I believe so, I don't see any true minnows in the group. Mexico is playing a level better than everyone else in the group but after that everyone is at about the same level. USA and Costa Rica are good at times but inconsistent. Jamaica and Honduras can pull off an upset and will be tough in their home games. Panama might be the weakest link in the group but they have proved to be pesky opponents. I see the group ending up like this 1. Mexico 2. USA 3. Honduras 4. Costa Rica (playoff) 5. Jamaica 6. Panama If the US can get their game together they will finish #2 but that is a big if, I haven't seen much in the semifinals round to give me optimism but have a gut feeling that they pull it off. In any case the margin between #2-4 will be slim so the order may be off. But those are my top four.
Costa Rica looks like the weakest of the bunch so long as they have Pinto. Panama is looking much better then Costa Rica and Honduras now looks better then both of them I would go with Mexico USA Honduras Panama Jamaica Costa Rica
I disagree Both Panama and Jamaica have demonstrated in recent years to be better than Costa Rica. I think its possible that Costa Rica finishes last in the Hex.........not because they suck but because there are some good teams in the hex.
Yeah i haven't many Panama matches but after thinking through it again Costa Rica has been playing poorly as of late. Jamaica i think is still unproven, they beat USA and gave them trouble in the U.S but then again who didn't in that group? The Hex will be a proving ground for Jamaica and Panama. And the US needs to improve drastically because there are no minnows in the group where they will get an easy 6 points. As for Mexico, no team is good enough to beat them at Azteca and you could say that Mexico has an easy 6 points from Costa Rica, for some reason we just own them.
Mexico will probably win the group. I agree that the US needs to play better in hex but given their trajectory I have no doubt that they will. I don't care if they finish 1st, 2nd, or 3rd as long as they qualify.
What I learn from last hex is that things change from game to game the hex is REALLY long it gives teams time to make adjustments .Costa Rica was playing at a low level because of the coaching chance but after the second Mexico game thing are looking up is like a totally different team. To me Costa Rica got the job done we outplayed El Salvador in both of the games(ESL got lucky in the first) and destroy Guyana.People think we are weak just because Mexico beat us really bad but Mexico is just to good right now.
Costa Rica didn't look good in either El Salvador game its just El Salvador was worse but no one in the Hex will be that weak. Costa Rica has the players to do much better but Pinto has yet to show he can get them to perform. Driving up the score against Guyana doesn't really translate to what will happen in the Hex all the other teams in the hex have looked better then Costa Rica
CR laid down to Mexico and took on a Guyana team that didn't care at that point & a Salvadorian team with a terrible replacement coach if anything you got a free ride to the hex. I say the biggest fight will be between Panama & Honduras. Panama gave Honduras a punch in the mouth early on but this did help Honduras come back stronger.
I do agree everyone else have look better but is not like the gap is really big sure we might end up last but you act like we are gonna be a push over and like I said in my other post time changes things.
I don't think Costa Rica will be a pushover I just don't see them doing better then the other teams based on what I have seen so far. Perhaps they turn it around I just don' think they will under Pinto
Costa Rica won´t be a push over.......All six teams have a realistic chance of going to the world cup. In past Hexs, at most I saw 4 that would fight for the 3 or 3.5 spots and the other 2 it would be a game of who finishes 5th and 6th...and I would be right.
Yes, I think this is the strongest Hex ever. No minnows here. I think the distance between the third and 6th teams (and probably second as well) will be very small. If I had to pick: 1. Mexico. Class of CONCACAF by some margin. 2. USA. 3. Panama 4. Honduras (wins PO) 5. Costa Rica 6. Jamaica I'll admit I like Panama more than most. If they would have had to win that last game to get in, they would have. I think we will send 4 to the WC. I like whomever finishes fourth to beat New Zealand.
It really is a great field. 1. Mexico 2. USA 3. Jamaica 4. Honduras (Lose to New Zealand) 5. Costa Rica 6. Panama. I see Mexico & USA going 1 & 2 but I can see anyone of the 4 teams getting 3rd.
You really do rate Jamaica highly. When push comes to shove I don't see them winning too many road matches. Heck, they only got one point in the last round on the road. I think that will keep them from qualifying. (But you never know.)
I do think that the top four teams in the Hex will make it to Brazil. I just can't see any of these teams failing to win a playoff against Oceania.
The 2002 HEX seemed stronger. Costa Rica were obviously stronger. But also Mexico were much more lethal in attack (Blanco and Borgetti in their prime, compared to out-of-sorts Chicharito). USA were probably about the same. T&T had some big names in their starting XI yet managed only 1 victory.
Yeah Costa Rica and the U.S. were stronger, but this Panama team is better than that T&T team. Blanco and Borgetti are legends no doubt, but this Mexico team is way better and better coached. This team is filled with U-17 WC champions, U-20 WC 3rd place winners, and Olympic champions!!