After my dabbles in the world of over-excited, exclamation point-saturated writing over the last few weeks, it pains me to use the dreaded line-over-dot, even in a sarcastic sense. Yet there it is, because it adds to the effect of the headline; unless you're going to the the game I can't honestly find a reason to get too worked up about tomorrow's friendly in Carson.


But it is the National Team in action, and it will serve as an opportunity to see some younger and fringe players against real competition as they push for South Africa. The focus for many, like it is for Matt at US Soccer Daily, will be on Robbie Findley; the RSL striker is the best analogue for Charlie Davies currently available to Bob Bradley, and the hope is that he'll play and play well against Honduras. If Bradley is looking for a speedy option to fill the Davies role (not a given), then Findley will need to show he's capable against the Honduras "B" side to even gain consideration.


But, as Matt states (you stole my thunder, Matt), we can't put too much into anything that happens tomorrow. It's a friendly and it's Honduras "B". The "Kljestan Effect" is a very real possibility; if the Americans win, and a particular individual plays well, he'll immediately be pushed for the World Cup squad. Repeating Matt again, it's all about perspective.

Sacha in January 2009

So when you're watching tomorrow night, naturally pulling for a US victory, and preferably a rout, make sure you view whatever happens through the proper lens. Bradley, setting his team up in a way that should give him the most possible information on certain players, will take things out of it you and I will never notice. But there will be obvious good and bad performances, players who step up and play over their respective heads, and others who fail or fall flat. From those things we can attempt to draw conclusions. They won't mean much.


In a World Cup year, even when the match in question is a "B" team friendly involving a large group of players who may never really figure in the National Team setup, it's almost impossible to relax. I intend to try, and I suggest you do the same; I'd like the Yanks to win, and I'd love to see some amazing performances, but nothing that happens will have any far reaching meaning.