Three warning signs for the U.S. against Trinidad

2009-09-09T19:14:55-04:00

2009-09-09T12:05:44-04:00

2009-09-09T19:14:55-04:00

Your Sissy Dad

Los Angeles 822067

6 Amazing how much classier it is to hear the Trinidad & Tobago folks play our national anthem on steel drums compared to the **** piped-in, gas station cassette tape verson the Mexicans used, not that I could hear it through the booing. 6802726

2009-09-09T19:06:28-04:00

Your Sissy Dad

Los Angeles 822067

5 Let's do it kids! 6802641

2009-09-09T17:52:11-04:00

http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/826/008/thumb/ts.jpg 231 TX

Madmex2009

Houston 826668

4 I'm not a DIE HARD fan like some of you guys,(that is why I do not comment most of the time, but enjoy reading your opinions) but I really get into it when the World Cup comes around, and I also enjoy watching the other big tournaments(Copa America, Gold Cup, Confederations Cup). I look forward to watching some good games tonight and hope the US pulls it off, and gets a WIN. Looking forward to seeing the USMNT and El Tri(my team) in South Africa. Good Luck !! Go USA!!! 6801972

2009-09-09T14:22:28-04:00

wmv7766

Tucson 849761

3 Socca, I too am really put off by Michael Bradley's position on the team. He hasn't proved himself at all and, worse yet, he made this current roster after only playing one half of soccer since the Mexico loss. Not to mention he is in the starting lineup... I realize the US's midfield options are extremely lacking but being the coach's son seems to be in play here and hurting the overall chances for the team. Would love to see Ricardo Clark in there paired with Maurice Edu. Hopefully Bob Bradley wastes no time being Maurice back when hes completely back from injury. 6798757

2009-09-09T13:46:59-04:00

104

socca10

Suncook 18842

2 The US will occasionally beat a traditional power, but will never be on the same stage until they find or develop a few players who can control the midfield. The current team is lacking significantly in that area, with no true defensive/holding midfielder, and no creative midfielder other than Donovan. Michael Bradley is a major liability on this team, unable or unwilling to get "stuck in" defensively, and far too likely to pass to the opposition as his own team. Should they both qualify AND get a very favorable group in S.A. (which seems likely, given how "fixed" the draw always seems to be) they have an outside shot at a quarterfinal game, but not likely higher. I never thought I'd miss Claudio Reyna and Chris Armas... 6798067

2009-09-09T13:38:34-04:00

wmv7766

Tucson 849761

1 Its unfortunate the US plays only to its competition's level. 2-0 win over Spain, 2-1 loss to Mexico, 2-1 win over El Salvador. They'll win tonight against T&T - barely - because they only deliver the bare minimum needed. Due to that it will be a close game. Its really a sad thing because the US has the potential to medal at the World Cup and shock the world if they put 100% effort in all of the time, no matter the situation. Maybe someday... 6797910

<div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/09/09/us.trinidad/kenwyne-jones.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Kenwyne Jones (15) and Trinidad will keep the U.S. busy. Scott Bales/YCJ/Icon SMI</div> </div> For the U.S., there are no excuses on Wednesday. It faces a Trinidad and Tobago team (7 p.m. ET, ESPN Classic, TeleFutura) that has just five points through seven games in the final Hexagonal round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. The Americans should waltz into Port of Spain's Hasely Crawford Stadium and punch the Soca Warriors right in the gut, escaping with the full three points. But it's not that simple, is it? Here are three things the U.S. needs to watch for against T&T: 1. The heat is on, and it is hot. This may be the Americans' best chance to bag a road win in this  Hexagonal, but let's not forget, they don't have much luck in doing so. The U.S. has just three wins in its last 18 away games in these final rounds of World Cup qualifying. The pressure to reverse that trend is immediate and urgent. If the U.S. doesn't get all three points here, it'll lose ground in the CONCACAF standings, especially with red-hot Mexico taking on Honduras at, yep, Estadio Azteca. If results work against the Americans, they could plunge from tied for first all the way to a fourth-place tie, with a terrifying trip to Honduras on the horizon next month. "We need to win this game," Landon Donovan told SI.com's Grant Wahl. "Our last two are very difficult games. This is a team that is not mathematically out but likely out of it, and a team that we need to beat, clearly." 2. All isn't well in-house. The U.S.' last few games have exposed some of their holes: lack of depth on the back line and an inability to play possession in the midfield. Some of that was more prevalent against Mexico last month, some was just hinted at last weekend against El Salvador. All of a sudden, the glaring lack of a clear starter at left back is a problem -- Carlos Bocanegra may slide back over there Wednesday night, and Chad Marshall again will slot in at center back, pairing with Oguchi Onyewu, who will return from suspension. (Or Bob Bradley could <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/09/09/us.trinidad/index.html?eref=T1">try another lineup</a>, as Wahl reports.) But for as good defensively as Boca is, he's not fast enough to keep up with speedy wingers. That forces Donovan, who has been lining up in a modified left-wing role, to pick up the slack. As versatile as Landon is, the U.S. needs him creating and not worrying about unmarked attackers. In central midfield, Bradley still hasn't settled on an ideal pairing, relying instead on a duo he feels is best suited for the opponent. And that's fine -- when it works. The three most often used -- Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber and Ricardo Clark -- each has shown flashes of confidence and competence. Then again, all three also have shown they're horribly overmatched at times and the result is that the U.S. can't keep possession. The Trinidadians may be able to take advantage of some of these problems, and they may not. Either way, these are issues the U.S. needs to fix, and soon. 3. T&T will come to play. Trinidad's qualifying campaign is, for all intents and purposes, dead. But mathematically, the Soca Warriors are still alive, and they'll play like their survival depends on it. Player-turned-coach Russell Latapy will throw the book at the Americans and will rely on his own World Cup qualifying experience to exploit their weaknesses. Expect Trinidad to come out aggressive and fired up, taking the game straight to their opponents in front of a home crowd that will be completely behind them. Don't forget, Latapy was an integral part of the miracle Trinidad team that defied the odds and qualified for its first-ever Cup in 2006. Unfortunately, he has stated categorically that he won't be suiting up for this match. Too bad -- they could use him. Stay tuned for more after the game from Grant Wahl, live and in your face in Port of Spain. 76881 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/459/8/thumb/freedman_jonah.jpg 14 CA

Jonah Freedman

San Francisco 4618