Lionel Messi is coming to town. And with a fresh dusting of snow on the ground in New York this week, Saturday's U.S.-Argentina game (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2) has the feel of Christmas morning about it. Unless, that is, you have to stop the world's best player. Shutting down the Flea is a big ask, but it will be intriguing to see if Bob Bradley's team can succeed where so many have failed.
Like many head coaches, Bradley wears the permanent expression of a man who expects nothing but the worst. And in his case with some justification. As usual, the injury curse has struck his team on the eve of a very big game. The Jonny Evans horror tackle that put the star-crossed Stuart Holden out of this game -- and the Gold Cup, for that matter -- will be a big talking point, but Bradley's defensive plans have been disrupted by injury woes as well.
When this fixture was first announced, Bradley most likely mulled pairing Clarence Goodson with Oguchi Onyewu in the middle of the back line. But giving that towering twosome a test run against world-class opposition will have to wait for another game as Goodson's broken toe tripped up that notion.
Omar Gonzalez, the Los Angeles Galaxy's talented young central defender, missed the opening of the MLS season with a shoulder injury and now misses out on an opportunity to play in real major league company. Often accused of being loyal to a fault, Bradley demonstrated that he was open to new options for this game. In something of a surprise, he called up Norwich City's Zak Whitbread to his original squad. But the injury-plagued Whitbread pulled up lame again this week. As did the old warhorse Steve Cherundolo.
So to a large degree, Bradley is left to his usual few good men to tackle the challenge of Argentina. Onyewu will anchor the center, partnered by either Carlos Bocanegra or Jay DeMerit, with perhaps the Jonathan double bill of Spector and Bornstein manning the flanks.
That group, as always, will work incredibly hard, but it shouldn't be too hard for a committed Argentina to swamp it in New Meadowlands. And there is every chance that Sergio Batista's team will be very committed. Argentina hosts the 2011 Copa America this summer, and that makes this game that rarity in international soccer: a serious friendly.
This match is not about picking up a big payday for the federation for the men from South America. Batista has one goal this year: Win the Copa America on home soil. He's recalled the two Inter Milan superstars that his predecessor Diego Maradona foolishly discarded from his 2010 World Cup plans, Javier Zanetti and Esteban Cambiasso. Plus, he's already benched Carlos Tevez during his short tenure, a clear signal to every Argentina superstar that if he wants to play for Batista, he had better play by his rules and play hard.
Unlike Bradley, Batista has offensive firepower to burn. Even with Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain and Diego Milito sidelined, the U.S. knows Argentina will pose an attacking threat. Angel Di Maria, Javier Pastore and Ezequiel Lavezzi are all having big seasons in Europe and will complement the masterful Messi.
But both head coaches also know that a porous defense can do more damage to a team's aspirations than any wonder offense. And they'll both be watching their back lines closely in this match.
Bradley will be watching to see if Onyewu's footwork has improved as a result of his playing time for FC Twente this season, and whether Spector's and Bornstein's forays into midfield this season, with West Ham and Tigres respectively, have helped their composure on the ball. When the mass substitutions kick in, youngsters such as Tim Ream, Tim Chandler and late call-up Eric Lichaj will be able to demonstrate their mettle at the top level.
And, of course, can any U.S. midfielder actually help the defense? Will Jermaine Jones display the German-international pedigree that every member of Uncle Sam's Army longs to see?
Yes, the Barcelona legend will be live from (near) New York on Saturday night, and it will be hard to keep your eyes off him. But for the players charged with stopping the reigning World Player of the Year, there will be plenty more to this game than meets the eye. There's the chance to make a name for yourself. The chance to stop Lionel Messi.