anyone else sickened by the fact our back line took only 2 yellow cards the whole tournament? That would be a good thing if they could defend but they can't. When you can't defend, you can still be smart about professional fouls. Perfect example is Bocanegra not taking down his man on that second goal. CARLOS MAN ITS EXTRA TIME! TAKE THE RED CARD AND WE COULD HAVE JUST BUNKERED DOWN FOR 28 MEASLEY MINUTES!
Bocanegra is a qualified centerback? In what world? you don't have a next game if you dont commit the foul so your point is void regardless
In the world of American fullbacks You must have missed the multitude of opportunities we didn't convert in the extra time. Who plays for penalties in the 3rd minute?
learn the definition of a fullback and get back to me starting Onyewu in place of Bocanegra wouldn't lower or raise the value of the US defense. Bocanegra was awful the whole tournament, worse than Onyewu. He was getting torn apart in every single game.
I did that on purpose you ninny. Boca is traditionally a fullback thrust into the centerback position. Get it? I disagree. In any case, who plays for penalties in the 3rd minute of extra time. That's what you believe should have been our strategy. And if this did come to pass you would be bitching about the return of Bunker Bob. How about we just admit that it was a fine goal.
He's actually traditionally a centerback thrust in the fullback position. You don't play for penalties in the 3rd minute but when you're man is about to go on a breakaway right in front of net you take him down. Of course I wouldn't want to have to play for penalties but given at that moment the alternative is being down a goal 3 minutes in and having to chase a game to survive, I'd take the red card and bunker down.
Actually, he takes the red card, gives up a free kick in a dangerous position and gives Ghana a very good chance of going ahead and then they'll have 28 minutes to equalize with a man down. (That actually happened to Carlos at Rennes early last season; he took a red card early and they scored on the ensuing free kick and they ended up losing the game because of that one play). 28 minutes is a hell of a long time when you're a man down and trying not to get scored on. But it becomes awfully short when you are a man down and need to score a goal.
Yeah would have been a real bad idea to take a red card and even risk a penalty if he had indecision....
I am really proud of the way that the Americans played in SA 2010. I HATE the cynical/tactical foul in professional soccer. It really cheapens that game and runs against sportsmanship. These types of fouls killed in the US WC2006 and the first round of the Confederations Cup. I have to hand it to Bradley and US for elminating this deficiency from our game in SA 2010. It is a point of pride that we played fairly and honored the game. BTW, the US doesn't dive, roll around or grab face either. That's another point of pride for the way the USMNT represent my country.
How about Bocanegra and Demerit not get so easily beaten in the first place? But then I am with you...take the player down as early and as gently as possible ( you might only get a yellow). It does more than eliminate the immediate threat, it sends the message that we aren't afraid to defend and makes forwards think before they go it alone.
Well my take on it is that Boca actually gave they guy quite a shot with his shoulder...I honestly think he was trying to take the guy completely out and was totally shocked that he someone stayed on his feet. I could be wrong, but that was my impression when I saw the play live and that is still my impression after watching several replays.
Spain had no yellow cards for the entire squad during bracket play, might have extended that streak vs. Chile.
That was my impression as well. Bocanegra gave up the goal and STILL should have been yellow carded for his tactical foul. It would have been his second.
I was just discussing this with someone this morning while watching the Paraguay game. I cannot believe some are even arguing this. There was no excuse not to foul him and take the card. It is a part of the game and everyone does it and the comment about it taking away from the game is just laughable.
If he didn't have a yellow, I'd agree with you. Get yourself sent off, give up a dangerous free kick, playing 28 minutes in extra time a man down, or take your chances with DeMerit and Howard behind him. I wonder if he wasn't thinking this himself. That would explain why he pulled up a bit on the play, he took a second to decide what to do, and by then it was too late. Of course, that's just speculation.
...and, IF we'd managed to win the PK shootout, we'd have been without 2 of our starting backline in the quarterfinal... ...or did you forget that Cherundolo had already picked up a second yellow and was missing the next match? Unbelieveable. (So, in case you missed it, no, I'm not sickened by the fact that our captain understood the situation a bit better than you apparently did...)
Good response and I can see where your coming from. I really believe we could have held on with 10 men. I don't think Boca was thinking about the card at all... I mean you can't worry about next game until you win the current game. I do agree with you that I think that he tried to foul but it was too late.
Bocanegra sitting on the bench would not have done anything to our chances except potentially increasing them. He really hasn't done jack in a US jersey in a long time and was basically playing because he was the captain. Dolo would've been missed most likely but we know that Spector has the ability to play at that level and just because he was in bad form leading up to the WC means nothing. I kept reading about how tired he was from a long season. He had almost a month break, how long does it take to recover? Bornstein has been a walking disaster recently and looked good in the WC so who knows what would've happened with Spector in the game.