The Friday 4-4-2: Black Friday

It's the day after Thanksgiving, and what better way to help you enjoy your Friday than another edition of the Friday 4-4-2?

What USSD liked:

1) Dempsey stays hot: With two more goals against Blackburn on Wednesday, Dempsey has scored 5 in as many games. It only bodes well for the USMNT to have Clint playing with confidence and a little bit of swagger. If Bob Bradley can't find a reliable option to pair with Jozy Altidore, it very well could be Dempsey sliding up top, so it's good to see that he is finding the back of the net.

2) Hull's success with Jozy: In two games this week, Hull has scored six goals. Prior to this past week's games, the most Hull had scored over a two game span was three goals. One noticeable feature in Hull's offensive explosion? Jozy Altidore started both games and was on the field for all of the goals. After an up and down beginning of the season, Jozy seems to have earned some confidence from Phil Brown, who likely will keep the US international in the lineup in the near future.

3) Jack Warner supports the US: Warner has made more than a few people made in his time in charge of CONCACAF, but he's pleased many Americans with his announcement that CONCACAF is supporting the US bid to host the World Cup. Having the FIFA VP supporting your bid can only help, and Jack's criticism of the England bid seems to have put them under the microscope.

4) RSL take the Cup: Robbie Findley and Kyle Beckerman, who were both called into camp by Bob Bradley back in September, were integral parts of Real Salt Lake's MLS Cup upset of the LA Galaxy. Findley scored a scrappy goal and caused a number of problems for the Galaxy backline with his speed and penetrating runs. Beckerman, meanwhile, distributed very well from the middle and also broke up a number of attacks to start the counter. Findley will surely get a look from Bob Bradley in 2010, while Beckerman is hurt by the fact that center mid might be the USMNT's deepest position.

What USSD didn't like:

1) Landon's PK: Yikes. Oh well, it was bound to happen at some point, Landon just picked a bad time to miss one. While some might worry about his penalty kicks in clutch situations (missed in the 2007 Superliga Final in addition to the '09 MLS Cup), there's little doubt in my mind that Landon will be (and should be) the one stepping up to the spot in South Africa with the game on the line. It was a shame, though, that his great year had to end this way.

2) Holden to SPL rumors: It's no secret at this point that Stu Holden is probably going to Europe in the winter transfer window, so now it's a matter of looking at who is courting the Houston Dynamo standout. Two rumors that have surfaced are a move to Rangers and a move to Aberdeen, where Holden was born and raised until he was 10. A move to the SPL might be more of a lateral move for Holden, and Holden's attacking style might be better suited for a league like the Eredivisie or Ligue 1, as opposed to the crunching physicality of the SPL.

3) Everton's porous defense: It's been a rough couple weeks for Tim Howard, as the Toffees have been conceded 2.5 goals per game over their last 8 matches. Included in this run are 3-2 defeats to bottom-feeders Hull City and Bolton, plus a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Benfica. Howard has not been getting much help from his defense after a solid run earlier in the season, and surely must be getting a little frustrated. Despite this poor run, there is still little doubt that Howard is the USMNT #1 for the foreseeable future.

4) FIFA's shifty media rules: Earlier in the week FIFA stated that "any behaviour harmful to the image of Fifa or the local organising committee would result in the accreditation being withdrawn." This is very vague and seems to hint that criticism of FIFA would lead to a reporter losing their accreditation, which has led to an uproar from the media. It certainly sounds like FIFA trying to influence the press, something that USSD does not like one bit.

What USSD is looking forward to:

1) World Cup draw: USMNT fans now all too well that the World Cup draw can make or break your chances (see: 2006 World Cup Group E). Next Friday, all 32 teams will find out their fate as the draw takes place on Friday in Cape Town. ESPN2 will broadcast the event live at 12:00 PM ET.

2) Hull City @ Manchester City, Saturday, 10 AM ET: We'll see if Jozy can add a goal to his good run of form, as Hull City look to extend their unbeaten streak to a season-high four games. It will be a tall task against a talented Manchester City team that has its eyes on a Champions League spot.