"They're an absolute machine."
That's Canada head coach John Herdman, quite accurately describing the American women's national team as of late. Even without an injured Alex Morgan, the Americans possess the depth and firepower to overwhelm nearly any other national squad on the planet. After all, they aren't ranked #1 in the world for nothing.
"But at some point someone's going to trip them up," Herdman continued. "The big thing with the United States is, while everyone's got then pressure of playing the world #1, they've got the pressure of being world #1. Expectation is the mother of all crises."
No doubt, the pressure will be on for both sides, come Friday night in Frisco, Texas.
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While Herdman has experimented with a number of youngsters of late, he's going with a lineup of mostly veterans for the high-profile friendly, similar to what he did for last June's matchup at Toronto's BMO Field (won 3-0 by the Americans). While that match was a coming-out party for young defender Kadeisha Buchanan, it also included a less-than-ideal showing from Melissa Tancredi (called in after a nearly-year-long absence), who Herdman has admitted "wasn't match-fit".
Could the same fate befall returnees Jonelle Filigno or Josee Belanger, thrown into the fire against the top-ranked Yanks?
"Tancredi was a different animal," Herdman said Thursday, when asked the question. He said Canada's other available options for that game simply weren't up to the level necessary to compete in that game, but that both Filigno and Belanger should be ready to go if needed on Friday.
"Filigno's just played the full college season (at Rutgers)," said Herdman, who noted Filigno missed Canada's four-nations tournament in Brazil last month due to a ligament injury. "She's been doing the usual cardio work -- power, speed, etc. She's in a very good space."
As for Belanger, who was coaxed out of national-team retirement after seemingly leaving the squad for good in 2011, Herdman said she is "football-functional" at this point: "Belanger has played two closed-door games for us now, she had a good 35 minutes against the boys the other night and looked promising."
While the team's goal for 2014, according to Herdman, is to re-integrate returning players such as Filigno, Belanger, Tancredi and Kara Lang -- who is still aiming for a return at the Cyprus Cup in March -- there is also room for newcomers to make an impact on both sides of the ball.
Nkem Ezurike, who led the University of Michigan with 14 goals in 23 games this season and was recently selected in the first round of the NWSL draft, was training with the national team for nine days earlier this month. Ezurike, a native of Nova Scotia, has experience with Canada's youth teams and impressed Herdman with her technical ability, though he says she's not yet where she needs to be to make the jump to the Canadian side.
"She shows some qualities that not many Canadian players have. She's got a different style -- big, strong, powerful, can hold the ball up, can turn," said Herdman. "(But) she's realized there's another level in terms of physical capacity (competing against Tier 1 teams at the national level)... Physically, she's not ready for that."
Of course, some youngsters have been able to entrench themselves -- Buchanan is with the team, as is 16-year-old fullback Sura Yekka. Herdman said fans can expect to see both of them take the field against the USA. He's also not averse to other players making a statement with their club play and earning their way back into the squad; one example he gave was Christina Julien: "There's definitely potential there but her career's got to tell the story."
Now, despite the excitement that always comes with playing the USA -- "it's a derby match, that's the reality," said Herdman -- there are questions lingering around the program, and not just about the lineup for Friday's encounter.
During a media conference call on Thursday, reporter Harjeet Johal asked Herdman about the potential of the team opting out of NWSL in 2015, and instead preparing the players for the Women's World Cup with an extended residency. Herdman didn't confirm or deny the report, instead saying that the team has plans in place but that, of course, plans are always subject to change.
"If you've got a home World Cup, (the priority is) how do we maximize the opportunities we have?" he said. "At this stage, we're committed to the NWSL."
There's also the question of the unclear status of Desiree Scott and Lauren Sesselmann, both of whom were allocated to FC Kansas City of the NWSL even though Scott has subsequently signed with Notts County.
"The players were asked if they wanted to be allocated in, both players agreed they wanted to go back in the league," he said. "The confusion's come because they're both world-class players.
"Everyone's working around and trying to find the best solution for these players," he continued. "I'm sure we'll try to do the right things for the players and the right thing for Canada Soccer."
You know what a really "right thing for Canada Soccer" would be? Breaking a 13-year run without a win against the United States! (How's that for an awkward segue?)
Surely Herdman's aware of the statistics (as mentioned, Canada hasn't beaten the USA since 2001) but he seemed genuinely committed to the idea that his team can earn a result on Friday evening.
"The U.S. has blown teams away recently, so our job (Friday) is to try and reverse that trend, and I'm getting close to a starting XI that i think has the goods to do that."
We shall see. The game goes live on Sportsnet World (but not Sportsnet World Online) at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET Friday, with a repeat on Sportsnet One.
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