WCQ: Costa Rica - USA [R]

Three quick thoughts:

-Bob Bradley needs to end the DaMarcus Beasley at left back experiment, effective immediately. Not only is he playing out of position, he is clearly in need of regular matches and needs to leave Rangers and come back home to MLS ASAP (there's no f*cking way yet another European club is gonna roll the dice on him and hope that he doesn't come up snake eyes).

-Carlos Warner must've gotten a big-ass bribe, because there would have been no way in hell that plastic pitch would've been approved by FIFA, under normal and transparent circumstances.

-When Charlie Davies is the only player that emerges from the wreckage with his reputation intact, you know it just wasn't your night. I mean, he came on with 10 minutes left, and he actually tried to do something that we didn't in the first 80: take the game to the Ticos. Thanks to him, at least we left with a facesaver goal, and the renewed hope that Honduras just might not take us behind the woodshed on Saturday.

Curiosity for knowing the score had me switching channels and oh what a splendid surprise was given to me. Isn't it gratifying to see your adversaries crumble in defeat my fellow Americans? "Of course" you answer. Now the real question is, who will fight it out to not finish 4th and dispute the WC spot with CONMEBOL? Will it be us, Costa Rica, Honduras or the U.S., because it seems logical to me that these four teams willl finish atop the standings.

In a moment of delirium I could feel Costa Rican blood flowing through my veins, PURA VIDA!!!

I should say, I'm not arguing that Costa Rica is top tier. The top tier in CONCACAF is clearly USA, Mexico. But they do make up there own tier between the "super" and "middle" powers if you will. They are a team you have to respect, the problem is that they're quite schizophrenic.

They've always intrigued me because they're a side that could whip Mexico or the US one week, and lose to the Bahamas the next.

Despite their flaws, they do top the table.

And Ronnifan, you know as well as anyone that El Salvador could get a result. So watch it

I don't understand why Jay DeMerit doesn't get a serious look for the Men's National Team. He's been solid for Watford for 5 years and is very consistent. I think I'd trust him more than I trust Bocanegra.

Well, let's look at the cumulative Hexagonal standings for the last 3 World Cup Qualifying cycles (1998-2006):

1. Mexico - 57 (3 appearances)
2. USA - 56 (3)
3. Costa Rica - 51 (3)
4. Jamaica - 22 (2)
5. Trinidad and Tobago - 18 (2)
6. Honduras - 14 (1)
7. Guatemala - 11 (1)

Costa Rica's head-to-head record vs. USA and Mexico in the Hex (98-06): 4 wins, 5 losses, 3 ties. The Ticos are definitely closer in quality to the US and Mexico than they are to the rest of CONCACAF.

Right now, I think it goes like this: USA and Mexico are the best in the region. Costa Rica are a close third. Right now, Honduras are a close fourth. Basically, Costa Rica and Honduras are the two teams in CONCACAF that can make life difficult for Mexico and the USA. T&T and Guatemala are decent teams, but they're in a lower tier of their own. It goes downhill pretty fast after that.

ShiftyPowers;2678905 said:

I don't understand why Jay DeMerit doesn't get a serious look for the Men's National Team. He's been solid for Watford for 5 years and is very consistent. I think I'd trust him more than I trust Bocanegra.

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He plays at a lower level than Carlos, but I think he should get another look. Maybe slide Bocanegra over to left back, where he plays for Rennes.

The Tico's first goal was something special, though...

Bobby;2678893 said:

And Ronnifan, you know as well as anyone that El Salvador could get a result. So watch it

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I've decided to boycott the NT, after watching that disgrace of an effort on the part of the players there isn't really any way to describe my feelings but only a sence of an utter disgust towards everything that has to do with FEMEXFUT, owners, coachers, and players. The best thing that can happen to us not go to the WC, maybe just then they would all realize that we need to start from scratch. I call forth my comrades to boycott the NT, don't buy anyting with their logo, don't attend their games, don't watch the games on tv since it's the only way that we can hurt them, their pockets. I won't be watching the game v. Trinidad and Tabacco, I'll wait for the highlights.

Plenty of Sam's Army gear you can buy to fill out your wardrobe

I'm sure there's plenty of rags I could use to clean my kitchen floor but no thanks, I aknowledge your good intentions Shifty.

So, Schalke's Jermaine Jones is switching national teams, from Germany to USA. I haven't seen him play much, but he's apparently a really good central midfielder (Kicker rank him as the fourth-best Bundesliga midfielder for last season). This is great news, although we have a lot depth in central midfield, and I kind of wish he was a left back/winger instead. I wonder what the US depth chart at center mid looks like right now? I guess Jones, Bradley, Edu, and after that, in any order:

Clark
Mastroeni
Torres
Feilhaber
Kljestan
Adu

Hopefully some of those guys can be converted to left backs/left or right mids.

I could see Adu playing as a left winger and doing it well.

$teauA;2684290 said:

I could see Adu playing as a left winger and doing it well.

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I would just like to see him play let alone Start.... How can someone just play in such top form against Argentina and Spain, make Puyol and Zanetti look stupid and not play... ADU CREATES CHANCES!!!!!!!!!!