbe/Arriola/CP
------------------ MB ------------
JV------JAB-----------GC-------Yedlin/Lichaj
Howard is good to go after that performance over the weekend.

If we just can't abide the vast drop off from FJ to whoever else at left back then I would want Nagbe at LM/LW in Fabian's stead. I also don't want to see Zusi starting at fullback in any scenario.

 

Please name your roster of midfielders you think are sure-fire call-ups before Hyndman.

 

Who will be or who would be ahead of him?

Bradley, Jones (Panama), Sacha, Benny, Pulisic, Bedoya, Nagbe, FJ (even though he shouldn't be in MF he'll be in MF) are all locks, probably.

Then there's guys like Lletget, Green, Dax, Arriola that all have chances to get called up.

Hyndman will be in the group below the group below the locks. He can come play in the Gold Cup this summer while the real time qualifies. He's not ready, regardless of a couple good showings in a bad league against bad teams.

 

Yeah, I think those hoping for a Hyndman callup should prepare for disappointment. While I wouldn't read too much into it, Bruce didn't mention his name last week when asked for his general thoughts on the performances of players playing abroad (in his response he did mention the names of 13 field players in Europe/Mexico: Pulisic, Wood, Johnson, Chandler, Brooks, Cameron, Yedlin, Ream, Lichaj, Gonzalez, Villafana, Arriola and Orozco).

 

Yep I forgot lol

 

Fundamentally, SPL might be somewhat worse than MLS, but its not so much worse as to discount strong performances. Remember, we've had many SPL players throughout the year contribute for the national team. I accept that it may not be quite as good as it was 6-10 years ago, but I frankly don't think you can ignore dominant performances in that league, particularly when you are pointing at long-term failures like Sacha and Benny ahead of him, or the series of MLS/BII also-rans you mention.

Whether Bruce will call him up or not, I have no idea. I'd guess not due to his lack of familiarity with Hyndman, but we'll find out soon.

 

There's nothing wrong with a guy like Hyndman aiming for the summer Gold Cup-when qualifying will be going on-as a target in terms of NT trajectory.

 

Re: @GrantWahl's report on Arena possibly playing Pulisic centrally, here are Pulisic's touches his last four Dortmund games: pic.twitter.com/PpSqBOwGnn

— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) March 14, 2017

And here's Pulisic's heat map from his first 26 games this season. As Grant says, he looks to be playing more centrally lately. pic.twitter.com/uAXM9o33Qx

— Paul Carr (@PaulCarr) March 14, 2017

 

I like how his touches are the entire field lol.

 

I mean, really? I am a long-time Hyndman fan and expect him to surpass Benny's and Sacha's current peaks (MLS best-XI/MVP contender) but I am not making a short-term need decision based off of a hypothetical future trend.

 

I MEAN REALLY.

There's a reason why Benny and Sacha weren't called in for years. Sacha himself was eliminated from serious contention three years ago, at a prime age. Benny was useful at times, but again during his prime years.

If you are OK with Sebastian L, you should be okay with Hyndman. Both are similarly untested, and I think Hyndman offers more right now.

 

There's an argument to be made that Bruce has coached Lletget before and had him in Camp Cupcake earlier this year which might (for now) put him ahead of Hyndman on the depth chart. IMO I think Hyndman deserves a call up now, but would not be surprised if that waited until the next international window due to the sheer importance of these coming two games and the fact that we just cannot lose either really