CONCACAF 2014 World Cup Qualification - Play Resumes June 4

[Kilmer17]

I think Edu is a rock solid option for the US in the midfield. I'm much more comfortable with him in their than I am with Sacha, Torres, etc.

---------- Post added February-4th-2013 at 03:47 PM ----------

Quick question for anyone that has Dish. The US WCQ game is on beIN on Wednesday, which isnt a part of my package. Anyone know/tried to see if you can upgrade for a day to the higher package and then downgrade again? Or even if I stay with that package for a month, pay the higher rate, and then downgrade again?

Since we'll have 4 games in the next 8 months on beIN, it might be worth just adding for that time period, rather than paying the penalty to add and subtract every time.

[Stadium-Armory]

FWIW, bein is 620 on Directv and is available if you have the 'sports pack', which is $10 a month. If you call and ask to demo the sports pack, they'll give it to you free for a month.

[RichmondRedskin88]

Considering the options Jurgen put out a good roster. This roster focuses on possession and good defense. We will be bunkering no doubt and then attempting to score on counters. Honduras tries to get scoring from turning opponents over and getting them on transition. We have to be precise with our passes and attacks.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

You shouldn't be going there to 'bunker in' and look to finish the job at home.

You should be going there and taking the game to Honduras.

Good luck regardless.

Hail.

[RichmondRedskin88]

You shouldn't be going there to 'bunker in' and look to finish the job at home.

You should be going there and taking the game to Honduras.

Good luck regardless.

Hail.

I can't blame him. Theres lots of question marks. Our defense especially. We're playing Honduras in San Pedro Sula in the middle of the hot afternoon in front of a crazy Honduran crowd. Last thing he wants is us doing a stupid attack that leads to disaster. It's not about taking it to Honduras. It's about picking your spots. Honduras lures you into attacking and then kills you in transition. They'll let us pass the ball around our half all day. I don't see him bunkering all game (I'd bet a attacker will come on around the 70th min if its still tied. Perhaps Altidore off the bench). I don't see us going all hellfire and stuff in Honduras. We have a young team mixed with vets. MLS and European mix.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

With absolutely no disrespect intended to the Hondurans (smiles REAL nice at BSF ..... uhmmmm, GO DCU!) ..... if your worried about playing them, or most anyone else in this region, then US Soccer is in no place to progress.

Hail.

[boysetsfire]

With absolutely no disrespect intended to the Hondurans (smiles REAL nice at BSF ..... uhmmmm, GO DCU!) ..... if your worried about playing them, or most anyone else in this region, then US Soccer is in no place to progress.

Hail.

Hahaha. No disrespect man. You're speaking the truth. Honduras HAD a pretty good squad but those days are long gone. They are on the downward swing of the soccer cycle. It will be a hostile environment but if the US is going to be good, they won't go in there scared. Like I said, the forwards for Honduras should not strike fear into anyone. Their midfield is very weak compared to years past. The only players the US should really watch out for are Boniek Garcia, Espinoza, and Figueroa.

[RichmondRedskin88]

There's a phrase a wise American Outlaw fan once said. "Anyone thinking they are some Central America country and we're gonna go in smoke em, that not how it goes. That's not world football."

[RichmondRedskin88]

http://starsandstripessoccerblog.blogspot.com/

US- Honduras preview up. I wish I had more time but with rosters announced today and other things going on right now I couldn't go as in depth as I may have liked.

[btfoom]

With absolutely no disrespect intended to the Hondurans (smiles REAL nice at BSF ..... uhmmmm, GO DCU!) ..... if your worried about playing them, or most anyone else in this region, then US Soccer is in no place to progress.

Hail.

Sorry, but this just doesn't reflect the reality that the US faces going to these smaller, Central American countries.

Sure, in Europe, there are 'minnows', but these countries are usually very small and still have 'modern' facilities (hotels, roads, airports/train stations, etc), similar weather, and decent fields. Their government/police force will make sure the larger country's players are protected before, during, and after games.

Contrast this to small CA countries. The US often has to travel several hours outside of larger, more modern cities to smaller areas (many times on roads not much more than made of dirt). Local officials turn their back or even encourage locals to harass the players, before games (even at hotels), during games (gotta love the bags of urine), and afterward. Combine this with the intimidation felt by the match officials (usually from another small CONCACAF country) and you see that these games are much more difficult than they appear on paper.

Trust me, the US would much rather travel to San Marino or Andorra as opposed to Honduras or Guatemala.

[RichmondRedskin88]

Sorry, but this just doesn't reflect the reality that the US faces going to these smaller, Central American countries.

Sure, in Europe, there are 'minnows', but these countries are usually very small and still have 'modern' facilities (hotels, roads, airports/train stations, etc), similar weather, and decent fields. Their government/police force will make sure the larger country's players are protected before, during, and after games.

Contrast this to small CA countries. The US often has to travel several hours outside of larger, more modern cities to smaller areas (many times on roads not much more than made of dirt). Local officials turn their back or even encourage locals to harass the players, before games (even at hotels), during games (gotta love the bags of urine), and afterward. Combine this with the intimidation felt by the match officials (usually from another small CONCACAF country) and you see that these games are much more difficult than they appear on paper.

Trust me, the US would much rather travel to San Marino or Andorra as opposed to Honduras or Guatemala.

Amen. No European country can say anything about this issue. Hell in 2009 USA walked into Honduras in the middle of a political uprise and there were concerns about them just making it in and out alive. In Concacaf you could be playing on a small cricket field full of bumps. You play in front of fans that won't hold back trying to intimidate and as you said the refs. They throw things (vomit,****, ice, etc) at players and officials. I'd love to see a European country walk into Mexico's Azteca for a qualifier. You ain't seen hostile until you've dealt with Mexican fans during qualifiers. They were ready to cream the US fans after losing a FRIENDLY in Azteca. Atleast when you walk into Spain, Germany etc you will be safe. Note that's why countries have a better shot of pulling off a away games. Home advantage in concacaf plays a larger role than home advantage in Europe (I mean fans, facilities,etc). No European fan has the right to say anything about concacaf qualifying until you've seen the places qualifiers are played. Honduras and possibly Costa Rica are the the best facilities in concacaf next to the US and Mexico (Costa Rica use to be bad too before the new stadium). Quite a few countries don't even play qualifiers on a actual soccer field. I'd suggest checking out the piece of crap Antigua field we played on during a dang monsoon.

[renaissance]

USA begins its World Cup quest in the most violent city in the world

According to the U.S. State Department and reports from humanitarian groups, San Pedro Sula, the second biggest city in Honduras, is the most violent place on earth. The conclusion is derived from data that shows a homicide rate of 159 deaths per 100,000 citizens, with widespread thievery, drug-related violence and social unrest rife just four years removed from a bloody military coup.

Continued at Link

[Kilmer17]

Rumored lineup from Grant Wahl-

Howard; Chandler, Cameron, Bocanegra, F. Johnson; Williams; Zusi, Bradley, Jones; Dempsey, Gómez.

[heyholetsgogrant]

WTF no ESPN?

[Kilmer17]

WTF no ESPN?

All road qualifiers (except Mexico) are on beIN sports network.