Will Buddle Deliver
If Given The Chance?
By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season
Perhaps you've heard the US men's soccer team has a fairly significant match on Wednesday.
The Americans take on Algeria on the final day of pool play for Group C. England and Slovenia tangle in the other match; both begin at 10 a.m. ET.
As far as the Stars and Stripes are concerned, you can throw out all that silly math talk. Points and goal differential are irrelevant by now; all the USMNT needs to do is win and it advances to the knockout stage. A Round of 16 match against a team from Group D awaits either Saturday or Sunday.
Below are some predictions from a few of the OGS World Cup writers for Wednesday's high-stakes match:
Jake Yadrich
Everyone's been clamoring to see what Edson Buddle can do alongside Jozy Altidore, and we may finally get to see it. Starting Robbie Findley over Buddle seemed questionable to me to begin with, but now the squad's hottest goal scorer coming into the tournament may finally see significant minutes. Buddle puts one in the net, and Tim Howard posts a clean sheet in a 2-0 USA victory.
Mike Dick
+ USA must come out ready to play and not take 45 minutes to wake up as it did against Slovenia.
+ The Americans need an early goal in the worst way, so who is going to partner with Altidore up front in Findley's absence? Buddle? Hercules Gomez? Nobody?
+ The defense cannot concede another early goal; maintaining discipline and shape are key.
Mike Marshall
If USA can buckle up the back, and be positive up front without losing their overall shape, then they're good to go through.
Ben Jackey
The US has a chip on its shoulder after getting it prison-style by the referee against Slovenia on Friday. The Americans play well as an underdog and should have their tales up early in this match.
But that could play into the Desert Foxes' paws. They are best on the counter-attack because they have speed to burn.
History is not on the side of the USMNT, which doesn't play well when its destiny is in its own hands. See 1994 ... 2002 ... and 2006. Expectations are high. I repeat: Expectations are high. For once, much of the country is watching. Can USA handle the pressure?
I predict a goal around 65' by Gomez. Then perhaps a late LandyCakes PK. Meaning he will raise the dead at the spot.
Jeremy Brown
Algeria have recently proven to be stiff competition when their backs are against the wall, as we all saw during the diplomatic fiasco with Egypt in the qualifiers. And nobody likes to lose to Americans, let alone Muslim countries if we're being honest.
International intrigue aside, the Desert Foxes not only have a cool fucking moniker, but a few very good European-based players like Belhadj and Yebda. They're not the unknown quantity that everyone seems to like to portray them as. This match will have a bit of the dogfight about it, and will be a serious balls call for the US.