“You’re not very familiar with that team”, Klinsmann replied when asked by US Soccer about the challenge of preparing for St Vincent and the Grenadines.
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The US men’s national team will start their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup in St. Louis on Friday with a match against CONCACAF minnows St. Vincent and the Grenadines-their first-ever meeting with the tiny Caribbean nation. “There’s no two ways about it. The excitement is there”.
“It’s always fun because it seems like we’ve played everyone”, he said. This group needs to proceed accordingly to start this semifinal round on the proper footing.
Yes, against Mexico Cameron looked outstanding as a center back.
That said, there is a great deal of experience on the team, as well. There is no excuse certainly for that. It used to be that any old coach could guide the United States to a qualifying spot in the World Cup. “We want to start well into this long run of qualifying games”.
Where will Klinsmann strike the balance between continuity and adjustment?
The introduction of Matt Miazga and Darlington Nagbe into the process adds a novel twist.
The roster for this team is decidedly younger than the Gold Cup team, but significant questions remain.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines, nicknamed ‘Vincy Heat, ‘ defeated Aruba 3-2 on aggregate in a two-leg playoff to advance to this point.
If all goes according to plan, the Americans will play 16 qualifying games between now and 2017 to earn one of the 32 spots in Russian Federation.
At this stage, the long-term objectives enter the calculus.
“Our younger players have to come out of their shell, ” Klinsmann said. “It’s definitely a step up when you have a bunch of top players around”.
Guzan started 12 US games in 2015 before Howard returned to action for the first time against Costa Rica. In all, the Yanks have lost four straight games against CONCACAF opponents, all at home.
This group will produce goals and a show for the fans.
Without Dempsey, the forward crew will be as mixed as the midfielders. He dumped 32-year-old Clint Dempsey for the opening two qualifiers in favor of Gyasi Zardes (24), Bobby Wood (22) and Jordan Morris (21), plus 26-year-old Jozy Altidore and 34-year-old Alan Gordon, who provides strength with headers. It is on them to meet the necessary standards against St. Vincent to continue their growth on the worldwide level and relieve a few of the considerable burden now placed squarely upon Altidore’s shoulders. Then again, watch out for a position change from Klinsmann. “This means a lot to the country, we are proud and ready to cherish this moment against the U.S”. They are ready to give everything they have. “I don’t expect from them three goals tomorrow night”.
Does the goalkeeper rotation matter? Playing Bradley and Jones together in a flat 4-4-2 was done under both Bob Bradley and Jurgen Klinsmann and has been a disaster almost every time.
“There’s no secret as to what was going to happen”, Guzan said. I think it’s made more of a big deal from you guys than from us. We train the same, we work hard. Tonight’s game has to be an effective dress rehearsal for that game rather than one more confused, slapdash performance that the manager tells us was actually very good.
FOUL POLE FIRST: The venue for the qualifier, Busch Stadium, is known for the Major League Baseball team that plays there, the St. Louis Cardinals.
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“It was a flawless time for me to do it”, Howard said earlier this week. The most recent census pegged the country’s population at 103,000 according to the 2013 census.
