With J Hutcherson -- Big game Wednesday Gold Cup style, and rather than attempting some wonders of prognostication, let's look at USA - Honduras for what it is. The game that decides who wins Group B. Going through the rosters and trying to predict match-ups is right up there with trying to scout US Open Cup games. Instead, let's focus on the big picture for this group.
Quick integration of new players is at a premium. The United States brought in Benny Feilhaber, and more changes should be expected with a roster that isn't tournament stable. Do we really need a sentence stressing the importance of players showing they can perform in a variety of situations? Probably not, but that's still the goal. Impress upon the guy making the squad selections that you can do the job regardless of circumstances.
So far, this group appears to be together and able to make those adjustments. The United States played together on Saturday. Taking nothing away from the individual performances of Robbie Rogers or Stuart Holden, they were in the right position to make the tactics work. There wasn't a lot of overwhelming single player skill, in part because it wasn't necessary.
Game changers are great, but there's also something to be said for getting results within a system. Bradley wasn't starting three forwards and abandoning the defensive midfield for a reason. He's not going to do that against the World's best, so why put players in positions they'll never see in big games.
Smart move, letting the players in this tournament show where they can fit in other tournaments. Adding in enough regulars familiar with the shapes and tactics plays to that. Even against a less than first choice Honduras, Wednesday at RFK should take this up a level.
Nobody should expect the amount of space the US saw against Grenada. It's also probably unlikely that Honduras will only play defense in the final third. That means less time to consider options and a different offensive look from the USA.
Had Grenada managed similar, it might have changed the scoreline but not the result. The same should hold true tonight.
Moving on, last night's US Open Cup results get a bit of dignity back for Major League Soccer. Yes, this is the self-anointed Summer of Soccer, with so many games how can any one rise above to really matter. We have our SuperLiga, our internationals, and our fabulous prestige friendlies. At the same time, most of us have a pretty clear idea of what will be remembered a few years from now.
With the MLS coaching contingent trying to push the Third Round of the Open Cup into the forgettable category, the teams that made it through to the Quarterfinals did right by the tournament. Kansas City and Seattle ran first choice. DC United didn't, and almost paid for it. Houston propped up their reputation as the best team in MLS and rewrite two years of bad memories.
Sure, we're still in alternate venues for the semifinals, but there's a feeling that this Cup matters to every club still in contention. All things considered, that's a result.
Comments, questions, solutions to problems that have yet to present themselves. Please, tell me all about it.
