USMNT Oct 25-27 viewing guide and open thread

We’ve had a little time to calm down and some wounds have been soothed by USMNT performances over the past week, so we’re back to a bit more of our standard look at the weekend in this edition of the viewing guide and open thread. Here’s where you can tune in, hopefully to see players building on their recent positive performances.

Friday

Atlas v Necaxa - 10p on TUDN

It seems unlikely at this point that we will see Ventura Alvarado called into camp under the current leadership. It’s not that he’s not been good enough. Rather, it’s that if he hasn’t done anything to catch their at at this point, it doesn’t seem like there’s much he could do that would grab their attention. Alvarado continues to captain a Necaxa side that now sits in 2nd place in Liga MX and have a real chance to finish at the top of the table this season. Necaxa are coming off a 2-2 draw with Club America and this weekend will be facing 7th place Atlas, who are coming of a 1-0 win over Puebla.

Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen - 12:30p on FS2

Josh Sargent picked up his second Bundesliga goal of the season last weekend, scoring in the 7th minute off a nice interchange and then a heavily deflected shot on goal.

Unfortunately, Werder Bremen were unable to hold the lead and had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin. It was the third straight draw for Werder Bremen and the team currently sits in 12th place. The Bundesliga table is ridiculously crowded eight games into the season with nine teams within two points of first place and even though they are in 12th place, Werder Bremen is just seven points out of first place. However, they’re also just three points ahead of the relegation zone and really need to string together some positive performances.

This weekend the team will be facing Bayer Leverkusen, who are the aforementioned team that is currently in 9th place but just two points back of first. Leverkusen are coming off a 3-0 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga and a midweek 1-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in Champions League group play.

Other Notes:

• Weston McKennie has been held out of practice this week and seems unlikely to play for Schalke 04 in this weekend’s Revierderby matchup with Borussia Dortmund at 9:30a on FS2.
• Christian Pulisic has now put together back-to-back matches where his substitute appearances have made the difference in the game. This weekend his Chelsea team, who have strung together three straight league wins, will be facing 8th place Burnley. It would seem that Pulisic has earned at least some significant substitute minutes, but we’ll have to wait and see if his manager agrees.

Sunday

Newcastle v Wolverhampton - 10:00a on NBCSN

DeAndre Yedlin has returned to health and is putting together some nice performances for Newcastle. Yedlin was the teams highest rated field player last weekend in their 1-0 loss to Chelsea, including a save off the line that denied Christian Pulisic an assist.

Newcastle currently sit in the relegation zone and need to find some ways to scrape together some points. This weekend they’ll be facing a 13th place Wolverhampton team that has under performed a bit this season but haven’t lost in their past four matches.

Other Notes:

• John Brooks was on the bench for Wolfsburg last weekend in their 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig and again on Thursday in their 2-2 Europa League draw with Gent. The team faces Augsburg at 10:30a on FS1 Sunday.
• Neither Timothy Chandler nor Fabian Johnson (injured) have seen minutes for their teams recently and seem unlikely to play again Sunday when Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Mönchengladbach meet in a huge top of the table match that could see either team walk away in first place. The match can be seen at 1p on FS2.