Off the Ball

By JT

June 22, 2006 12:22 PM | Link to this

Hooray, the USA is finally out of the World Boredom Cup. Now maybe the sports people will go back to reporting on something that might be remotely interesting to 99% of the American sports fans. Even the World Poker Tour has more action than soccer.

By Chris

June 22, 2006 1:29 PM | Link to this

JT…loser says what? I guess an exciting poker tournament wasn’t on last weekend to get good TV ratings? Below are the television ratings for sports from last weekend. It appears soccer is being well received by the sports viewers in the ATL.

Metro Atlanta TV ratings for selected sports events last weekend: NBA Finals Game 5 (Sun.) 11.1 US-Italy World Cup (Sat.) 6.7 NASCAR race (Sun.) 6.3 Czech Republic-Ghana (Sat.) 5.2 U.S. Open golf (Sun.) 5.0 Braves-Red Sox (Sat.) 4.7 WC: Brazil-Australia (Sun.) 4.5 WC: France-Korea (Sun.) 4.5 Braves-Red Sox (Fri.) 4.3 Braves-Red Sox (Sun.) 4.3 WC: Japan-Croatia (Sun.) 3.9 U.S. Open golf (Sat.) 2.8 CWS: Georgia-Rice (Sat.) 1.7 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6 (Sat.) 1.6 CWS: Ga. Tech-CS Fullerton (Sun.) 0.6

By Henry

June 22, 2006 1:40 PM | Link to this

JT,don’t read or watch anything about soccer, go to sleep! At least tell us your first name, Chicken!

I for the first time in my 43 years involvement in the game of soccer was never so upset about the game as I was an hour ago. I never screemed at the TV set as I was this time. Following are the reasons :

Why was Rayna on the fiels? Is he a friend of Bruce? All he did was kick one ball to the post. Is that what makes American players great?

Why was Johnson inserted into the line-up he had done nothing in previous games? Why was he even on the squad? Get luck 2 or 3 time and you are a star.

Lucky for us, but unfortunatly for theam, why was Pope even on the squad? He played terrible in the MLS.

Where was Donovan? Now we know why he could not make it in Germany.

Beasly had one great moment in the last game but was otherwise nowhere to be found.

As you noticed above the impression I got from our theam and Bruce’s decision were directly aimed at the team. But I said it before we went to Germany that we had no offence and a poor defence why was this not corrected? Bruce had to know this, or was he bussy checking out where to coach next season. Fat chence in Europe now.

Now to the officiating by FIFA. Merk, a fellow German, could not have performed that incredibly terrible without FIFA instruction. He would have never called this penalty in any other game. FIFA needed an African team in the next round and Ghana, who played admirably but not to inernational standards for the next round, was their last hope. Since Mexico had alreardy qualified, they had to terminate the USA, which would not attract much attention. Sadly enough they are right, nobody here in the USA hireachy is going to complain. So Merk and his sideline cronies got the order, fix it and you will officiate the finals if Germany does not make it. Mark this down. Officiating was the worst I have ever seen in my involvement in the beatyfull game up to now. I know of a dozend local youth referees that are better than most FIFA referees. It is all politics and nothing else, sad but true at FIFA, USSF and our local GSSA. All of the kronies have their personal interest in mind and do absolutly coul care less what the game needs. Will this chang? Fat Chance!!!!

Well I still have 2 more teams, which FIFA would not dare to cheat, to root for, Brasil and Germany.

Sorry Wendy, but FIFA is beconning just like the United Nations. All excuses and no honest action.

Despite the offical misconduct by FIFA, thease are the most exiting games ever played.

By Nicholas Irwin

June 22, 2006 1:54 PM | Link to this

Sweet, the trolls are back. I can’t wait to come back and reed the comments here at the end of the day.

Anyway, like everyone else, I am obviously very dissappointed. The team did not even attempt to kick it into gear until we gave up the goal. I mean what was the plan? Wait until the 80th minute and then score a goal? I was actually almost glad Ghana scored that goal. It was either gonna wake us up (which it did to a certain extent) or we were gonna have another Czech Republic game on our hands and were gonna be put out of our misery quickly. You have to come out wanting it. This come out and feel out your opponent for 20 minutes thing just doesn’t work.

The penalty kick was a terrible call, maybe the worst I’ve seen in this World Cup so far. It also sucked because it came right at the end of the half and put us right back in the game. However, to compare this to the refereeing issues in the Italy game would be a mistake, I think. In the Italy game we had a referee who was out of control in all facets and was trying to suck up to FIFA. However, Markus Merk is generally a good referee, from what I’ve seen, and he worked the rest of the game very well, I thought. I think what we had here was a referee making a terrible mistake. I also think he knew he made a mistake, as in the second half, we got every ticky-tack call imaginable. Had we actually managed to drive into the box and had someone dive, he probably would’ve given us a penalty kick, too. While it does suck, blaming this game on a referee conspiracy is a little bit ridiculous. He made one terrible call and it happens. This is twice that’s happened against us now, and it is starting to get very annoying, but I didn’t see anything in it other than that.

Now, as for our dear friend Bruce Arena, before the tournament Chris made a post about how Arena should move on after this World Cup and that it was time for a new face. I pretty much jumped all over him. Well, I owe Chris an apology…he couldn’t have been more right on. Arena’s tactics in this World Cup were flat-out terrible. He played a defensive game against two teams that were begging to be attacked (no real problem with his Italy tactics); he played numerous people out of position; he refused to give Landon Donovan or Brian McBride any help whatsoever; he didn’t at all use Beasley or Donovan properly; he didn’t use Eddie Johnson at all; and I’m not even sure why John O’Brien was on the team if he wasn’t gonna freaking use him. Was it moral support? Don’t get me wrong…I love the younger players on this team. They give me hope that the next World Cup will be far better than this one. In fact, at times they looked like the only ones who cared. But starting Beasley out of position so that Convey could play at his position was flat-out retarded. Beasley is the guy who’s likely to give you more. He’s the experienced guy. I just really don’t get it. While Beasley and Donovan sucked mightily, Arena didn’t even give them a chance with how he played them. Nor did he give McBride a chance. If there’s no one up there, who the hell is he supposed to head the ball down to? And if Arena had watched any Fulham games this year whatsoever, he might have noticed that McBride is capable of doing more than heading the ball. Perhaps he should’ve taken a note of it. I can only remember one time during this World Cup where McBride had anyone near him to head it down to off of a long ball. That was in today’s game where Donovan somehow decided to make a run and help him out instead of just sitting there sulking. And of course he hit the worst shot possible. The team is also just tuning Bruce Arena out. Maybe they’re just starting to get sick of his BS, and you know what? Who can blame them? Not many people played all that well for us, so it’s entirely possible that we would’ve crashed out even if he had played like he wanted to win. But I sure would’ve rather had that than lose while playing like we were protecting something.

By Nicholas Irwin

June 22, 2006 1:58 PM | Link to this

When I was talking about the penalty kick, when I said “right back in the game,” I of course meant “right back out of the game.”

By ben

June 22, 2006 2:38 PM | Link to this

The U.S. looked a step behind in all the matches but Italy. Pace of these top-tier internationals may be more than what most of our boys are used to in Concacaf and MLS. Somehow need to schedule tougher friendlies over the next four years.
Great effort against Italy, but the group just proved too tough.

By dan

June 22, 2006 2:38 PM | Link to this

All for southern California resident Jergen Klinsman to be the next US head coach raise your hand!

By Rutuger

June 22, 2006 2:39 PM | Link to this

The world hates the USA and relishes in seeing us fail, so the referees adjust their calls against us accordingly in order to please the international throngs. It sucks, but it’s something we will probably have to deal with for quite some time.

With that said, McBride, Donovan, and Reyna were nowhere to be seen for all three games. Beasley had a couple of shining moments but overall couldn’t keep possession or create any scoring chances. the 4-5-1 is the meekest formation in soccer. Why not try a 4-3-1-2 and have Dempsey or Landon supporting McBride and Johnson? Or SOMETHING different to score a frickin goal or two!!

Arena must go. Obviously the officiating blunders/biases and the blown scoring chances are out of his control, but ultimately, he made little to no adjustments and we were not prepared for any of the games (maybe Italy).

By Rutuger

June 22, 2006 2:41 PM | Link to this

And to hell with “rooting for the little guy.” Ghana’s gift PK gave them an unearned victory, and thus I will be cheering for Brazil to crush their hopes and dreams with a 7-nil schilacking.

Unless they can get FIFA to bless them with a half dozen more of these b****** PKs, they’ll be home by next weekend.

We still have England! Let’s go lads!!!

By Francisco

June 22, 2006 2:46 PM | Link to this

It has been very disappointing how USA has played football at this World Cup. In my opinion, they had no attack at all. USA has shot only 3 times in more than 270 minutes of game. Terrible accomplishment, the worst of all nations, that well deserve the eliminitation. Attach has been very predictable and systematic. Very easy to defend by opposite teams. Defense line has been okayed and middle line underperformed.

Do not blame the referees. Blame your preparation team, the coach and the support to the best sport on Earth.

Football is the only global sport without any doubts and USA just does not get it. USA should have much better roster next time. There is potential but USA needs an organization to be able to unleash the talent in the future.

Go Spain!! A por ellos!!

By Chris

June 22, 2006 2:46 PM | Link to this

No sorrow here. Congrats to Ghana deserving of advancement to the next round. Nicholas apology excepted. I think Bruce Arena did some amazing things for this country’s soccer advancement. It is time for the US federation to move on and take the next step in the evolution. We need to secure the services of a coach that can groom the next generation of players. Reyna and McBride are arguably the best midfielder and striker our country has ever produced. After today their international careers should be over and the quest for the players to take us to the next level should begin. Hopefully Dempsey earned himself a shot in Europe and he can continue to grow his skills something that Landon will not be able to do playing in the US. As stated on numerous occasions the US does not have the finishing ability in the international game yet to take it to the next level yet. I know it shall come. I for one was very moved today to see the passion in the crowd from the American supporters. I know that the youth of this nation are taking notice of this World Cup and they will continue to strive to be the best and continue elevating the game in this country.

By soccerguy

June 22, 2006 3:19 PM | Link to this

Can we just say the U.S. has a far way to go in the game of soccer? Or should I even say basketball (Argentina). Miami can’t be the world champs. Today, only NBA Champs.

The silly statement that FIFA needed an African team to advance in meritless. Everyone who is not an ethnocentric American or racist Brit knows that the U.S. was simply outplayed. Not just against Ghana, but by every side in the group.

Landon could not play overseas which is indicative of how little soccer has advanced since 1994. We respect Landon because he is the best. But til 2010, the best of one of the worst.

By Nicholas Irwin

June 22, 2006 4:05 PM | Link to this

I, for one, have had it up to here with Landon Donovan and his freaking teddy bear. I was kind of afraid this was gonna happen after he ran back home from Germany, crying all the way, but I decided I’d withold judgment until the World Cup. Who knows…maybe he was right and he could develop just as much in MLS? Well…what now, Landon? The lack of any sort of a challenge in MLS has actually caused him to regress as a player. If anybody plays physical with him he is absolutely useless. Also, his attitude flat-out sucks. Unless he quickly goes and finds a European team and sticks with it, I fear we will never see any better out of Landon Donovan.

Look, Landon, if you don’t have the desire to do what it takes to get better…if you’re more worried about personal matters, that’s fine. I mean, it’s your choice, and we can’t really fault you for it. But if that’s the case, would you please let someone know so that you can stop wasting our time?

By Chop Chop

June 22, 2006 4:23 PM | Link to this

It’s up to the U.S. staff to pick guys who have the toughness to play international football. Onyewu proved that he can handle it. That’s a positive sign in the defense. Dempsey proved that he has enough guts not to flub a gift goal. Donovan showed that he presently does not have the guts to play at the highest level. His quote about not realizing the finality of being knocked out of the World Cup is quite telling:

“The worst part is the finality of it. Even during the game, you don’t get the sense this is it. Then the whistle blows and it’s over.”

Yeah. It’s over, Landon. What did you do to prevent it from being over?

I think Arena will step down at some point. With Reyna, McBride, Keller, Pope, Lewis all playing in their last Cup, the U.S. needs a new strategy to move things forward. Guys like Twellman need to be used more often. Guys who smell goals. Attacking football. There’s an idea.

By mk

June 22, 2006 4:37 PM | Link to this

This cup should make US soccer take a hard look at itself. We talk a lot about tactics and formations. Our youth coaches think more about these things than teaching our kids the technical skills they need to play at higher levels. In my opinion, the reason we struggle outside of concacaf is we can’t play fast enough. Not that our players aren’t fast enough but we cannot move the ball fast enough. How many times in this cup did we see US midfielders combine to beat a player. I can’t recall once. We rely on one v. one efforts to beat defenders which will always be slower and almost always allow another defender to track back quickly enough to cover. Our speed of play is simply too slow.

We need to define our style of play. How will the US Style be described because right now we don’t have one. Are we going to sit, defend and counter like the Italians typically do, or are we going to play straight ahead like the English. Or something else. Let’s just stop being so worried about what the other countries are going to do and play our style. In this instance, I think Arena stiffels the players a bit in trying to stuff them into a different system depending on the opponent. Maybe it is time for a new voice in the locker room.

On to our “stars.” Like someone before me said, Donovan is more interested in his life in CA than in becoming a world-class footballer. He doesn’t have the competitive spirit or head game to lead this team. Beasley, aside from his burst today, was no where to be found. I think he feels he no longer has to play defense and continues to look very scared on the ball.

Overall it was a frusturating cup. Not because we didn’t advance. I didn’t expecut us to, but because we showed no growth from 2002.

By Henry

June 23, 2006 8:03 AM | Link to this

I have calmed down and intend to enjoy the rest of the games. Troll Nicholas should stopp critezising fellow bloggers and mind his business.

Dispite our players having shown terrible performances with the help of the reffs, it is a very good World Cup, probably the best ever. FIFA succeded to get one team from every continent into the next round through the referees. The Australian game is another good excemple. I just saw the last 10 minutes and that reff also stunk, and tells me that FIFA also had a hand in it to get someone from the pacific rim into the next round, also Racism?

The troll that commented that an African team making it with FIFAs help was a reacist comment should get himself an education. Africa does not only have black people living on that continent. To the suprise to AJC too, they have a large population of Arabs, which some are still using mostly black as slaves. Where is the outcry? As soon as anyone mentioned blacks he is labled racist. I did not know of racism untill I came to the US and was denied service by blacks in Virginia despite being in US military uniform. Nor was I aware of it in Germany or Brasil. Brasilian blacks are also decendence of slaves. None of them call themself African-Brasiliens, nor do any countries in South America or the Caribian countries. Shame on you to use the race card, you must be a hate mongering Demcrate. Racism has no place in soccer and FIFA is very strong in fighting it and houliganizm. Probably the only thing they are ding right this year.

By Nicholas Irwin

June 23, 2006 12:49 PM | Link to this

I was talking about the guy who was doing nothing but attempting to p** us off without offering any sort of analysis whatsoever. That would be what a troll is. I was not talking about you. Yeesh!

By Ryan

June 23, 2006 2:59 PM | Link to this

I mentioned a week or so ago that all of our best players need to be playing in Europe. But someone today brought up our hometown hero of 2002, Clint Mathis. Actually, the question was, “whatever happened to him as he was one of our best forwards?” And that got me thinking that maybe, just maybe, our best players are still not up to par to make it in Europe. Dare I say, maybe Donovan can’t hang in Europe because he’s just not good enough.

So turning from the essence of disappointment to the future of the game in the US, I think Mathis may be a very good case in point regarding how players develop in the US and may be the perfect example why we can’t seem to break in to the next echelon of football. In England for example, young players with raw talent are usually signed to a club’s academy. They are immersed in everything football - surrounded by it. So had Mathis been playing for an academy team in 1993 surrounded by other outstanding prospects; instead of going from a good high school team to a good college team surrounded by decent American players - one may opine that he could very well be on par with some of the better strikers in the world today and may well be playing first class football for a first class club.

At the risk of stating the obvious, it would seem that the US has a broken system from the earliest stages.

To juxtapose the US path with the England path, a fulltime scholarship to Fulham’s academy (for example) for an under 18 player includes: Pre-season training Football training Football coaching Assessment of progress Theory of football tactics Tuition in Laws of the Game The FA Coaching Certificate College Course Core Skills Programme The Scholarship scheme is a 3 year programme, with 2 years of football and 3 years of education guaranteed.

Not to mention promising youngsters are signed to an academy as pre-teens in many cases. (e.g., Ryan Giggs was discovered by a Manchester City scout at age 9 and moved over to Manchester United at age 14 - and he still plays for them today! )

I certainly don’t have the answer, but was just throwing out a thought starter.