We'll know our schedule later today. From the 2005 schedule thread, I read that it's supposed to be at 7 am eastern. Also from that thread, here's the match days. 1-February 9 2-March 26/27 3-March 30 4-June 4/5 5-June 8 6-August 17 7-September 3/4 8-September 7 9-October 8/9 10-October 12 Hoping for a repeat of last time, playing Mexico at home in the first game. Facing them, or Costa Rica/Guatemala in the first game in February is definitely to our advantage. On the other hand, it would be nice to start off with two games against Panama and Trinidad & Tobago, to give us a nice head start.
Match Day 1 - Wednesday, February 9 Panama vs. Guatemala Costa Rica vs. Mexico Trinidad & Tobago vs. USA Match Day 2 - Saturday or Sunday, March 26-27 Costa Rica vs. Panama Guatemala vs. Trinidad & Tobago Mexico vs. USA Match Day 3 - Wednesday, March 30 Panama vs. Mexico USA vs. Guatemala Trinidad & Tobago vs. Costa Rica Match Day 4 - Saturday or Sunday, June 4 or 5 Trinidad & Tobago vs. Panama Guatemala vs. Mexico USA vs. Costa Rica Match Day 5 - Wednesday, June 8 Panama vs. USA Costa Rica vs. Guatemala Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago Match Day 6 - Wednesday, August 17 Guatemala vs. Panama Mexico vs. Costa Rica USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago Match Day 7 - Saturday or Sunday, September 3 or 4 Panama vs. Costa Rica Trinidad & Tobago vs. Guatemala USA vs. Mexico Match Day 8 - Wednesday, September 7 Mexico vs. Panama Guatemala vs. USA Costa Rica vs. Trinidad & Tobago Match Day 9 - Saturday or Sunday, October 8-9 Panama vs. Trinidad & Tobago Mexico vs. Guatemala Costa Rica vs. USA Match Day 10 - Wednesday, October 12 USA vs. Panama Guatemala vs. Costa Rica Trinidad & Tobago vs. Mexico
I like it. Than again, I would have liked any kind of schedule. Finishing at least 3rd (really 4th) in this Hex ? Should not be a problem for us. I could see having it nearly clinched after week 4.... win in T and T, tie in Azteca ....4 pts going into two home games versus Guat and CR. I'm optimistic. I predict we will have it mathematically clinched by week 8 as T and T and Guat will get few or no away points and will take losses at home. I'm excited...lets start NOW !
I assumed home teams are listed first. I think we have Mexico over Labor Day weekend. Sounds like a road trip to Ohio to me.
If the big three clinch early then this draw is great for Guatemala who have to play them for their last three games, if 2/3 stumble and need to win at the end it sucks.
We get screwed by being the only team to play its first two games away. One positive is that the first away match is against one of the weaker teams, and when the weather is a bit nicer there: mean temp for feb. 9 in port of spain is 77 degrees. Playing in Mexico on the weekend, and then against Guatemala midweek won't be easy. But with Guatemala being on March 30 (in Denver perhaps?) we could get at least one cold factor game. OTOH, Mexico's early games don't look much easier. Away to Costa Rica, home to the USA (their toughest rival), away to Panama: it's certainly possible for them to come away from those games with just two points. Another plus is that we get to play Mexico at home near the climax of the MLS season, with the home based crew in better form.
Definitely don't like starting with 2 on the road, but it's better than 2 at home. At least T&T is one of them, although I would've liked that game at the end when they will already be eliminated. Guate has the big three last, and that may help them, as was said. February is the best time weather-wise to be going to T&T.
Well, this schedule doesn't exactly fit into my plans to travel to a tropical place with the kids during their summer break. Also, we don't get any kind of cold weather advantage as we're playing away in the cold months.
With three "double-header" weeks on the schedule (i.e. two games in four days), I expect that Bruce will rely a great deal on our depth. The schedule is set up so that each team plays one leg of the double-header at home and the other away. On the surface, that appears fair, but it's actually much harder on the US. Compared with other Concacaf teams, our home games and road games are generally much further apart. I think it's also a bit unfortunate that we open with T&T. Although they shouldn't be much of a challenge for us, it's often easier to face a team like that after someone else has knocked them down a few pegs.
Let's look at the caribbean/central american rainy season and the waterlogged field factor. Good news to have T&T in Feb.--yes they may have the most hope, but the field and the weather have the best chance of being non-factors in the game. June in Panama--I think that's into the rainy season, but not the worst of it. Sept. in Guatemala--depends where this is played in Guate, but that would have steamy, heavy, waterlogged pitch written all over it. Costa Rica now plays on fieldturf instead of that tall grass that used to give us trouble. I think that helps us. At least the weather in March in Mexico shouldn't be a factor.
I'd think the Wed. March 30th match would have to be in Columbus. Trying to get an atmosphere on a weeknight in cavernous Gillette, for example, would be impossible.
Sorry, I deleted my post because I got the home team first thing screwed up. My bad. I like this draw even less now knowing that we get to travel our first two games, and two out of our first three games are in the middle of our domestic league's offseason. Arena has a massive January camp in the works, and I wouldn't be surprised if the players get a small break after February 9th and then have another two weeks of Arenacamp. With so much of our experience and leadership now in Europe, this cycle is going to be interesting. Guys like Landon, DMB, and Bocanegra will get to see what it's like to fly around the world, get in a very short camp, gel with any newcomers to the team, and play intense games in the region's snake pits. Don't expect any screwing around or experimentation in the February or March games. Arena will go with the tried and true - looking for players who are familiar with each other and who can become a team on very short notice. Unless Reyna and JOB's health both take a drastic turn for the better, I don't expect either one of them to be ready for game one. Best-case scenario after the first three games is 7 points. I think 9 is wildly unrealistic. Most likely scenario has us with 4-5 points and in the middle of another qualifying dogfight.
My first thought was "Oh crap, the first two on the road." But playing at Trinidad is certainly to our advantage. It's an away game that we should win. Yes, away games are tough and no, we didn't look that great at Jamaica or Panama this last round. But Bruce will have a lot of the team for the entire month of January, so they'll be prepared. I think Mexico has a pretty rough opening schedule. Away to Costa Rica, home to the US, then away to Panama and Guatemala. That's the spot I didn't want, having to play three of the first four away.
I'm thinking the Aug. 17th date vs. T&T has Home Depot Center all over it. Especially since it's a stand-alone date, which makes travel to the west coast more feasible.
Aug 17 seems like a perfect game for Legion Field. Before college football season, not the east coast but closer than HDC, B'ham is not filled with Trinadadians and we support all things US.
we're in trouble if we're not in good position heading into the final 3 matches. @ Guatemala and @ Costa Rica? ********
We definitely need to win the first two home games, against Guatemala and Costa Rica. Coming into those matches, we could conceivably have one point. That's not out of the realm of possibilities. Imagine then having one point and not beating Guatemala and Costa Rica. We'd set ourselves up for disaster.
The only match that could, for ethnic and weather reasons, be played in the new FC Dallas stadium would be the final Wed. night Oct. 12th vs. Panama. Again, midweek we'd have a much better chance packing a smaller venue. There aren't TOO many Panamanians in North Texas. And playing in August in Dallas would hurt our team more than T&T because of the chance for miserable heat and/or violent weather. So, if I were a bettin' man, I'd say... Guate @ Columbus T&T @ L.A. Panama @ Dallas Costa Rica @ Foxboro Mexico @ ?????????
Damn. I'm a whiner and this sucks. Mexico during Labor Day? Where? Oh well - - let's get the ball rolling.