Video Daily Double: Landon Donovan Media Tour

Here are a couple of videos from Landon Donovan's media tour since his return Stateside.

First, here's Landon on Letterman:




Next, here's Landon on The Early Show:




These are just a couple of stops on a whirlwind media tour for Landon Donovan, who will appear on the Daily Show later tonight alongside Bob Bradley.

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Coaching: Bob's Cycle, Jurgen, and the Future

It seems like only yesterday that Bob Bradley was announced as the new USMNT head coach, with a chorus of moans and groans rising up from many Klinsmann-obsessed American fans.  Now, the cycle is over, for the US at least, and the big question is who will be at the helm when the next cycle gets underway in earnest.

Before we really delve into that, though, let's just take a look back on the cycle that was under Bob Bradley.  I've made it no secret that I think Bradley is a capable coach, though I think I fairly acknowledge his shortcomings and mistakes.  With that being said, how you decide if Bob Bradley had a successful four years as the US head coach really depends on what you deem important.  For some, it's the World Cup, end of story.  For me, all the competitions are important to varying degrees.  I won't say which perspective is right or if another is wrong; how you view competitions as a fan is your own prerogative.  I'll just present all of the information and let you make your own conclusions:

2007 Gold Cup: Champions

Record: 6-0-0, GD +10

2007 Copa America: Group Stage

Record: 0-0-3, GD -6

2008 CONCACAF Qualifiers Round 2 and 3: Group Winners

Record: 7-0-1, GD +20   

2009 CONCACAF Hexagonal Qualifers: Group Winners

Record: 6-2-2, GD +6

2009 Confederations Cup: Finalists

Record: 2-0-3, GD -1

2009 Gold Cup: Finalists

Record: 4-1-1, GD +4 

2010 FIFA World Cup: Group C Winners, Round of 16

Record: 1-2-1, GD 0

I didn't include friendlies because it's hard to use that as a standard considering the roster variability and experimentation that accompanies such matches, but it's worth mentioning that the US played some tough opponents, such as Brazil, Argentina, England, Spain, Mexico, and the Netherlands.

So there it is, Bob's cycle in a nutshell.  

There's the good: the first place finish in the Hex, the run to the Confederations Cup final that included a great win over Egypt, a stunning upset of Spain, and an unbelievable half against Brazil, the finish atop Group C (the first time that the US had won their World Cup group since 1930), a flawless run to the 2007 Gold Cup title, and the integration of several young, promising players into the senior team (like Jozy, Charlie Davies, and Michael Bradley, to name a few).

Then there's the bad: A debacle of a loss in Costa Rica, a second half collapse against Brazil in the Confederations Cup final, repeated slow starts in qualifiers and World Cup matches, and a botched lineup that played a significant part in the US' loss to Ghana.

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I'll let all of you draw your own conclusions as to how successful Bob was over the last four years.  For me, however you twist the numbers and results, this was still one of our most successful cycles ever (it could even be argued that it was the most successful, but I'll leave that for now).  Though many would surely let out the same moans and groans we heard four years ago if Bob were retained, the US could do a lot worse than having someone with that track record at the helm.* Though a change in regime might be a refreshing change of pace, I wouldn't be upset if Bradley was kept on board.

*Sure, many would also say that coaching for 8 years just doesn't end well, citing Bruce Arena's lackluster 2006 World Cup as evidence.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't like making that kind of judgment based on such a small sample space, and if you look back at the numbers, you'd be surprised at how the 2006 cycle as a whole actually stacks up to the 2002 cycle.  But I digress...

With that being said, I feel like we came up short on the big stage, the one that matters most, and Sunil Gulati is in agreement.  While some are reading between the lines of Gulati's quotes and taking them to mean that Bob is out, I really can't say one way or the other what I think Gulati will definitely do.  For starters, there's the whole issue of if a bigger name (read: Jurgen Klinsmann) is out there to be had and more importantly wants to take the US job.  There's also the issue of whether Bob would still be the best coach for the team when all of the available, interested candidates are considered.  And after that, there's the issue of whether Bob would even want to stay on if given the opportunity; four years is a long time, and Bob might prefer to go back to the club level after his stint in the international game.  

Though I do think Bob's US resume is impressive, I'm inclined to think that it isn't enough to keep him around.  Expectations are rising quickly, and underachievement at the World Cup will not be overlooked.  It's all well and good that the Yanks won Group C, but they missed out on a realistic chance to make it the semifinals and led for a grand total of 3 minutes in their four matches.  It's a good thing that we expect so much now while still being fairly realistic; it's a sign of our progress that we can look at the successes of the last four years and still be disappointed.  But it may also end up costing Bob Bradley a shot at another tour of duty.  

If US Soccer does decide to move on, the big name that almost everyone will once again be hoping to land is Jurgen Klinsmann.  There's no point dancing around it and suggesting other candidates for now; Gulati wanted Klinsmann four years ago, and it seems like Klinsmann is still interested.  Would the former Bayern boss be the right man for the job?  Only time would tell.  But he managed to successfully breath new life and bring new players into the German squad and brought an attacking style that culminated in a third place World Cup finish.  Not many coaches can boast a third place medal, fluency in English, and a personal familiarity with the United States and American soccer, so it does add up to a very impressive package.  

At this point, I think I just want it to happen because I'm curious.  Could Klinsmann go above and beyond would Bradley accomplished?  Could he bring a level of flair and creativity to a team that has it's fair share of talented, emerging attackers but at times struggled at the offensive end?  And could he take us deep into the World Cup?  Needless to say, I'd be very eager to find out.  But all of that would be moot if Gulati pursues Klinsmann (assuming he is in fact interested) but the two can't come to an agreement yet again.

Klinsmann's past success is very appealing, but could it just be a siren song that might ultimately be steering us in the wrong direction when it comes to a potential coaching search?  After all, he only coached Germany for half of a cycle and didn't have to go through a continental tournament or qualification in that time.  That does make me a little leery of hopping on the Klinsmann bandwagon, but I also have a really hard time believing that he was able to luck his way all the way to the podium.  Still, I'm not completely sold on him; I can only imagine how Sunil Gulati is feeling with such an important decision ahead of him.  All of this has ignored the fact that there likely will be other qualified enticing candidates on the market in addition to Klinsmann, further complicating the matter for US Soccer's brain trust.

Who knows how things will really shake out once the sting of the loss has died down and all things are considered and examined going forward.  I don't expect things to be settled by the time the Brazil friendly rolls around (meaning Bob Bradley would still be the head coach since his contract runs until the end of the year), but it would be nice if we knew by then, one way or the other.  Until then, however, just expect plenty of retrospection across the interwebs and even more speculation as the coaching crescendo builds.

Que sera', sera', I suppose. 

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The US World Cup Run By the Numbers

Here are some numbers on the US' World Cup run:

3: The number of minutes that the US led during their four World Cup matches, all of which came in second half stoppage time against Algeria.  It wasn't apparent to me at the time, but in hindsight that's a pretty telling statistic. 


189: The number of minutes that the US trailed during their four matches, with the Algeria match being the only one in which they were not behind at some point.  That's 48.7% of the time played.


19: The number of players on the 23 man roster that played in South Africa.  Only Jonathan Spector, Clarence Goodson, Brad Guzan, and Marcus Hahnemann failed to earn minutes in the four matches.


3: The number of goalscorers, with Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and Michael Bradley accounting for the US' five tallies.


2: The number of good goals nullified by incorrect calls, with Maurice Edu being denied his first career World Cup goal against Slovenia and Clint Dempsey getting what would have been his third career World Cup goal called back against Algeria.


0: The number of goals from the strikers, the second consecutive World Cup in which a striker has failed to find the back of the net. 


13: The number of players who made their World Cup debuts (i.e. earned their first career World Cup minutes).  Included in this group are Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Robbie Findley, Edson Buddle, Tim Howard, Jonathan Bornstein, Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark, Jose Torres, Stuart Holden, Maurice Edu, Benny Feilhaber, and Jay DeMerit.


5: The number of substitutions made by Bob Bradley at or before halftime (four came at the start of the second half, while the fifth came in the 31st minute against Ghana), reflecting starting lineup issues and the need for goals after failing to produce in the opening 45.


9: The number of yellow cards accumulated by US players throughout their four matches.  Only Robbie Findley was suspended due to accumulation after his phantom yellow card against Slovenia.


0: The number of red cards for US players at the 2010 World Cup, a nice change of pace after the Yanks saw red twice in Germany and three times in the Confederations Cup last summer.


0: The US' goal differential, as they scored five times and conceded five times.


-3: The US' goal differential in the first half, as well their goal differential within the first 15 minutes of the match.


+4: The US' goal differential in the second half, not counting the extra time goal that they conceded against Ghana.


2: The number of goals conceded on shots from outside the box: the goals by Valter Birsa of Slovenia and Kevin-Prince Boateng of Ghana.


0: The number of US goals scored and conceded off of set pieces.


19.4 million: The number of viewers on ABC and Univision of the USA-Ghana match.

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That's it for now, hopefully I'll have another post up tonight.  Stay tuned.

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Ghana-USA: On Forwards, Bob, and the Future

48 hours later and the wound is still fresh.

The extra time loss to Ghana marked the end of an eventful cycle and a gripping couple of weeks for US soccer fans.  For everyone involved, it was a couple of weeks too soon.

The big talking points of the weekend (during which I was at a wedding in Jersey, away from a computer) were Bob Bradley's starting lineup (namely Ricardo Clark) and yet another slow start from a team that has frequently been guilty of them over the last couple of years.  I gave everything time to sink in before trying to put any thoughts down on paper, but even now I feel as if I'm not completely settled down, so forgive me if this is more jumbled collection of thoughts than organized post.

While some have come out and completely destroyed Bob Bradley for his lineup against Ghana, I'm inclined to take a more middle of the road approach.  There's no denying that Bradley made some mistakes (or perhaps just one big mistake that left him handcuffed), but at some point we also have to hold the players liable for poor execution.  It clearly was a mistake to start Ricardo Clark, whose turnover in the midfield started the break on Ghana's opening goal.  But let's not gloss over the fact that, as has so often been the case in qualifiers and other competitive matches, the back line continued to drop off and drop off until Kevin-Prince Boateng was at the edge of the box and able to pick his spot (on a shot that Tim Howard probably wishes he had back).  Did Bob Bradley contribute to the goal with his choice of Clark?  Yes.  But unless I'm missing something, Bob doesn't play center back, so he wasn't completely at fault. 

With that being said, don't get me wrong, Bob did make a mistake in starting Ricardo Clark, and it proved to be quite a big one in the grand scheme of things (bolded so folks don't go nuts and start accusing me of trying to let Bob off the hook).  At least he wasn't too stubborn to stick with what was clearly a poor choice in an elimination game, though, instead swallowing his pride and making the necessary substitution in the first half.  Mo Edu was an upgrade in the middle, and the Yanks managed to equalize and force extra time, but I continue to wonder what might have been if Bradley had another substitution at his disposal in extra time, allowing him to bring on Edson Buddle or perhaps an attacking midfielder and pushing Landon Donovan forward. 

Would starting Maurice Edu or Benny Feilhaber have led to a different outcome?  Perhaps.  Feilhaber was fantastic off the bench throughout the World Cup (and had been during the Confederations Cup and qualifiers), but we can't say with certainty that he could have the same effectiveness in the first half (he's had some poor starts with the USMNT in the past, if memory serves).  Edu was probably the safest choice in hindsight and was who I expected would get the call, but alas he did not.  I guess this decision will remain one of the big "what ifs" of this World Cup going forward.  And even if regulation would have played out the same, one has to wonder if the US would have been able to grab a goal in extra time if they had another substitution and were able to bring on an additional fresh striker.  

I feel like some are choosing to see what they want to support the belief that they've held all cycle: that Bob Bradley is a terrible coach that hasn't no business being the head of the USMNT, etc. etc.  What I would say to that crowd is that you need to realize that, yes, this team might not have made the quarterfinals in part because of Bob Bradley, but they didn't make the Round of 16 in spite of Bob Bradley.  The Princetonian's tactics and style have led us to one of the most successful cycles in national team history, and people really shouldn't lose sight of that in the immediate aftermath of a gut-punch of a loss.  I'll leave it at that for now and touch on the issue of the future of the US head coaching position in more detail tomorrow. 

Again, though, it must be said that the players failed to execute as well.  Robbie Findley missed a glorious opportunity in the first half that he probably would put away most of the time with Real Salt Lake.  Jozy Altidore again put himself in dangerous positions but was unable to find the back of the net.  Sunil Gulati made it a point after the match to bring attention to the fact that the US hasn't had a striker score a World Cup goal since 2002.  Bob Bradley gave all of his strikers a chance, and ALL of them blew golden opportunities to open their account.  It's hard to fault Bob when none of his strikers are putting the ball in the back of the net, and that was no different on Sunday.

The goal in extra time was yet another example of the defense's inconsistency; throughout the cycle, they have been just as capable of the stunning goal saving play or shutdown performance as they have been of the mind-numbing lapse.  Say what you will about Gyan's speed, but Carlos Bocanegra and Jay DeMerit got punished for a slower reaction and the distance between them. We really shouldn't be overly surprised from what ended our Cup dreams because it was the same stuff that threatened to derail it for two years. 

Sunil Gulati came out today and said that the US didn't live up to expectations in South Africa, and I think that's a fair thing to say.  At the same time, though, I think this was a step forward, as disjoint as those two statements might seem.  2006 was an abject failure, and we managed to climb back from that to not only advance to the knockout stages, but finish atop our group.  Still, was it what I was hoping for?  No, not at all.  To be honest, I thought a semifinal spot was feasible before the actual knockout round bracket was set.  Let's just hope that the alternating pattern of getting eliminated in the group stage in one World Cup and making the knockout rounds in the next doesn't continue in Brazil.

Ultimately, we just ran out of magic, and you have to figure that the team was a little drained after the emotional roller coaster that was the group stage.  Not a single one of our three matches wasn't accompanied by some extreme hype or atypical post-match attention (the former referring to the England match and the latter referring to the outrage after the Coulibaly call and the heart-stopping finish against Algeria), which surely took its toll on the US camp (hell, I was mentally and emotionally exhausted too, and I didn't play a minute). 

It's hard to admit, but we just weren't good enough this time around.  But the talent is there and should only improve in the coming years.  When you consider the ages of some of the players on this team, it's mouth-watering to imagine where the likes of Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber, Stuart Holden, Jozy Altidore, Jose Torres, Maurice Edu, and many others will be in four years time.  At the same time, however, I wonder where players like Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, and Oguchi Onyewu will be with four more years of games on their odometers.  It's the same worrying I go through after every World Cup, with the answers only coming four years later because of the unpredictability of football.

I'm drained, I'm sad, I'm disappointed, and I'm exhausted.  I'm in a daze still, half-expecting to get ready for another US game only to realize that I'll have to wait until August for the next one.  It's the same somber ending that fans of 31 other teams will deal with when all is said and done in South Africa, and it'll probably sting for a long time because it really seemed like a lot was in reach this time around. 

I apologize for the length of this post and its rambling nature.  It's the bi-product of mental exhaustion, disappointment,  and far too much time out in the sun yesterday.  I'm sure a few of you out there are still trying to rewire your brains as well.

For now, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the rest of the spectacle that is the 2010 World Cup. 

After that, it's onward to the Gold Cup...

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USSD at MFUSA: PPL Park Opener

For those interested, check out my latest guest post over at Match Fit USA, as I recount my day at the opening of PPL Park in Chester, PA, a stadium that just might play host to the USMNT at some point down the road.

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Preview Ramblings on USA-Ghana

Well, they are all World Cup finals from here on out.  Win, and we move on; lose, and we're done.

Just two days after knocking off Algeria, the US will be taking on another African opponent, the Black Stars of Ghana.  While Ghana definitely are a talented team capable of knocking of the US, it's hard not to look ahead and see that one of Uruguay, South Korea, Ghana, and the US will move on to the semifinals.  Why not us?  We wouldn't be clear underdogs against any of those opponents, and we're capable of beating any of them on our day (though, to be fair, the opposite applies as well).  If there was ever a bracket that set up for us to make a historic run, it's this one.  Let's just hope that Bob Bradley and company can take advantage of it, because chances like this don't come around too often.

But man oh man, let me reign myself in here because I am getting WAY too far ahead of myself (though I doubt that I'm the only one guilty of that).  The bottom line is that it doesn't matter how the bracket stacks up if we can't get past Ghana, which in and of itself is no easy task.

Ghana hasn't yet scored from the run of play in this tournament, getting both of their goals via the penalty spot, but that doesn't mean that they don't present a serious offensive threat.  They have plenty of speed options going forward, such as Asamoah Gyan, a teammate of Carlos Bocanegra at Stade Rennes who scored both of the aforementioned penalties.  Against Algeria, Bob Bradley opted to use Jonathan Bornstein on the wing rather than start Oguchi Onyewu, a move that ultimately culminated in the US' first clean sheet since the 1-0 qualifying win over Trinidad and Tobago back in September.

Against Ghana, speed on the wing will again be an asset, while a lack of it in the middle would be a liability, so I expect that we'll see the same back four tomorrow afternoon.  Gooch has been decent in his two starts, but his game is better suited for a team that plays lots of air balls, not so much for a more fleet of foot opponent.  Long story short, Carlos Bocanegra and Jay DeMerit played very well in the middle against Algeria, and Jonathan Bornstein was solid on the wing, managing to avoid any serious mistakes and making some good 1 v. 1 challenges.  Let's hope that they can all replicate that success in Rustenburg if that is indeed the group that gets the call.

At the offensive end, I'm expecting big things out of Landon Donovan.  Despite his breakout performance in 2002, Donovan was haunted by his big game failures in Germany, which apparently still weighed heavily on the minds of many fans and pundits, and even Donovan himself.  With that huge monkey off of his back after his now famous goal, could we see a looser, more confident Landon playing with the same type of swagger that we saw in his stint at Goodison Park?  Perhaps I'm overly confident, but I really think he'll build on that massive moment and turn in a strong performance in the midfield.

Further up the field, I wonder who we'll see paired with Jozy Altidore, who was yet again a handful against Algeria but botched his opportunities inside the box.  Herculez Gomez was not overly effective in his first international start, turning the ball over a little too often and putting a golden opportunity from 10 yards out straight to keeper.  Granted, he should have had an assist on the ensuing Dempsey no-goal, but that whole situation doesn't even happen if he simply finishes off that chance in the first place.  At the same time, however, Edson Buddle wasn't spectacular in his time on, mixing a couple of decent runs and efforts with a lack of poise inside the box.  Robbie Findley will be returning from suspension and could get the call to help stretch the Ghanian defense and open up the midfield.  Despite his underwhelming showing against Slovenia, I'm inclined to think that it will in fact be Findley in the starting XI at Royal Bafokeng Stadium, running off of
Jozy Altidore and helping to keep the opposing outside backs pinned back a little.

Beyond those lineup points, I'll be hoping that this isn't the third consecutive match where a refereeing decision takes a way a good, legitimate US goal.  And we can only hope that the man in the middle isn't card-happy to the point that he leaves a mark on the match that he really shouldn't be.

For the sake of millions of hearts across the country, it'd be nice if the US can earn a comfortable win, but we very well could see yet another dramatic finish from the cardiac kids.  Now that we're into the knockout stages, that could mean penalties, something that the US hasn't had to deal with since the 2005 Gold Cup final.  Landon Donovan will likely play a part in any penalty shootout, but his history of missing penalties in big games (the 2007 Superliga Final and last year's MLS Cup final) is a little worrying.  On the flip side, Landon has missed just once from the penalty spot at the international level, and any new found confidence in the wake of his goal against Algeria might exorcise those club level demons.

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Enough ramblings, let's just sit back and wait for tomorrow's match.  And let's hope that things turn out better than they did back in 2006.

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Fan Reactions and Unity, From Sea to Shining Sea

Soccer is a funny thing.

It's just a game.  A two hour diversion from real life that serves as entertainment for the viewers and as exercise for the participants.  But yet it's that simple game that has the power to unify unlike perhaps any other thing on this planet. 

Time for an aside: I grew up in a town of immigrants, and back in high school I was one of the few Americans on the varsity team.  Every summer, the graduating seniors were replaced by a new influx of foreign talent, coming from every corner of the earth to this land of opportunity.  Each week of the season, it seemed as if there was a new prospect moving into town and getting his tryout with the team.  It was a perpetual ebb and flow of individuals and cultures that made my high school team the most diverse and enriching experience of my life. 

As the captain, it was my job to help integrate new players into the team and make them feel comfortable in such a new setting.  It doesn't sound like much more than pleasantries until you consider the fact that almost all of the newcomers could muster little more than a few phrases in broken English.  But all we needed was a ball at our feet, and the conversations started themselves.  That universal language, the same across all borders, oceans, and cultures, brought together a white kid from Philadelphia with refugees and immigrants from dozens and dozens of countries, creating an instant and lasting bond between people who otherwise really had nothing else in common

That's why I love soccer.  It has a power to bring together the world and unite entire nations behind a common goal.  Yet there are so many people, who can best be described as "haters" (synonym: sports talk radio hosts), that believe that, when it comes to the World Cup, the US just doesn't quite feel the same way as the rest of the world.  Americans might like soccer, but they don't feel the attachment that South Americans or Europeans or even Asians do. 

Oh, how wrong they are:



As happy as I was following yesterday's monumental win, it made me even happier to watch countless reaction videos from fans across the country and talk with many more in person.  Whether it was white collar workers huddled around an office TV, strangers crowded around a store window, or hordes of fans packed into bars across the country, you could find Americans of every age, color, and class standing shoulder to shoulder, hugging each other and reveling in one of the greatest wins in our national soccer team's history. 

I don't know how many strangers I embraced, high-fived, or simply cheered with as I joyously felt my white national team kit get soaked in a mixture of beer, water, saliva, and surely a few tears.  I felt like Jim Valvano; I was just looking around for someone, anyone to hug.  It was just an overwhelming moment of raw euphoria where nothing else mattered but the fact that we were all loyal to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.  Quite simply, it was unforgettable.



I ended up going to the Phillies game last night but made my way to a bar in between, where I mingled with a couple of strangers who wanted to do nothing but talk about the US, Algeria, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey; really anything relating to the game from earlier in the day.  A few of these guys were clear soccer nuts like myself, while most of the others were bar regulars who I could easily tell were usually engrossed in "Iggles" football and the Fightin' Phils, not the beautiful game.  Yet all of us talked and celebrated like old friends, with the diehards and new fans alike feeling a real bond to the team that represents their beloved nation. 

One old-timer summed up what made us all so proud with this succinct, drawl-filled statement: "Those guys...they play like Americans.  They don't quit for nothin'..."  That's something that everyone can appreciate, and something that should only garner more support from all walks of life for the Yanks as they continue their run in South Africa. 

I'll probably never see any of those people again, and I wouldn't even know it if I did, but we'll all forever share that moment and that day.  Unlike American professional sports, where one city celebrates while others watch in sadness or don't watch at all, this was a play and a win that fans from coast to coast can share, celebrate, and remember fondly for the rest of their lives. 



I don't know if this post has any real meaning, direction, or purpose.  I tried to convey the unity and joy that I felt and experienced yesterday, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be nothing more than loosely organized ramblings.  But I guess the bottom line is that all of you reading this know exactly where I'm coming from because you all felt what I felt and shared that moment with me, and that alone is enough for you to understand the jumbled, giddy mess that is my mind just a day after probably the greatest finish in US Soccer history. 

I'll get to Ghana and some more analytical business later, but I couldn't manage much else this afternoon with this whole thing still sinking in.

Yesterday was so much more than just another win, and my experience showed me yet again that soccer is so much more than just a game.

My oh my, what a day...

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USA-Algeria: Ecstasy

It just wasn't our day.

Gomez shot one straight at the keeper from 10 yards out. Yet another good goal was taken away by a terrible call. Landon and Jozy managed to blast a ball over from six yards out. Buddle's header went straight to into M'Bolhi's hands. Dempsey rattled the post and then missed an open net.

It was an agonizing 90+ minutes that had me (and millions of others, I'm sure) in complete disbelief, wondering if this was indeed how it would end. Wondering if we'd forever feel bitter about the points stolen away by officials and rue the countless missed opportunities to knock off Algeria.

Then, magic.

Landon Donovan. The man who has so frequently been criticized for coming up small in big games. The guy who almost single handedly turned around the Yanks' fortunes against Slovenia just to keep their hopes alive. The player who was largely invisible for this entire match, most likely leading to a few angry mutterings of "Landycakes" from his detractors. And now, he's the man who sent an entire nation into a state of euphoria with his unfathomably clutch goal to not only put the US through to the Round of 16, but also clinch first place in Group C. Get him a spot on Mount Rushmore.



Anything I say will not do justice to what that experience was like, what I'm feeling, and just what today meant to me as a fan. The only thing that I can think of is to say that today was the greatest fan experience that I have ever had. That might not sound like much, but when you consider the fact that I was fortunate enough to be in attendance when my beloved Phillies broke the Philadelphia title curse two years ago, it's definitely a bigger deal. Of course, this game didn't win the US any championship, but boy it sure feels like it, particularly after four long years between tournaments and an unbelievably tense couple of weeks in Group C.

And now, we've made it to the point where anything can happen. While we might not be the best team in the tournament, we can certainly hold our own with anyone on our day, and that has me thinking that this might not be our last instance of ecstasy in South Africa. But for now, I'm going to try to avoid looking ahead to the Round of 16 and how we stack up against our potential opponents; I'm just going to soak up what is one of the greatest results in US Soccer history.

I said it on Twitter, and I'll say it again. Last Friday, we were united by injustice, as hardcore fans and casual supporters were brought close together by a baffling blown call. Today, we're united by pure joy, as a sports mad nation revels in the heart-stopping success of the Yanks. Seriously, calling this team "the cardiac kids" is probably as accurate of a nickname as we can get. I'm glad I'm still young, or my heart probably would have given out by now with all of these wild swings in emotion.

USSD contributor and amigo Bob Dillon sent me this email following the game, and it pretty much sums up the spirit and emotion that I felt at the final whistle:

"I am in complete emotional overload at this moment. The United States just won't quit. This team has shown over and over that they play 90 minutes. There are so many teams around the world that would love to have the effort that we saw today. The French are out. The Nigerians are out.  The Slovenians are out.  And the USMNT has just won their group for the first time since 1930, beating out England to grab the top spot. There are so many positives from this game, and I was ready to write a post in defeat about how they still were really good today, particularly Bornstein, Demerit, Boca, and Dolo, but thankfully I find myself no longer having to write about what could be. 

We have booked our ticket for the next round, and we have a legitimate chance to win again. No matter the outcome of group D, we can win again. Winning on Saturday afternoon would take us to a place that we have only been once before. The Post in Saint Louis was insane when the goal went in; it was as good as it gets for fans. I can't hardly catch my breath. Here I sit with the pride of the USA stamped across my face. We did our job. We finished. We played the game known as the first round of the World Cup, and we are one of the last 16 teams left standing to play. 

It is hard to capture the emotion of the moment, but I do know that I will be forever tied to this team. They will be the gold standard for me. Dempsey, Donovan, Bradley, Altidore....these are the guys that will forever be my line in the sand for placing the United States on center stage for the biggest tournament in the world. Today we celebrate, tomorrow we worry about the next game. USA...USA...USA" 

I would try to break down this game further, but that can wait.  Right now, I'm just a ball of emotion, not someone interested in settling down to analyze tactics or game play.  What I will say, though, is that Bob Bradley deserves a big pat on the back for making a ballsy move to start Bornstein over Gooch that got the job done.  He made the right subs against Slovenia, and he made the right lineup decisions today, and by God it made me damn happy to see his post-game emotion.  He has invested so much time and energy into this team, and it warms my heart to see it all pay off.  And that applies to all the US players, too, who make me proud to be an American with the heart and pride they play with game in and game out.

Now, more than ever, I believe in Bob.  And I believe in this team.

Soak it up, folks.

USA! USA! USA!

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What To Watch For: USA v. Algeria

Here's what I'll be watching for tomorrow morning:


1) Landon Donovan v. Nadir Belhadj

Donovan was the key to the US' stunning second half turnaround against Slovenia, reviving a sputtering attack with his confident near post smash just minutes after half time and providing quality service and energy on the wing throughout the final 45.  He showed a great deal of poise and leadership throughout the match, something that the US will certainly need against Algeria, particularly if things don't go according to plan.  On the wing, he'll likely be matched up with Portsmouth defender Nadir Belhadj, an outside back not unlike Slovenia's Bojan Jokic that will look to get forward when he can to give a numbers advantage on the outside.

The offensive threat that Donovan represents should help to keep Belhadj pinned back, nullifying one aspect of the Algerian attack and taking a little bit of pressure off of Steve Cherundolo and the rest of the defense.  Donovan is a superior player and should get the better of Belhadj; his crosses and attacking runs from the wing will be key if the US is to open up a lead against Algeria and secure the crucial victory.


2) The first 20 minutes

It's like a broken record, but yet again we are worrying about the USMNT's propensity for slow starts ahead of a pivotal match.  They conceded within five minutes against England and gave up a goal to Valter Birsa in the 13th minute, continuing a bad habit that followed them throughout 2009.  If the US is to pull off the win, they can't afford to fall behind yet again; there's only so much comeback magic that one team can conjure up, and I don't want to have to hope for yet another comeback against the Desert Foxes. 

If there's any silver lining, it's that the last time the US was involved in a must-win group stage match, they did manage to get out to quick start.  Against Egypt in last summer's Confederations Cup, the Yanks generated a couple of quality scoring opportunities in the opening minutes before Charlie Davies eventually broke through in the 21st minute.  Let's hope that they can replicate that early success against Algeria and ride it to a similarly comfortable win.


3) Jozy Altidore v. Madjid Bougherra

For my money, Madjid Bougherra was the man of the match in Algeria's 0-0 draw with England last week.  He used his strength and positioning to frustrate the English front line and shut down attack after attack.  Jozy Altidore, meanwhile, had some success in the second half of the Slovenia match by using his big frame to protect the ball, draw fouls, and win aerial battles (with his header setting up Michael Bradley's equalizer).  Though he has yet to find the back of the net, I have liked what I have seen out of Altidore in this tournament, particularly considering that he's just 20 years old and making his World Cup debut.  I think that Bougherra will be a tougher challenge for Jozy, but I expect him to at worst occupy Bougherra's attention and open up some space for his strike partner and any cutting midfielders. 


4) Getting Caught on the Counter

Though Algeria have yet to score a goal in group play, they do possess some talent going forward that is capable of punishing the US if given a quality opportunity to do so.  While the likes of Karim Matmour (Borussia Monchengladbach) and Karim Ziani (Wolfsburg) are far from the level of Wayne Rooney, they do have a good bit of skill in their own right and cannot be left unaccounted for.  The longer that Algeria stayed level in the match with England, the more confident they got on the ball, at times showing some flair in the final third and causing the English some problems. 

If the US does control the flow of play and the outside backs press up on the wings, the center backs and midfielders will have to be aware of their susceptibility to the counterattack and, if necessary, take a foul and caution near half to avoid any serious threat.  With that being said, disciplined defending and ball security in the midfield and across the back line should allow the US to contain the Algerian attack.  Then again, as we have learned so far, that is easier said than done.


5) Algeria's goalkeeper 

Algeria's goalkeeping was the center of attention for all the wrong reasons after the first match day, with Faouzi Chaouchi gifting Slovenia a goal with some...interesting...technique.  He rode the bench for the England match, with Rais M'Bolhi getting the call instead and preserving the clean sheet.  Though M'Bolhi was able to keep England off the board, I still wonder how long he'll be able to go without a similar error, as I expect he will once again get the call on Wednesday.  After all, M'Bolhi has just two caps and one start to his name, and that lack of experience at the international level and with his back line could end up working the US' advantage at some point. 

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Enjoy the game, folks.  Hopefully I'll be able to right something celebrating a win tomorrow, rather than a more somber, frustrated piece.  Cross your fingers, knock on wood; all that good stuff.

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David, Goliath, and Parity at the World Cup

France is imploding.  England is in disarray.  Germany just got a nice punch to gut from Serbia.  Spain looks like they're on a collision course for a Round of 16 match-up with Brazil (that is, if they can make it out of Group H).  Portugal couldn't muster a goal against Ivory Coast.  Italy have just two points after matches against Paraguay and New Zealand.  Outside of the Dutch (who still haven't been overly impressive in their wins), the supposed UEFA elite is struggling in South Africa. 

Why is it happening? Well, it really varies on a case by case basis.  Whether it's Raymond Domenech completely losing his team's respect, an unfortunate red card to Miroslav Klose, or the lofty expectations and pressures of the public weighing heavily on the psyche of the Three Lions, each of the aforementioned "underachievers" are dealing with their own set of obstacles that may be contributing to their slow starts.

I use quotes when saying that those teams are underachieving because I'm not convinced that that is the case.  Are they failing to live up to legitimate expectations, or are expectations inaccurately inflated?  We expect to see the likes of France, Italy, and England in the knockout rounds more often than not, and most predictions that I read (if not all) had that trio easily progressing, while also anticipating smooth sailing for Germany and both teams from the Iberian peninsula.  But maybe those predictions (which include my own, to be fair) were based on nothing more than the past rather than the present.  Italy is four years older, France and Portugal had to grind through qualification, and England are perennial disappointments.  Could it be that these teams are in their own respective "tin generations", the answer to so many lesser teams' "golden generations" that help them achieve atypical levels of success?  Well, considering the talent on that those nations can field, no.  But when it comes to being a team rather than a collection of all-stars, I think it is fair to say that a couple of those teams are indeed on the decline.  But is that enough to explain what we've seen to this point?

Could it just be that the rest of the world is catching up?  Last year, Americans had to sweat out a tight final round of qualification, one in which the top four teams were all just as capable of earning an automatic berth as they were of sliding into the playoff spot with just two matches remaining.  Despite the fact that the Yanks pulled off a couple of positive results against Honduras and Costa Rica in October to secure a second consecutive finish atop the Hex, negativity was not uncommon, as fans and pundits alike wondered why the mighty US was struggling to dominate the inferior opponents being offered up by Central America.  One of the common theories that often was accompanied by a doom-and-gloom connotation was that, quite simply, the rest of CONCACAF was gaining ground on the US, and it was only a matter of time before Los Ticos, Los Catrachos, and their UNCAF brethren were beating the Yanks on a regular basis. 

How accurate that belief is is up for debate.  While I don't think the US is in danger of falling down the North American pecking order, I do believe that on the whole, the tide is rising for the second tier of CONCACAF teams.  In this age of globalization and player movement, we have Hondurans playing in Romania and China, Costa Ricans playing in the Netherlands, and Americans playing in Norway, Greece, and Scotland.  More so than ever before, particularly with the assistance of the internet, talent is being spotted everywhere and imported accordingly by superior teams.  Whereas in years past, teams from smaller, less affluent nations may have relied almost exclusively on domestic based players, even the supposedly weaker squads can boast a couple of players in the world's top leagues.  Further, their coaches at the international level can now have eyes across the globe, monitoring opponents and pool players alike thanks to satellite TV and internet streams, giving them all the tools necessary to develop the appropriate game plan.

That logic isn't limited to CONCACAF.  The same thing applies to likes of CONMEBOL, AFC, CAF (though you wouldn't know it by this World Cup), and the rest of UEFA beyond the traditional powers.  Heck, even New Zealand has made some significant strides in the past cycle, though much of it went unnoticed until their recent success.  Going into this World Cup, I made the remark that this field is one of the deepest in recent memory in that there a number of quality teams capable of making a run beyond the usual suspects, with Serbia, Paraguay, and the US serving as my main examples.  So far, nothing that has happened has really negated that opinion, though I have to admit that I didn't expect some of those second tier teams to succeed at the expense of the traditional elite, but rather alongside them. 

Could it be that parity is, to a degree, seeping into the beautiful game?  Perhaps, though certainly not close to the extent that we Americans are accustomed to in the NFL and MLS.  The top teams and leagues around the world continue to search for cheap talent to bolster their ranks, which ultimately might be pulling the lesser nations up and holding the world powers back, narrowing the gap.  For example, look back a couple of years when more than a few people in England blamed the team's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 on the English Premier League's increasing percentage of foreign-born players.  Could it be that this trend took us all by surprise because of the infrequent nature of the World Cup?  A lot can change in four years time, and it seems that a good deal has.

But is this here to stay or are is this one big anomaly?  Only time will tell.  There's a decent chance that all of these nonsensical ramblings will look even more nonsensical if many of those aforementioned struggling teams right the ship and move on to the knockout rounds.  There's also the possibility that we're just at a unique intersection of those so-called "golden generations", with a lot of mid-level teams riding an unprecedented wave of talent that just might peter out as quickly as it bubbled up.  Who knows?  One thing is certain, though; to this point, the Davids are standing toe-to-toe with the Goliaths of world football and taking something away from it fairly often. 

It definitely makes for a lot of entertaining matches when comparatively less talented teams are able to hold their own against the big boys, even when it ends in defeat (look no further than North Korea-Brazil for an example of that).  Will this surprisingly level playing field last through July?  Will we see the footy equivalent of Butler's shock run to the final of this year's NCAA basketball tournament?  I hope so, but no one knows.

As a fan, though, these results have given me confidence that this time around, more so than in previous tournaments, anything can happen in the knockout rounds.  And that "anything" could very well be an historic run from the US.

Let's just hope they can take care of business against Algeria to put themselves in a position to take advantage of the situation.

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Video Daily Double: Fan Reactions

A tip of the hat to Jason Davis and Alejandro Bedoya for linking to these on Twitter.  Check out these awesome scenes following both US goals against Slovenia:

Fans in Lincoln, Nebraska react to Landon Donovan's goal:



Fans in Boston, Massachusetts react to Michael Bradley's goal:




American soccer fans at their finest. It really is a fantastic thing to see.

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Group C Scenarios

For your reference, here are the Group C scenarios heading into the final match day:

The United States will advance if:

1) They beat Algeria.

2) They tie with Algeria and England loses.

3) They tie with Algeria and England ties with Slovenia, with England outscoring the US by no more than 1 goal.*

*In the event that both games end in a draw and England outscores the US by exactly 2 goals, the US and England will be even on all tiebreakers, leading to a drawing of lots to see who moves on.  If both games end in a tie and England outscores the US by 3 goals or more, the US will be eliminated because of a lower goals for total.  

So, it's simple enough; we control our own destiny.  Win, and we're in.  Lose, and we go home early.  Tie, and things are out of our hands.

Here's how things stand for the other teams:

Slovenia will advance if: 

1) They win or draw against England.

2) They lose to England, but USA and Algeria draw.

3) They lose to England by 1 goal, Algeria defeats the US by 1 goal, and Algeria outscore Slovenia by no more than 3 goals.

Algeria will advance if: 

1) They beat the US and Slovenia wins or draws against England.

2) They beat the US and England beat Slovenia, with their winning margin being greater than 1 and/or Slovenia's losing margin being greater than 1.

3) They beat the US by 1 goal, England beat Slovenia by 1 goal, and Algeria outscore Slovenia by 4 or more goals on the final match day.

England will advance if:

1) They beat Slovenia.

2) They draw with Slovenia, the US draws with Algeria, and England outscore the US by 3 or more goals on the final match day.

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Feel free to correct me if I made a mistake anywhere in there; there are certainly plenty of opportunities to do so with all those possibilities.

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The Five Stages of USA Grief

My five stages of grief following Koman Coulibaly's controversial decision that took an incredible come-from-behind win away from the USMNT:

1. Denial

Did that really just happen?  Did some no-name from Mali just rob the US of a rightfully earned 3 points and take away one of the greatest comeback wins in World Cup history?  There's no way that you can make that call.  It's baffling.  There's no way that anyone could be that blind or clueless to the point that they ignore three blatant fouls on American players inside the box but find a phantom one to negate a good goal.  It's unbelievable in every sense of the word, and I refuse to believe that that actually just happened.


2. Anger

Koman Coulibaly, you're a f***ing moron.  You should be banned from officiating World Cup games for the rest of your life, if not all organized soccer matches.  You're lucky that you robbed Americans and not Colombians or Brazilians or the English or some other completely soccer-mad nation, because chances are there would be a bounty on your head and plenty of eager takers.   Hell, I might be underselling Americans; it only takes one nut, and I'm sure you've created more than a few.  Congratulations, you're a trending topic on Twitter.  FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.  I have no f***ing clue what the hell you were thinking, what the hell you called, and why you did it.  I really hope I never cross your path, it's really come to that.  I wait four long, long years for this, and your awful call could end up ruining it.  I hate you.


3. Bargaining

FIFA, just do the right thing and over turn this call.  We'll even play the last 5+ minutes over again, with 10 men even; I'd take anything at this point.  Please, at least just admit that one of your minions blew it big time and that it might be time to bring in the five referee system or instant replay or something.  This is a complete joke and stain on what is supposed to be your shining moment in the global eye.  Let us appeal the call, just take a look at it and make the right decision.  We'll pay you for your services, Jack Warner, just do something to reverse this injustice.


4. Depression

I just can't understand this.  I wait four years for each World Cup, and yet again it might be a dubious refereeing decision that cuts it short.  Why?  Why does this keep happening?   It's like an inevitability that we'll get jobbed by a ref at some point on the big stage.  I don't know how many times I can put up with this before I just give up hope altogether.  I feel completely drained, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  I kind of just want to sit in the dark or go to sleep for awhile, anything to get my mind off of this.


5. Acceptance

Sigh.  It is what it is, and ultimately I'm pretty damn happy that we managed to pull a point out of this because I had already seen our World Cup flash before my eyes.  Koman Coulibaly might be a disgrace to referees, Malians and human beings everywhere, but chances are we won't have to deal with him again.  And, in the end, we still have to do what we would have been trying to do anyway: get a win against Algeria.  Despite this draw, a win against the Desert Foxes all but assures us of a spot in the knockout rounds.  Only a 1-goal win and a high-scoring draw between Slovenia and England (2-2 or more) would deny us a place in the Round of 16.  If we win by two goals or more, we're in regardless of the result in the other match.  And all of this is assuming that England beats Algeria; if the Three Lions drop any points this afternoon, then any win will put us through.

We can't change what happened, we can only hope that it doesn't happen again (or that FIFA instructs the next set of refs to give us some make-up calls.  If you're reading, Sepp, (and I expect that you are) pass on that suggestion to your boys with the whistles).  We can also just accept that we played a very good half and a very bad half, and we probably shouldn't have put ourselves in the position that we were in to begin with.  Let's just hope that against Algeria we turn in a complete 90 minute performance and get the kind of win that we need to keep this run alive. 

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Well, that was somewhat therapeutic (okay, not really).  Now, on to the Algeria game.  I can't bear to watch highlights of Maurice Edu's goal anymore.

Feel free to get out any anger you have in the comments section. No racism will be tolerated, but I'll let bad language go.

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USSD Podcast #2: Group Stage Talk

Here's the second edition of the US Soccer Daily podcast, as Jason Davis of Match Fit USA and I discuss the USMNT, Group C, the Jabulani, and a bunch of other World Cup topics.  Enjoy:

Download this podcast here 

As always, feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below.

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Slovenia Scouting Report

I didn't do this for the England match because names like Rooney, Lampard, and Gerrard are pretty common knowledge amongst American soccer fans (and even some casual fans, for that matter).  When it comes to Slovenia, though, there probably aren't too many folks who know the names Handanovic, Kirm, or Ljubijankic as well.  So, here's my attempt to pass on everything I've gathered about the Green Dragons to prepare you for Friday's pivotal match in Johannesburg. 

It's no secret that Slovenia are a team built around defensive organization; they gave up just six goals in 12 qualifying matches and managed to stifle Algeria's attack for 90 minutes on Sunday.  But what about the offensive side of things?  The Slovenian attack can best be described as opportunistic, with their playoff win over Russia and their recent matches against New Zealand and Algeria serving as evidence of that.



In their lone pre-World Cup tune-up, Slovenia put together a 3-1 win over New Zealand, with their opening two goals coming off of the foot of 6'3'' striker Milivoje Novakovic.  The big target forward from Cologne is capable of challenging in the air and holding up well, but he's also shown the ability to strike off of set pieces.  Both of his goals against New Zealand were free kick shots from about 20 yards out; one went up and over the wall, while the other snuck around the wall and inside the near post.  Clearly, it will be important that the US defense doesn't give away any cheap fouls around the 18, or Novakovic could make them pay.  With Slovenia likely relying on the counterattack, Jay DeMerit and Oguchi Onyewu will have to be smart with their physical play, understanding how the numbers stack up so as to not foolishly give away a free kick and give the Slovenians a chance to bring the big guys forward or set up for a shot on goal.

Another player to watch out for is Valter Birsa.  The Auxerre winger caught my eye in both of Slovenia's recent matches, showing aggressiveness and speed on the ball going forward.  Birsa also showed that he can hit a good shot, lashing out a couple of surprisingly powerful strikes in both games, one of which nearly opened the scoring against Algeria.  He's a creative player capable of creating and causing some trouble, which should again provide a challenge for Steve Cherundolo (assuming Birsa again starts on the left).  A bad turnover with the outside backs pushed forward could be a potential disaster if Birsa gets acres of space on the wing to run at the box. 

The man that most World Cup fans are familiar with at this point is Robert Koren, the West Brom midfielder who scored the game-winner against Algeria.  Despite the fact that he was gifted that goal by Faouzi Chaouchi (who was doing his best to upstage Robert Green), Koren is still one of Slovenia's most creative players in the attack and will likely play behind the two starting strikers.  He is not as strong defensively, which could benefit the US if they opt for a more creative presence in the center of the field.

With all of that being said, Slovenia will be going up against a goalkeeper in Tim Howard that, even when hurt, is a substantial upgrade over Chaouchi and New Zealand's Mark Paston.  After taking all three points against Algeria, the Green Dragons will probably be content with a draw against the Yanks, meaning that, as usual, defense will be their primary focus come Friday morning.  The back four that we saw in their opener will likely be the same one we see against the US, with Marko Suler and Bostjan Cesar in the center, Bojan Jokic on the left, and Miso Brecko on the right.  Both Cesar and Suler are set piece threats, standing at 6'3'' and 6'2'' respectively.  In the back, Cesar is a physical presence and very strong in the air, though he is not the fastest player (from what I have seen).  Suler, meanwhile, is of a similar mold, though perhaps a little smoother on and off the ball. 

Matching up with Clint Dempsey or Landon Donovan on the right side of the defense will be Brecko, also from Cologne.  He's a solid, smart defender with decent recovery speed, though he's not a great threat going forward.  On the opposite wing, Jokic is quick and can get involved in the attack effectively, but he is a step down from Brecko in terms of pure defensive play.  That could mean big things for the US if Landon Donovan is able to repeatedly run at him from the wing.

Sitting behind them is the guy who will need to be big for Slovenia if they are to pull off another positive result.  Samir Handanovic, who plays in Serie A for Udinese, made a couple of nice stops against Algeria to preserve the clean sheet and, at 6'4'', is capable of getting up for crosses well. 

Some other players who will likely feature for Slovenia are Zlatko Dedic, Aleksandar Radosavljevic, and Andraz Kirm.  Dedic is another Bundesliga player (well, before Bochum got relegated, that is), known best as the man who knocked off Russia with a first half volley to earn his nation a spot in South Africa.  He's quick up front and will likely partner with Novakovic.  Radosavljevic, meanwhile, is the equivalent of Ricardo Clark for lack of a better comparison.  He sits in front of the back four and destroys, making up for any defense that is lost with Koren in the center of the park.  He picked up a yellow card against Algeria, which might make him a little less aggressive or risky with his tackles, though I doubt it will have a discernible impact.  As for Kirm, he's a fairly versatile player in the midfield, starting 10 of Slovenia's World Cup qualifiers.  He played on the right side against Algeria, which would put him up against Carlos Bocanegra.  That's probably the better match up for the US considering Birsa's skill, Steve Cherundolo's success against England's wingers, and Bocanegra's issues with Aaron Lennon.

Off of the bench, the likely candidates are Andrej Komac (who has guaranteed victory against the US), Nejc Pecnik, Zlatan Ljubijankic, and Branko Ilic.  Ilic and Komac, a defender and central midfielder respectively, are more defensive-minded replacements (Komac came on late against Algeria), while Ljubijankic and Pecnik are more offensive-minded options.  Ljubijankic is a 6'1'' striker, while Pecnik is a midfielder that scored a crucial late goal against Russia in the first leg of their UEFA playoff. 

Though the Slovenians have been hailed for their organization and defense, they were not flawless against Algeria.  The North Africans were unlucky not to walk away without a point, as they controlled play during significant stretches of the match but ultimately were done in by a foolish second yellow card for Abdelkader Ghezzal.  We'll see if the US can do what the Desert Foxes could not and find the back of the net.  With that being said, they are indeed a quality defensive side capable of shutting down superior opponents with a disciplined, smart approach.  Bob Bradley and company certainly know their opponent a lot better than I do, so I'm sure he's got a game plan lined up to try to break down that stubborn defense and shut down the Slovenian attack.

This might not be the most comprehensive look at things, and, who knows, it might even be a little inaccurate because of a small sample space of observations, but hopefully it isn't and gets the job done.

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World Cup Twitter Q&A

Yesterday, I asked all of you on Twitter to send along any questions you have about the USMNT and the World Cup.  Here are my answers to those questions:

Is Robbie Findley really a better forward option than Gomez or Buddle? (from @bbmets31)


In terms of touch, finishing, and form, no.  Buddle and Gomez have shown just how efficient they are in front of goal, and Buddle showed against Australia that he has the physicality and athleticism to really bother defenders as well.  But Findley adds something that those two cannot, at least not to the same extent, and that is speed.  Against England, the US needed someone who could keep the English back line honest and pushed back a little bit to give the midfielders more space and to deter England's outside backs from straying too far forward.  Findley also provided an emergency option up top, as long balls over the top from the defensive third gave the US a chance at winning possession.  Essentially, he was a poor man's Charlie Davies, and he did a decent job of holding up the ball and getting involved in the attack, both of which ultimately contributed to the result.

With that being said...


Do you think we will see any changes in the starting lineup for the Slovenia game? (from @brnoel0906)

Does the Finley experiment continue Friday? How about Dempsey or Donovan up front and Torres or Benny at mid? (from @LonestarV)

After saying everything I said in the previous answer, I have to admit that I expect Buddle to get the start against Slovenia.  It's not so much a matter of Findley playing poorly and not deserving another shot as much as it has to do with the opponent and what I anticipate out of the game.  As I've said before, the US will be on the opposite end of expectations against Slovenia, playing as the favorites against a team that wouldn't mind a draw.  Slovenia are a very defensive, opportunistic team who will most likely put a lot of guys behind the ball and look to clog things up in their own half.  That means that the US should have the better part of possession and the territorial advantage, meaning a pure speed threat capable of stretching the field and keeping the defense pinned back won't be as essential as having a pure finisher out on the field who can create a shot for himself.  Edson Buddle fits the latter mold, and he has proven that he can be effective against international opponents with his brace against Australia, so I think he will get paired up with Jozy Altidore up front against Slovenia.  I could still see Findley getting the start, but I expect that he won't more so. 

I'll get to your point about Torres later on (Torres was a common theme in many of the questions I got), but as for Feilhaber, he really hurt his chances with his lackluster showing against Turkey.  I would expect Holden or Beasley off the bench before Benny at this point.



Aren't people too confident after England draw? Weak 2nd half against slow CBs & England had several unmarked chances. False hope? (@Pandagoal)

People are happy with the result, but I don't think (at least from what I've seen) people are over-confident.  The draw was a good result, not a fantastic one, but it's always a nice outcome when you can hold one of the world's best teams scoreless for 86 minutes.  It wasn't an incredible performance; as you said, there were some issues in the second half, and Tim Howard had to come up big on a couple of occasions.  But all in all, when you consider what the US was able to do against the group's best opponent, I think it's fair for people to think that the US should be able to beat Slovenia and Algeria, and that, if they advance, the US can hold their own against the best of the best in the knockout rounds.  And when you consider the US' start in their last two FIFA tournaments (a 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic in '06 and a 3-1 loss to Italy last year), Saturday's result was a nice change of pace, and the team showed a good deal of mental toughness in responding well to the early goal.

We knew ahead of time that the Slovenia and Algeria games were the must-win matches of the group, and that those were games that the US would be the favorites in.  Any points against England were a bonus that kept our hopes of finishing atop the group alive.  Both of those teams are capable of beating the US on their day, and so they are getting the respect they deserve.  But fans and pundits rightly expect the US to win and move on, which I think is a product of pre-World Cup expectations rather than new-found confidence after drawing England.


Is Onyewu's fitness after injury cause for concern and should USMNT fans worry about his rehab layoff? Goal his fault? (from @blancosburgers)

I'll be the first to admit that when the first goal happened, I got very worried about Gooch's preparedness.  Though Ricardo Clark was guilty of losing his man on the play, Onyewu got caught out in no man's land, the type of mistake that you would expect from someone who had only played 139 minutes of competitive soccer in 7 months.  But he really turned things around after that point and looked a lot more like the Gooch we are used to seeing.  He didn't appear to be laboring or struggling to win headers (though Emile Heskey's size made things difficult), and he made a number of well-timed tackles and clearances.  Perhaps the most encouraging sign of the night was when a long ball over the top forced Onyewu to turn and sprint to keep Wayne Rooney at bay, which he was able to do without a problem.  So, I think Onyewu is close enough to 100% from a fitness standpoint, and outside of the opening goal just four minutes in, there weren't really many mistakes that I thought were the result of a lack of sharpness or match experience (the Heskey breakaway was more the result of an awkward ball to handle on a step up, if you ask me). 

As the tournaments rolls on, Gooch will only get sharper and more comfortable, so I think US fans should be encouraged by what they saw against England.


What team has impressed you the most?  Disappointed the most? (from @majeacfe)

I think Germany has turned in the best performance so far, albeit a referee assisted one.  South Korea also looked very good in their opener against Greece, and I think they could make some noise in this tournament.  As far as disappointments go, Italy wasn't impressive at all against Paraguay and probably didn't deserve the point.  I also expected more out of Serbia against Ghana; that loss makes advancing an even taller task in an already tough group.


If we end up playing Germany in the Round of 16, what would your starting 11 be? (from @alisonrose711)

Well, hopefully the draw against England helps the US to finish at the top of Group C and avoid Germany altogether (in the Round of 16, at least), who I expect will finish first in Group D.  Of course, there's a decent chance that won't be the case, so a rematch of the '02 World Cup quarterfinal might be on the horizon.

If I had to pick a starting XI against Germany, I think it would end up being the same one that we saw against England, with possibly the lone exception being Edson Buddle in place of Robbie Findley if he shows well in the group stage.  As much as some folks don't like Ricardo Clark (which I'll get to next), Bob Bradley favors him in that destroyer role, and some Bundesliga experience doesn't hurt when going up against the Germans, so I think he would get the nod.


And last, but not least, there were a ton of questions about Jose Torres and Ricardo Clark. Here they are most of them lumped together for brevity's sake:

Chances that Buddle and Torres start against Slovenia? (from @nickverlaney)

What are the chances Torres starts over Clark on Friday? (from @cuttwo)

What are the odds we see Jose Torres against Slovenia? Clark looked pretty terrible. He can't get another start, right? (from @BrendanAndrew)

What will it take for BB to go w/Torres or Edu in Clark's spot? Was poor showing vs. ENG enough? If so, which MF gets the start? (from @TimCary)

Why isn't Torres playing? (from @WearingOne)

As you can see, a lot of folks were not too pleased with what Ricardo Clark provided against England, instead wanting the calm possession and distribution from Jose Torres.  I might be in the minority on this, but I don't think Rico played all that bad against England.  He wasn't great, with the Gerrard goal serving as evidence of that, but he did a lot of good things as well.  Clark's game is ugly, but effective; he's a destroyer, rather than an offensive threat.  He makes tackles and clearances, even though he may not be the best at distributing.  And that works fine against a top notch opponent when defense is the primary concern.  I think the reason he got the start was also because of his experience against elite opponents from last summer's Confederations Cup, where he had a good deal of success.  Bob went with what got him here against England, and it's hard to say that it didn't work well when the US shutout England for the final 86 minutes of the match. 

With that being said, I think what I have to say about Torres follows closely to what I said about Edson Buddle earlier.  Against Slovenia, the US will be looking to break down and stubborn defensive opponent in search of a win rather than worrying first and foremost about containing a lethal attack (of course, it's important, but the expectation is that the US should have the upper hand in going forward).  So, it's more important to have a creative presence in the middle capable of orchestrating the attack rather than someone who will be able to clog up the middle and cancel out the opposing offense.  That's where Torres comes in, with his composed presence on the ball against Turkey proved to be crucial in turning around a stagnant attack.  And that's not to say that Torres would be a massive step down defensively; he showed some good bite and understanding in the defensive half in the send-off match, as well.

If Bob prefers experience and defensive security, then Clark will probably start again.  But if he sees this next match as a game in which the US should be primarily on the front foot against a packed in defense, then I think he'll go with a more technical, creative option (which could also mean Maurice Edu, who can get forward well, too).

As impressive as Torres' showing against Turkey was, though, I worry that we're getting too wrapped up in one half of play.  Bob understands his players very well, so if he doesn't think Jose is ready to start on this stage, he won't force it.  Just have faith in his decision if Torres ends up on the bench at the start of Friday's match.

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Well, that's it for now.  Thanks a lot to everyone who submitted questions.  Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, whether you agree or disagree with anything I've said.   One of the great things about soccer is that it gives us plenty of things to debate, and I know that my opinion is nothing more than that, so fire away if you'd like.

Maybe we'll do this again some time if the demand is there.

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Video Daily Double: Legos and Qatar's Ambitions

Here are a couple of videos for your afternoon enjoyment.

First, here is a Lego recreation of the goals from USA-England.  Gotta love seeing Robert Green's gaffe like this:




Next, if the US doesn't end up winning the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, I think I'll be pulling for Qatar.  Check out this video of some of the stunning stadium plans that Qatar have included in their bid, including a 420,000 square foot media facade on the outside of one proposed arena:

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USA-England: Exhausted, Relieved, and Content

After waiting half a year for USA-England and listening to all the hype and build up, it was a relief when Saturday's Group C opener finally kicked off.  90 minutes of brow furrowing, yelling, clapping, and cheering later, I was absolutely exhausted but, most importantly, very content.  The 1-1 draw was a good result, a great one even, but not a euphoria-inducing outcome.  With that being said, my post-match mental state was mostly one of relief (though, don't get me wrong, there were a number of smug Englishmen that I know that I couldn't wait to talk to); it was as if I could finally just relax and enjoy the US' World Cup campaign, rather than anticipate a single match that in the end counts just as much as the other two in the standings. 

Though the English press is having a field day with Robert Green's miscue, the 1-1 draw was a fair result, with both sides blowing some chances to add to their total.  And while the US players' ability to go toe-to-toe with England's finest might not have been overly surprising, how many would have thought that it'd be Bob Bradley that would get the best of the coaching battle?  Both he and Fabio Capello took chances with their selections, but it was the Italian who was soon scrambling to correct his lineup.  Bradley has taken plenty of flak from US fans and pundits alike for his tactics, but there's no denying that the man does his homework and understands where his players are at.  That's what allowed him to cut Charlie Davies, that's what allowed him to select Robbie Findley, and that's what allowed him to make a smart decision about Oguchi Onyewu on Saturday.  Capello, meanwhile, was the one grasping for straws, starting a sick, out-of-form James Milner and a gimpy Ledley King before making two substitutions in 46 minutes to patch up those weak spots, ultimately leaving him handcuffed in the latter stages of the match. 

Bradley may have been a little slow to get Stuart Holden on, which finally allowed a visibly tired Clint Dempsey to slide up front, but all in all he coached his team up very well, using his defensive style to stifle Wayne Rooney to the point that the Manchester United forward was dropping back to midfield to get some touches on the ball.  The US' offensive approach was also fairly successful in maintaining decent spells of possession, if not finding the back of the net.  The purposefully narrow midfield coupled with effective jaunts forward by Cherundolo and Bocanegra helped create a numbers advantage in the middle of the park and allowed the Yanks to knock the ball around for stretches of time, taking air out of the English attack (and giving the US defense a break) while also creating a handful of good scoring opportunities.  This was a replica of their approach against Turkey a couple of weeks ago, and it was again a key contributor to obtaining a favorable result.

So kudos to Bob, who has once again showed us his propensity for game planning against a world-class opponent.  Whether you love him or hate him in-game, it's hard to deny that Bob does the work off of the field to prepare his team and maximize their chances of success.  With that being said, there are still at least two more matches left for the Yanks that will likely go a long way to shaping Bradley's USMNT legacy, so we'll just have to wait and see if he can continue to perform at the necessary level. 

Of course, though, a coach can only do so much, as the players on the field ultimately need to execute any plan that is put in place.  Tim Howard and company did not disappoint, rebounding from Steven Gerrard's early goal to shut down the Three Lions' attack.  I'll be the first to admit that I got a little nervous when Oguchi Onyewu got caught in no man's land on the opening goal, thinking that a lack of match experience was the culprit and that it could potentially come back to haunt the US once again.  Thankfully, that first goal was just a blip on the radar, as both Gooch and the rest of the defense tightened things up from that point on. 

Onyewu looked like his old self, winning countless aerial battles, making several well-timed lunging challenges, and even sprinting back well to put out a couple of fires.  Jay DeMerit, meanwhile, again rose to the occasion against a top-notch striker, helping contain Wayne Rooney to the point that you really didn't see the England star with many threatening offensive plays.  DeMerit, who will not be returning to Watford next season, gave his stock a nice boost ahead of the summer window with his performance on Saturday.

I have long been an advocate of Steve Cherundolo, and the Hannover right back once again proved his worth.  His 1 v. 1 defense was stellar throughout the match, shutting down both James Milner and Shaun Wright-Phillips, while his offensive play helped force the aforementioned substitution and added several good crosses in the attacking third.  Tim Howard, meanwhile, was the same world-class keeper we've come to know and love this cycle, making huge stops when called upon.

I could go on and on about each player, all of whom turned in good performances, but for brevity's sake I'll resist the urge.  And you may disagree with that last sentence, but when it comes down to it, everyone from Ricardo Clark to Robbie Findley to Carlos Bocanegra did their part in this so-called "1-1 win".  Though every player had their occasional miscue or misstep, there was always someone there to cover up, whether it was Howard making a breakaway save or Clark clearing a dangerous ball from the box.  It was just a great team performance all-around that got the job done.  The defense might not have been perfect, but when you consider the opponent, it was a praise-worthy performance in my book. 

That's not to say that it wasn't without its flaws; England's goal was the result of some pretty porous defending, and there certainly a number of attacks that sputtered because of unforced errors.  Ideally, the US will learn from those mistakes and minimize them next time around.  But for now, I'm just going to enjoy the fact that everything worked out in the end thanks to some grit, hustle, desperation defending, and preparation.  We were playing with house money on Saturday; as the underdogs, any positive result was a bonus.  So color me pleased that the US did walk away with a point and still have a realistic shot of finishing atop Group C when all is said and done. 

Now, the focus shifts to Slovenia, against whom I expect a lineup change or two.  The US will be on the opposite end of the expectations this time around, entering the match as the favorites against a team that would probably be content with a draw.  Let's hope that their up to the challenge once again.

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USA 1, England 1: Highlights

The US managed to take home a point today, battling England to an entertaining 1-1 draw.  Here are the highlights:



I'll post some more extensive thoughts and reactions to this match later, but for now I will just say that I am pretty happy with the result and pleased with the play of Tim Howard and the back four.  The Yanks held their own against Capello and company, and they shut down Rooney to the point that he was drifting back towards midfield to pick up the ball.  They took a point, still have a very good chance of progressing to the knockout rounds, and also still have an opportunity to finish at the top of Group C.  Certainly a better start than back in 2006. 

Tomorrow, my attention will shift to Algeria-Slovenia to see how the other Group C teams stack up.  For now, though, I'll just celebrate a memorable result for the USMNT.

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