USMNT Feb 8-10 viewing guide and open thread

It looks like it could be a real mix this weekend with some of the USMNT’s most regular performers taking the field (is it possible that Tyler Adams is already in that category?!?) in the Bundesliga, while in the EPL, the Americans taking the field will be heavy underdogs in their matches against top of the table competition.

Friday

Atlas v Puebla - 10p on Univision Deportes

Just move on to Saturday if seeing the names of certain defenders who played an unfortunate role in the United States’ loss at Trinidad and Tobago still triggers you. However, if you’ll take whatever you can get, there’s just one game on Friday that will see a USMNT player take the field and that’s when Omar Gonzalez and Atlas take the field against Puebla at 10p on Univision Deportes. Omar has started and played the full 90 for each of Atlas’ first five games as the team has picked up three wins and just one loss which is good enough to be tied for 2nd place early in the season, even if it is a four way tie including one team that has played one fewer game than the other three. In the Fall season, Atlas really struggled to score which just 10 goals through 17 games but they seem to have resolved that issue, averaging two goals per game, but the team is still looking for their first clean sheet in the Clausura.

Saturday

Fulham v Manchester United - 7:30a on NBCSN

Tim Ream has been pulled early in each of Fulham’s last two matches, making it all the way to halftime in the most recent game after making it only 27 minutes in their previous match. The club has lost four of their last five and sit second to last in the Premier League table going into a match against a Manchester United side that hasn’t lost in their last 10 games. Fulham sit seven points back of safety with 13 games to play, and seem destined for relegation. Even worse for USMNT fans, the defense has been a major culprit as the team has given up over two goals a game and 55 in total, which is nearly 20% worse than the next closest team. Do USMNT fans want their players to be a part of an EPL side? Of course! Do they want them to be an integral part of a historically bad defense? Not so much.

Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim - 9:30a on FS2

To be completely honest we have no clue what role, if any, Christian Pulisic will play on Saturday. He started and played the full match, including stoppage time, mid-week in the teams unfortunate loss on penalties to Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokal. The team had twice gone ahead in extra time, including once on a goal by Pulisic himself, but coughed up the lead both times and then missed two shots in the shootout to loose.

The extended game time would suggest that we won’t see much time for Pulisic on Saturday when the team looks to maintain their league leading position while taking on Hoffenheim. What complicates matters is the clubs coming midweek match against Tottenham in the first leg of their Champions League matchup.

RB Leipzig v Eintracht Frankfurt - 9:30a on Fox Deportes

Tyler Adams has now started three straight games for RB Leipzig with the team winning each of the three, including a 1-0 win midweek over John Brooks and Wolfsburg to advance in the DFB-Pokal. Leipzig will face a tough Eintracht Frankfurt side this Saturday in a matchup that pits the fourth and fifth place teams against one another. There are currently five points separating the teams, with Leipzig holding the advantage. The match on Saturday will clearly be an important one as Leipzig look to hold their advantage on the final Champions League spot in the Bundesliga standings.

Bayern Munich v Schalke 04 - 12:30p on FS2

Weston McKennie continues to start, in a wide variety of roles, for Schalke as the team looks to recover from a slow start and crawl their way back into competition for European qualifying positions. The team is in twelfth place in the Bundesliga and is still alive in both the DFB-Pokal as well as Champions League play. Schalke easily handled Fortuna Düsseldorf midweek in Cup play, and their Champions League matchup with Manchester City is not until the 20th. So, it seems likely that we will see McKennie again this weekend for their matchup against Bayern Munich. Haji Wright, on the other hand, has seen just a minute of playing time with Schalke since returning from the winter break.

Other Notes:

• Danny Williams remains out injured for Huddersfield Town as the struggling club takes Arsenal at 10a on CNBC.
• Michael Orozco and Lobo BUAP face first place Monterrey at 6p on FS2. The defender has played all but two minutes for Lobos this season.
• William Yarbrough continues to be used exclusively in Cup matches for Leon. His team faces America in league play at 8p on Univision Deportes.
• Ventura Alvarado has started all four games for Necaxa, including being named captain in three as the team is undefeated and sits just a point back of first place Monterrey with a game in hand. Necaxa will look to keep their hot start going Saturday against Guadalajara at 10p on Univision Deportes.

Sunday

Werder Bremen v Augsburg - 9:30a on FS1

Josh Sargent has appeared off the bench in six of the last seven league games for Werder Bremen but was a healthy scratch for the club in their midweek DFB-Pokal matchup as they defeated Dortmund on penalties. The team is currently in 10th place in the Bundesliga, just four points back of the final spot to qualify for European play next season. The middle of the table is rather crowded with just five points separating the 11th and 5th place teams. Werder Bremen will be looking to climb up those rankings and it will be interesting to see what role, if any, Sargent will play in those plans.

Fortuna Düsseldorf v Stuttgart - Noon on FS1

Fortuna Dusseldorf is coming off a rough 4-1 loss to Schalke in Cup play midweek and will be looking to rebound against one of the few teams below them in the table when they face Stuttgart on Sunday. Dusseldorf will need to take advantage of match ups such as this where they have the advantage if they’re going to maintain a position above the relegation zone and will be looking for a positive result on Sunday. Morales for his part has now played the full 90 in four straight games for Dusseldorf.

What are you seeing while you watch or what other games are you tracking this weekend? Let us know in the comments below.