"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." -
Voltaire the Sunderland Supporter
Italy 1 - USA 1
Tactically better for the USA, but they still did not look like a top ten side, particularly against a tired and uninspired Azzurri. The USA may just sneak in the Second Round, if they can get joy out of the Ghana match. Big IF.
1 comment:
Anonymous
said...
True enough. It was a better effort in some ways, but still a long way off in others.
Negatives:
- 8 shots, 0 on goal. Even before things went all pear-shaped, they weren't getting any shots on target.
- The arm-waving to the linesman to signal the "success" of their offsides trap has to stop. Permanently. It just looks foolish (See Mr. Pope).
- The were agressive, which is fine, but obviously were just on the other side of what would be allowed (See Mr. Pope). Maestroeni's challenge was late and just above the ankle. Maybe not worthy of a straight red, but the result could have been quite nasty indeed. And it was totally unncecessary just before half. They saw how the ref was calling the match but didn't adjust their play until they had really hurt themselves.
Positives:
- The defense did play a pretty tidy second half. I must give some props to Onyewu. He was better. Still not great (he has to SPEAK UP to be a leader), but better. And Keller was a rock.
- The whole side ran and ran and ran. Then ran some more. Nice display of fitness.
- Bobby Convey and Clint Dempsey gave the side a different and less predictable look. And they showed little fear.
Against Ghana, we'll see. Ghana will be missing their scorers up front. But their back line is intact. We have shown we can defend now, but we are going to need to score somehow. And where the goals will come from is not clear.
1 comment:
True enough. It was a better effort in some ways, but still a long way off in others.
Negatives:
- 8 shots, 0 on goal. Even before things went all pear-shaped, they weren't getting any shots on target.
- The arm-waving to the linesman to signal the "success" of their offsides trap has to stop. Permanently. It just looks foolish (See Mr. Pope).
- The were agressive, which is fine, but obviously were just on the other side of what would be allowed (See Mr. Pope). Maestroeni's challenge was late and just above the ankle. Maybe not worthy of a straight red, but the result could have been quite nasty indeed. And it was totally unncecessary just before half. They saw how the ref was calling the match but didn't adjust their play until they had really hurt themselves.
Positives:
- The defense did play a pretty tidy second half. I must give some props to Onyewu. He was better. Still not great (he has to SPEAK UP to be a leader), but better. And Keller was a rock.
- The whole side ran and ran and ran. Then ran some more. Nice display of fitness.
- Bobby Convey and Clint Dempsey gave the side a different and less predictable look. And they showed little fear.
Against Ghana, we'll see. Ghana will be missing their scorers up front. But their back line is intact. We have shown we can defend now, but we are going to need to score somehow. And where the goals will come from is not clear.
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