I'm not ready to say we're moving backwards as the World Cup approaches just yet. I can't discount the injuries to Brian Ching and Steve Cherundolo, as I think those are guys that will probably start at least a game next summer. The other injuries are also big.

 

DeMarcus Beasley, however, is an empty shirt out there this year.

I'm not ready to say we're moving backwards as the World Cup approaches just yet. I can't discount the injuries to Brian Ching and Steve Cherundolo, as I think those are guys that will probably start at least a game next summer. The other injuries are also big.

 

DeMarcus Beasley, however, is an empty shirt out there this year.

 

Ching has no business starting or being on the team sheet in South Africa. I agree with you about Cheri though. The US really need Bocanegra at the back to keep things sorted. It is sorta like the Godfather 2 and Joey Zaza, Onyewu is just muscle, he could never give the orders. Bocanegra is the leader and organizer at the back.

I'm not ready to say we're moving backwards as the World Cup approaches just yet. I can't discount the injuries to Brian Ching and Steve Cherundolo, as I think those are guys that will probably start at least a game next summer. The other injuries are also big.

 

DeMarcus Beasley, however, is an empty shirt out there this year.

 

Beasley is doing nothing except making mistakes, IMO.

This is another pathetic display of soccer by the U.S.

 

3-0 Brazil and the Americans haven't even really threatened.

This is another pathetic display of soccer by the U.S.

 

3-0 Brazil and the Americans haven't even really threatened.

 

When you continuously use one striker, you are setting yourself up for trouble unless you bring up one of your center mids to help transition the lines. Altidore is incredibly talented, but incredibly inexperienced on this level. Hopefully he'll get a lot of seasoning in La Liga next year. I am new as a major follower of US soccer, why do Torres and Freddy Adu hardly see the field? Do their defensive deficiencies outweigh their ability to create w/ the ball?

In defense of America, it is not that we play so bad as much as we simply do not match up athletically with the better teams of the world.

In defense of America, it is not that we play so bad as much as we simply do not match up athletically with the better teams of the world.

 

This is exactly what I was talking about with my roomate during the game. What we just watched was an example of a country where every kid growing up plays soccer versus a country where most of our best athletes will never touch a soccer ball. So be it.

I just can't get into to Landon Donovan as our go-to guy anymore, either. He is a nice little player, but the only time he scores is on penalty kicks. He just isn't a talented goal scorer like the good teams have. I would prefer to have some others like Adu or even Kenny Cooper on the national team and playing.

Beasley needs to not see the field against Egypt. They need to play their younger players to give them experience. What do they have to lose?

Well, miraculously, if Egypt can hold this lead against Italy, the U.S. will hypothetically still have a chance to make the semifinals.

Egypt won. Wow.

I'm assuming that the tiebreaker is going to be goal differential. The first part of a scenario where the US advances involves them beating Egypt by at least three goals. Currently the US is -5 (!) and Egypt is even. So a 3 goal win would make Egypt -3 and the US -2. The second part is that Italy has to lose to Brazil. It would be clean if they lost by 4 goals (yeah, that'll happen). They're currently +1. The first tiebreaker is goal differential. The second is goals against, being whoever gives up least. Italy has given up 2 goals, the US has given up 6. So a 3-0 loss for Italy and a 3-0 win for the US isn't going to get it done, because both will be -2 on goal differential but Italy will have given up one less goal. The US either needs to win by more against Egypt, have Italy lose by more, or have Italy give up 5 more goals than the US does.

 

In other words, the US is not advancing, but they've got a mathematical chance.

I'm assuming that the tiebreaker is going to be goal differential. The first part of a scenario where the US advances involves them beating Egypt by at least three goals. Currently the US is -5 (!) and Egypt is even. So a 3 goal win would make Egypt -3 and the US -2. The second part is that Italy has to lose to Brazil. It would be clean if they lost by 4 goals (yeah, that'll happen). They're currently +1. The first tiebreaker is goal differential. The second is goals against, being whoever gives up least. Italy has given up 2 goals, the US has given up 6. So a 3-0 loss for Italy and a 3-0 win for the US isn't going to get it done, because both will be -2 on goal differential but Italy will have given up one less goal. The US either needs to win by more against Egypt, have Italy lose by more, or have Italy give up 5 more goals than the US does.

 

In other words, the US is not advancing, but they've got a mathematical chance.

 

Lloyd: The least you could do is level with me. What are my chances?

Mary: Not good.

Lloyd: You mean like one out of a hundred?

Mary: More like one out of a million.

Lloyd: So you're tellin' me there's a chance?

Does anyone else dislike the constant back ground noise from the African Fans? It sounds like bees buzzing from the start of the game until the end and to me at least it is extremely annoying.

 

BTW I have been to Word Cup matches both for the Women and Men, and I love the chanting/singing/cheering, but this is just plain annoying.

Does anyone else dislike the constant back ground noise from the African Fans? It sounds like bees buzzing from the start of the game until the end and to me at least it is extremely annoying.

 

BTW I have been to Word Cup matches both for the Women and Men, and I love the chanting/singing/cheering, but this is just plain annoying.

Yes, I hate it as well, and unfortunately, you should get used to it, since the World Cup is right back there next year.