Honduras 3-1 USA: Nothing to see here

A loss in a meaningless international friendly shouldn't mean much. After all, Saturday's 3-1 defeat at the hands of Honduras came after the U.S. were reduced to ten men, thanks to Jimmy Conrad and his apparent desire to not be part of the World Cup squad in 2010.

Whatever could have gone wrong for the U.S. "B" or "C" team, did. Passing in the midfield was non-existent, no creativity from anyone, and an inability to finish the few chances plagued the USMNT all night.

Of course, being reduced to ten men didn't help the cause, but this isn't a team in search of excuses. Capitulating to a Honduras side that fell to the U.S. in World Cup Qualifying not once, but twice is a disappointment no matter how you spin it.

The result reinforces the notion about a lack of player depth. While that is commonly accepted by those familiar with the national team -- especially in light of Clint Dempsey's potential knee injury -- Conrad's red card limited the chances of reading too much into the game.

Sure, it's worth mentioning that in the same weekend the U.S. couldn't overcome a regional rival, World Cup opponents Algeria knocked off the Ivory Coast in Africa -- but if anything, it's a good sign, as Bradley's coaching staff will have more video to scout with. Plus, it will reduce the cockiness of U.S. players and fans alike, those who expect the U.S. to waltz into the knockout stages of the Cup (in the unlikely event such people are out there).

Still, once again a U.S. player was sent off. That makes it the third time in seven matches the

What can be learned from Saturday? There are a few things, mostly negative, to look at:

*Marvell Wynne. Perhaps Wynne is an embodiment of American soccer players. The right back oozes athletic ability, but lacks the tactical and technical acumen to make the jump to the international level. He was out of position on more than one occasion, never struck a cross despite abandoning his right back position with haste.

*Chad Marshall and Jimmy Conrad, take a seat. I will confess an admiration of Jimmy Conrad, if not for his bubbling off-the-field personality. But on the field, he is not the player he used to be -- and his two yellow cards were stupid enough that he should never play again in an important match. Yes, he possesses valuable experience, though if he pulls a stunt like that, what good is experience? His MLS counterpart Chad Marshall was just as shambolic, losing his mark on the second goal and looking out of his element.

*No rookies. Injuries plagued Kevin Alston and Chris Pontius throughout camp, and Omar Gonzalez didn't make the final 18 as the rookie trio was deemed a surplus to requirements. The three might not have much of an international future, so it wasn't the biggest surprise to see them miss out in a World Cup year.

*Midfield woes. The fall of Sacha Kljestan borders on sad at this point. One year a go, the Chivas USA midfielder sizzled against Sweden, scoring a hat trick and appeared to be Celtic-bound. A mediocre (at best) MLS season later, not to mention a dismal Confederation Cup performance leaves doubts about his ability to make the final roster. He has a lot to prove in 2010. Benny Feilhaber suffered through a forgettable game, as did the always underwhelming Robbie Rogers.

*Tell me something good. One of the biggest surprises of the night was the play of Jonathan Bornstein. The much-maligned left back looked composed all night, whether playing out of position in the center of defense or in his normal position. Kyle Beckerman had a decent evening, and wouldn't be surprising to see him come along to South Africa as a bench player. Robbie Findley received little to no service, but worked hard and used his pace in a vain attempt to produce something.

Since the final World Cup qualifier in Washington, D.C., the U.S. has a poor 0-3 record, managing two goals in three matches. This is the year fans have been waiting for, and performances like this one will not be acceptable come June.

The good news, is that only a few players look to make the squad, much less get playing time in South Africa. However, even when players are interchanged, some of the same problems are evident. Bob Bradley knows he has to get it right when it counts -- let's see if he can pull it off.