juventusita
Senior Squad
Thoughts on the World Cup and future of the United States National Team:
- In 2002, Bruce Arena was pretty much spot on with his tactics and did a great job with the US up until this World Cup. I respect and thank Arena alot for all he did, but he now needs to resign. He was probably going to move on after this World Cup anyways, but now should be forced out. Tactically, he was very conservative, even in a must-win situation. Just overall a very poor job of managing the games and the team. I can't really fault the coaching in the first game because the players didn't show up, other than reluctant to play less-established players that eventually showed they were deserving of more playing time (Dempsey, Eddie Johnson). The scoreline was a little harsh.
- Against Italy, we came out very well and Italy's goal was a little against the run of play, but inevitable because of the number of free kicks we were giving away around the box. I felt the own goal was deserved, even if he just whiffed it, McBride would have scored anyway. De Rossi should be suspended for at least 3 games, obviously intentional elbow - anyone who can't see that must be from Mexico or a huge Rafa Marquez fan (Hand of an Idiot, anyone?) a la Cobi Jones 2002. Mastroeni's sending off was criminal, obviously a yellow card. I was reading people were saying it was deserved? Right, I can take that seriously. Clearly a make-up call by referee seemingly just out of his first referee class. I've always loved Mastroeni when he plays in the national side and he was the best player on the field until his sending off. Even after that, we were still pressing and getting the better of the chances I felt. Pope's second yellow, again undeserved, but a little more consistant with the refereeing over the entire World Cup (no verbal warnings, any tackle, good or bad, is 50/50 yellow or red). Pope had a pretty poor World Cup, shouldn't have played after the Czech game. After he was off, Arena told everyone to bunker down, refusing to make his last substitution when it was a no-brainer to bring on Eddie Johnson or at least O'Brien to relieve Reyna, who was walking around the whole time. We allowed Italy to put us under constant pressure because our only outlet was an exhausted and overly-defensive McBride. Hello? Lots of space + a tired Italian defense = WHERE THE HELL IS EDDIE JOHNSON? The best counter attacking option was to play Johnson in long and let his speed work. Beasley should have been doing the same, but he played like a little girl, probably still sulking after playing the right wing rather than left wing against the Czechs. Moving from one wing to the other, as a professional, is not really "playing out of position" like Beasley was crying about. Even a man down, if we kept pressing, I think we would have prevented the Italians from their shooting gallery and possibly getting a late winner. Instead, Arena played way too conservatively, acting as if a tie against Italy was an automatic ticket to the next round.
- Speaking of Italy, everyone was saying how the scandal in Serie A was going to disrupt the players. Apparently they were unaware Italy were going to pull a South Korea 2002 World Cup and match fix all their games. Ironically, Ghana were denied a clear penalty against Italy when down 1-0, then denied another clear penalty late (surprise, surprise, the cheat De Rossi got away with bodyslamming someone in the box). Then Italy benefitted from the red card farce against the US.
- A little unfortunate to give up the first goal against Ghana, with Reyna's knee buckling, but the World Cup wouldn't have been complete without him getting injured. I just don't think he should have been playing, he never made much impact on the first two games and Ghana's speed was always going to trouble him even further. Finally, a good goal by the US. Dempsey is going to be a star. Ridiculous penalty called by the referee, but why not? Nobody wants the US to win in the World Cup. Should have been cautioned for the dive, Onyewu is standing there with his hands in the air and Pimpong, a mountain of a man, goes down like he got shot. Demoralized the US and allowed Ghana to sit back. I hope Brazil pounds Ghana after all the play-acting and faking injuries towards the end of the game. The refereeing in the World Cup has been so horrendous that it's allowing diving to fully become the norm. The referees are seemingly calling fouls on every dive and cautioning every player for a dive that gets fouled. It's the referees fault that everyone dives now, because if they cautioned dives then players would be much more reluctant to risk getting booked, especially at the World Cup where yellows can be a killer.
- Players that must retire now: Keller, Pope, Hejduk, Reyna, McBride, Eddie Lewis (love you, but you're old) ...
- Donovan needs to man up and improve his game, something that won't happen while playing for the laughable LA Galaxy. When is someone going to realize Donovan can't hit free kicks or corners at all? Beasley needs to stop being so timid. Convey and Dempsey have bright futures. Eddie Johnson needs more chances. Stop calling up Josh Wolff, the guy tries hard, but cannot finish. Jimmy Conrad was solid, really like him as a player. The new coach must be foreign, there's no American coach that can take the team forward at the moment. Call up some new players, give them a chance (like Ricardo Clark).
I would like to see us play a team something like:
Forwards: Donovan, Johnson
Midfielders: Convey, Mastroeni, O'Brien (if he can play a full season for Chivas), Dempsey, Beasley
Defenders: Gibbs, Bocanegra, Onyewu
Goalkeeper: Howard
Enough of this ridiculous 4-5-1. Going a goal down while playing a 4-5-1 just screws your gameplan completely. We need to play a 4-4-2 or preferably 3-5-2.
Please comment on my opinions, especially you Americans who have an idea of who should be playing for the national team as we press on to South Africa.
- In 2002, Bruce Arena was pretty much spot on with his tactics and did a great job with the US up until this World Cup. I respect and thank Arena alot for all he did, but he now needs to resign. He was probably going to move on after this World Cup anyways, but now should be forced out. Tactically, he was very conservative, even in a must-win situation. Just overall a very poor job of managing the games and the team. I can't really fault the coaching in the first game because the players didn't show up, other than reluctant to play less-established players that eventually showed they were deserving of more playing time (Dempsey, Eddie Johnson). The scoreline was a little harsh.
- Against Italy, we came out very well and Italy's goal was a little against the run of play, but inevitable because of the number of free kicks we were giving away around the box. I felt the own goal was deserved, even if he just whiffed it, McBride would have scored anyway. De Rossi should be suspended for at least 3 games, obviously intentional elbow - anyone who can't see that must be from Mexico or a huge Rafa Marquez fan (Hand of an Idiot, anyone?) a la Cobi Jones 2002. Mastroeni's sending off was criminal, obviously a yellow card. I was reading people were saying it was deserved? Right, I can take that seriously. Clearly a make-up call by referee seemingly just out of his first referee class. I've always loved Mastroeni when he plays in the national side and he was the best player on the field until his sending off. Even after that, we were still pressing and getting the better of the chances I felt. Pope's second yellow, again undeserved, but a little more consistant with the refereeing over the entire World Cup (no verbal warnings, any tackle, good or bad, is 50/50 yellow or red). Pope had a pretty poor World Cup, shouldn't have played after the Czech game. After he was off, Arena told everyone to bunker down, refusing to make his last substitution when it was a no-brainer to bring on Eddie Johnson or at least O'Brien to relieve Reyna, who was walking around the whole time. We allowed Italy to put us under constant pressure because our only outlet was an exhausted and overly-defensive McBride. Hello? Lots of space + a tired Italian defense = WHERE THE HELL IS EDDIE JOHNSON? The best counter attacking option was to play Johnson in long and let his speed work. Beasley should have been doing the same, but he played like a little girl, probably still sulking after playing the right wing rather than left wing against the Czechs. Moving from one wing to the other, as a professional, is not really "playing out of position" like Beasley was crying about. Even a man down, if we kept pressing, I think we would have prevented the Italians from their shooting gallery and possibly getting a late winner. Instead, Arena played way too conservatively, acting as if a tie against Italy was an automatic ticket to the next round.
- Speaking of Italy, everyone was saying how the scandal in Serie A was going to disrupt the players. Apparently they were unaware Italy were going to pull a South Korea 2002 World Cup and match fix all their games. Ironically, Ghana were denied a clear penalty against Italy when down 1-0, then denied another clear penalty late (surprise, surprise, the cheat De Rossi got away with bodyslamming someone in the box). Then Italy benefitted from the red card farce against the US.
- A little unfortunate to give up the first goal against Ghana, with Reyna's knee buckling, but the World Cup wouldn't have been complete without him getting injured. I just don't think he should have been playing, he never made much impact on the first two games and Ghana's speed was always going to trouble him even further. Finally, a good goal by the US. Dempsey is going to be a star. Ridiculous penalty called by the referee, but why not? Nobody wants the US to win in the World Cup. Should have been cautioned for the dive, Onyewu is standing there with his hands in the air and Pimpong, a mountain of a man, goes down like he got shot. Demoralized the US and allowed Ghana to sit back. I hope Brazil pounds Ghana after all the play-acting and faking injuries towards the end of the game. The refereeing in the World Cup has been so horrendous that it's allowing diving to fully become the norm. The referees are seemingly calling fouls on every dive and cautioning every player for a dive that gets fouled. It's the referees fault that everyone dives now, because if they cautioned dives then players would be much more reluctant to risk getting booked, especially at the World Cup where yellows can be a killer.
- Players that must retire now: Keller, Pope, Hejduk, Reyna, McBride, Eddie Lewis (love you, but you're old) ...
- Donovan needs to man up and improve his game, something that won't happen while playing for the laughable LA Galaxy. When is someone going to realize Donovan can't hit free kicks or corners at all? Beasley needs to stop being so timid. Convey and Dempsey have bright futures. Eddie Johnson needs more chances. Stop calling up Josh Wolff, the guy tries hard, but cannot finish. Jimmy Conrad was solid, really like him as a player. The new coach must be foreign, there's no American coach that can take the team forward at the moment. Call up some new players, give them a chance (like Ricardo Clark).
I would like to see us play a team something like:
Forwards: Donovan, Johnson
Midfielders: Convey, Mastroeni, O'Brien (if he can play a full season for Chivas), Dempsey, Beasley
Defenders: Gibbs, Bocanegra, Onyewu
Goalkeeper: Howard
Enough of this ridiculous 4-5-1. Going a goal down while playing a 4-5-1 just screws your gameplan completely. We need to play a 4-4-2 or preferably 3-5-2.
Please comment on my opinions, especially you Americans who have an idea of who should be playing for the national team as we press on to South Africa.
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