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

I think for players that gain a second nationality after a certain age, a one-time switch is required. Not sure though.

 

See title III art 5-8 of the regulations governing the application of the statutes. I would have to think that art. 7 applies and that art. 8 only applies, as implied by the conditions of art. 7, when a player has already played for another association. I wouldn't be surprised if there was still some paperwork having to do with the ITC and officially changing the nationality.

 

I know everyone hates Chandler, but leaving him off at this point, to bring in clowns like Bedoya and Wondo is criminal. Sacha over Benny right now? And wtf does Arriola need to do? Unlike all these crappy MLS retreads both those dudes are in form, not just beginning their season.

Bruce will pull it together, we will scrap out 4, (probably butt ugly) points and everyone will forget this, but this roster is flat out stupid regardless of the result.

 

How do we know he was left off? From his history, I wouldn't be surprised he asked to be excluded, now that his club is fighting to get a spot in the Europa.

 

Chandler you're talking about? Arena was asked why he wasn't on the roster and Bruce said it was because he's unavailable for the first game due to suspension so didn't want him to have to travel all the way to Panama for one game. It wasn't worth the roster spot, I guess. He also said that Jermaine Jones' situation is different because he is much closer to Panama.

 

Wondo again?! What does this guy have to do to prove he can't play at this level?

 

What's everyone's favorite Wondo memory in an official game against a non Part Time Fisherman FC team?

Is it the shot he put over the bar from inside the 6 against Panama in GC2011 late?

Is it his inexplicable shank when doing anything else would have resulted in a goal against Belgium in WC2014?

Is it tripping over his face and getting 0 touches or whatever against Argentina in CA2016?

There's just so many great performances to choose from. Truly a player that rises to the occasion.

 

Well, I guess Bruce is panicking.

 

I imagine Wondo is security if Deuce can't do both games.

The thing I just don't get is why not bring in a younger player or aeriel threat for bunker busting? Wondo is an average MLS poacher that has proven multiple times he can't cut it at the international level.

Shoot with the defensive issues, why not Birmbaum since he is the most dominant aeriel threat in our pool?

 

I took a look at the impact of pre-season/early-season MLS on the early Hex games here:

https://andthenthehex.wordpress.com...st-early-season-mls-and-world-cup-qualifiers/

Digging around, I discovered that the recent playing time among the MLS / Liga MX guys varies greatly. Here are the minutes played across all competitions:



It's interesting that while we're 3 games in to the MLS season, just three of these guys have played exactly 270 minutes. In particular, the CCL was a huge boost for Gonzalez, Acosta, Zimmerman, and Kljestan. Arena rotated minutes in the two friendlies, but Zusi and Villafana had significant time.

 

Not that I don't get the word "rhetorical," but i am going to go with C "looking like he won a raffle to appear" in the Copa last summer. His shanks are legendary, but that performance took a level of consistency that was undeniably impressive.

 

If Deuce can't do both games and Bruce trots Wondo out there as a result, he's going to need to be security too because they're going to have to hold me back. At least he'd actually have some utility finally on the squad then.

Wondo has the opposite effect on me. He provides me insecurity. It makes a billion times more sense to just install Kljestan as the 10 behind Jozy as happened against T&T and proved to be a considerable success. Employing Pulisic there, as has happened recently at BVB, would be another much more palatable alternative. Aron Johannsson just played for Bremen and his goal against Panama was better than any in Wondo's career. For cf's, the obvious replacement choice was Juan Agudelo. Heck, I'd much rather see Pontius, Sapong, or Finlay out there due to physical tools. They have a couple caps each under their belts.

Bruce is being dumb taking comfort in oldness without effectiveness and balance considerations, just like he did his last year or two with the Galaxy where they under-performed their resources. And unfortunately all he hired for assistants were yes men who wouldn't stop him.

 

Why should this surprise anyone? This is what he did in the past...sticking with players who were either past their prime or just plain not NT material. To be fair, I think a lot of coaches do this, in that they have favorites and play them sometimes whether good or bad. Where's Bocanegra, McBride, O'Brian and Reyna...Agus? Maybe, they can still play.

I would have preferred Benny over Kljestan and definitely Aguedelo over Wondo. Even though I do not feel confident with JA...he seems to do well against Concacaf opponents. Hoping Nagbe, Pulisic, and Demps can pull a few tricks and get us some points. Good luck boys!

 

Is the Villafana data correct?

I am pretty sure Villafana has played both cup games and a league game in 2017. He just went 90 minutes the other day in the league in fact.

 

I am taking the practical approach to Wondo. They probably needed an extra forward in camp with Morris having to get treatment and since Wondo was actually in the building at the time, he was the easiest and quickest to call to get on the field.

This thought process helps me not pull my hair out

 

Because Bruce said he was intentionally left off? I get that everyone is down on him, but he is having the best season of his career, in the Bundesliga and is in mid season form. Meanwhile we are bringing these donkeys; Bedoya, Zusi, Beasley, Wondo. Then there are thses total question marks, which were fine as filler to get blooded before all the injuries; McCarty, Acosta, Ream, Lleget and Zimmerman.

Additionaly SK over BF makes zero sense as they are nearly identical players in the grand scheme of things, only the one we leave at home is in excellent form and the one we brought is in terrible form.

It is at least as important to get a result in Panama as it is to win in Hondurus and is the much tougher ask of the two games. Leaving Chandler off before all the injuries was fine and I didn't care, but at this point it is ridiculous. As is the exclusion of Arriola who is playing well, in mid season form and being an actual winger is an endangered species in our pool we could really use.

I am sure we can wrangle 4 points out of this still and Bruce can fashion a competent 11 out of this roster, but if JK had made these bizarre picks everyone would be losing their minds.

 

Additional Villafana minutes would spoil the narrative, I'm afraid.

 

Already lost my hair.

Already lost my mind.

 

It's down to the tactics and if Arena can get the wins. This is almost identical to a roster Klinsmann would pick. Klinsmann will be grinning if the team struggles. Also an opportunity for MLS critics to go after the player pool should the team fail to get at least 4pts from these 2 games. Been reading some comments (not here) about some almost hoping the team loses to send a message and force changes at USSF.

Injuries yes, but many of the writers would be having a fit if Klinsmann left Feilhaber off and included Orozco & Wondo. There isn't any snark or inquiries from most of the journos or media because it's Bruce Arena...?

I still feel we're too old in places. You need some vets and I can understand Jones and Dempsey. Some of the other 2014 World Cup vets should've have been phased out some time ago. B-team Gold Cup is for the experimenting and youth let's hope. Old and slow in areas. Some of the vets are on the decline and not as good as their 2014 versions.

I see a close and ugly win against Honduras and probably a loss down in Panama. Coming to the realization that we're just not very good this cycle. I could see us having to qualify via the playoff and a 3 and out in Russia. Especially if Arena considers these players plus the injured ones to be the best 30 or so. Not enough quality. Thank goodness we're in CONCACAF.

Might work because it's not Mexico/Costa Rica but I don't like Jozy - Dempsey pairing. Don't fit well style wise. Who is there to stretch the defense? Wood injured. Morris could be questionable.

Honduras will be hacking Pulisic all game, we'll see. Other concern I have is the possibility of Brooks and Gonzalez starting together. Absolute nightmare last time around. Gonzalez seems to have done very well at Pachuca but his NT outings lately are awful.

Brooks needs to start next to Cameron.

Zusi, Orozco, Beasley, Villafana etc. our outside backs I feel OK against Honduras at home. Down in Panama is another story..

 

I'm not particularly surprised, more disappointed, and he did this in the past with the nt but that was after many years of developing loyalties, then I thought he may have just done the same with the Galaxy or gotten lazy after too many years in that job also. I guess it's also translating to the U.S. team in a fresh stint too. He's passed his prime, and that's why I was concerned with his assistant choices. He got nobody to challenge him when he's wrong, because that's how he wants it and possibly thinks he never is wrong. I mean the last couple years he was rather self-righteous with the media in spite of such modest results with more resources than just about anyone. And when he'd put together an obvious loser gameplan or rely way too heavily on old and slow guys who had to chase the game he'd just dismiss the losses on bad luck and execution in inexplicable Klinsmann-esque fashion. They got one shot off against SKC at home last year, it was blocked off the foot, and afterward he said players needed to finish better.

 

I would like to see Bruce have the guys work at a slightly higher tempo.

 

We will be fine fellas, we brought some solid attacking talent.....Pulisic gunna rip up those defenses

 

I agree with a lot of what you said but no one should buy the narrative that our players are not good enough. if we don't finish in the top 3 of the hex and get out of the group at the world cup it is all down to coaching and not just JK, Arena has plenty of time to put his stamp on things.

This is not only one of, if not the best, collection of talent in the US pool top to bottom, we are miles better from a purely personnel standpoint, than any CONCACAF team not named Mexico.

 

with the injury to Bobby Wood and Fabian Johnson Bruce brought in two new attacking options: Sasha and Wondo. Perhaps people would have preferred Agudelo or someone else, but it seems reasonable enough given the unexpected losses. Folks should remember that Wondo wasn't a first choice pick.

 

We'll know a lot more about our chances after these next two games, obviously.

I think our best hope in Panama may be that a fresh-legged Jones channels his chip-on-the-shoulder attitude into absolute beast-mode dominance - without seeing yellow, and certainly not red.