The Soccer Thread (IV)

A win in Honduras locks it up, and a draw puts the U.S. in great shape.
I understand your point, but it strikes me as a bit too much like the bunkering at Costa Rica in 2001.

 

I don't think you risk losing in Honduras (definitely a risk if you sit out players) with the hope of having the best team for Costa Rica. Get the job done in Honduras and then worry about who will or son't be missing on the Wednesday after.

 

It is an interesting situation. Does anyone honestly believe the USA is going to win in Honduras? Sure, I'd like to hope so. But lose to Honduras and lose three starters to yellow cards and all of a sudden Costa Rica is licking its chops when it comes to RFK.

On the other hand, maybe the USA does win in Honduras, making the Costa Rica game pointless for the USA. Play the B team and enjoy.

It's a tough call.

 

Yes. I fully expect the USA to win in Honduras. I also expect a USA B team to beat Costa Rica (should it need to).

I understand that the Honduras win isn’t a given and that they are a tough team. However, the USA should be able to overcome the obstacles and win. This is what good teams do.

I had faith that the USA could defeat Brazil in the Confed Cup Final. I have faith that the USA could win in Honduras.

 

Pastor,

Your expectations are where U.S. soccer wanted them to be at this point when they established the long-since-gone-the-way-of-the-dodo "Project 2010."

Unfortunately, based on U.S. soccer's actual current reality, your expectations are too high. To be fair, winning on the road in CONCACAF has always been an iffy proposition for our national team . . . .

A B team should be able to beat what is a reeling Costa Rica team, at home. But getting a victory at Honduras will be tough. This group still has trouble getting up for CONCACAF teams. Starting in early summer, this year's qualifying campaign has been shaky, at best. They get results, but they're struggling to get them.

I do think you send your best out there. If you send a B team and lose in Honduras, certain other results could make that Costa Rica game too massive - "Winner Avoids a playoff with Argentina!!" - for some of our more fragile players (read: mostly everyone) to handle. Would they be able to ratchet up the intensity for a winner-take-all game?

Hell, who knows? And that's the problem.

 

Piotr, I didn’t say that winning in Honduras would be easy. I said that the US should be able to do it. As a supporter, I have faith that they can pull it off.

I did not expect the US to beat Spain, however I thought that if the ball bounced right and the US put in their best effort that they could beat Spain.

If I didn’t think that USA had the potential to win every game they play then how could I even consider myself a supporter?

At the same time, I don’t think my expectations are outlandish. I expect a tough game in Honduras. I expect the USA to give a good effort. I hope the USA wins. I don’t expect the USA to win.

 

Nope. Why do we play? We play to win the game.

It is possible to earn a draw in San Pedro Sula -- and it should be noted that Honduras will be without at least Carlos Costly and Amado Guevara due to yellow-card accumulation (could be more, I haven't looked that closely). The US needs to go down there with the best players available, do the job and not just write off a World Cup qualifier because it looks difficult.

 

I post this because I love you… Grant Wahl interviews Bob Bradley. It is pretty damn good. Bradley’s brain is like one giant soccer ball. Amazing.

 

Fabio Capello has already come out and said that there will be strict limits on players' access to the WAGs at the World Cup. I cannot like this guy enough.

 

US will beat Costa Rica and that will be enough.

 

You have me convinced. Send the regulars to Honduras.

 

I'm firmly convinced it's all there for the Lions. If they can't seal the deal this time out, who knows when/if they ever will in our lifetimes.