Pre-match: USA-Trinidad and Tobago, World Cup Qualifier, 8 June 2017

Denver, then Mexico City? They must be high!

Is it really possible that the @ Mexico game is just three days later, on June 11 [2 days before the Panama v Honduras and Costa Rica v T&T matches]?

 

Mexico has to go to The Confederations Cup and play their first game June 17th. The game was moved up to give them a bit more time

 

Mexico also doesn't have to travel between the two games. Both of its matches during the window are at the Azteca (Costa Rica also gets two home games in the window). It all adds up to a non-negligible disadvantage for us.

 

Yep, I foresee 2 separate lineups except maybe Howard as GK.

 

That would be tough to pull off. You have to play your best eleven in the must-win T&T match, and you really can't run a team out in Azteca that might eat four or five goals.

 

Games are like 72 hours apart, you can't recover in that time.

 

That kind of turn around isn't unheard of. Champions League teams do it all the time. Arena will have to rotate strategically, but I can't see him running out the full second team in Mexico City.

 

Explore the line-ups and you will see how

 

While I don't see Arena risking two separate line-ups, it is possible given we play T&T. More likely that there are some key line-up changes (with a stronger side reserved for Azteca) and quick subs ready for the attacking players who pull a double shift.

 

There will definitely need to be some lineup rotation, as there always is in WCQ weekends. Because there is a day less in between matches, I think you'll see certain people prioritized differently.

I think you have to understand that one of these matches is more important than the other. That game, in my opinion, is the Trinidad match. Why? Because you must win your home matches. Three points (and a decent scoreline) is vital in this first match of the weekend.

Getting any points in Mexico is hard, so a defensive-minded team might be the best bet. For Trinidad, we need creative attacking players up top.

The XI selections will depend on how Bruce prioritizes the matches' importance and how he sees the tactical differences.

 

Unless the very real possibility that the Azteca gets banned because of the chant, happens.

 

absolutely. go for the kill against T&T. Set up a nauseating, frustrating park the bus lineup against mexico that frustrates the hell out of them. Start Bradley at the 6 for T&T, Jones against Mexico. Plz not both together

 

Based off past history in these June qualifiers I wouldn't rule out a friendly or two crammed into this window. Could lead Bruce to be a bit more expansive and experimental with the squad before making cuts.

Most of the leagues end 2 weeks before this game, so with the exception of guys playing a cup final or promotion playoff we have plenty of time for it

 

The squad he brings in for that camp will be most interesting. Hopefully he will have nearly everyone "available" so we will get to see what he wants when all options are on the table.

 

Mexico has already scheduled LA/New York money grabs against Croatia and Ireland during the window. They do have that extra tournament to prep for, however.

 

That's pretty crazy, if they get out of their group they're looking at 9 games going from LA to New York, to Mexico City, then all around Russia crammed into less than 5 weeks.

Could potentially point to an opponent or two for us. It's not rare for the US and Mexico to play the same friendlies in the same window based on those teams already being here. Happened with New Zeland in the last friendly window

 

Yes. I'm not saying 72 hours is an easy turnaround, but it happens for Champions League and Europa League clubs, along with occasionally in domestic leagues, including MLS. In the Hexagonal for World Cup 2006, most games were Saturdays and Wednesdays. Our second game was at Mexico, who chose to play on Sunday rather than Saturday (in March), therefore making USA play 3 days after that. It didn't stop us from winning 2-0 hosting Guatemala. If Mexico played on Sunday for the sake of helping them on the field, it backfired. After beating us, Mexico played a 1-1 at Panama, which was 1 of Panama's 2 points in the Hexagonal. USA won the Hexagonal on head-to-head goal differential (Mexico would have won it with the current goal differential tiebreaker), so not winning at Panama cost Mexico bragging rights.

 

Don't these games go through SUM also? Its a US soccer cartel benefit too. Ironic that Mexican National Team benefits American Soccer Revenue too. That's why joining MLS/SUM is so profitable.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-mexico-soccer-20150328-story.html

 

So, is the T&T game a "MUST WIN", just like the Honduras game was? Seems like it to me. We are unlikely to get any points on June 11, imho.

 

I would have to agree with you, although a draw at Azteca is a slight possibility.

 

More likely Mexico will send B/C teams to those friendlies.

I actually think Denver is a great idea for T&T, Caribbean sides are historically awful at altitude and that lets us put our camp in Denver which will give the team a week or so of training at altitude heading into Azteca. Maybe USSF can spring for hyperbaric chambers for the guys on the roster for another week or two before that.

 

How often do Caribbean teams play at altitude to have a significant sample size? Caribbean teams would be expected to lose at Mexico even if Mexico chose a lower elevation. Since hosting World Cup 1994, the USA's WCQs hosting Caribbean teams in reverse chronological order were in Jacksonville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbus, Tampa, Nashville, D.C., Bridgeview (near Chicago), Carson (near Los Angeles), East Hartford, Columbus, Foxborough three times, D.C., and Richmond. Were any of those games at altitude?

 

Probably woud be cheaper and easier for the players to join us on this thread and hyperventilate.

 

Doubt it happens, but there' rumors of FIFA making Mexico move the game due to The ******** Chant

http://futmexnation.com/2017/03/22/...teca-why-the-chant-is-causing-major-problems/

http://www.espn.com.mx/futbol/mundi...-los-dos-partidos-en-el-estadio-azteca-siguen