It's time for the hex!!!

[rhodyrudder]

Don't know how many of you care, but this is the biggest game of geoff cameron's life tomorrow.
USA v honduras in game 1 of the final round of world cup qualifying.
Wednesday at 4 pm in honduras
Tv is on a channel called bein sport. Directv 620.
The US media doesn't talk about it if it's not on espn, and they don't have the rights for this game.
I'll be at a place called amy's in easthampton before heading to the mullins.
Geoff started the last 4 wcq matches in the semifinal round last year, and has been playing well
for stoke in the epl. Hopefully he'll be on the pitch tomorrow and anchor the back as the yanks
aim for a good start in the hex. They have made every wc finals since caligiuri sent them to italy in '90.
4 years ago I was at the us-honduras match in chicago. American fans were outnumbered 10-1.
No exaggeration!!! The atmosphere tomorrow will be crazy.
Games 2 and 3 are in march.
USA!!! USA!!! Go Geoff!!!

[EasyEdBrown]

All the games in the Hex are important of course, but this one is a pretty understandable L if they get hung with one.

The game is being played in the most violent city on Earth, with no local interest in security, in a region that hates the idea of American dominance in what as seen as their sport, and under the supervision of a corrupt enterprise who is stacked against the Americas/Mexicans. Grant Wuhl said that the last time the US played in Honduras, he met the president and was mugged at gunpoint within 2 hours.

Other than the game Estadio Azteca, this will be the toughest for the US to win. It would be nice to have Donovan on the team for this one, but it's looking more and more like he might retired from internationals at this point.

I'm really interested to see if Klinsman using Jones and Bradley in the midfield together.

And yes, Geoff Cameron will be there quarterback style.

[ATPTourFan]

Gotta find a stream of this game somewhere.

[twisted3829]

heres a stream ATP

http://www.ilemi.pe/78281/2/Watch-FIFA- ... s-vs-USA-/

[rhodyrudder]

What a lousy day!!!

[EasyEdBrown]

Not only was I afraid something like that was going to happen...

But Cameron was terrible. Easily the worst player on the pitch for the Americans.

Bradley and Jones were awful in midfield together (another fear) and the only player who I saw that looked useful at all was Dempsey, since Altidore has been marginalized (due to Klinsmanm's system, and his own drive).

Howard's inability to direct the defense, and the lack of both passing and creativity in the midfield (they don't need to be Spain, but kick it long and let Jozy chase it, or kick it short to Dempsey and let him try and create 30 yard out obviously didn't work).

They need the 3 in Denver in March. The match looming on the horizon is at Estadio Azteca, which is going to be a complete nightmare, especially if the US are in 5th or 6th place going in the Hex.

As an aside Jurgi sounded a lot like Hurley...we're balancing the short, medium, and long term goals right now with an undermanned, and untalented roster. URI's future is certainly brighter than the Yanks though, until there are structural changes from the youth leagues down.

[MARhody]

Would have been nice to get off on the right foot and at least get a draw. Winning games on the road in CONCACAF is extremely tough. An uninspiring match for sure, but plenty of games to be played. If they lose at home (to anyone not named Mexico), then I'll be concerned though yesterday's game did highlight quite a few things they need to improve upon.

[JFrech21]

I'd actually like to see Cameron in a defensive mid position. He's not a center back. I think he's. just playing there out of need.

Injuries over the last couple of years to Holden and Davies are hurting this team right now, along with Donovan being out.

Jermain Jones is awful too.

[EasyEdBrown]

Cameron isn't really a holding mid at this level...I don't see him being able to push up the field and track back well enough...even Claude Makelele saw the other 18 a few times a game.

It would be interesting to see him play up a bit, with Bradley rather than Jones, but a team like Mexico would slice him up.

[rhodyrudder]

No surprise that Geoff is on the 23-man roster for the next 2 games, Fri in CO at 10 against costa rica and tuesday at the azteca.

Hopefully the yanks and geoff will rebound from the honduras loss.

Interesting that klinsmann left bocanegra off the squad.

Anybody see the short in the projo about that? They mention possible replacements for the captains armband, including michael bradley. Then they say that bradley is married to a former rhody tennis player, which i didn't realize. Anyway, they fail to state that a former ram is ON THE FREAKIN TEAM, and played more minutes than any field player last year!

Go geoff and the rest of the boys!!! USA!!! USA!!! USA!!!

[ATPTourFan]

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/13816 ... ip?cc=5901

Some US Players are losing faith in Klinsmann. Oh boy...

[rhodyrudder]

It would be unthinkable for them to not qualify.

Impossible, almost.

But regarding that story, some of jk's tactics are a little different, to be sure.

In jamaica, for instance, they used 4 center mids, and had no one on the flanks with experience.

I don't have a tape of that game, but I remember that being a concern. The 2 conceded goals were on free kicks, but there was a lack of quality possession and attack after the first minute - only one shot on target.

Geoff has talked about the fitness levels improving, and jk certainly has emphasized that.

I personally feel that the mnt is in better hands now. He wants to challenge for a title, which means they can't simply pack it in and defend for 90 minutes the way bradley's teams did when playing quality teams. The number of goals allowed in some games was astonishing. Playing nothing but a 'kick it out and regroup' strategy spells doom against mexico, brazil or spain, even when you have a 2-goal lead. See the 2009 fifa confederations cup final second half performance, or the dreadful tactics displayed in the '09 hex fixture at azteca (I still have the tape), or the shocking concacaf gold cup finals in both '09 and '11 if you want proof.

Regardless, the game friday is certainly a HUGE one. The next 2 are on the road, with a return to kingston in june following the match in azteca. 0 points after 4 games would be a disaster. I imagine they'll have at least a win and a tie, however. Then comes a much easier schedule, with 4 of the last 6 at home, and only trips to panama and costa rica remaining. They could (should?) get results in all 6.

Hopefully the team will get the full 3 points friday and some of the bickering will subside. It would be great to get on a roll, and go into the matches this summer (and next) talking about the chances of making a serious run in brazil. And hopefully geoff will have a lot to do with it. Can you imagine him starting in a wc semifinal? Oh my!

[rhodyrudder]

#20 is at right back

[twisted3829]

snow soccer anyone?

[TruePoint]

That was incredible to watch.

[ATPTourFan]

Just saw the highlights on ESPNFC.com

WOW

Thank goodness USA won that one. Costa Rica players likely haven't ever touched snow, or at least played on it for fun.

[EasyEdBrown]

And Costa Rica is protesting.

Which means, if the US loses on Tuesday, they should protest when Dempsey gets hit in the face with a flying bag of piss trying to take a corner, and for having to play at 8k feet.

Or when Honduras didn't maintain their field at all for a few weeks leading up. Or when Jamaica played on something that makes Chariho look world-class.

I'm so sick of the crap that the CACAF parts pulls all the time. I wish the US and Mexico would join CONMEBOL.

[twisted3829]

The reason the game was played in Denver was to help the player adjust to playing in altitude

[SGreenwell]

Or when Honduras didn't maintain their field at all for a few weeks leading up. Or when Jamaica played on something that makes Chariho look world-class.

What an attack! hahaha. But yeah, that field at Chariho can get very, very rough, since it's not turf, and they use it for football, boys' soccer and girls' soccer. After about a month, you get clumps of dirt where the grass refuses to grow back.

[EasyEdBrown]

Ha...I picked Chariho by random chance. My soccer'ing was done on the beautifully manicured, green fields of Southeastern Massachusetts.

Our home field had one half torn up by football, and a part of the north west quadrant was the softball infield.

Still would have rather have played on that than the shit the Von Trapps played on in Jamaica.

[BarlowHall05]

Costa Rica has lost their appeal for a replay, so the US can keep their 3 points.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/13884 ... ay?cc=5901

Glad to see we have fellow Men in Blazers fans out there. Disregard if other soccer pundits use "Von Trapps" to allude to the USMNT.

Still would have rather have played on that than the shit the Von Trapps played on in Jamaica.

[ATPTourFan]

Thank goodness...

[rhodyrudder]

Huge point tonight!
Geoff's header on a first half corner missed by inches.

[TruePoint]

Slightly less snow than last game. Great to get a point in Mexico. A week ago it looked like this thing was falling apart. Now we're in pretty good shape. Long way to go, though.

[ramster]

Pressure from Mexico was relentless. Nice play from Geoff tonight. Our goalie really stepped up. Still amazing that a URI Grad is playing such a key role for our US Team that could go on to the World Cup in Brazil.

[EasyEdBrown]

Cameron played his best game in a US strip, which is good, because he was the worst player on the field for Honduras and Costa Rica.

He finally played (BarlowHall05) quarterback style.

[STC]

Gooooooooooooooooal Cameron

[rhodyrudder]

Lalas ripped him at halftime. Said he didn't look comfortable at right back. Geoff was just watching on the first goal, and he gave several balls away (don't think any bad giveaways were in the defensive third of the field). But he is being asked, I think, to do more than just kick it out. I'm obviously biased, but I didn't think it was a terrible game. The goal is certainly huge, but besides that there were good things. I think he is best at center back, but have no idea what will happen with the back line for the USMNT. He almost has the exact same situation at Stoke, too. Where will he be playing today?

[EasyEdBrown]

I'll eat some shit tonight. From the midfield, Cameron is probably playing his best game in the national strip, and looks more fluid and comfortable with Bradley than he did in 15 caps in the back line.

That 2nd goal was pretty much completely his touch. He's doing it all #quarterbackstyle

[TruePoint]

That was an incredible pass to Johnson for that goal. U.S. looks to be in great shape heading down the stretch here.