4 Points And Home. A Success?

Before the Italy match, I’d have said, “No!”

However, the gusty determination of the Italy match has made me go all soft-hearted. And, now, if the US can convincingly beat Ghana (even a 1-nil victory that we dominated), then I’d be satisfied…but I wouldn’t call this campaign a success.

A success would be getting out of the Group of Death and keeping the scoreline to a 1-goal loss to Brazil.

Posted from  United States

Given the tough teams in Group E, I would call it a job well done!

It’d be different if they started well and went down hill, but since they first lost to Czech, then tied with Italy, and tomorrow if they win it will prove that the US team is improving!

AGREE

I dunno. On paper, 4 points and home wouldn’t be surprising or bad. But the way we lost to the Czechs disappointed me. If we’d played pretty hard, come out ready, and lost by a goal or two, then, sure, 4 points and out would be a decent result. But we came out tentative and a little disorganized against a team we knew would punish doing just that. That’s a bit difficult to take–we’re not World Cup debutantes, after all.

Posted from  United States

“Success” for a team that hopes to be ranked among the top in the world can only be advancing to the round of 16.

Posted from  United States

frankly, 2 points and a game well-played would be a success. So, 4 points would definitely be a success. As well as a lesson that once you come out flat in that first game, it is a really an uphill battle, especially in a tough group.

I think it speaks volumes about progress of the MNT if we are debating whether taking 4 points out of such a group would be considered a success.

It all depends on the way the US plays against Ghana (part one) and if we score a goal (part two). I don’t think we can argue it was a successful Cup based solely on gaining a point against Italy. I think we have to play with the same gusto against Ghana AND score at least one goal of our own.

The tremendous effort against Italy washed the bad taste of the CR game out of our mouths, so it all hinges on tomorrow. A win - even an ugly one - will make this a successful Cup as far as I’m concerned. Moving on to play Brazil will be icing on that cake, but not required to call this a successful Cup.

After what was shown against Italy, I would be proud of 4 points and beginning preparations for 2010.

Posted from  United States

On a new but related topic, I want to argue that the question of “success” could also be asked of FIFA.

Surely a successful World Cup is one that gives the best teams a real chance to advance. So why doesn’t FIFA seed all thirty-two teams instead of just the top 8? There’s no way the Group E teams should have been together in the opening round. Seeding all the teams would have avoided that.

I know it would be contentious to do that kind of seeding, but surely they could work out a decent system before 2010. The NCAA does it with men’s and women’s tournaments of all kinds yearly. The teams wouldn’t even have to be ranked 1-32. They could just be ranked 1, 2, 3, or 4 and placed in groups accordingly.

Posted from  United States

An honest statement, and one that makes sense. This was a tough group for the U.S. in its current state of development. Sadly, in the eyes of most Americans, this will be more proof that soccer is not worth supporting here. People who don’t follow it will just hear on TV or radio that, “hey, the US couldn’t even make the first cut.”

This will probably turn away some new fans of the sort that U.S. soccer gained in 2002.

Basically, the U.S. has done all it could by playing mostly in its own zone. Now the Federation guys need to work hard on scheduling more friendlies with European and South American sides. Seriously, this will be the only way to approach the creme de la creme of the football world. No matter how many players we have at “famous European teams” like Fulham United, the American national team must actually play the best players of the top countries - together on one field - to improve beyond this point.

Regardless of who’s coaching or who’s playing two years down the road, the fact remains the same: to be the best, you have to beat the best. And to even get the chance to beat the best, you have to play them first. Enough of this Jamaica/Bahamas/Nicaragua nonsense. It inflates the ranking, but cannot actually improve the U.S. team beyond where it is now.

Posted from  United States

The team has ONE shot on goal so far.

Posted from  United States

Had we played the Czechs straight-up and lost 3-0, I’d say yes, but since we didn’t, I view 4 points and out as merely salvaging some pride. I said going in that we could play really well and get 0 points, and that while I’d be disappointed at the result, I would be proud of the team and their game. Regardless of how things settle today, our marching orders for the next 4 years are clear…finishing, finishing, finishing. We showed against Italy that we can play, but we haven’t shown that we can score, and it’s that lack of finishing skill that’s keeping us from warranting a high FIFA ranking.

FIFA does not seed all 32 teams because it wants to avoid regional rivalries.

Basically, FIFA does not want a group with more than 2 European teams. That’s why during the lottery there were special lots for CONCACAF, ASIAN, and MIDDLE EASTERN teams.

I think we should go beyond this “regionalism” and seed all 32 teams, but FIFA is owned by the European Countries.

This is why Africa has so few slots. Otherwise, we would all be delighted in seein Egypt, Senegal, Camaroon, and Nigeria play (all of which are World Cup calibre teams).

The current format is too cut throat for African teams…one DRAW and you’re out. African teams are more deserving of respect…

Posted from  Dominican Republic

man… i listened to that idiot, arena! what a loser,”it doesnt matter what the score is after the first half”and” we all know how important it is to score early in this game”, he sounds like a freakin politician tryin to white wash americans, or at least a coach that should never be coaching at this level! and ,hell no, if you dont go on there is no success-its called failure! to even consider “building” for 2010 now is just a joke, that sort of complacancy is exactly why they havent had the success the guys deserve! i started playing when i was 5 in germany and have had some good and bad coaches but this jack-ass i could never play for! he shouldnt even show up, just let the guys play.”if we get 4 points and dont advance, well thats life”, can anyone imagine any(not just in the tourney
)coach saying something like that before the biggest game of their life? shame on you arena you suck!

Posted from  United States

FIFA rank the US #5? what a joke. If you believe (I don’t) that the US is the fifth soccer powerhouse, then, their “possible” 4pts might be a BIG faliure. Now, I think that if that happens, the US is actually lucky and to be fair you can say that they have improve, a little. Mainly because this group is not all that. You will not see a team from this group advancing any further later on. Time will prove me right!

Posted from  Canada

Why give Africa more spots when out of the five they’ve got only one has qualified, and only one more has an opportunity of qualifying. Compare that to say, South America where 3 out of the 4 are on the next phase. If anything take spots away from Asia, Africa, and Concacaf and give it to South America. Also Europe doesn;t deserve all the spots they get either.

Posted from  United States

The U.S. team suck’s! Especially Reyna! Not only that he’s a Pussy! If you get carried off the field on a stretcher, something better damn well be broken!!!

Posted from  United States

ranked #5 in the world? you have to be kidding me…FIFA’s ranking is so screwed up, stop kidding yourselves…enjoy the humble pie, train hard, maybe get some players international exposure and maybe you might do better next time around…a little humility goes a long way

Posted from  United States

We all knew that this group is actually the group of death. Ghana despite their dayview in the WC are a powerhouse soccer nation and that’s well documented all over the world except in our misleading commentator minds, Italy on the other hand need no introduction we all know what Italy is capable of, and the ole Czech Rep, they are still a great team to be reckoned with even though they passed their prime. What I do not appreciate is the bashing on Reyna who gave so much to the game in this country, such a player we should build a statue for, not judge him on one mistake. As for Bruce Arena, he also put us soccer on the world map he did his part, if we say we need new ideas that’s the cycle of life and its whithin our rights, but what we don’t have right for is insulting and bashing people who did so much for our country.

Posted from  United States