Here's the squad for the US as they go to Honduras and host Costa Rica to wrap up their World Cup qualification bid. GOALKEEPERS- Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton: 14/8 SO) DEFENDERS- Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 24/3), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA, 4/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover: 19/0), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards: 1/0), Clarence Goodson (IK Start: 1/0), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan: 18/1), Jonathan Spector (West Ham: 3/0) MIDFIELDERS- Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach: 13/4), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 7/1), Clint Dempsey (Fulham: 20/5), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus: 4/0), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo: 3/0), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 6/0) FORWARDS- Jozy Altidore (Hull City: 11/6), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids: 5/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 16/6), Kenny Cooper (1860 Munich: 1/1), Charlie Davies (FC Sochaux: 5/2), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 33/11) Jimmy Conrad is a bit of a surprise, but with Demerit and Marshall out injured, he seems to be the next choice. Personally, I would have preferred Michael Orozco to Conrad and Jeff Cunningham would be nice to see anywhere based on his club performance. More news is that Clint Dempsey is out for the match in Honduras with a shoulder injury. Holden is likely to get the start, but with Bradley, you can never know. The other right midfield options are Feilhaber and Torres, though I'd put my money (and hopes) on Holden.
USA isn't the only side hit with untimely injuries. Costa Rica's future superstar midfielder, Celso Borges is out with a knee injury that he attributed to playing on the turf with Fredrikstad in Norway. Borges will miss the home match with Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the road date on the 14th in the United States. This is big news for the US as Borges is a key midfielder for Los Ticos as he scored the second against the US in June and set up another.
Stuart Holden could be the key man for the US v. Honduras match. If Bradley chooses Holden, we'll see the best true-winger the US has to offer on display. There is simply no one else available to the US who can deliver a cross like Holden can from the right. This match could be even bigger for Holden, as SBI points out, his contract with MLS is up at the end of the season and he will be an EU-passport holding free agent looking to move across the pond. Holden was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, but moved to Houston when he was 10 and went to school for two years at Clemson. He left and joined Sunderland, but was attacked by a fan in Newcastle and ended up with a fractured eye socket, which prevented any chance of him getting a first team shot. He returned to Houston to play for the Dynamo and worked his way into position to replace Dewayne DeRosario, who is arguably, the best attacking player in MLS. Holden joined the US for the Gold Cup and has been a regular for the US since as a sub off the bench. With Dempsey out, it is likely Feilhaber or Holden who will be taking his place on the right. I'm hoping for Holden.
And while we're at it, USSoccer.com provides a Scenarios Generator for the remainder of CONCACAF Qualifying. If the US gets two points, they're in. Obviously, a win in Honduras is the best choice of possibilities.