One of the funnest things for me was the phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages from friends all over the world (including Spain ) congratulating me on a well-earned win.
http://www.tuttosport.com/foto/Calc.../2009/06/24-5460_2/Incredibili+Usa,+Spagna+ko Photo No. 3. YES WE CAN!
One small beef from Steve Davis' ESPN article - "D, Jonathan Spector, 7 -- He doesn't get forward like first-choice right back Steve Cherundolo, but his positioning, ball-winning and calm defending were never a worry. He's proven himself a reliable stand-in." Since when was Cherundolo a marauding-type of right back? Did he make some forward runs? Yes. Was he great at it? Not particularly, imo. I keep seeing this as the one nit the US-based media seems to pick in the comparison of the two. Personally, I think Spector is more intelligent with his forward runs and the quality on his crosses is better than we've had in years. Am I the only one that thinks the position is now his to less? Since '06, I really don't remember Steve being all that great for us.
LMAO!!! Cant disagree with you on that one!! Love how they immediatelly point out the error and how quick they blame it on some one (LOL) Love it!!
I just watched an interview with BB and he said he will probably start Beasley and Sasha K. in the final OK, just kidding...
It shames me to know that we are members of the same species. Yes, with Bob Bradley, we can only beat the #1 team in the world. Fire him, and we'll beat the #0 team! Awesome, simply awesome. Amazing performance by everyone, well except the referees, who blew the red card and a couple offsides that never were. We're into our first ever FIFA men's final. It doesn't get any better than that. Until we beat Brazil that is...
To the bolded: this is wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. The reason we won this game was that we didn't over-commit ourselves to pressuring in the midfield. We pressured only enough up front to get our defense into shape, and once we got into shape, we stayed in shape. If we pressure in this game, we end up scrambling when one of their clever players beats the pressure, and that loss of shape results in a goal. The image of this game in my mind is watching us repeatedly get our lines of defense in order and keep them there as we warded off attack after attack. Keeping this shape also left us in position to break out on the counter as Spain started to shift players around trying to break us down. It's not the best strategy for us against a lot of opponents, but it was the way we absolutely had to play to win this game.
what is with the refs? Let me give some perspective here: I watched the game with a Turkish friend (an ex-semi pro player), who isn't a US fan. His take: the red cards have been harsh. O.K.--WHY? I don't believe in conspiracies. Is it the result of some kind of hatred everyone has of us? Is it holdover nastiness in response to Bush/Chaney? I just don't get it... But CONGRATS US! We won in any case.
Read that after the game since I had DVR'd it. Cracked me up. Rumor that Fulham wants Jozy on loan. I'd take that in a second.
Uh, Mastershake, it is certainly possible, and certainly reasonable, to both admire a victory and make criticisms of a player, a manager, and so on. Even if you believed BB to have flawlessly substituted, in timing and personnel, and flawlessly set the whole strategy, it would still be just possible, yer know, that others could set out a reasonable argument as to otherwise. And even if not so reasonable they certainly have the right to tell us what they perceived. This makes you ashamed that you belong to the same species????? Crikey
Re: Front Page of Espn.com Thus far, the lowest score by state? Alaska. Therefore, Sarah Palin hates America. Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!
GREAT WIN.! As i wrote yesterday, we could have some chances( although the spanish were still favourites) because: 1-at least we have a BIG TEAM- our players were noticeably bigger than spain`s. thatis an improvement over 2002 and 2006. with Bradley and Jermanine Jones and Clark and dempsey we are starting to have an HELL of a midfield. pure World Class.With a defense with Gooch, Spector, Demerit and Boca(he played really well today) we have four very strong defenders- no heydjuk or litle cherundolo,or even Bornsatein please-subs at most. 2-at least in Altidore we have a very good atacker. IMHO Davies has not international quality but at least he plays with heart. 3-Donovan is an outstanding player.Feilhaber is a good player too (he should be a litle bigger. 4-this "american style of play", copied from the DUTCH style is really the best style for the USA to play, with a proper field position, with short and long passes, and the characteristic excellent teamwork and motivation that defines the USA people itself. After all we still are the MIGHTY USA 5-CONCENTRATION, concentration, concentration- in today`s soccer that is a most important thing-just ask Mourinho or Ferguson or any capable coach. So, after this sweet victory agains such a good opponent i just feel we are on the verge to build a very, very very strong team in years to come that will rock the world - and this is only the first of many finals we will see. Iam really excited with the prospect of the thousands of good players that this new Development academy program will surely develop. One thing that worries me is this incredible bias of referees against the USA- ok, perhaps we have too heart in playing but two PK`s, two expulsions pardoned for italians and Egyptians are too much.
Sure, you can. But not after that game. This is at minimum in the top 5 MNT results of all time, and people's first reaction is to slam the manager? WE JUST BEAT THE #1 TEAM IN THE WORLD, ON THE LONGEST WINNING STREAK THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN, AND FULLY DESERVED IT. Repeat that to yourselves a few times. Only on BS can we do that, and people argue that we would have won 6-0 if only Bob Bradley wasn't our manager. What more do you want?
Funny how people's memory can work...I just watched the replay, clearly only one foot, clearly not late as he won the ball. He barely made contact with the player and it was after he won the ball. Really a very poor call. Only dark spot on a wonderful game by the US! Perfect game plan on the day, and very well executed!
But ashamed to be of the same species because someone's opinion is different? It's just a sport, mate...
I think the Feilhaber sub was just right. He's calm on the ball, made good decisions, and defended well. I don't agree that Bradley was exhausted and that exhaustion resulted in the card. As the British announcers said, it might not even have been a free kick in the Premier League. Dempsey - absolutely, he was gassed when he came out and should have been pulled sooner. But not for Casey. Adu might have been able to stay high and maintain possession and kill time better than CC. Torres also.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0pSQ-c_jk8&feature=channel"]YouTube - Spain V USA 24.06.09 Highlights Confederations Cup Semi Final[/ame]
Great win. I think we can stop complaining about the reds. If you leave your feet and go in with two feet, with studs up, there's a good chance it is going to be red. Or if you go in above the knee with one foot (Clark). Still, I think Bradley had circumstances help him out (the less decisions he has to make, the better). With Baby Bradley out, and no other DM on the roster, it appears: a. Benny will get a start at CM b. Torres/Adu may get into the game late. Still, awesome game and a great win. And BB is deservedly the coach through the 2010 WC (unless we don't make it). For my book, this is the best team we've ever beaten, but is wasn't a WC, so it isn't the best win. Nor is it the most important win ever (1989 over T&T). My lists: Best Wins In US Soccer History (I have WC bias). 1. 1930 WC. USA 3: Paraguay 0. USA to Semis. Bert Patenaude 1st WC Hat Trick. 2. 2002 WC. USA 3: Portugal 2. Best win of the new era. 3. 2002 WC. USA 2: Mexico 0. USA to quarterfinals. 4. 1950 WC. USA 1: England 0. Miracle on Grass. 5. 1994 WC. USA 2: Columbia 1. USA to second round. Best Teams We've Beaten 1. 2009 CC. USA 2: Spain 0. Defending Euro champs riding international record 15 game win streak and international record tying 35 game unbeaten streak. 2. 1995 CA. USA 3: Argentina 0. At Copa America. 3. 1998 GC. USA 1: Brazil 0. Gold Cup (in USA). 4. 1999 CC. USA 2: Germany 0. Confederations Cup (Mexico). 5. 1950 WC. USA 1: England 0. Miracle on Grass. Most Important Win in US History 1. 1989 WC Qualifier. USA 1: Trinidad & Tobago 0. USA Qualifies for 1st WC since 1950. Without this win, we don't host in 1994, there is no MLS, there is no 2002 success, etc. EDIT: Oh, Bradley is the coach through the 2010 WC, deal with it. The only way he isn't is if we fail to qualify.