And it should have been 9 v 8, as there were a couple punches to the face thrown in that scrum. One of the other officials came and grabbed the El Salvador player after he threw his punch.So three red cards later, we're 10 v 9
And it should have been 9 v 8, as there were a couple punches to the face thrown in that scrum. One of the other officials came and grabbed the El Salvador player after he threw his punch.So three red cards later, we're 10 v 9
I'm just checking in, too. It looks like Williamson and Glad have both been subbed out with injuries already. Combined with the fact that Honduras has two extra days rest, that's not good news if this goes to extra time.Public service announcement. I forgot it was on. Second half has just started.
...assuming at least 8 points in the Hex between now and then, either getting something at Azteca or sweeping the rest of the matches, so that there's anything worth discussing or tinkering with and we haven't all ritually hung ourselves.This will be a rare opportunity for Bruce Arena to experiment. I would certainly not expect a B team for this tournament, but I imagine he will be a little more adventurous in how he builds the roster.
It's his thigh, out 1-2 weeks perhaps. That's cutting it close to qualifiers. If he's out, we are probably looking at Zusi or Lichaj at RB against Honduras. Chandler will be available for Panama.Yedlin picked up a knock with Newcastle and its starting to sound a little concerning:
http://www.starsandstripesfc.com/usmnt-americans-abroad/2017/3/7/14848354/deandre-yedlin-injury-update-usmnt-newcastle-united
We were mind-numbingly bad against Panama and to suggest otherwise is insane.ASN: In the opening game against Panama, what went wrong and how did you get the team back on track?
RAMOS: We did not have a complete team until six days before that game, it takes a little time to build the team. Teams like Panama and Costa Rica can meet weekly for months at their training center to prepare. They were further ahead. We were still the better team in the game and should have won, although we were not at our best. We missed easy opportunities in front of the goal and the team gave it a good shot. So, for me, nothing went wrong against Panama except for the final score.
Arena said a number of weeks ago that there was no chance Dempsey would be called in. However, I wonder if Clint has gotten healthy & productive faster than Bruce expected. Even if Dempsey isn't in the starting lineup, I'd want his experience in these crucial qualifiers.Is there any chance Dempsey gets called in? He's looked decent in the first two Sounders matches.
Coaches often stay positive in the press for morale reasons, but I get the sense that he actually believes this. I am happy with the improvement that his team showed over the course of the tournament, but such a fundamentally poor/delusional analysis of the Panama game is another cause for concern with Tab. He has built strong defensive units in 2015 and again in 2017, but the offensive side of the game continues to be a struggle. While it's true that we've had better defensive prospects in these cycles, that's not exactly the rationale he's putting forth.ASN: In the opening game against Panama, what went wrong and how did you get the team back on track?
RAMOS: We did not have a complete team until six days before that game, it takes a little time to build the team. Teams like Panama and Costa Rica can meet weekly for months at their training center to prepare. They were further ahead. We were still the better team in the game and should have won, although we were not at our best. We missed easy opportunities in front of the goal and the team gave it a good shot. So, for me, nothing went wrong against Panama except for the final score.
He's in.Is there any chance Dempsey gets called in? He's looked decent in the first two Sounders matches.
- I think Howard starts at GK. He has been in good form very early in the MLS season.
Goff reports that FJ will miss the upcoming qualifiers. He cites Paul Arriola, Graham Zusi, and Julian Green as possible replacements. I'd vote for Arriola, personally, as I think he fits the positional need created by Johnson's withdrawal better than Green does.Fabian Johnson left today's Europa League game with an injury.
FFS.
Goff reports that FJ will miss the upcoming qualifiers. He cites Paul Arriola, Graham Zusi, and Julian Green as possible replacements. I'd vote for Arriola, personally, as I think he fits the positional need created by Johnson's withdrawal better than Green does.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/soccer-insider/wp/2017/03/17/fabian-johnson-is-ruled-out-of-two-u-s-world-cup-qualifiers/?utm_term=.ba6edc973a35
I think FJ's injury further cements the likelihood of playing a 4-4-2 with Pulisic and now probably Nagbe on the wings. Use Nagbe pinched-in on the left ahead of an LB who can actually get forward (i.e. don't play Ream there) because Cameron or Orozco won't be super dynamic on the right flank.
Acosta and Lletget look like they are in a battle to partner Bradley, at least for the first game.
The conservative move would be to start Bedoya somewhere in the midfield, either in place of Nagbe or in place of Lletget/Acosta. I want Bedoya to stay in the old Graham Zusi role - a defensive-minded outside midfielder used off the bench for locking down games.
These injuries are really not making life any easier.
Am I crazy, or would Hyndman had been a been a decent replacement for Fabian Johnson for Panama and Honduras? Either way, he has to be in the Gold Cup mix if this form continues.Zusi has been called in. Arena did say he wasn't going to change personnel much in March....but I'm uninspired. I want an attack-minded outside midfield option off the bench and we don't have much unless we put Morris out there.
Was totally expecting Wondo in that spoiler!Wow, our roster is really going south in a hurry. You know where this is headed, don't you?
This is your faultWas totally expecting Wondo in that spoiler!
I take full responsibility.This is your fault
Arena is gonna Klinsmann....I take full responsibility.
From an early draft of Jurassic Park:I take full responsibility.
The concern here is Jordan Morris. He looked banged up after Seattle's game. Wondo is insurance. Hopefully he won't be needed.
Yes. This is where Nagbe plays for Portland. He is not a traditional end-to-end winger because he tends to pinch in and contribute to possession. He allows the left back to consistently get forward because he vacates space on the left flank and because he's very good at not losing the ball, which reduces the likelihood of dangerous counter attacks. Portland pairs him with the verbosely-named Vytautas Andriuškevičius, a left back who is aggressive about getting forward. That's why I have Villafaña at LB instead of a conservative, stay-at-home choice like Tim Ream. You could go with Beasley, too, but he's so old and rickety I don't want to put him in the starting lineup.Nagbe as a winger, not a DM?