090813_usmex_practice_beckermankyle_olson_us_mex_jo_9-9-2013_0588_dxo Jeremy Olson for American Soccer Now
9.10.13

ASN Morning Read: Game Day in Columbus

The work is done. The shots taken. The plans laid. All that's left is the match against Mexico. Jesse Yomtov gets you ready with some hits from around the web and a few choice videos.
BY Jesse Yomtov Posted
September 10, 2013
8:29 AM
  • Game day in Columbus, Ohio. A win against Mexico and a Honduras win/draw books the U.S. a place in the World Cup. (DO IT FOR BORNSTEIN, HONDURAS.)

    We’ve got you covered from Columbus. It’s going to take a full team effort to help out another patchwork back line tonight.

    “Conceding goals is always a sequence of several mistakes done by an entire team," Klinsmann said. "I always say defense starts up front."

  • Nobody thinks the team is better without Michael Bradley on the field, but might a Kyle Beckerman-Jermaine Jones partnership in the midfield be a good thing for the U.S. tonight? Defined roles for each player might be better than Jones and Bradley both playing box-to-box as they so often do when they’re on the field together, leaving the defense a tad exposed.

  • Blake Thomsen makes the case that Brad Guzan should start over Tim Howard in goal tonight. Howard had a rough go Friday in Costa Rica and considering Guzan’s experience with an ever-changing back line at Aston Villa, he may be the right man to help the U.S. get three points.

    Says Thomsen: “Given the questionable defense the Yanks will field on Tuesday night, they will need a strong performance in net. At the moment, Brad Guzan is more likely to produce one than Tim Howard.”

    Grant Wahl asked Howard if he thought Guzan’s form put him under more pressure.

    "No, because I feel like I've been terrific [too], you know,” Howard said. I think if you look back over the last 12 months and you look at the number of games I've played and the stats, I don't need to say any more."

  • Finally, we’ll leave you with tres Dos-A-Ceros:
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