USA vs Honduras Pregame

The United States Men's National Team is now only two hour's away from kickoff in San Pedro Sula and the atmosphere could not be more electric.  According to Ives Galarcep and Grant Wahl the stadium has been rocking for hours already and the US team isn't even in the stadium yet (they will arrive at around 8:30pm EST).  Around 9pm we will know the starting lineup.  I hope you guys are planning on hitting a bar because here in Lexington no one is getting the game.  I'm gonna have to rely on someone ripping a stream on the internet.  I'm so pumped for this game though.  COME ON YOU YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

MLS Wednesday Wrap Up: Who is this FC Dallas team??

In a stunning late run, FC Dallas, who most (including me) had thought were out of the playoff picture are now within two points of achieving that last playoff spot over New England with a 2-1 win Wednesday night vs San Jose.  FC Dallas has lost only one of their last six and making a real name for themselves with league leading scorer Jeff Cunningham, two United States Men's National Team camp veterans in Heath Pearce and Ugo Ihemelu on the backline, former US U20 stand out Dax McCarty running the middle, and FC Dallas newcomer-of-the-year winger Dave van den Berg.  All these pieces are finally meshing, all following the departure of then team leading scorer Kenny Cooper to 1860 Munich.  Is this late form going to be enough though?  With only two games remaining and New England with a game in hand, Dallas will surely have to win their last matches and hope for a little help from some other clubs to make it in.  I'm hoping they do make it because everyone likes a Cinderella story.

Here's your MLS weekend look-out:

Saturday

San Jose Earthquakes @ Toronto FC; 4pm EST on MLS Direct Kick

Columbus Crew @ New England Revolution; 7:30pm EST on Fox Soccer Channel

Kansas City Wizards @ Chivas USA; 10:30pm EST on MLS Direct Kick

USA vs Honduras: A Look Ahead

An early look ahead for the US Men's National Team...and it isn't exactly what one would love to see.  While the US team sits in first place for the time being, the two final opponents (Honduras and Costa Rica) still have everything to fight for.  Adding to the worries is the fact that this Honduras team is one of the best in the nations history.  While both the US and Mexico are guaranteed a place in the CONCACAF/CONMEBOL playoff series with the 5th place South American team, which could very well end up being Argentina, which sends chills down the spines of US fans everywhere, the US would love to avoid that scenario.  In order to do so and avoid a make or break game in Washington DC, the team needs at least: win in Honduras; Costa Rica loss to Trinidad & Tobago; or draw with Honduras and Costa Rica draw with T&T.  Honduras will be missing two critical midfielders in Amado Guevara and Danilo Turcios, however, Honduras sports one of the deeper midfield force in CONCACAF.  With Edgar Alvarez (Bari), Julio Cesar de Leon (Torino), Wilson Palacios (Tottenham), and Hendry Thomas (Wigan Athletic), Honduras will have plenty of options from which to choose.

Another key concern for the US will be how to replace an injured Clint Dempsey, who is out for the Honduras game with a shoulder sprain.  Will it be the ever emphatic Stuart Holden, who has impressed in short cameo's with the full team?  Could it be the possession prince Benny Feilhaber, who has gotten the start there prior?  Or could we see Landon Donovan switch over to the right side to allow the great gringo Jose Torres to have a run on the left side?  Honestly, I'm okay with any of these scenarios.  My bet's on Stuart Holden getting the nod and Feilhaber and Torres retaining their late game energy-providing roles from the bench.

Now on to an area of much more concern...the back-line.  Oguchi Onyewu will clearly retain his starting spot, though he has only appeared in one game for Milan this season.  Carlos Bocanegra's position assignment will be interesting; does Bradley partner him with Onyewu in the middle?  Or does the captain stay on the much maligned left side to allow Clarence Goodson or Jimmy Conrad to go in the middle?  Who starts at right back?  I'm not sure I'm comfortable with either Goodson or Conrad starting this game and with Chad Marshall and Jay DeMerit out with injuries, I would slide Bocanegra inside.  On the right side would go Jonathan Spector, his crossing is to invaluable to be left on the bench.  So who's on the left?  How about the ever steady Steve Cherundolo, who while probably won't provide the service needed from the left, he's always a smart and calm presence in the back line.  Jonathan Bornstein just hasn't impressed me much in recent performances with either club or country.

Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies up top are and forever will be the starting forwards unless injured (knock on wood), and Cooper should back them up.

Who starts with Michael Bradley in the middle?  Ricardo Clark's performance and goal from Trinidad & Tobago should easily earn him the start next to Bradley in this one, though with Maurice Edu close to full fitness and Jermaine Jones getting closer as well it will be interesting to see where Clark falls when those two come into the fold.  Feilhaber off the bench, where he's best suiting to coming in late and giving some possession and flair.

So, then, here is my starting 11:

--------------------Howard

Spector-----Onyewu-----Bocanegra-----Cherundolo

-------------Bradley--------Clark

Holden---------------------------------Donovan

-------------Altidore------Davies

Guzan

Conrad

Bornstein

Torres

Feilhaber

Cooper

Ching

I say, what an accomplishment.

That's right ladies and gentlemen, today we have reached 1,000 hits.  When I started this blog some four and a half months ago, I was a bit pessimistic.  But seeing the success I have achieved makes me want to give you more, and so you will have more.  Starting today, you will see increased coverage of US Soccer, Major League Soccer, the CONCACAF Champions League, the UEFA Champions League, top European leagues, along with all the usual suspects.  I say, what an accomplishment, and it is all thanks to you.  COME ON YOU YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MLS Weekend Look Back

Another weekend gone in Major League Soccer and more fun results to share with you so you can go and ponder about who's in and who's out(officially its Columbus, Houston, and LA with current births at the moment). Without further adieu here are the results:

Friday
LA Galaxy 1, Chicago Fire 0

Saturday
Chivas USA 2, DC United 0
Seattle Sounders FC 1, Columbus Crew 0
New England Revolution 1, Colorado Rapids 1
New York Red Bulls 0, San Jose Earthquakes 1

Sunday
Kansas City Wizards 1, Houston Dynamo 1

US Camp News and Notes

In some unfortunate news, Clint Dempsey will miss the Honduras match with a sprained shoulder. To replace him, Bob Bradley has called upon Frankie Hejduk (and I thought we were past him). Guess that means we'll see Stuart Holden on the right, or perhaps Donovan switches over to the right side and Paco Torres gets the start at left mid. Oh, and I'd love for someone with more technology savvy than me to figure out how to get this game on an online stream. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!