The Soccer Thread (Version 12) — Revenge of the Backup GK

And Bryan Ruiz does Canada, the US, and Mexico a solid by scoring the winner as Costa Rica beat Panama. Canada 19 points, US 18, Mexico 17, Panama 14, Costa Rica 12. Five games to go.

US still has games away to Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica, so pricing tickets to Qatar feels a bit optimistic at this point. Still, the US is well ahead of the 1.5 points-per-game pace needed to qualify (in a traditional Hex, anyway). Wins at home against Honduras and Panama put the US on 24 points, which should be good enough to get in, but any points at Canada and Mexico would go a long way toward freeing up time to experiment with players/formations and much less sphincter-puckering on the Costa Rica trip.

 

Mason Greenwood … ain’t gonna see him no more.

 

Nope. Pretty awful stuff.

 

My son just called. He's in Hamilton for the US-Canada match with a bunch of NYC soccer fans. They're standing outside a liquor store waiting to buy beer.

 

The US hosts Honduras in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday night. It's outside in St Paul. The forecast high up here that day is 8 and the low is -11.

I understand the concept of gamesmanship and making those Hondurans suffer in the cold, but this strikes me as batshit crazy. How is this being viewed by those closer to soccer than me, which is pretty much everybody?

 

When we did it to Mexico in 2001 in Columbus in La Guerra Fria, it was seen as excellent gamesmanship by playing them in cold weather where we were likely to have an true home field advantage for once against El Tri. My opinion is that we’ve evolved past the point where playing a game in brutally cold weather should be necessary against 2 of the bottom feeders this cycle

 

It made no sense when it was announced in October and it makes no sense now. Even though what is predicted is something of a cold snap (it's supposed to be a sunny day in the high 20s here today and I'm two hours north of the Cities), the only thing I can possibly think they thought was that some people wanted to put the Mexico game here, didn't, and thought Allianz Field deserved a consolation prize in this cycle. There's apparently a backup plan (I would not be surprised at all if it involves US Bank Stadium given that the Wilfs own both the Vikings and Orlando City) and they're probably going to have to use it.

 

Never thought I’d see the day where Canada was the top team in Concacaf.

 

Christian Eriksen signing with Brentford for the rest of the season. Very interesting.

 

Just got my ticket for March 6 -- Watford v. Arsenal at Vicarage Road. Five rows up from the pitch, right behind the goal in the Rookery End. LFG.

 

It would be nice if the US got a drama free 3 points tonight. But that never happens.

 

And nobody get frostbite.