Pre-Match Briefing

Some thoughts the night before the Sweden friendly…

- Once again, it must be said that it is about time the USA headed to Europe to play a friendly against a quality opponent.

- Not to say expect a stinker, but Landy Cake’s head will probably be back home with the floundering Gals and how he is going to ever keep himself fit for the next day’s derby against Chivas.

- Clint Dempsey needs to show me something. Out of the whole roster, this is the one player that really needs to do something in this otherwise “meaningless” friendly. He did not look like a player who has a lockdown in the starting XI all summer and deffinatley hasn’t looked it in the beginning of the club season. Although 2010 predictions alone are pretty frivalous, I don’t see how Clint is showing up in everyones first 11.

- This is the start of make or break time for Bradley in the eyes of US fans. He literally “got the job done” in the Gold Cup in our weak federation, now it is time to see how Bradley stacks up away from home, with all hands on deck, against some quality opponents in these upcomming friendlies. He can really solidify the confidence of everyone in the US with some good showings, or start to bring questions upon himself about if he was the right man for the job all along.