What changes will Bruce Arena make against Panama?

The USMNT and Bruce Arena scored a huge World Cup Qualifying victory against Honduras on Friday. How will the U.S. head coach change things up on Tuesday against Panama?

You’d be forgiven if you haven’t been able to tear your eyes away from the highlights of the USA’s 6-0 shellacking of Honduras from Friday. It truly was a sight to behold. U.S. manager Bruce Arena seemed to make all the right decisions in regards to personnel and positioning. And, at the very least, and unlike his predecessor, Arena seemed to have been very clear to his players about their roles and responsibilities.

The biggest takeaway — besides the team getting back on track for World Cup qualification — from Friday was that Christian Pulisic is everything we hoped, and needed, him to be. The 18-year-old played in the number 10 role, wearing the number 10 jersey, and he was everything you could want from a number 10. He had his hand in five of the six U.S goals, officially assisting on two, while scoring one of his own. It appears all the hype in the world wouldn’t bother this kid. He’s the real deal. Let us rejoice.

Clint Dempsey went Fulham Deuce on Honduras, scoring a hat-trick, each goal more lovely than the last. Jozy Altidore had two fantastic chipped passes that led to goals and bodied any Honduran defender foolish enough to step to him. Captain Michael Bradley was solid and fired home a long-range effort of his own, while the defense was good enough.

Really the only negatives that came out of the giant win were a pair of injuries. After scoring his first competitive USMNT goal, Sebastiain Lletget had to be subbed off early in the first half after injuring his left foot. John Brooks wasn’t actually injured, but had been dealing with an illness all week and was subbed off in the 70th minute. Both have been released from the roster.

Additionally, Jordan Morris, who had been trying to recover from an ankle injury in time to play Friday, and Michael Orozco have been sent home. Exactly zero people are upset to see Orozco go. The only replacement selected by Arena was midfielder Paul Arriola, who plies his trade in Mexico for Club Tijuana.

Considering all of the above, Arena’s lineup against Panama could look considerably different than the one that was so successful against Honduras. How different? Well, this is what the former L.A. Galaxy manager told ESPN’s Jeff Carlisle:

A few notes and/or wishes before we take a stab at the starting XI against Panama: I hope Arena doesn’t break up the front attacking three of Altidore, Pulisic and Dempsey. The game against Panama is on the road; you don’t mess around on the road in CONCACAF. But it seems these three can be utilized without opening the team up to numerous counter attacks. Plus, they will score goals.

Also, Jermaine Jones can be a useful player and he has a lot of experience, but away to Panama feels like a game where Jones gets a yellow in the first half and still plays a like a crazy person until getting sent off in like the 56th minute or something. Anyway, I think he’ll start, but I wish he wouldn’t.

Here’s a couple of options I think Arena may be considering:

This is the same diamond formation Arena went with on Friday, but Lletget has been replaced by Alejandro Bedoya in midfield while DeMarcus Beasley comes in for the inexperienced Jorge Villafana and Tim Ream replaces the departed — as in left the team; not dead — Brooks, just like he did against Honduras.

Bedoya should pull way back, almost in line with Bradley, unless the USMNT have the ball in their attacking third. This defense seems solid enough to hold the line against Panama while that front three unleash shock and awe again.

This 4-2-3-1 feels a little more likely for a World Cup qualifier on the road. Matt Besler is next to Gonzalez at center-back instead of Ream. Ream didn’t look that great in his 20 or so minutes on Friday. Besler has a ton of experience — remember: he started every 2014 World Cup game — and can be counted on to make smart decisions.

Jones sits next to Bradley to provide double the protection in front of the back four as long as he doesn’t go in studs-up on a Panama player in the first 15 minutes. Bedoya gets the call once again because he’s a steady presence and will track back to defend. I think the three up top can still get loose and put pressure on Panama’s back line.

Next: USA 6-0 Honduras: 3 things we learned

Arriola and FC Dallas standout Kellyn Acosta could see some time on Tuesday, but this match probably isn’t the right time for either to get a start no matter how bad I want to see the latter on the field.

Geoff Cameron is the most uncertain selection in that I can see Arena starting him at three different positions on Tuesday night — right-back, center-back, defensive mid — none of which would would be the wrong decision.

USMNT supporters will surely be confident in Arena to make the right decisions against Panama after the masterclass he displayed on Friday. Again, road games are a different animal, but finding a couple of goals and coming away with, at the very least, a point should be a given on Tuesday.