World Cup Matches of the Day; [R] 6/22/06

[clarette]

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

Are you new to following USMNT?

Um, no, but thanks for being condescending.

[SoccerPrime]

Originally Posted by clarette

Um, no, but thanks for being condescending.

My apologies, I wasn't trying to be. I guess my post was a vomitted mixture of today's bitterness with cool shot of shock.
Please forgive me.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by SoccerPrime

My apologies, I wasn't trying to be. I guess my post was a vomitted mixture of today's bitterness with cool shot of shock.
Please forgive me.

I think all of us unhealthily addicted soccer fanatics that love the USMNT are feeling like you. You can see my bitterness in the following statement:

I HATE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER.

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by Burninator

I think all of us unhealthily addicted soccer fanatics that love the USMNT are feeling like you. You can see my bitterness in the following statement:

I HATE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER.

I hate that Ghanaian players were allowed to kill the clock while rolling on the ground grabbing at an ankle when they were touched on the arm...

It was as bad as Rivaldo in 02 when a player kicked a ball at him... it hit him in the shin and he grabbed his face and fell on the ground drawing a red card for the player that kicked the ball...



Yellow cards should have been given out to the Ghanaian players that were killing the clock...

If we saw it on TV then the 4th and 5th officials should have seen it too.. and what were the purpose of the radio communications between those idiots if they were still making horrible calls like they were... were the radios not supposed to prevent all that nonsense?

[Jose Luis Luviano]

You get the feeling that Arena burned out some time during the Czech Republic game.

Then, after the Italy game; when he realized that he might not be fired; he went with a 4-5-1 against Ghana as a plea for help.

[AreliusIV]

According to Grant Wahl, this is what was a stake in today's match:

A place in the second round (obviously).
The sanity of US fans.
Landon Donovan’s reputation.
The U.S.’s status as an emerging player on the world soccer stage.
The future of the Bruce Arena era in U.S. soccer.

Look's like we struck out on every one...

[AreliusIV]

Originally Posted by AreliusIV

My predictions:
Ghana 0 : 1 USA
Czech Rep. 1 : 2 Italy
Croatia 1 : 0 Australia
Japan 0 : 3 Brazil

Final Results:
Ghana 2 : 1 USA
Czech Rep. 0 : 2 Italy
Croatia 2 : 2 Australia
Japan 1 : 4 Brazil

[AreliusIV]

Fall after the call

Three plays involving Donovan told the story on Thursday:

Play One: The first came in the 35th minute, with the U.S. down 1-0, when Brian McBride headed one of the Americans' countless longballs onto Donovan's foot as he raced toward the goal. Donovan mistimed his steps, however, and skied his shot harmlessly over the crossbar.

Play Two: After Bobby Convey had earned a free kick for the U.S. just outside the box in the 81st minute, Donovan stood over the ball with the chance to equalize the 2-1 game. But instead of bending his free kick directly into the goal -- when was the last time a U.S. player did that? -- or serving a ball onto the head of a teammate in the box, Donovan hit a moonball over everything and out of bounds.

Play Three: As things got desperate in the 90th minute, Donovan made a nice run to get free on the right side of the Ghanaian box, but instead of shooting or continuing his run he laid the ball off to ... defensive midfielder Ben Olsen, who could do nothing with it.

[fuegote]

Again, by the time Donovan passed it to Olsen, it was too late. Olsen already had a defender at his heals.

[Aero]

Originally Posted by fuegote

Again, by the time Donovan passed it to Olsen, it was too late. Olsen already had a defender at his heals.

I don't think that anyone is blaming Olsen. I think that they are criticizing Donovan for making the poor decision to not attack the goal but to make a pass to a covered player in a position to do nothing instead.