Pre-match: Guatemala vs. USA, March 25, 2016

Just to be clear, I'm suggesting I would play him over wood, Altidore or Dempsey, just that is the only place I'd play him. Also, I don't like Dempsey and Altidore together, so I'd pair each of them with wood or Zardes or wondo. I also don't think it would be a bad idea to let Zardes run around and bang with the defenders for 60 mins and bring on a fresh BW for the last 30 in an away game like this.

 

---zardes---Dempsey---finlay
----------nguyen---bedoya
----------------Bradley

zardes goes far post, Dempsey near post, Nguyen or Bedoya trail at the 18 yd line, Finlay with the ball. Zardes works best as a 433 winger for my money. He has to stop pretending he cant cross if he wants that spot. Otherwise Pulisic is taking it from him before the WC.

 

But that also might not be a realistic expectation. If Zardes is not going to be able to replicate that, he's best as a winger. We don't need a CF who can't score goals, and can't play as a target man.

 

Precisely

 

Yeah Yedlin is a tough one with JK loving putting him out wide as a super sub. Who really knows with the back line. I just went with what most of us don't want, which he seems to always go for.

 

If only the USA had more than 1 LB in our entire player pool......

 

Anybody watching st Vincent & G vs Trinidad? I just started to set up Dvr and saw that it is at halftime.

 

But he hasn't been used like that by the usmnt or Lag since 2014. I don't see what value he brings on the wing? I guess he does have a better scoring rate there for the US than Agudelo in that position for the Revs. Maybe I'm saying that Arena and Klinsmann are ruining him.

 

Zardes is the least of the problems on the roster. He's not good enough, really, but he'll work hard and find himself in positions to do something good at least a couple times tonight. If he doesn't spike himself trying to settle a pass he'll probably set up a goal.

 

Okay, thats enough of this. I was trying to have a discussion about Zardes, and you are trying to bait me into an unrelated argument, I'll have none of that.

 

So Parker is starting for the u23s... He should have gotten some minutes in January!

 

I assume you mean locks as starters? I suspect you could get someone in Vegas to give you favorable odds on that. I hope someone is willing to put you up if you lose your house.

Did you feel that way about Zardes after WC2014 when most BS experts was crucifying Klinsmann for not calling up Jesse or is this a recent eureka moment?

 

They're similar players. Better going forward than defending. Yedlin may be a better defender but Castillo is better going forward. I think Castillo can be a liability on defense but he will offer so much width on that side. I'd love to see a defensive minded player in front of him.

 

Dont have Bein, is there another way to watch the game?

 

NBC Universo is also broadcasting it.

 

I have seen quite a bit of Parker including in person. When I first saw him play last year, I thought he was 27, 28 as he was very vocal and directing fellow defenders. A very mature presence and solid CB.

 

Magic Euro pixie dust, it is real, even in Guatemala.


(late to the party, I know.)

 

So I pay for a sports package every month just to get a decent amount of soccer and beIN Sports isn't one of the channels. It includes several spanish sport channels so I'll be getting Honduras-El Salvador and Canada-Mexico tonight, but no U.S.-Guatemala. So I'll have to go to the only sports bar in my small town that has beIN Sports and beg them to turn one of their TVs to the soccer game when every other person in the bar will be watching the NCAA tournament. If it's anything like the last time I was there for the T&T-U.S. game, I'll have a 10 minute discussion with the manager that a) such a channel exists; b) it's a sports channel; c) it's not spelled BN, it's beIN; and d) it's for World Cup qualifying (I'll have to explain the U.S. doesn't automatically qualify, although being in CONCACAF it's the closest thing to automatic qualification). After all that, I'll most likely be relegated to the corner watching it by myself.

I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day WCQ games will be on primetime network TV. That sports talk shows and newspapers will give them more than passing attention. That these games, even if for only one day, would have more importance than the NFL draft, or the NBA or NHL seasons, or preseason baseball or whatever general sports fans are consumed about during that particular day. I have a dream that one day people will care and the games will mean something.

 

You're just in the wrong place, man. I'm currently deciding which of my four favorite soccer bars in Chicago I'm going to go to tonight.

None of them even mention the NCAA tournament on their websites.

 

You can get BEIN through SlingTV and watch it on your computer or a Roku, if you have one. I believe they offer a free trial as well.

 

This post from the Stars and Stripes FC blog also indicates that you can sign up for a free trial on fuboTV and be able to watch the match. I have not tried it because I have BeIN Sports, but it's worth a shot.

http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/20...rld-cup-qualifying-live-stream-2016-game-time

 

Very solid game from him today. Played like a veteran. Many are claiming he was motm for us.

 

Those are the types of places I like. I used to live in Chicago. Abbey Pub and Globe Pub were my favorites. I have good memories. Waking up early on cold January mornings to go watch African Nations Cup games and having an English breakfast. I'd also stay there all day on Saturdays for Euro qualifying games. Those were the days!

 

alright this is what I would like to see, not that which Klinsman is likely to choose

Wood Dempsey
Johnson Bradley Nagbe Yedlin
Castillo Brooks Gonzalez Cameron
Guzan

Beinsport already reported that Gonzalez will start
I'd rather see Wood up top than Altidore or Zardes. I don't rate Zardes at all right now.
Fabian Johnson is contingent on him healthy, if not then Bedoya
I don't know why Klinsy would bring Castillo if he doesn't plan on starting him
I don't think Beckerman should start because i can't see him able to go the full 90 at this level now, bring him on at 60 if we are winning.

 

Heath Pearce and Chris Sullivan on beIN doing some sort of pre game show...fyi