Sometimes I write with my heart and not my head. I'll be my own ombudsman and state that questioning Claudio's "manhood" in my previous post was way out of line. He has been the class of the U.S. team for the last decade, and he deserves his due. ESPN said it much better, so I'll defer to them on this one.
If I ever get around to launching this website thingy, I've got to get my "gut reactions" under control (bad pun intended)!
On an unrelated note, my prayers and best wishes go out to baseball scribe Peter Gammons, who I think is the absolute very best in the business, and by all accounts, a great guy to boot.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Missed Opportunities
The U.S. squad missed opportunities to score throughout the game.
The U.S. squad missed the opportunity to get to the second round, despite it's lackluster play during its group matches.
The U.S. squad missed the opportunity for the world to take it seriously in the game of soccer.
The U.S. squad missed the opportunity to capture the attention of the nation, and help grow the sport's popularity by leaps and bounds; even if only in the short-term.
There weren't many positives today. I thought Reyna's giveaway was abysmal; there are no excuses for that. He was able to come back on the pitch for another 15 minutes, so his injury wasn't too severe to either clear the ball or take down the man. That was a "manhood" issue, not an injury issue, in my opinion.
I'll never blame the referees. As a competitor, you must play through the things you cannot change. You cannot change a poor call. The PK awarded to Ghana was an absolute farce. It was the worst call of the tournament. In the end, it really didn't matter. The U.S. didn't overcome, so they're going home.
I'm numb. I'll give the squad credit for playing with heart and passion in the final two games, but overall, it was a disappointing Cup. Frankly, Reyna wasn't missed after being removed from a World Cup match for the first time in his career. Aside from striking the post against the Czechs, he wasn't much of a factor. Neither was Donovan. Neither was McBride, although he's only truly effective when he gets quality service, which happened one time all tourney. Neither was Beasley; although he finally played a good match today. I could go on and list every player that made it onto the pitch, I suppose, if I thought about it long enough. The U.S. is simply not good enough to win unless all eleven play hard, and play well. Other soccer "super-powers" can get away with that; the U.S. can't.
I'll continue to watch the world's greatest sporting event, because there are several players whose abilities I admire. I guess I'm an honorary citizen of Portugal, England, and France for the remainder of the cup, because I would love to see Beckham, or C. Ronaldo, or Henry, or Zidane, or Figo, or even Rooney ascend to glory. When the players aren't flopping, and the referees aren't screwing everything up, this is the best game in the world to watch.
The U.S. squad missed the opportunity to get to the second round, despite it's lackluster play during its group matches.
The U.S. squad missed the opportunity for the world to take it seriously in the game of soccer.
The U.S. squad missed the opportunity to capture the attention of the nation, and help grow the sport's popularity by leaps and bounds; even if only in the short-term.
There weren't many positives today. I thought Reyna's giveaway was abysmal; there are no excuses for that. He was able to come back on the pitch for another 15 minutes, so his injury wasn't too severe to either clear the ball or take down the man. That was a "manhood" issue, not an injury issue, in my opinion.
I'll never blame the referees. As a competitor, you must play through the things you cannot change. You cannot change a poor call. The PK awarded to Ghana was an absolute farce. It was the worst call of the tournament. In the end, it really didn't matter. The U.S. didn't overcome, so they're going home.
I'm numb. I'll give the squad credit for playing with heart and passion in the final two games, but overall, it was a disappointing Cup. Frankly, Reyna wasn't missed after being removed from a World Cup match for the first time in his career. Aside from striking the post against the Czechs, he wasn't much of a factor. Neither was Donovan. Neither was McBride, although he's only truly effective when he gets quality service, which happened one time all tourney. Neither was Beasley; although he finally played a good match today. I could go on and list every player that made it onto the pitch, I suppose, if I thought about it long enough. The U.S. is simply not good enough to win unless all eleven play hard, and play well. Other soccer "super-powers" can get away with that; the U.S. can't.
I'll continue to watch the world's greatest sporting event, because there are several players whose abilities I admire. I guess I'm an honorary citizen of Portugal, England, and France for the remainder of the cup, because I would love to see Beckham, or C. Ronaldo, or Henry, or Zidane, or Figo, or even Rooney ascend to glory. When the players aren't flopping, and the referees aren't screwing everything up, this is the best game in the world to watch.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Stayin' Alive
Well, it wasn't pretty, but at least the American squad put in an old-fashioned, blue-collar, workman-like effort against the Italians today. I also appreciate the fact that the Americans had the fortitude to withstand horrible officiating and more dives by the Italian soccer team than Jacques Cousteau on a sunken treasure hunt! Frankly, the Italian flops were an embarrassment.
The referee should be embarrassed, too. I can almost understand the red card on Pope, since he's been sloppy all tournament, and had several late challenges in his 45 minutes of action. However, the red card on Maestroni was a joke. Yes, he came in from the side, and a little late, but he deserved no worse than a yellow. If the refs called that foul a red card in every game of this tournament, most squads couldn't field a large enough team to finish their respective games!
Aside from Pope's gaffes, the defense was more than adequate today. Onyewu got over his nerves and played consistently, while Bocanegra provided exactly what I thought he would; solidifying defense on the left side, plus better performance than Lewis on set pieces, save his near own-goal. Boca is bigger, faster, and better in the air. His position in the first eleven came one game too late, in my opinion. It was also nice to see Keller make a couple of world-class saves to preserve the draw.
Before the ref decided to take away 20 percent of our squad, the midfield was more than holding its own against the Azzuri (that means "diver" in Italian, by the way). Convey and Dempsey were creative in attack, Donovan made his presence felt at least occasionally, and until his untimely exit in the 47th minute, Maestroni was a rock at defensive midfielder. I wish the U.S. squad was this aggressive against the Czechs; we might have had a different result. Beasley made an early appearance, and was inconsistent at best. He should've used his speed and his fresh legs to threaten the Italians in the counter-attack; but instead, he loafed around as if he were as tired as the other players who hustled their tails off for the full ninety. Please, sit this guy down. He didn't do much when he did bother to get to the ball, anyway.
McBride was more active in the play, with several quality flick-ons, and better ball handling than in the first match. However, he didn't finish very well. I still think he's our best option up front, and I hope he'll find his stroke in time to give us at least a chance to advance. Plus, I just love his warrior mentality. That absolutely cheap shot from De Rossi was as low-class as I've seen in a tournament of this caliber. McBride calmly wiped off the blood, patched up the cut, changed jerseys, and was back into the mix. I'm going off on a tangent here, but De Rossi's cheap shot, the dives, and the betting scandal in Italian soccer really are shameful. No matter what happens to the U.S. and Italy from this point on, I'd rather be a fan of the U.S. squad, than to play like the Italians to get successful results. Back on point - I have to question why Arena didn't substitute Johnson for McBride around the 75th minute or so, where Johnson's speed could've definitely made a difference in the counter attack.
It will take a minor miracle, but the U.S. can still advance with a win against Ghana and an Italian victory over the Czechs. The irony of it all is that I actually have to root for the Italians now. Soccer is a funny game.
The referee should be embarrassed, too. I can almost understand the red card on Pope, since he's been sloppy all tournament, and had several late challenges in his 45 minutes of action. However, the red card on Maestroni was a joke. Yes, he came in from the side, and a little late, but he deserved no worse than a yellow. If the refs called that foul a red card in every game of this tournament, most squads couldn't field a large enough team to finish their respective games!
Aside from Pope's gaffes, the defense was more than adequate today. Onyewu got over his nerves and played consistently, while Bocanegra provided exactly what I thought he would; solidifying defense on the left side, plus better performance than Lewis on set pieces, save his near own-goal. Boca is bigger, faster, and better in the air. His position in the first eleven came one game too late, in my opinion. It was also nice to see Keller make a couple of world-class saves to preserve the draw.
Before the ref decided to take away 20 percent of our squad, the midfield was more than holding its own against the Azzuri (that means "diver" in Italian, by the way). Convey and Dempsey were creative in attack, Donovan made his presence felt at least occasionally, and until his untimely exit in the 47th minute, Maestroni was a rock at defensive midfielder. I wish the U.S. squad was this aggressive against the Czechs; we might have had a different result. Beasley made an early appearance, and was inconsistent at best. He should've used his speed and his fresh legs to threaten the Italians in the counter-attack; but instead, he loafed around as if he were as tired as the other players who hustled their tails off for the full ninety. Please, sit this guy down. He didn't do much when he did bother to get to the ball, anyway.
McBride was more active in the play, with several quality flick-ons, and better ball handling than in the first match. However, he didn't finish very well. I still think he's our best option up front, and I hope he'll find his stroke in time to give us at least a chance to advance. Plus, I just love his warrior mentality. That absolutely cheap shot from De Rossi was as low-class as I've seen in a tournament of this caliber. McBride calmly wiped off the blood, patched up the cut, changed jerseys, and was back into the mix. I'm going off on a tangent here, but De Rossi's cheap shot, the dives, and the betting scandal in Italian soccer really are shameful. No matter what happens to the U.S. and Italy from this point on, I'd rather be a fan of the U.S. squad, than to play like the Italians to get successful results. Back on point - I have to question why Arena didn't substitute Johnson for McBride around the 75th minute or so, where Johnson's speed could've definitely made a difference in the counter attack.
It will take a minor miracle, but the U.S. can still advance with a win against Ghana and an Italian victory over the Czechs. The irony of it all is that I actually have to root for the Italians now. Soccer is a funny game.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Ugh
I waited four years for this? I hope I haven't been kidding myself in regard to the state of U.S. soccer. Since their surprising World Cup performance in 2002, I hoped that U.S. soccer had turned the corner, and had become a legitimate world soccer power. Maybe that's just wishful thinking. We looked more like Trinidad and Tobago (minus the great goalkeeping) or Costa Rica than Italy or Germany. Our skill level and effort was pathetic. No doubt the Czechs are good, but honestly, we looked like the worst team in the entire competition thus far.
Can we please turn off the Landon Donovan hype machine? He hasn't scored in 16 international matches, and he was virtually non-existent in today's match. Yes, he has talent and potential, but his poor stay for his German club, and his hit-and-miss performances in both the MLS and recent international play, indicate he's not an elite player. And, don't even mention Demarcus Beasley. He's fast. That's about it. The Czech's best defense today was letting the ball go to Beasley, so he could either duff it or turn it over. If these two are the future of American soccer, we're hurting. Nedved showed these two how world class midfield is played in the match today.
Speaking of defense, where was ours? On the first goal, Lewis is no where to be found, and Onyewu was out of position, giving Koller an easy header from about 5 yards away in the fifth minute of the match. On the second goal, Onyewu headed it out in a clearance to the MIDDLE of the field, where Rosicky smacked a wicked shot from 35 yards out. Granted, it was a wicked smash, but I think Keller should've got to it. Lastly, Onyewu failed to tackle Rosicky on his run to score the last Czech tally. At least Pope was decent. Keller really had no chance today, but Hislop (T&T's goalie) didn't either on Saturday, and he stopped several world-class shots. Please, please, somebody tell me why Bocanegra isn't in there?
As mentioned previously, the midfield play was horrific. I've already covered Donovan and Beasley. (To be fair, Donovan did play forward in the first half, but he really didn't contribute at either position.) Reyna was decent, and at least Convey made the effort to attack creatively. Maestroni was a non-factor. No one could get any service to the forwards. We were absolutely abused in the middle third of the field by the Czechs. O'brien was decent in the second half. Hopefully, he'll start in Beasley's place against Italy. Without marked improvement, the Italy match will be very similar to this one.
McBride - my guy - really had no chance to be a factor today, since very few quality balls were sent into him. However, even when he did get a chance to touch the ball, he was uncharacteristically sloppy and inconsistent. Eddie Johnson, who came on in the second half, was the most dangerous U.S. player, getting off the U.S.'s only quality shots, save Reyna's blast off the woodwork in the 28th minute. I really think Johnson will start against Italy, as he was one of the few that came to play.
I know that no one important in U.S. soccer cares what I think, but here's who I'd start Saturday:
GK - Keller
Def - Bocanegra, Pope, Conrad, Albright
Mid - O'Brien, Convey, Reyna, Donovan
F - McBride, Johnson
I'd also have Dempsey ready to come in if the midfield falters again. Wolff is also a player who can help create opportunities, so I'd have him available as well.
Maybe I just don't have the stomach for the World Cup, and I'm overreacting a bit. The U.S. is not out of it. They're into the second round if they win the next two matches, which is a tall order for sure. Italy will be every bit the challenge that the Czech Republic was, and Ghana is certainly capable of beating the U.S., especially if they play like they did today.
Since the World Cup comes only every four years, I'll still remain optimistic. The U.S. can't possibly play any worse than they did today. Maybe there's a chance they'll regroup, and at least make it interesting. Otherwise, I'll root for some of my other favorite teams - England, France, Portugal, and Trinidad and Tobago. (Wasn't Hislop amazing? Any fan of the sport had to appreciate their plucky effort against Sweden. If only the U.S. played with that much heart...)
Can we please turn off the Landon Donovan hype machine? He hasn't scored in 16 international matches, and he was virtually non-existent in today's match. Yes, he has talent and potential, but his poor stay for his German club, and his hit-and-miss performances in both the MLS and recent international play, indicate he's not an elite player. And, don't even mention Demarcus Beasley. He's fast. That's about it. The Czech's best defense today was letting the ball go to Beasley, so he could either duff it or turn it over. If these two are the future of American soccer, we're hurting. Nedved showed these two how world class midfield is played in the match today.
Speaking of defense, where was ours? On the first goal, Lewis is no where to be found, and Onyewu was out of position, giving Koller an easy header from about 5 yards away in the fifth minute of the match. On the second goal, Onyewu headed it out in a clearance to the MIDDLE of the field, where Rosicky smacked a wicked shot from 35 yards out. Granted, it was a wicked smash, but I think Keller should've got to it. Lastly, Onyewu failed to tackle Rosicky on his run to score the last Czech tally. At least Pope was decent. Keller really had no chance today, but Hislop (T&T's goalie) didn't either on Saturday, and he stopped several world-class shots. Please, please, somebody tell me why Bocanegra isn't in there?
As mentioned previously, the midfield play was horrific. I've already covered Donovan and Beasley. (To be fair, Donovan did play forward in the first half, but he really didn't contribute at either position.) Reyna was decent, and at least Convey made the effort to attack creatively. Maestroni was a non-factor. No one could get any service to the forwards. We were absolutely abused in the middle third of the field by the Czechs. O'brien was decent in the second half. Hopefully, he'll start in Beasley's place against Italy. Without marked improvement, the Italy match will be very similar to this one.
McBride - my guy - really had no chance to be a factor today, since very few quality balls were sent into him. However, even when he did get a chance to touch the ball, he was uncharacteristically sloppy and inconsistent. Eddie Johnson, who came on in the second half, was the most dangerous U.S. player, getting off the U.S.'s only quality shots, save Reyna's blast off the woodwork in the 28th minute. I really think Johnson will start against Italy, as he was one of the few that came to play.
I know that no one important in U.S. soccer cares what I think, but here's who I'd start Saturday:
GK - Keller
Def - Bocanegra, Pope, Conrad, Albright
Mid - O'Brien, Convey, Reyna, Donovan
F - McBride, Johnson
I'd also have Dempsey ready to come in if the midfield falters again. Wolff is also a player who can help create opportunities, so I'd have him available as well.
Maybe I just don't have the stomach for the World Cup, and I'm overreacting a bit. The U.S. is not out of it. They're into the second round if they win the next two matches, which is a tall order for sure. Italy will be every bit the challenge that the Czech Republic was, and Ghana is certainly capable of beating the U.S., especially if they play like they did today.
Since the World Cup comes only every four years, I'll still remain optimistic. The U.S. can't possibly play any worse than they did today. Maybe there's a chance they'll regroup, and at least make it interesting. Otherwise, I'll root for some of my other favorite teams - England, France, Portugal, and Trinidad and Tobago. (Wasn't Hislop amazing? Any fan of the sport had to appreciate their plucky effort against Sweden. If only the U.S. played with that much heart...)
Friday, June 02, 2006
Going on Holiday
Just a quick note... I'm leaving for vacation tomorrow. I'll be back at it in a couple of weeks. As a matter of fact, I'm just about ready to register my domain name and launch the website! I'm also working on adding a secret "European Correspondent" to the mix. :-)
I'll be watching the World Cup intently while on vacation. Hopefully, my correspondent friend and I will have some good coverage to kick off the new site!
Kevin
I'll be watching the World Cup intently while on vacation. Hopefully, my correspondent friend and I will have some good coverage to kick off the new site!
Kevin
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