The US team reacts to a header from Gooch. A near miss.
Sunil Gulati on the US performance at the World Cup, “This is where you measure yourself. That did not come out well.”
George Vecsey who really does not know soccer very much, being more familiar with baseball and basketball, but is a voice I respect, recognizes that this was not a very good team.
“There were too many players in odd positions, not enough scoring power, too much age, too much youth. ”
Roger Cohen on his blog, “The United States is going home, no more than it deserves after a World Cup that revealed the enduring limitations of the American game. The US team had plenty of heart, but not one world-class player, or even anyone close. At this level that means an early departure.”
Jim Litke of AP, puts it, the reason the United States is officially “Going, Going, Ghana!” from the World Cup, as one headline put it memorably Thursday, is simple. It still hasn’t bothered to learn how to play the world’s game.
Vecsey also repeats what many on Soccerblog have been saying, it is time to bring on Juergen Klinsmann. With the right inducement and very little interference from US Soccer (unlike what he is subjected to in Germany), Klinsmann could probably consider this proposition seriously.
Eric Wynalda brought up the subject of the lack of firepower, saying he did not understand why Arena did not bring in Eddie Johnson or Josh Wolff earlier.
He also mentioned a certain Taylor Twellman, who would have been quite a thorn against the Ghanian defence, and who Arena chose to overlook. I remember a lot of disappointed New England Rev fans writing to the Boston Globe expressing their shock at Twellman’s exclusion. They may feel a small sense of vindication with the US performance, although the larger sense is just a feeling of all round disappointment as to what went wrong.
Notes:
In an interview on ESPN, Freddy Adu categorically said it was time for him to move on to Europe. He is not going to get any further in the MLS. He gave a very politically correct answer on his future plans to play for a national team, he did not know whether he would play for Ghana or the US. I think the US should do everything in its power to nurture talent and not alienate it. Adu was sidelined through his career in DC UNited.
Reyna retires from international soccer. It would have been nice if he went out on a high note but there were some great moments in his international soccer career with the US team in the 2002 World Cup.
5 comments on “The post mortem on US Soccer: What are the pundits saying?”
Adu’s handlers should be fired. I understand moving on, but he is not going start for Chelsea or even Man U for that matter. Nor is he a superstar in the MLS yet, though he has shown significant progress throughout his time with DC United. Meanwhile, the timing of the Ghana v. US question is horrible. Not to mention that he is already cap tied to the US. See the US vs. Canada friendly earlier this year.
As for the comments by the american media who obviously don’t know soccer…
WE HAVE STRIKERS. and such is the reason Americans don’t understand soccer/futbol. The quality of our strikers is not in doubt, it was the quality of our midfield and its ability to control the game and feed the ball forward. I wish for once the american media would stop writing about things it does not know, but the general american population seems to know less, so whatever.
As to the “but not one world-class player” comment, I put forth the players we have in Europe. Are they then not world-class players? I call b.s. on his statement as almost all of them are.
As for Twellman, I don’t think it would have made much of a difference, Twellman plays striker with not much difference than Wolf or Johnson, neither of whom got enough field time this cup to matter.
As for Adu. His MLS career has been a dissapointment. A combination of his youth and size have hindered him, his skills while impressive have not shown and he has been out played by many in the league. For him to think he can do no more in MLS and must move to Europe is either a play against MLS management or false hope as his move to Europe will only place him on Jr teams, not that it will hurt him, but he won’t get anything he isn’t able to get here, maybe in 2-3 years, but until he proves himself as one of the top players in MLS, Europe will have nothing to offer him.
As for coaching, we need someone who has experience on the national stage and someone whom America respects, prior coaching experience is a plus, though at this level should not be a necessity. Klinsmann fits these, Wynalda could do well, though his lack of coaching experience may hinder him at first, though he understands the game and from his comments and experience as a striker would hopefully push the team to play more aggresive attacking soccer.
SteveA, insightful comments all. I have two things to add about the US strikers.
First, I think McBride is overrated. Yes, he can get high and get a head on the ball, but soccer is generally played with the feet and I do not think he is a skilled player in that way. Or, if he is, he has not shown (or had the chance to).
So I guess two is that the quality of our strikers IS in doubt for me. And I would say we do not have anyone close to a Henry, Rooney, Crespo, Robben, Torres, Totti or Klose, let alone someone who would be respected in Brazil.
Of course, under Arena, we will never know…
Many aspects to consider in analysing the reasons for the U.S. failure. But, in my view, it starts at the leadership from the top, beginning with the need to have a world class head coach such as Gus Hiddink.
http://www.latinosportsjournal.blogspot.com/
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The sooner Reyna and Arena take a walk, the better for U.S. football. I think that the statistic that we have never won a world cup match with Claudio Reyna on the field, ever, speaks for itself. He’s uncreative, predictable, and slow. He lobs the long ball right into the box knowing full well we don’t win it in the air, and can’t shut down a defender to save his life. They call him a “good distributor” but that just seems like a polite euphemism for a player who shows no leadership, slows the attack down, is slow to react. The moment he leaves the field? Goal. I was not surprised. Him being injured was one of the better breaks our 2002 national side, nevermind the calls we got in the Mexico match.
Bruce Arena gets credit for qualifying a U.S. Team. That said, Arena overlooked many talented players (esp. Taylor Twellman) in order to show favortism to his pals, including Reyna. Remember Jeff Agoos? Had absolutely no business being on the field, and almost cost us a match against Portugal. He and Bruce go way back, but he sure as hell did not deserve international play. And I completely agree 451 is a coward’s strategy. Arena seems to want to place impossible burdens on players, but trash them when they can’t live up. I lost what little respect I have for him after he trashed Beasley and Donovan after the Poland match, and then claimed “I take all the blame, put it all on me” when asked whether he felt responsible for the loss in any way. Of course, Bruce, very chivalrous of you, no specifics, but you take all the blame. What a man.
Truth is, our players are talented if you let them play their game, and they deserve our support. McBride (who should’ve been wearing the captain’s armband) and Beasley ahve had outstanding play in Europe. But instead of unleashing these guys, Beasley gets trapped on the wrong side of the pitch, and Reyna simply refused to take any responsibility for getting McBride a decent short ball.
But all I seem to hear out of Arena is how great our “defensive game was” (really? because I thought we conceeded five goals this tournament.) And “what a great game Claudio had” – – except there are 10 other guys on the bloody pitch.
U.S. football needs to stop patting itself on the back, championing mediocrity, and putting up with Arena’s blatant and egotistical clientelism. Having a collection of “great strategies” that never translated into victory is pompous, political crap. It reminds me of Gerard Houllier before he was sacked.
I have very little to be proud of these days as an American. But I have always had pride in our footballers. And Arena not only failed them, but has been unceasingly glib and arrogant about doing it. As supporters, we should be furious, because anything less is not going to get us the coaching and the determination we need to win on an international stage.
You play as a team, and you play to win, not to “have a good game” for individual players. Hell, that reminds me of the kind of political post-game crap Gerard Houllier spewed right before he was sacked from Liverpool. I once read Arena commenting that he “doesn’t play the best players” for the national side. Then he ought to be ashamed of himself. His country sure is.