9 for 9 in June?

A week after a thorough win over Panama, the US looks to continue its good run of form tonight in an important match against Honduras. I know that every the last two matches have also been labeled by the pundits as very important, but I can assure you that there is no hyperbole at play here. At this stage of World Cup qualifying every match is crucial and they only increase in importance as the hexagonal continues.

Honduras is currently clinging to fourth place, which would put them in a playoff with New Zealand for all the marbles. Honduras has Panama breathing down their neck and is within striking distance of Mexico and Costa Rica. The Hondurans will undoubtedly be doing all they can to get at least a point from this match. Honduras will no doubt look to their 2-1 win over the Americans in the opening game of the hexagonal as proof that they can pull out another three points.

Whatever Honduras tells themselves, tonight’s match will not be the same as the last time these teams met. The Honduras team that enters the field tonight will be one that has been depleted by injuries, suspensions, and egos. Two players are out with injuries, two are suspended, and one has left the team over a disagreement with coach Luis Suarez (no, not that Luis Suarez).

On the other end of the spectrum is the US. The US team will be at full strength with the exception of DaMarcus Beasley, who will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation. Beasley’s likely replacement at left back seems to be Edgar Castillo. Graham Zusi will likely be back in the lineup to take his spot back from Eddie Johnson and Jermaine Jones should be available to resume his role at CM after missing the Panama match due to a mild concussion. Other than those three changes  I presume Klinsmann will stick with what has been successful recently.

The US should not be afraid to come into this game with confidence, but they also should not take a win for granted. Honduras still has dangerous players like Roger Espinoza and Mario Martinez who could give the US problems. Still, if the US show up to play and take care of their business, there is no reason they should not comfortably win. Doing so would put them in a place that would require an epic choke in order to not make the World Cup ( 16 points was good enough for third in 2006 and 2010 and the US still has a home fixture with cellar-dwelling Jamaica). Losing this match would not be at all apocalyptic for the US, but it would set off serious warning sirens. I don’t see that happening though. 2-0 USA.

US cruises to the top of the Hex

Despite an injury, a suspension, and a playing surface that left something to be desired, the USMNT turned in perhaps their most complete performance of the Klinsmann era on Tuesday. Seattle turned out a wildly pro-US crowd that provided outstanding atmosphere and energy throughout the entire match. The US looked comfortable in all areas and a win never really seemed in doubt.

The USSF will surely feel vindicated after much questioning from the media about the decision to host an important qualifier on a temporary grass pitch. The field didn't seem to be as much of an issue as some thought it would be, though there was at least one notable slip by a Panamanian player while in a fairly dangerous attacking position. Ultimately the decision to hold the match in Seattle paid off, with the stellar support offered by the 40,000-plus in attendance outweighing the below average field conditions.

Michael Bradley was the man of the match for my money, distributing pass after pass and making several high-speed runs that gave Panama problems. Bradley seemed to be playing in a more attacking position with his counterpart Cameron more comfortable to stay back in a CDM role. Hopefully Klinsmann will have noted how successful Bradley can be when given the chance to get forward more. I would like to see Klinsmann instruct Jones to sit in a defensive position similar to the one Cameron played so that Bradley may continue to create on the attack.

Jozy Altidore turned in another impressive performance, netting a goal in his third straight game. He used speed and strength to create opportunities for himself and was clearly brimming witgeh confidence throughout the game. In addition to his goal he drew what seemed to be a clear penalty in the first half but it was not granted by the referee. Altidore has clearly been able to transfer his red hot club form over to international duty, and it has the US scoring goals at an impressive rate. If this Altidore that we have been seeing is the new norm, the US should continue to be a high-scoring team.

The biggest concern recently has been the lackluster play of the back four. They got a chance to respond to the doubters on Tuesday and they did a fine job of it. The US managed to keep its first clean sheet since the Azteca game and did so without requiring anything too spectacular from Tim Howard. Panama had five goals in four games of hex play heading into this one, but the US back line seemed comfortable all night and was never overwhelmed.

Tuesday's win puts the US in a dream position through five games of qualifying. If the US can deliver a repeat performance and get the three points next week against Honduras there will be little doubt that they would in fact be headed to Brazil, as the fans in Seattle were proclaiming in the second half of Tuesday's win. They would be in a position to possibly mathematically lock up qualification in September against Costa Rico or Mexico.

Preview of Tuesday's CONCACAF Action

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Costa Rica 4 2 1 1 5 3 +2 7 United States 4 2 1 1 4 3 +1 7 Mexico 5 1 4 0 3 2 +1 7 Panama 4 1 3 0 5 3 +2 6 Honduras 4 1 1 2 4 6 −2 4 Jamaica 5 0 2 3 2 6 −4 2

(Wikipedia.org)

This is what the hex looks like as we near the halfway point. The results of tonight’s matches will have major bearing on how each team feels about their qualification chances going forward.

8:00| Mexico v. Costa Rica| Estadio Azteca| ESPN

Mexico expect three points every time they step on the field at Azteca. The surprising thing is that they have yet to manage a home victory in this round of qualifying, playing to scoreless draws against both Jamaica and the US. El Tri will be looking to restore balance to the universe by re-establishing what is typically a three-point -fortress for them. A draw or loss would not be lethal for Mexico, but it would be a real setback considering they have played one more game than the other teams (with the exception of floundering Jamaica) and will be sitting out the next matchday.  

Costa Rica on the other hand would be thrilled to repeat the Azteca performances of Jamaica and the US and escape with a draw. Los Ticos have positioned themselves well through the first four matches of the hex. They could absorb a loss at Azteca and still be in could shape. A draw or, Chicharito forbid, a win at Azteca would have Costa Rica sitting pretty to cruise to World Cup qualification.

Prediction: 1-0 win for Mexico

9:00|Honduras v. Jamaica| Estadio Tiburcio Carías Andino

This match has the makings of a wide open affair as both teams are in desperate need of a win. Honduras have been poor on the road and are at risk of slipping into a big hole if they drop points in this one. Jamaica have already all but played themselves out of contention for World Cup 2014. A string of poor home results leaves the Reggae Boys on the brink of elimination. Realistically they are a very long shot to get in at this point, but a win would at least allow Jamaica to keep things interesting for a while longer.

Prediction: 2-1 win for Honduras

10:00|USA v. Panama|Century Link Field| ESPN

The US is in a good position through four games of hexagonal play. They emerged from the toughest part of their schedule with seven points to their name. A decent performance saw the US capture their first ever win in Jamaica last time out. Despite that positive result there are real concerns for the Americans heading into this game.

A head injury to Jermaine Jones and a suspension to Graham Zusi due to yellow card accumulation mean that the US will need to scrounge for replacements for two key players in the Jamaica win. Zusi played well on the right side, setting up Jozy Altidore’s 30^th minute goal. Jermaine Jones was his typical self, breaking up opposition attacks in the midfield and providing a shield to a back that has been repeatedly exposed as fragile.

The inexperienced (with one obvious exception) backline of Beasley-Besler-Gonzalez-Evans that we are likely to see has done anything but look solid. In the same vein, Tim Howard has been rather mediocre during this recent stint of games. It would be nice to see a vintage Howard performance tonight and watch him make some big saves to preserve a clean sheet (though it would be nicer if he didn’t have to).

Joe Corona seems to be a possible candidate to replace Zusi out on the right. Corona is a talented player who I think does have much potential, but the fact remains that he has almost no experience on the international stage. With Corona only having three caps to his name, it is uncertain whether Klinsmann will have the confidence in him to choose him for this type of game. Personally I am in favor of seeing Corona either on the right or in the center because he brings creativity to the pitch that can help put players like Dempsey and Altidore in scoring positions.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Geoff Cameron reprise the CM role he took on in Jamaica tonight in place of Jones. I hope I am wrong about that, because I hate the idea of playing five defenders at home against inferior opposition. Nothing against Cameron, but Klinsmann needs to be more ambitious than that in this game. As I mentioned in my previous article I would love to see Stuart Holden in the center of the midfield for this game. He can help the attack in a manner similar to Corona, and attacking should be the focus of this lineup.

The success that the US will or will not have tonight really hinges on the performances of Altidore, Bradley, and Dempsey. All three players have been playing well recently and if they continue with their good form the US will come out on top.

Panama remains unbeaten in the hexagonal, however it must be noted that they have played three games at home and one at hapless Jamaica. Panama would surely be satisfied with a draw in this game and would be thrilled with a win. I expect to see a very defensive approach from Panama as they play for the draw. If the US can crack the Panamanian defense the game will open up, which could be a dangerous proposition for either team.

Prediction: Altidore, Bradley, and Demspsey come through and the US gets a 2-1 win.

Klinsmann shouldn't shy away from Holden

There was not much in last month’s 4-2 loss at the hands of Belgium for fans of the USMNT to feel good about. Though there is no shame in losing to a Belgium side that are stocked with young talent, the US were porous in the back (and have remained so in the two matches since) and generally impotent on the attack. Despite all of this, Stuart Holden’s substitute appearance presented a shining beacon of hope amidst what turned out to be a temporary darkness.

A shock win over a German B team and a historic triumph in Jamaica have the USMNT and supporters singing a much different tune than after the Belgium loss. The US sits in a prime position after four games of hexagonal play, but a new series of problems have cropped up ahead of tonight’s WCQ against Panama in Seattle. Due to a head injury and yellow card accumulation the US will be without two key players who are not easily replaced.  Losing the Jermaine Jones in the center of the midfield and Graham Zusi out on the right are no doubt major blows to the team.

There is not an easy choice to replace Jones or Zusi, but Holden is a player on the roster who has the capacity to fill either role. Holden was often deployed at RM under Bob Bradley and has played CM for that majority of his club career, proving to be more than adequate in both roles.

When Holden stepped on the pitch at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland it was his first time doing so in a US shirt in nearly three years, the last time being a substitute appearance against England in the 2010 World Cup. Months before that World Cup Holden suffered a broken leg during a friendly against the Netherlands that sidelined him for two months. If not for that untimely injury it is likely that Holden could have figured more prominently in Bob Bradley’s World Cup plans.

Holden had burst on to the National Team scene in 2009 with a strong showing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He made five appearances and netted two goals while also being named to the All-Tournament team. The impressive Gold Cup performance paved the way for Holden to feature for the US later in the year in its last five World Cup qualifying matches.

Holden’s success with the US coincided with a strong season with his club, Houston Dynamo. Holden’s play garnered interest from other clubs and eventually he was transferred to Premier League side Bolton Wanderers in January of 2010.

The 2010-2011 Premier League season saw Holden in peak form for Bolton Wanderers. Holden had become a regular starter for the club and helped it climb as high as seventh in the League and reach the FA Cup Semi-finals.

What had been a dream season quickly turned to horror on March 19, 2011 when Manchester United’s Johnny Evans delivered a vicious tackle that gashed Holden’s leg and damaged his ACL. Perhaps it was Holden’s absence that best revealed his importance to Bolton, as the club slipped down the table in his absence and finished the season in 14^th place.  Despite missing the last two months of the season, Holden was voted Bolton’s player of the year.

Holden would ultimately miss the better part of two years as a result of Evans’ brutal challenge. After a failed return attempt in 2011, Holden finally made a successful return on January 15^th in an FA Cup match against Sunderland. After struggling to get playing time upon returning to Bolton, Holden took advantage of a short loan stint to League One club Sheffield Wednesday to get valuable match minutes.

Holden’s return to the National Team on Tuesday was the product of much determination and persistence in the face of adversity. The return meant a great deal to him as he told ussoccer.com after the match:

“Great feeling on a personal note just to be back with the National Team. As I said it’s a moment and a thought that had kept me going through my rehab in the sense of walking back out with this group. What it means to be a part of your national team and that feeling collectively was a really special one for me, and something that I’ll treasure and that I won’t forget now as I try to push on and get better.”

http://www.ussoccer.com/news/mens-national-team/2013/05/quote-sheet-usa-vs-belgium.aspx

Though it remains to be seen how much Holden will be able to contribute to the US, he has already accomplished something special by fighting his way back from multiple serious injuries. If he can pick up where he left off before injuries he will be a key piece in the midfield for Jurgen Klinsmann’s squad going forward.

Having not witnessed any US training sessions I cannot say whether or not Holden is ready to really make his mark on the National Team. If Holden has looked at all sharp in training I would hope that Klinsmann would not be afraid to insert him in the lineup for tonight’s important qualifier. Holden could pair well with Michael Bradley in the center of the midfield. Geoff Cameron was serviceable as a substitute for Jones when defending a lead against Jamaica, but it would be a shame for Klinsmann to make such a defensive- minded decision in a home match against an opponent that the US should beat. 

Holden (assuming he is physically ready) would provide on-the-ball playmaking ability and creativity that none of the other replacement choices can bring to the table. If Klinsmann does not think Holden is ready to contribute in a big match like this, why is he in the squad? Landon Donovan is playing well in MLS and would be ideal to replace Zusi at out on the right. If Klinsmann never planned on seriously using Holden, that roster spot should have gone to someone like Donovan who would be able to step into this type of game without anyone worrying.