This guy says USA Soccer has a chance at redemption if they beat Ghana and get some help from the Italians. I disagree… I believe that redemption has already been achieved with the 1-1 tie over Italy.
If it was the case that the United States was the best, or even 2nd best, team in our group, and that we should advance… then sure, we’d need to get out of the group to be redeemed. But anyone who follows soccer at all knows that in a group of Italy, the Czech Republic, Ghana, and the United States… the United States is ranked at least third on that list, and the battle between third and fourth is pretty damn close. And there they are, with one game left, and a legitimate chance to advance.
Of course, this column comes from the same guy who previously said we had no chance whatsoever after the Czech game. I’m pretty sure that before this month, this guy hadn’t seen a soccer game in about, oh, I dunno… four years?
Before this thing started, I had put our chances at advancing out of the group at somewhere between 30 and 40%… probably not, but not impossible. That’s just where we are in the world right now… clearly behind teams like Italy and the Czech Republic. And that’s what we’re looking at as our chances for advancement on Thursday… probably not, but not impossible.
The big thing for me is that we at least came out and played against Italy the way we’re capable of playing. We took it to them… and without Jorge Larrionda (who enjoys cheating and watching zebras fuck) treating us like a team of Jerry Stackhouses, I think we would’ve beaten Italy. I don’t think it’s a stretch at all to say that. The game proved that what happened against the Czechs was an aberration… that was the most important thing. Of course, I want us to advance… that’s the goal. But if we don’t, I don’t think it’s some embarrassing mark on the USA Soccer program, though it will almost certainly be treated as such by the mainstream media.
Cubandirk
Boo hoo.
Quit whining about a couple bad calls. A good team can overcome bad calls, remember?
June 19, 2006 at 10:44 am
Sean
I’m still not convinced Americans understand the game of soccer/football. Maybe I’m just unknowledgable about the game myself, but everytime on offense the US forwards ran around the radius of the ball like 7 yr old kids playing basketball for the first time–aren’t they supposed to spread the damn floor?
And on defense, there were way too many fouls. Obviously we didn’t deserve two red cards, but if you foul that much you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage in terms of refereeing. The point of the game is not to knock someone over every time they have the ball and you don’t.
June 19, 2006 at 11:05 am
nirwin
We did the fouling on purpose to try to slow the game down. And we did get good ball movement and so forth when we had our full compliment of players. When you have nine players, it’s much more difficult to get a decent attack going.
June 19, 2006 at 11:31 am
cheo
all valid points and comments but neither you nor the mainstream media is pointing out the fact that the “goal” the US scored was an own goal. If i hadnt seen the game myself i would never know it. The US shouldve lost that game…plain and simple.
June 19, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Fan's Attic
The author of the article MJD linked to is a complete idiot. If you read the article you will quickly discover that he doesn’t know the length of soccer games. He also doesn’t know that Italy is a three time World Cup champion despite the–I don’t know–three hundred times we were force-fed this fact during pre- and post-game shows and during the game. So, I wouldn’t put much stock in whatever this guy says. In fact, I don’t put much faith in anybody’s opinion that looks like they should be on Dateline’s “To Catch a Predator.”
June 19, 2006 at 12:57 pm
cheo
Who doesn’t like watching Zebra’s fuck? If that is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
June 19, 2006 at 1:53 pm
mazdak
I don’t understand what Americans are complaining about both red cards were deserved. Two footed tackles with your studs up are automatic red cards, it does not matter if he got the ball. Mistiming such tackles leads to players having their legs broken (just ask arsenal’s Abou Diaby, and Liverpool’s’ Dietmar Hamman; both these occurred in the last year). It is similar to punching the ball in basketball with a closed fist, even if you get all ball it is still a violation. The second red card which, as due to a second yellow was due to persistent fouling by Pope, a lot of non yellow card offence lead to a yellow card, again comparing to basketball it is similar to getting six fouls and you are out of the game, as opposed to two technical, or a flagrant two foul. Also pointing out that the referee was sanctioned for ‘irregularities’ means nothing, as Pierlugi Collina considered the best ref in the world before he retied last year was suspended by the Italian FA on two separate occasions for ‘irregularities’ and ‘inconsistency’, this is a common in football to suspended referees for minimal offences. Also, the goal by Beasley was offside, as McBride was standing right in front of the goal, thus interfering with play. I do not see, other then blind nationalism how someone could logically argue with these calls. This coming from someone who hates Italian football with a passion.
June 19, 2006 at 2:05 pm
UC
Zebras are quite sexy when they fuck. Just sayin’.
June 19, 2006 at 9:42 pm
Edward
Believe me, I don’t like Italian football, but it was the Italians getting screwed on calls. The worst call against the US was a ponderous offside call…the Italians lost about three decent penalty shouts.
You can play a physically tough style if you want, but you’ll get penalised for it. Refs have been given strict orders that studs-up tackles into the legs are a straight red…no arguments or exceptions allowed. And Pope, who was on one yellow already, should have known better than to keep committing those little bitchy fouls. Pope was an idiot for getting sent off, mainly because with 8 outfield players left, the US couldn’t hold shape in the midfield. Not only does that pretty much mean they had almost no chance to score, but it meant all 8 remaining outfield players running up and down the whole length of the field on every possession, and completely knackering themselves doing so. McBride, Donovan, Reyna all looked like they were about to collapse at the end of the match. Think they’ll be rested enough to play Ghana, an even stronger and more physical team than the US, after running about twice as much as they would in a normal match?
So pull yourselves together and stop whinging about the ref. It makes you all sound so very, very French.
June 20, 2006 at 1:49 am