2006 WORLD CUP - Day 14 Thread - U.S. needs win in group E finale

MLSnet.com ^ | 6-22-06 | MLSnet.com

[dfwgator]

Disappointed in Beasley, huh? Join the club.

Do you have jackets?

[dfwgator]

Maybe Arena could head up the USSF, but we've got to get Klinsi in here. Besides, eight years is enough.

[Mr. Mojo]

"What really is going to piss me off are all the damn Mexicans around here that are going to throw it in our face."

Turn it around on them -- nothing pisses them (and the rest of the soccer-loving world) off more than expressing complete disinterest in their "sport."

[dfwgator]

Absolutely no killer instinct, no swagger at all. That's US soccer in a nutshell.

[Betis70]

>>Well, maybe this will put a bullet in the notion that the US can beat anyone outside of CONCACAF with a team loaded with 140 lb ballerinas.

LOL.

When Donovan came home with his tail between his legs to go play for the LA Galaxy, I knew he would never be able to take on the star defenders in the WC. His "big fish in a small pond" mentality is not going to push his game to the next level.

[AGreatPer]

I have personally known Bruce Arena for many years. He scouted many of my players when I coached ODP. When he was recruting Olsen to go to Virginia I still remember his lack of enthusiasm. That has been my problem for years with him.

Bruce is a wonderful person though. I just don't think he can take us to the next level.

[dfwgator]

That's why if indeed Freddie Adu is all that, he needs to get his butt to Europe and see how he ranks with the best Euro players, he will never develop in the MLS into the kind of player the US needs.

[AGreatPer]

"Absolutely no killer instinct, no swagger at all. That's US soccer in a nutshell."

Well put and worth a repeat. That sums it up. And, who is responsible for that?

[MNlurker]

Hell he's sitting his A** on the bench for DC United...i just would be happy to see him play. I was joking during the game (and especially if Arena stays) that he would be better served playing for his home country of Ghana.

[stainlessbanner]

Now on ESPN they're saying they think Arena should stay on.

Who is saying that? Wynalda wasn't too friendly about Arena's calls. I bet Lalas is defending Arena.

If it's OBrien or Musburger I put ZERO value on their analysis.

[Churchillspirit]

On Tuesday, five minutes before the start of England's game with Sweden, I received a call from a business associate in Scotland. I explained that the game was about to start and he admitted he couldn't care less!!

As it was almost 8p.m. in the UK when he called, I wondered if his timing was deliberate.

LOL!!

Sorry to see the U.S. eliminated today, but they really did not seem to be playing to win. Let's hope they do better in 2010.

My hopes must now rest on England and Brazil.

[onja]

Yeah... I still don't like Ghana now. Especially since I think the refs may have been trying to get a african team in, regardless of whether they deserved it or not. Granted it was cool they displayed the Israeli flag. But I still want them to see them beaten. Petty, yes. Oh well. I agree with you about France though. :) I would love to see them get destroyed by Togo.

[Betis70]

Absolutely agree. Starting off in a rough and tumble division like England's League One or League Championship (or whatever they call it now) where the other players are really hungry would be best IMO. But it has to be someplace where he will get playing time. Sitting on the bench and kicking balls around the training pitch aren't going to be very helpful.

[Jhensy]

Here in NYC, I just walked by the Ghanian consulate (on 47th between Madison and 5th) on my way to work, and there was a small group of 5-6 outside on the sidewalk whooping it up politely, waving their flag.

I congratulated them on their victory, and they all gushed their happiness to me. You never saw a giddier bunch of people in your life, huge grins ear-to-ear. Nice folks.

Of course, blase NYers just walked right by them, most of them probably oblivious as to what those people were celebrating. I myself wasn't so choked up about us losing anyway.

[MNlurker]

ESPNNEWS Crew.

Tommy Smith and the other guy who I didn't know.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"and all I can do is look forward now and hope for some changes for the better"

Changes won't matter. Teams are going back to watch the video just like they have been and they will see how they can get away with being savage and the refs biased against the US. From watching this tape they will learn they can lay all over the field and get away with that too.

It's frustrating because Americans come into a thread like this with "soccer sucks" attitude and we are still all excited and then when the games are actually played all we see is savages, dives, acting, atrocious biased refs, and now Ghana being allowed to lay all over the field effectively shutting down the whole flow of what a soccer match is and ending the game in the 70th minute.

Then we wonder why Americans say soccer sucks? If all saw was this atrociously officiated and the savage and ridiculous laying around by Ghana I would swear soccer sucks too.

Oh well. Time to recover. What a load of BS.

[KC_Conspirator]

This was step backwards. Its not just the results, but the way we played. Arena has to take the blame for that. There have been much bigger letdowns in World Cup and US sports history, but this is one just just the same.

[Churchillspirit]

....his lack of enthusiasm.

A laid-back coach and a biased ref. - U.S. had no chance today.

[notfornothing]

Yeah... I still don't like Ghana now.

Well, let me point out that Mr. Freddy Adu was born there. Can't wait for ~2 1/2 years or so from now when he takes the field for the USA in our World Cup qualifying debut. Yeah!!

[onja]

BTW- I have nothing against the Ghanans. The fans looked like a happy, nice bunch. Much better than most Europeans. I just don't like the game they played; affected by the ref as it was.