USMNT --- World Cup 2010 South Africa - USA Eliminated

[OUReds]

Originally Posted by MWM

Good result.

I've gotta say that I'll be glad to see the Landon Donovan era come to an end. The guy has so much talent and I was sure he was going to be a force. But he disappears in pretty much every big game. He plays scared... no intensity at all.

That's why I think Altidore is going to be special. He's got the talent and the drive. Gonna be fun watching him the next decade.

Let's wait more then one game against one of the elite teams of Europe before we write off the best American player ever.

[Joseph]

So as an uninitiated, unwashed member of the masses....how does this work? Top one from each group goes on, or top two....?

[OUReds]

Originally Posted by Joseph

So as an uninitiated, unwashed member of the masses....how does this work? Top one from each group goes on, or top two....?

Top two from each group go on to a knockout stage (single elimination).

[Betterread]

Satisfactory result. I applaud Manager Bradley for taking a positive attacking approach to this match. With all our holes in defense, he could have played it safe and defensive and I would have understood why.
We really need 3 points in the next match.
Cherundulo was the defensive man of the match but Demerit showed a lot of ability, strength and endurance. He minimized Rooney's impact. Now if he just played with more tactical nous...along with the rest of the central defense.
Dononvan really impressed me. He failed to come up with scoring chances for himself but he played two beautiful balls in to Gooch and Altidore - each of whom squandered them. Also, Gerrard and Lampard were busy running around after Donovan so he helped to keep them distracted.
Maybe the best part is that we made England look nervous and tense and they don't respond well historically to those things. Capello really pullled the string on Milner and King quickly, perhaps ruining their confidence. Rather surprising.

[reds1869]

Good start for the US. We needed a point and we got it. Now on to six more in the final two matches.

[Yachtzee]

Originally Posted by MWM

Good result.

I've gotta say that I'll be glad to see the Landon Donovan era come to an end. The guy has so much talent and I was sure he was going to be a force. But he disappears in pretty much every big game. He plays scared... no intensity at all.

That's why I think Altidore is going to be special. He's got the talent and the drive. Gonna be fun watching him the next decade.

I thought Landon played well. He was involved in play up and down the field the whole game. I wasn't a fan of Finley or Clark, and marking on the back line was bad.

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by MWM

One of these years, they'll wake up and stop being so damned proud, and go out and hire a legitimate international coach

Without taking a position on Bradley's coaching ability, I'll say this -- in my opinion, the U.S. national team gets better results relative to its talent base than most other countries do. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't think of another country that is a threat to not only make the World Cup but advance out of groups without having a single player who's a standout in a top-flight league. Tim Howard would be the closest we have to a star, I guess.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by Yachtzee

I thought Landon played well. He was involved in play up and down the field the whole game. I wasn't a fan of Finley or Clark, and marking on the back line was bad.

Landon played very well, just like he usually does.

Tim Howard and Steve Cherundolo --- Co-Men of the Match.

The defense really found their shape in the 2nd half.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by IslandRed

Without taking a position on Bradley's coaching ability, I'll say this -- in my opinion, the U.S. national team gets better results relative to its talent base than most other countries do. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't think of another country that is a threat to not only make the World Cup but advance out of groups without having a single player who's a standout in a top-flight league. Tim Howard would be the closest we have to a star, I guess.

I've been a harsh critic of BB over the past couple years, but he has the boys playing unified and well above their overall talent level.

[Sea Ray]

So the hyped matchup of the USA vs the Mother country ends...in a 1-1 tie.

This is the reason I can't get excited about soccer. What's the use of going through all the hype and energy of a sporting event unless you end up with a winner and a loser? Why get all wound up if at the end of the day all you'll find is that you're equally matched? I won't even get into the "excitement" of watching an entire match and see one point scored for each team.

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

So the hyped matchup of the USA vs the Mother country ends...in a 1-1 tie.

This is the reason I can't get excited about soccer. What's the use of going through all the hype and energy of a sporting event unless you end up with a winner and a loser? Why get all wound up if at the end of the day all you'll find is that you're equally matched? I won't even get into the "excitement" of watching an entire match and see one point scored for each team.

I'm a yank born and bred but have never understood the American aversion to ties. To honest, a draw against a superior side like England feels like a win to me anyway.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by reds1869

I'm a yank born and bred but have never understood the American aversion to ties. To honest, a draw against a superior side like England feels like a win to me anyway.

It absolutely feels like a victory. Cloud 9.

[Sea Ray]

Originally Posted by reds1869

I'm a yank born and bred but have never understood the American aversion to ties. To honest, a draw against a superior side like England feels like a win to me anyway.

Americans are very competitive and we're generally not into moral victories. We enjoy watching competition and if it didn't determine a winner then what was the point of competing? As an American I'd feel embarrassed to look any Englishman in the face and say that tie felt like a win. That means I've got lower expectations of my team than he has of his

[WMR]

For that imaginary Englishman, today's draw feels like a loss, I guarantee you.

England SHOULD have higher expectations for their team than America. Every single one of their starters is an all-star caliber player in the EPL. (Well, besides their GK, perhaps. )

A draw in group play where you win a point versus the best team in the group is NOT a moral victory.

[Betterread]

Originally Posted by Sea Ray

Americans are very competitive and we're generally not into moral victories. We enjoy watching competition and if it didn't determine a winner then what was the point of competing? As an American I'd feel embarrassed to look any Englishman in the face and say that tie felt like a win. That means I've got lower expectations of my team than he has of his

You are welcome to your perspective but it is an ignorant one. Many sports have ties - hockey, football, boxing, car racing, track and field, etc. Many Americans participate in those sports and are very used to ties. I guess you never noticed ties occurring so you formed an opinion out of that blindness. Just don't say you are speaking for "americans" because you don't speak for all the americans that encourage each other after ties in the sport they participate in.