Three warning signs for the U.S. against Honduras

2009-10-11T02:52:53-04:00

2009-10-09T13:40:28-04:00

2009-10-11T00:21:27-04:00

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Wytefang

Minneapolis 21258

26 I predict we win 3-2 with the Hondurans missing a last-second penalty to ice the win for the USA! GO USA!!! :) 7203009

2009-10-11T02:52:53-04:00

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rhussmann

Chicago 531538

I predict we win 3-2 with the Hondurans missing a last-second penalty to ice the win for the USA!GO USA!!! :)

27 You had me there for a second. I was about to proclaim you the reincarnation of Nostradamus! Then I saw the time of your post and realized that I am an idiot for even blinking at it. 7203390

2009-10-11T00:21:27-04:00

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Wytefang

Minneapolis 21258

26 I predict we win 3-2 with the Hondurans missing a last-second penalty to ice the win for the USA! GO USA!!! :) 7203009

2009-10-10T23:42:36-04:00

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Harborview

New York 446083

25 usa kicking **** ...3 - 1 us ......lando free kick..... 7202729

2009-10-10T20:41:10-04:00

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Madmex2009

Houston 826668

24 Yeah, I must admit, that was quite a free kick....I was like, WTF!!!!! 7201885

2009-10-10T20:17:33-04:00

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SoccerUnderground

Fort Wayne 521440

I just hope the 4-3-3 (once again- if that is in fact what the US is doing) does not look like it did against Costa Rica a few months back.

22 Yeah, let's not even bring that up! My concern is that we have beat Honduras, what? Three times in a row now? It's very difficult to beat the same team 4 times in a row especially when going up against a talented Honduras team at there home. Honduras is going to come out extremely strong and run all over us. We have to keep our confidence and not stand around like a deer in headlights if we concede the first goal. Wow, Padula on the Crew just scored against the Revs with the oddest free kick ever! Funny stuff! Anyone see the Mexico-El Salvador game. El Salvador had a beauty of a free kick towards the end of the game. Upper 90. Too bad they got smoked. 7201733

2009-10-10T20:40:55-04:00

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Madmex2009

Houston 826668

Anyone see the Mexico-El Salvador game. El Salvador had a beauty of a free kick towards the end of the game. Upper 90. Too bad they got smoked.

23 Yeah, I must agree, that was quite a free kick........I was like WTF!!!!!! 7201937

2009-10-10T20:07:29-04:00

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rhussmann

Chicago 531538

21 Goal.com has the starting lineup for the US as a 4-3-3... I love the idea of once again trying the 4-3-3 with playing Altidore, Davies and Donovan up top, and then having Bradley, Holden (in place of Dempsey) and Clark in the middle- I guess since the last couple of matches with T&T and El Salvador didn't show too much offensively. I think this does leave the midfield a bit sparse, especially considering who the US mids will be up against in Honduras. If this is the case (the 4-3-3 being tried again), I hope they can spread the field out wide and control the ball well enough. I look for Donovan to roam around freely and create opportunities in the center of the field, but also playing out wide to hopefully serve up some more crosses like we saw against El Salvador. I like 'Dolo enough, but I thought Spector would be a good option to play at Right Back so that he could help out offensively- his crosses are also pretty good. I just hope the 4-3-3 (once again- if that is in fact what the US is doing) does not look like it did against Costa Rica a few months back. They also state that DeMerit is starting. Isn't DeMerit hurt? I think he had a problem with his eye in some sort of accident. Maybe Goal.com is not the best source of US MNT news if in fact DeMerit is out tonight, as well as the US playing their normal 4-4-2. 7201674

2009-10-10T20:17:33-04:00

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SoccerUnderground

Fort Wayne 521440

I just hope the 4-3-3 (once again- if that is in fact what the US is doing) does not look like it did against Costa Rica a few months back.

2009-10-10T20:07:29-04:00

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rhussmann

Chicago 531538

2009-10-10T18:25:34-04:00

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DENNIS_the_MEANACE

Miami 167481

19 can you all stop talking about stupid subjects that have nothing to do with the real topic of this forum? if you guys want to talk about stupid **** like that go somewhere else, that ****'s getting **** annoying 7201143

2009-10-10T19:28:52-04:00

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rhussmann

Chicago 531538

can you all stop talking about stupid subjects that have nothing to do with the real topic of this forum? if you guys want to talk about stupid **** like that go somewhere else, that ****'s getting **** annoying

20 What exactly is a "MEANACE" anyway? Do you mean "menace"? As in Menace- to be a pest? As in Dennis the Menace? Do you approve of these types of questions on this forum, since it seems to me that you are making yourself a moderator here? Sorry for all of the questions- but I figure you need to lay out the ground rules on what is appropriate and what is acceptable for this site. Thank you! I call a draw tonight. 2-2 in a good battle. I just hope no one from either team gets hurt. I would like to see both squads represent CONCACAF next summer. I think Honduras could be one of those teams that shocks everyone in 2010 and makes it into the second round. They have a lot of talent and have at times played very well together. 7201467

2009-10-10T18:25:34-04:00

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DENNIS_the_MEANACE

Miami 167481

2009-10-10T17:48:16-04:00

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Madmex2009

Houston 826668

18 And About the game today.....I think Honduras Wins ......... 7200928

<div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img src="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/10/09/us.honduras/wilson-palacios-1.jpg" alt="Double Click to select a Photo" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align:right;">Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios is one tough customer. Scott Bales/YCJ/Icon SMI</div> </div> It's pretty simple: If the U.S. beats Honduras in San Pedro Sula on Saturday, it clinches a spot at the 2010 World Cup. But that's a tall order. Honduras is undefeated at home through its last eight games, boasts a stacked squad and has stifling heat on its side. Not to mention the added bonus of this game being fútbol-mad Honduras' biggest distraction from the presidential coup going on 142 miles away in Tegucigalpa. The stakes are monstrous for both teams, and that's why we're in for, as SI.com's Grant Wahl writes, "<a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/10/09/us.honduras/index.html" target="_blank">a barn-burner of a game</a>, the kind of back-and-forth, high-scoring shootout that we'd be talking about for years." Here are three things the U.S. needs to watch for against Honduras: 1. The Honduran central midfield. The U.S. is facing what is probably the best Honduras team in its history. Their roster is loaded with strong, experienced players who suit up for English and Italian clubs, as well as a handful of players with experience in Major League Soccer who know the American game quite well. But the most trouble will come from the center of the park. Tottenham Hotspur stud Wilson Palacios is, in particular, of worry for the U.S. It'll be his job to disrupt the American attack, which he did beautifully when los Catrachos lost a tight one to the U.S. in Chicago back in June. He'll be paired with Hendry Thomas, who does similar cleanup work for England's Wigan Athletic. Both players are wide, fast and strong, and playing in the one of the world's top leagues has made them battle-tested. If they're on their game, they can abuse their U.S. counterparts, Michael Bradley and Ricardo Clark. 2. More shuffling of the deck. You never want to deal with injury problems this late in qualifying, but that's inevitable. For the first time in the U.S.' campaign, the Americans will be without the mercurial Clint Dempsey, who is suffering from a shoulder sprain. Depending on your feelings on the Texan, that may or may not be a good thing. When Dempsey is on, he can be unstoppable and deliver goals few on the team can. When he's off, he looks unmotivated, lost and lazy, and makes fans throw things at their TVs. This could open the door on the right wing for Stuart Holden, who has been very impressive in his appearances as a sub for the U.S. as well as in his starting role at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. But the Houston Dynamo star has yet to feel the pressure of starting for the senior team in a game of this magnitude. And as any player will tell you, that's a whole other ball game. Meanwhile, the American back line is still unset. Captain Carlos Bocanegra has been moving back and forth between center back and left back depending on the needs of the team, but Bob Bradley has yet to decide on a permanent solution. Saturday will be no different. With Jay DeMerit out injured, Boca will stay in his usual left center-back spot, and Jonathan Bornstein and Steve Cherundolo likely will occupy the wings, which is another invitation to pick apart their effectiveness (or lack thereof). Honduras coach Reinaldo Rueda surely is paying close attention. 3. Destino Hondureño (that's "Honduran destiny," gringos). The best Honduran team ever. A country inches from its first World Cup in 28 years. A nation glued to the game to lift its spirits during a time of political discord. "The entire country is going to be behind them,'' Bocanegra told reporters. "Not to get on the political side of things, but obviously it will be something that brings everyone together." Put it this way, the U.S. could be in the way of a locomotive of karma. This is the biggest sporting event to happen in Honduras in more than 20 years, and you can bet the Catrachos are going to feel like they've got an entire nation on their backs. They'll play this game like it's their last one. Said Kansas City Wizards midfielder Roger Espinoza and Honduran national-teamer to The New York Times: "The soccer team is the soul of the country. When it wins, the whole country is happy, no matter what is going on with the president. If we don't win, you don't want to be there as a player. Soccer is life there." What do you think? Does the U.S. have a good shot of logging a road win on Saturday and punching a ticket to South Africa? Still worried about the Americans' fortunes? And how angry are you about the <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/grant_wahl/10/08/us.honduras/index.html" target="_blank">TV situation</a>? Are you even bending over backwards to watch the game? Give us your thoughts (and don't forget to check back on Saturday for postgame takes from Wahl, and check his <a href="http://twitter.com/GrantWahl" target="_blank">Twitter </a>feed for in-game commentary). 80701 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/459/8/thumb/freedman_jonah.jpg 14 CA

Jonah Freedman

San Francisco 4618