Anyone feels that we should have won one more match to justify the hype?

"should have"?

Well, I suppose they should have won one more. But considering the US only led for 2-3 minutes of the previous 3 matches in a relatively easy group, why would anyone really expect a win over Ghana? I think you're confusing hype and expectations. The hype was justified. It was a result of three exciting games - comebacks, controversy, England, etc. I don't think there was any real expectation that USA "should" beat Ghana. Hope (generated from the hype), yes, but not expectation.

 

Hype is already justified since beating Spain 2-0 on last year's Condeferations Cup semifinal. We just did not meet our expections in this year's World Cup.

 

Yeah its coulda, shoulda, woulda...they got beat by a team that was better in that game. Would have obviously been great to win but it wasn't happening....

 

Yes!! That will be the lasting thing from this World cup! We finally had that moment where the country became captivated by soccer- viral videos, stopping baseball games to upsdate scores, fat wall street bankers jumping up and down and then PFFFFFT! All it would have took was one more win. Five more days of the USMNT being THE story in the US. It truly was a golden opportunity missed.

 

How much longer are we going to hold onto this? Great moment but I don't feel like the hype is justified.

If that's the case then the Swiss should feel pissed off right now because they beat Spain too...I bet you though they won't be hyping them for Euro 2012 (assuming they qualify) to be deep contenders.

 

Well, it is basically our downfall, isn't it?

 

I mean, relish the moment but move on to the next game.

We beat Portugal and it was a great moment in 2002, but you move to the next game. I was crying after our win but we still almost missed the 2nd round because we drew with Korea and lost to Poland. If not for Portugal blowing it against the Koreans in the final round we would've been out. But we just made it and had our magical run.

Now in several years later...we beat Spain and almost beat Brazil in 2009, and drew England in the 2010 WC, so move on. The country was euphoric after the Algeria win but you have to go to the next game and then everything came crashing down.

 

This kind of give me an idea that coaching is a lot to do with it. The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team could've had a let down against Finland in the Gold Medal game after upsetting the Almighty Soviets.

 

Yes. But it is not hype. Given the correct decisions, I think we win the game.

When you give up multiple early goals throughout a coach's tenure including the most important game in the cycle and have to make subs in the first half (not due to injury) something has gone completely wrong.

 

I'll rub it in a bit more then...

I re-watched the game against Ghana tonight. I remembered that we really had them on the ropes in the second half, but I forgot by how much. Several very real chances were had by us. The game could have easily been 3-1 to the U.S. In particular there was a breakaway into their box by Josey where he fell down and managed to get a shot off from flat on his back. That ball had an open net and was on target but then curved slightly outward just missing the post. That should have been our victory right there.

Point being that despite appearances in the first half and the post-period we played well enough in the second half to secure a win and nobody would have questioned our earning it. The chances and finishing just didn't break our way.

I also happen to believe that Uruguay would have been a very winnable match for us. A tough one to be sure, but a probability definitely. I even preferred that matchup to South Korea whose team plays a similar style to our own and can negate our advantages.

 

We get to the quarters and lose; same argument could be made.
We get to the semis and lose; same argument could be made.
We get to the final and lose; same argument could be made.


Let us not dwell on what could have been.

 

I think the OP was confusing "hype" with hope. We went in knowing that we had no depth outside of midfield and there is only so much you can ask Clint, Landon, and Tim to do. This is the end of that 1st generation of US kids who grew up playing soccer in the '80s. Bring on the 2nd generation.

 

If you are objective enough, you will realize Ghana should have finished the U.S in first half. There are a lot of arguments about chances that the U.S got. Apart from two clear ones, the rest of the chances were at best half-chances. Go back and look that clear opportunity that Kwadwo Asamoah forced Howard to make a save. Add the freekick that Howard made a good save on. Add the extra pass the Prince Boateng could have given Asamoah Gyan to score but he chose to shoot himself. The U.S had a good twenty five minutes of the second because Kevin was having problems with his thigh and Sarpei on left flank was also struggling to contain Dempsey. When Ghana made the changes necessary, they pretty much controlled the game until they struck again in extra time. Ghana could also be counting missed opportunities to have put the game beyond a U.S come back. All the argument about Ricardo Clark causing a turnover would be academic if Kevin Boateng had not struck brilliantly. What about Gyan's goal? He created it out of nothing. That was the difference between the U.S and Ghana. "The truth is an offense but not a sin".

 

It wasn't when we lost, it's to whom we lost that frustrated everyone. This team had more. But I'm over it, I really am. Excited about the summer transfer market and the upcoming European seasons. Heck, even Euro 2012 qualifying starts again soon.

 

...and with a healthy and in-form Gooch and Chuck Davies, the expectations would be vaild... without them, we were certainly a lesser team with some glaring deficiencies...

 

I feel like we're not going to live up to the "hype" and actually impress the world until we can advance past the round of 16, and do so playing an "attractive" brand of ball. I think people still look at us as a country of poor talent due to the fact we primarily run a Defend-and-counter style of ball. I think once we can show we can win with creativity, imagination, and some midfield build-up, then people (especially our critics in europe), will recognize us as a formidable and relevant soccer "power".

 

Exactly. The whole "They showed great determination in their defense" is nothing more than a back-handed compliment equivalent to "They lack any offensive creativity or imagination."

 

the fact that we're so disappointed really says something. did anyone care when they didn't get out of the group in 98? was there this much backlash after the debacle in 06? i don't remember there being this much. the fact that many news outlets and pundits are vocal in saying how much of a letdown this is, tells us how far the sport has come.