NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Honduras has made an official request to FIFA to have Mark Gieger replaced as the ref for the Honduras-Mexico WCQing game.
Understatement.“Christian came in against St. Vincent and did a fantastic job. He kind of really made it look all easy,” Klinsmann said...
US, Mex, CR, Panama, Honduras, T&T.... yep.So unless something really shady and CONCACAF-y happens, we basically have the same hex as for 2014 qualifying except T&T replaces Jamaica, right?
Correct. There is only one spot that is remotely in play tonight and that is Canada / Honduras. I refuse the acknowledge the US is not already through to the hex.So unless something really shady and CONCACAF-y happens, we basically have the same hex as for 2014 qualifying except T&T replaces Jamaica, right?
30 points are available.and writing out all those teams... this is not going to be an easy hex; all 6 of those teams look capable.
I'm hoping for any points in those first two, if it's Mex and CR... even at home. :debbydowner:30 points are available.
Historically, no team that has achieved 17 or more points has ever not been top 3 so that is kind of a magic number to shoot for.
If you assume a solid 13 points at home, we need to find 4 points on the road.
Playing better in Trinidad will be a key game.
If we get the Mexico CR start in November, we could be off to an amazing start with 4 points, but even 3 puts us in a good spot.
It will be Mexico at home, and CR away, assuming nothing too crazy happens tonight.I'm hoping for any points in those first two, if it's Mex and CR... even at home. :debbydowner:
You can see the affect Canada pulling off the small miracle would have tonight.Seems to me there are four relative strengths of games.
1. Games where not getting three points would be catastrophic:
Home vs. T&T
Home vs. Panama
2. Games where the US should be favored to get three points, but where they might stumble to a draw or even a bad loss
Home vs. Honduras
Home vs. CR
Away vs. Panama
Away vs. T&T
3. Games that I consider kind of presumptive draws, but where 3 points really help and 0 pts really hurt:
Away to Honduras
Home vs. Mexico
4. Games where any point the US got would be a great result:
Away to Mexico
Away to Costa Rica
andy... was it in CR that the US had a tie going in late during qualifying, and the ref called a handball against... Armas? Reyna? with their hand tight to their body... I'm thinking like 12 years ago? maybe more? for '98?It will be Mexico at home, and CR away, assuming nothing too crazy happens tonight.
It is kind of a battle of which trends breaks first.
The US has only dropped 2 points to Mexico in the Hex (the 1 draw back in 1997 when Keller cleared the ball right into Hermosillo's skull to reflect back into the US goal).
Conversely, the US has never secured even a single point in CR in the hex. The US has a worse record on the road in CR than it does on the road in Mexico.
that sounds familiar but I can't be sure. Some of the old game report links are dead now in wiki from those old hexes.andy... was it in CR that the US had a tie going in late during qualifying, and the ref called a handball against... Armas? Reyna? with their hand tight to their body... I'm thinking like 12 years ago? maybe more? for '98?
my memory really stinks (leitmotif)... IIRC, it was what could've been huge... maybe 2nd to last game and the tie would've put them through, loss put them in jeopardy. dark haired US player, on the left side of the box with arms intentionally at his side or even behind him- ball hits the arm and it's a PK for the loss. as angry as I've gotten at games over the years- I think that one made me the angriest. back in the days when the US would get the #### concacafed out of them with every away game. the US obviously secured passage, so it couldn't have been lethal.that sounds familiar but I can't be sure. Some of the old game report links are dead now in wiki from those old hexes.
yes, cards do carry over to the next set of official games which for the US are at the start of the hex in November.Do the yellows reset for each round or do they carry over?
Yedlin got a yellow against SVG. Anyone else?
This is one item that seems to have improved in the last 2 hexes.I think that one made me the angriest. back in the days when the US would get the #### concacafed out of them with every away game. the US obviously secured passage, so it couldn't have been lethal.
TBH- I put Panama level with Honduras... so that shifts your graph a bit.Seems to me there are four relative strengths of games.
1. Games where not getting three points would be catastrophic:
Home vs. T&T
Home vs. Panama
2. Games where the US should be favored to get three points, but where they might stumble to a draw or even a bad loss
Home vs. Honduras
Home vs. CR
Away vs. Panama
Away vs. T&T
3. Games that I consider kind of presumptive draws, but where 3 points really help and 0 pts really hurt:
Away to Honduras
Home vs. Mexico
4. Games where any point the US got would be a great result:
Away to Mexico
Away to Costa Rica
and I thnk it's 12 goal differential.
so Guat would have to beat StV&G something like 6/7-0... very possible.
AND the US would have to lose to T&T... at home... 5/6-0... not gonna happen.
that said- if this somehow comes about.... I will hunt down Wondo, cook him over a fire and then eat him.
I would assume Bradley's back in the starting lineup.Does Bradley come right back in the starting line up tonight? If so any chance we get 2012 -2014 Bradley and not the 2016 version?
hmm... that seems like it would be his best position for the US too (or anywhere at this point). kind of why it works better when Jones is partnered with him- they can swap and do what they need to do. kind of works with Beckerman, except Beckerman isn't going to push too forward and is better off behind or square of Bradley.Bradley has played very well for TFC since the Copa, despite losing Will Johnson next to him. With that said, Bradley is playing a role for TFC that doesn't necessarily exist for the Nats. He's playing deep and distributing, but with a more defensive CM beside him in the double pivot. It works for TFC because it allows Giovinco to take whatever space he wants behind the striker. Bradley will get forward late at times, but he mostly orchestrates from deep positions and looks for those long diagonals.
fyp.OK, here is my preferred lineup for tonight
Wood Jozy
Pulisic Sacha Bradley Bedoya
FabOrozcoBirnbaum Cameron Acosta
Howard
Wouldn't be surprised to see Beckerman and Zusi in, of course. I doubt Gonzo will play at LCB, but if he does, maybe Orozco plays RB and Acosta stays at LB.
You running sprints and stuff?Sorry can't hear you through all this preparation for the champions league group stage matches.
FYI, from US-soccer:
FINISH THE JOB
While the MNT put in a strong performance in Friday’s 6-0 win at St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the team is still not mathematically qualified for the final round. There are a number of different scenarios for the MNT to advance on Tuesday night, but the preferred route is by defeating Trinidad & Tobago, which would also see the USA win Group C and mark the sixth-straight time the side has finished atop its semifinal round qualifying group (dating back to the current qualifying format which began during the 1998 cycle). A victory against Trinidad & Tobago is the only way for the MNT to win Group C.
The other scenarios for U.S. advancement to “The Hex”:
- Draw against Trinidad & Tobago
- Lose to Trinidad & Tobago AND Guatemala and St. Vincent draw
- Lose to Trinidad & Tobago AND St. Vincent win
- Lose to Trinidad & Tobago AND Guatemala win where the 13 goals are not made up between los Chapines and the MNT
Just getting caught up on the thread. So the goal tonight is not to lose by 8 goals, right?
tbh, I didn't know that Orosco was a lefty. also didn't give left/right a second thought in my lineup for CB.I think it's unlikely that JK will start a right footed CB at LCB. When at all possible, he plays a natural left footed player there. Orozco was suspended for St. Vincent, so it's just hard to imagine that JK him on the team if he's that far down the depth chart across the back line.
Unless I am mistaken, he is going to be forced to play a right footed player at LCB tonight. I think we see this across the backI think it's unlikely that JK will start a right footed CB at LCB. When at all possible, he plays a natural left footed player there. Orozco was suspended for St. Vincent, so it's just hard to imagine that JK him on the team if he's that far down the depth chart across the back line.
I'm trying to remember Orozco out wide... either really bad, or held his own in previous trips out there... anybody?NewlyRetired said:Unless I am mistaken, he is going to be forced to play a right footed player at LCB tonight. I think we see this across the back
....................................Howard
Orozco.............Gonzo................Cam.............Acosta
It's amazing how quickly we can go from being so certain of the back 4 to this. :(NewlyRetired said:Unless I am mistaken, he is going to be forced to play a right footed player at LCB tonight. I think we see this across the back
....................................Howard
Orozco.............Gonzo................Cam.............Acosta
he is listed every where I can find as right footedEl Floppo said:tbh, I didn't know that Orosco was a lefty. also didn't give left/right a second thought in my lineup for CB.
missing two starters, our best back up and having no left back leaves us pretty thin quickly.It's amazing how quickly we can go from being so certain of the back 4 to this. :(
I think any backline would look iffy with two starters and the first reserve defender unavailable.It's amazing how quickly we can go from being so certain of the back 4 to this. :(
tend to be athletic and skillful. Think a little like Jamaica (with more skill and less speed)So what are the dangers that T&T present? I've never watched them play...