WC -- USA v Ghana post-match thread {R}

By the way, I saw Gooch wearing the glove but where was his falcon? I was waiting for it to swoop into the Ghana keepers face during a set piece but it never happened. Better not have been bullshitting with some mouse somewhere.

 

Well, I am at a loss for words. I am disappointed and upset......and all I can do is look forward now and hope for some changes for the better . Too bad, there was some raw talent that just, well, didn't develop.

Thanks for showing up Dempsey. I appreciate your efforts. Too bad no one else really did. Maybe Convey and Gooch. Too bad for the bad calls. aaah I don't want to write anymore.

This sucks!!

*****Edited to say please don't ever EVER let LD take a free kick again in his life!!

 

the only time i realized donovan was on the field was when he was making a mistake

 

I am not defending Bruce Arena, but I will say this.

A true attacking 4 5 1 can become a 4 4 2 with extensions and overlapping attacks on the flanks, and the right personnel. I think this is what Bruce Arena was trying to implement. So, whose fault is it, that this never came to pass in the first half? I guess I would still have the responsibility fall on the manager, and so Arena must raise his hand to take the blame.

What ended up happening was a blend of the Ghana attack and the American reaction. The 4 5 1 almost immediately fell to a defensive-minded 4 5 1, which became the equivalent of giving up possession while looking for the single golden opportunity and the 1v1 possibilities that come from a world-class forward. A 4 4 2 or a 4 3 3 yields the pressure that will change possession and the tenor of the game, the same can be said with a 4 5 1 with an attack mentality.

What we saw in the first half was timidity in the face of Ghana pressure and mentality, and in the second half, the changes made were not enough and too late.

The USNAT had an opportunity to showcase an attacking and flowing game, going 3 4 3 with nothing to lose. 90 minutes is such a short amount of time, and all these things should have been implemented immediately.

Perhaps in 2010 these changes will be seen.

-cheers!

 

For so long I've been drinking mightily from the chalice of Bruce Arena blind-faith kool-aide. No more. The responsibility for this tournament failure falls squarely on his scared 4-5-1's.

Bye Bruce. Good luck in Engerland.

Just so ********ing gutted.

 

ESPN still harping on the pk...what did it matter? The US scored ONE ****ING GOAL THE WHOLE TOURNAMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Puhlease resign Bruce.

 

To us US fans, we are in the last place..

 

The U.S. drew a very tough group, was coached poorly and played unevenly. It used to be the U.S, had a very tough defense and no attack. Now we have a questionable defense and a weak (and slow) attack. For the U.S to be competitive at the world level will take:

1). More players with European First Division experience;
2). A new coach...Bruce Arena has done a great deal for U.S. Soccer but does not have the skills nor experience to take the national team to the next level.
3). The MLS has to drastically improve the quality of its play (this may be the most difficult)
4) More fan support (this may be the most difficult part)
5) an, related, greater prestige (in the U.S.) attached to being a professional soccer star so that kids and their parents just don't see the sport as a weekend recreational acitivity to be grown out of.

 

No.

 

freddy?

 

Great post!

We're not good enough to play at the World Cup level. We can beat some National Team Lights during friendlies, but we can't run with the big boys.

 

Drinking at noon....

 

I didn't think the US played that badly - we pretty much controlled the midfield (Essien didn't do much of note aside from his yellow) and generated a lot of promising attacks, even when Ghana was in full bunker-and-dive mode. We were let down by our lack of truly international class scorers, and by a few mistakes. They call it the "Group of Death" for a reason; mistakes will be punished (whether mistakes by players or by the ref).

I also would have started Johnson instead of leaving McBride up there alone, but EJ didn't exactly light things up when he got in there.

 

Dont be too down on your team. You were magnificent against Italy. You fought hard in the last half of this match.All right you wre crap in the first match. Your boys tried hard and never gave up; just didnt have the skill. Be proud

 

Where's the Neverland?

 

I love it. Excuses for Donovan (System). Hate for Beasley (He did play out of position for two game), even though he did get the assist for the only goal of the tournament for the team plus he did get a goal called back against Italy.

 

I am ashamed to support this team. Pure and utter crap for three straight games from the boys. Sure, we played well against Italy, but it means nothing. We flopped out of the group with one point and one goal scored.

This sucks.

 

I feel bad for you guys but bad decisions aside (everyone gets them BTW), over the three games you weren't good enough, its hard to take but its not that simple in the World Cup. Remember how great the Czech's were against you guys, they got a red card early today and are going home with you.

I hope as I am looking forward to TFC joining MLS next year, that this signals a new drive for success in the North American world of soccer.

Learn from this tournament and look closely at how to start rebuilding. This is the cycle of world football.

Go support your local MLS team, get them the excitement and revenue that you need to build the game.

Don't look at Fifa rankings anymore. Scotland is ranked like 60 something. I personally don't think that we are that bad but we can only get better.

Remember, no country has a divine right to win the world cup. Its the toughest trophy to win in sport, by a mile.

Cheers and my condolences, it can be real tough!

 

Has Arena been fired yet?

 

Been wanting to say this since the first game bye bye Bruce...I hope we get a Dutch or Brazilian coasch who won't use a stupid ass 5-4-1

 

WEEEEEEEEEEEEE SUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK..........dude BRUCE SUCKSSSSS

 

Now, Americans can go back to ignoring soccer again.

 

I finally get some leave, and I come home to see the U.S. get f'ed by not only the refs but by themselves. Bruce Arena, of all people, mismanages the team, and Donovan's balls still haven't dropped. Someone needs to tell him with all that talent he can stop being the catcher and start being the pitcher. ******** this. I shouldn't have came back. I can't wait to go to Iraq.

******** those two red cards, ******** the penalty, ******** Bruce Arena for not putting Johnson in, ******** Johnson for not doing anything when he did get in, ******** Donovan for playing like a **********, ******** Ghana's players for wasting so much time on the ground, and ******** the World Cup. I swear Marine Corps boot camp was less stressful than watching Team USA go out like this.

 

Re: The following people should be beaten with rusty shock absorbers

Prendergast, Hugh Dallas...

Thx,

Jay!

 

No question about it. People correctly don't want to let Arena off the hook (he did Screw up bigtime!), but scoring two goals in a half ain't gonna happen. That phony PK ruined everything.