Short-handed U.S. runs out of steam against Italy

[Redz]

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Lol Lol Lol Are You Serious Ha Ha Ha Ha ARE YOU FOR REAL SHORT HANDED OR NOT YOU WOULD HAVE LOST FOR SURE, I MUST GIVE YOU 100% CREDIT THOUGH YOU DID PLAY A GOOD GAME ONE OF THE BEST I SAW YOU PLAY AND IT IS ONLY BECAUSE OF YOUR TEAMS FITNESS.

THAT IS IT YOUR STAMINA IS UP THERE WITH EVERYONE ONE ELSE AND EVEN MORE THAN SOME OF THE TOP TEAMS BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS LOOSE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE CONCACAF ZONE AND YOUR ONLY THREAT WAS THE NONE AMERICAN CHUMP CARIBBEAN HAITIAN THAT YOU MOCK.

THE GOOD THING IS NOW YOU KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO HAVE A PLAYER STOLEN AND HE COMES BACK AND AFTER GETTING SOME REAL FOOTBALL IN HIS LIFE DESTROY YOUR AVERAGE PLAYERS LIKE THEY ARE STUCK IN TIME.

ATLEAST THEY ARE NOT USING PLAYERS IN THEIR OWN ZONE HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE PLAYERS HERE IF YOU ARE GOING TO BEG FOR THEM TO PLAY FOR THE USA.

OH YEA WITH THE REFS AS I ALWAYS SAY WHEN THE REFS GIVES YOU ALL THE CALLS IN CONCACAF IT IS DOING A DISSERVICE TO YOU BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO TO THE REAL WORLD THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS YOU WOULD HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY OF THOSE CALLS AGAINST YOU IF YOU WERE PLAYING A CONCACAF TEAM.

USA USA USA USA WHAT A JOKE USA USA USA USA USA USA DON'T TALK TOO MUCH TOUGH GUY HA HA AH AH LOL HA HA AH LOL YOU ARE THE FUNNIEST.

[Redz]

Ricketts did'nt assist on any goal you had to get a quick start to score and it was an illegal start, the player was trying to help your guy up. If you did not cheat you would not have scored. If you were playing Italy the ref would have called it back ha ha ha ah lol

If Ricketts assisted on the goal Bruce Arena would not have him on his team today he actually respected him from that game even though you did not get that many chances he comanded from the back I beleive he was the Captain. Ricketts

[Don1]

Against Italy? Sure.

But keep in mind that's the reigning World Champion and not some chump Caribbean team we're used to slapping around in CONCACAF.

More reason why this redneck punk should be persona non grata in these parts.

However Zeppo the USA$$hole is coddled by some brown-nosing simpletons on this forum who give the fellow enough comfort to stick around spreading his infections....

Why don't you peddle your racist crap where it's more appropriate little fellow.... like some US forum?

You have no regard for Jamaica so why the fcuk don't you vamoose redneck?

[Don1]

I wish the Boyz were short of skills and in the HEX...not to mention--invited to the confed kup in SA.

Who you fah?

[Mosiah]

Zeppo will probably be around this forum for a while, the token red-neck, white trash that every decent forum should have.

I wonder, which Caribbean team is he talking about anyway?!?

[T.K.]

Oh yeah! When Ricketts "assisted" on Ben Olsen's goal.

Man he sure has turned things around. He's been great so far for the Galaxy and I don't think he's had one of those butterfinger moments yet.

LOL...had to go there didn't you.

Yeah that was probably the worst goalkeeping performance I ever seen. If memory serves me correct Ray Hudson called him a buffoon which was as appropriate a description as one could come up with. I always wondered what the story was with that match. Was he sick that day? Or was it just one of those days that all players have at some point in their career?

In all seriousness though Zeppo I actually thought through the first half the US played very well. They tried to keep pace in the 2nd half but they ran completely out of gas. I really liked the pairing of Onyewu and Demeritt. I think the US are on the verge of solving their back line issues. If you have a central pairing of Gooch and Jay and put Spector on the right and Bocanegra on the left you have a quality back four.

I wish he had put Torres in over Beasley to try and get some possesion but down to 10 men it was never going to happen. Nice seeing Feilhaber getting back to his old self.

Landon Donovan finally had a good game against a good team on the road. He was the dangerous player for the US all night. Bradley was another one with a really good game. Though why he didn't take an actual shot when he was put through is beyond me. Same for Altidore who inexplicably passed up the opportunity. Against Concacaf teams you can get away with that stuff but against the big dogs you have to go for it and make the keeper earn his pay in those situations.

The less said about Clark and that stupid foul the better. He was so late, reckless and dangerous I had no problem with the red card. I could see him getting a yellow but really he choose to leave his feet and give the ref the perfect excuse to send him off. - T.K.

[Zeppo]

Why don't you peddle your racist crap where it's more appropriate little fellow.... like some US forum?

Nobody referenced race in this thread until you did.

[Zeppo]

Clark's controversial ejection alters the balance

After having fought a man down for most of the second half in that epic 2006 World Cup match, no one could have blamed the U.S. national team for thinking this was its chance to play world champion Italy on level terms.

But Pablo Pozo had other ideas.

The Chilean referee showed a straight red card to American midfielder Ricardo Clark in the 33rd minute of Monday night's game, leaving the Americans a man short once again, and unbalancing a midfield carefully designed by coach Bob Bradley to interrupt the Italians' playmaking in the middle of the park.

(continue)

[Zeppo]

In all seriousness though Zeppo I actually thought through the first half the US played very well. They tried to keep pace in the 2nd half but they ran completely out of gas. I really liked the pairing of Onyewu and Demeritt. I think the US are on the verge of solving their back line issues. If you have a central pairing of Gooch and Jay and put Spector on the right and Bocanegra on the left you have a quality back four.

I wish he had put Torres in over Beasley to try and get some possesion but down to 10 men it was never going to happen. Nice seeing Feilhaber getting back to his old self.

Landon Donovan finally had a good game against a good team on the road. He was the dangerous player for the US all night. Bradley was another one with a really good game. Though why he didn't take an actual shot when he was put through is beyond me. Same for Altidore who inexplicably passed up the opportunity. Against Concacaf teams you can get away with that stuff but against the big dogs you have to go for it and make the keeper earn his pay in those situations.

The less said about Clark and that stupid foul the better. He was so late, reckless and dangerous I had no problem with the red card. I could see him getting a yellow but really he choose to leave his feet and give the ref the perfect excuse to send him off. - T.K.

Regarding Clark's expulsion, I'd say that that kind of foul gets a yellow 70% of the time in league play. But in a high-profile FIFA tournament the refs are always looking to set an example and so they come down hard on them. Rico should have known this, and it was also dumb because Gattuso was far from the U.S. goal and in no way a threat at that moment. Oh well, live and learn.

Yes, Donovan had an outstanding game, and so did Bradley. They were the two best on the field for us. Altidore caused a lot of problems for the Italian central defense and his cut move to win the PK was sweet, but he was really isolated playing as the lone forward so there was only so much he could do. Feilhaber's pass to Altidore for the penalty was brilliant, but for the rest of the game his performance was rather poor. Need to see better from him.

I thought our central defense was decent, but it's hard to judge when playing a man down for an hour. Onyewu and DeMerit did the best they could given the circumstances. Hopefully Bocanegra will be fit. Brazil will be a true test for the defense, but I have to admit that I don't have a good feeling. Let's see...

[Don1]

Nobody referenced race in this thread until you did.

I like being first. Thanks for noticing.

I am very aware of the not so subtle racial coding prevalent in the good old USA... try that silly line with someone else less aware.

Ease off punk.

[Don1]

Zeppo will probably be around this forum for a while, the token red-neck, white trash that every decent forum should have.

I wonder, which Caribbean team is he talking about anyway?!?

I often wonder if the fellow is:

A. Paid to be a spy/provocateur on this site ... such people like to be compensated for their work... maybe their Federation obliges him.

B. Just the typical Yankee a$$hole who just likes to be noticed by "others"



Maybe we should conduct a Zeppo poll to get a consensus.

[Don1]

Clark's controversial ejection alters the balance

After having fought a man down for most of the second half in that epic 2006 World Cup match, no one could have blamed the U.S. national team for thinking this was its chance to play world champion Italy on level terms.

But Pablo Pozo had other ideas.

The Chilean referee showed a straight red card to American midfielder Ricardo Clark in the 33rd minute of Monday night's game, leaving the Americans a man short once again, and unbalancing a midfield carefully designed by coach Bob Bradley to interrupt the Italians' playmaking in the middle of the park.

(continue)

Post this irrelevance elsewhere punk.

[T.K.]

Regarding Clark's expulsion, I'd say that that kind of foul gets a yellow 70% of the time in league play. But in a high-profile FIFA tournament the refs are always looking to set an example and so they come down hard on them. Rico should have known this, and it was also dumb because Gattuso was far from the U.S. goal and in no way a threat at that moment. Oh well, live and learn.

Yes, Donovan had an outstanding game, and so did Bradley. They were the two best on the field for us. Altidore caused a lot of problems for the Italian central defense and his cut move to win the PK was sweet, but he was really isolated playing as the lone forward so there was only so much he could do. Feilhaber's pass to Altidore for the penalty was brilliant, but for the rest of the game his performance was rather poor. Need to see better from him.

I thought our central defense was decent, but it's hard to judge when playing a man down for an hour. Onyewu and DeMerit did the best they could given the circumstances. Hopefully Bocanegra will be fit. Brazil will be a true test for the defense, but I have to admit that I don't have a good feeling. Let's see...

You know in a friendly down the road I would love to see a line-up in a 4-2-3-1 that had Altidore up top w/ Torres, Feilhaber and Adu right behind him. Whether or not they'd be strong enough defensively is questionable but I think it would give the US an interesting look with three players who can create from open play. I would not do it in the confed cup but in the Gold Cup where nothing is at stake it wouldn't hurt to see if a lineup like that would help the US actually be a goal scoring threat from something other than set pieces and penalty kicks.

Yeah Brazil would be a real test for any defense. For all the talk of them giving up 3 goals they still scored 4 goals against a very good Egypt side. - T.K.

[Don1]

You know in a friendly down the road I would love to see a line-up in a 4-2-3-1 that had Altidore up top w/ Torres, Feilhaber and Adu right behind him. Whether or not they'd be strong enough defensively is questionable but I think it would give the US an interesting look with three players who can create from open play. I would not do it in the confed cup but in the Gold Cup where nothing is at stake it wouldn't hurt to see if a lineup like that would help the US actually be a goal scoring threat from something other than set pieces and penalty kicks.

Yeah Brazil would be a real test for any defense. For all the talk of them giving up 3 goals they still scored 4 goals against a very good Egypt side. - T.K.

After many years of trying and billions spent on football... the US is still better off setting its sights on Caribbean/CONCACAF opponents.
They may struggle... but at least they have a much better than even shot at success.

Admire the US can do spirit but... Italy, Brazil etc are several bridges too far them to handle.

But hope springs eternal ......

[Zeppo]

I like being first. Thanks for noticing.

I am very aware of the not so subtle racial coding prevalent in the good old USA... try that silly line with someone else less aware.

Ease off punk.

Heck of an imagination you got there.

And thanks for the advice, but I'll continue posting as I see fit.