Confederations Cup

A couple of worst decisions by a ref I've seen in a long while.

The straight red on Clark was a travesty. It was his first foul and while it was a hard knock....it was just that. A yellow in almost every situation except the US vs. Italy.

The forearm to Donovan should have been a straight red. Finally, the last defender back grabbing Jozy around the waist as he went by should have been another straight red. One wasn't even called a foul and the other was simply a card.

Disgraceful officiating. Always seems to happen when the US plays the big boys in a high profile international tourney. I don't know which is worse, our treatment against the big fish in WC and other tournies or our treatment by Latin refs when we play in CONCACAF.

Hook 'em & Go Yanks
 
Ghana received a PK for a lot less than what Donovan had done to him on that elbow.

Groundss...Jermaine Jones is coming to the USA because Germany wont give him a chance...As I said, completely different with Rossi. And, yes, I feel the same way with Subotic. How any American citizen could choose to play for another country when they are talented enough to play for us is incredible. I'd imagine they never tear up at the waving of an American flag...or experience a swelling of pride at hearing the Star Spangled Banner.
 
2002 WC Round 1 vs Poland: Donovan's equalizer waived off for a very suspect foul on a shoulder charge. Issue compounded by Poland launching a counter off the restart while our guys argued and scoring to make it 2-0.

2002 WC Quarterfinals vs Germany: Frings' handball on the line, which very easily could/should have been a PK and a red card.

2006 WC Round 1 vs Italy: Mastro's very questionable straight red card, compounded by the sort-of-dicey second yellow on Pope that sent him off, too.

2006 WC Round 1 vs Ghana: The phantom PK on Gooch that was 1/10 the foul that today's play on Landon was in the 88th minute.

2009 Confed Cup Round 1: Today's absurd red card on Clark and the very questionable PK no-call for Donovan late.
 
Wolv, you make several excellent points, none of which I can refute. I don't hate the kid, I just hate the situation. The bottom line is, it sucks...we can all agree on that.

As History has pointed out, the greater issue here is the officiating. My immediate reaction was "we played well in the face of adversity and held on as long as we could with 10 men." But the more I think about it, my mentality is "we got f'ed over."

We were the better team when it was even and we were the better team for the first 20 minutes when it was 10 on 11. I can't fault the Yanks for running out of gas.

It wasn't fair and unfortunately no one will acknowledge the injustice except for U.S. fans.
 
Don't forget in 2006 the "offsides" call against the US on DMB's game winning goal against Italy. The player was possibly in an offsides position but had zero affect on the play itself.
 
"I dedicate the goals to my family, who are watching the game on TV in America,"

"If you're playing against the team which is the country where you are born, it's always a great emotion coming in," Rossi said. "But when you're on the field you have no friends. You just think about playing the game and trying to win your game."

TexasWolv...you're right...F*** him.
 
Icy??? Is that you??

I don't know what kind of fairy tales your folks told you, but they must be the kind where the cheating, diving, outplayed, bastard team wins as a result of a horrid official's decision.

Was this the addition to Aesop's tales that we've all heard about, but never revealed to this point?

Hook 'em & Go Yanks
 
The American Dream = Come to America...Make a better life for yourself and your family...Then have your kid f America over?

I read Wahl's article earlier and found him too forgiving of Rossi.

Whatever...We move on...Hopefully one day we'll get to see the equivalent of Aaron Lewis dragging Peterson down behind the line happen to Rossi against us.
 
okay, just got to watch the game on DVR as i got home......

Huge italy fan, family from there, will own my dads home on the beach there, etc etc etc....
Didn't know who i would cheer for, i figured it would be the US since it wasn't the WC and i wanted to see an upset. It went full tilt US in the 33rd, a terrible red card.

Starting with the positives, the US showed a lot of heart, lot of determination. I almost have ot wonder if they would have had they not benn put a man down, but either way it was great to see.

Altidore is a super star imo (i know, everyone knows that), but this KID played great against a very organized and smart defense. 19 years old........whoa

Gooch in the first half, absolutely owned the box for the US defense. Italy is an above average air team, and gooch did his work and did it very well.

for a span in the first half, the US showed that when they play smart and tough, they can freakin hang with anyone......

negatives :
rossi - what hurt most on his first goal, if clark is in there, rossi doesn't get a 15 yard head start with the ball at his feet.

not sure if it's because we can't make the pass, but hte first time i see a Us player run his *** into a spot on the field that is NOT occupied by the defending team i'll ******* pass out and then kiss his *** after i wake up. others feel free to correct me, but when i'm coaching my nieces youth team, i'm telling them how important it is to always be on the move and to get into an open area. to put yourself in the best position possible to receive a pass. and once there are four guys doing that in the attacking half, the whole attack itself seems to really open up.

the result was disappointing, though not unexpected, but i think we can keep some reins on Brazil and score more than 2 goals, it will just depend if our centerbacks and howard can play out of their gourd.

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I liked the quote from Donovan:
"The red card made all the difference," Donovan said. "Eleven guys from each team were prepared and ready to play the game, and the guy in the middle with the whistle wasn't."

This guy clearly changed the entire match and, again, it seems to happen when we play on the big stage against a big name. I know the US has to step up in those situations, but it really does suck when the opportunity to do so fairly is taken from them.

Will FIFA or the head of officiating make a comment regarding this red? I doubt it but just wanted to throw it out.
 
After rewatching the RED CARD I think that it was probably the right call.

If Clark had just kicked the guy with a lunge, it should have been a yellow. BUT... the guy tapped the ball away before Clark cocked his foot to then kick the guy. It was an obvious, intentional kick in the shins. Not a stupid, wreckless play, but intentional kick in the shins because they guy had moved on.

That call usually isn't a red card, but it should always be.

The non-call in the box against Donovan. Donovan wasn't going for the ball, he was shielding/waiting for contact. The other guy was going for the ball and went flying over Donovan. In the field, that would be a whistle and free kick. In the box... when no attempt on the goal was effected... no.

I would have loved for the whistle to be blown, but thought that it rightfully wasn't.

On a yellow card early when Camoranesi had his arm slightly touched and he fell like he had been shot... (1) He's on the Italian national team, (2) He plays professionally in Italy, & (3) He was born in Argentina... I hate the guy, but what do you expect. He's the trifecta.

Rossi is the best player on the Italian team.
Rossi is the best player ever produced in the USA.
Rossi made his decision to play for Italy when he was ~15/16... I don't know why people are still up in arms. It's been over for years. He's played on every Italian national team that he's been eligible for and never once for the USA.

If I were to have a kid in Argentina, and he wanted to play for the USA, I'd be thrilled. But you'd really have to use basketball to see the comparison. He moves to a basketball mecca and then wants to play for the powerful team. It's a bummer for the losers in that tug-of-war, but it's nice for the winners.

PS- I watched the game with my Italian friend and continually mentioned to him that the best player on his team was American.
 
Ok let's move onto Brazil. Who replaces Clark? No Edu...

I think Wolv might be on to something (again) w/ Adu. Facing Brazil will demand that we have aggression and skill on the ball.

How do we fit Adu, Kljestan/Feilhaber, Dempsey, Donovan and Bradley all on the field at the same time? And if so, do we run the risk of seeing another 2nd half against Italy? I've always hated the 2 CDM-focused formations, but today made me think we need it. Maybe my futbol knowledge is too limited...what do you guys think would be a solid, skilled lineup for the sambas?
 
Napoleon,

I wish I had your outlook. I've watched the game twice and I'm still too bitter to look at things without red, white and blue glasses...

I've always read and respected your opinions on soccer, but rarely respond. Today, after such a bitter loss, I'd like to commend you for your take on the red card and Rossi.

Your ability to provide perspective that is void of patriotism, emotion and ambiguity is admirable. Props...
 
Brazil:

Considering Clark was the only DM on the team...I can only assume Bradley is going to have to step into that role against Brazil. As for who partners with him...I don't think there is any way of knowing. Brazil is not as fancy as they used to be...and can be physical...so I don't think Adu is an automatic entry (though I'd like it to be him).

The other consideration for the lineup are: 1. 3 games in a week...Need to rest some players. 2. 3 games against good competition...Need to try out different people.

My early lineup prediction with a mixture of what I want to see and what I think we'll see is:

Howard
Spector - Gooch - DeMerit (Boca if healthy) - Bornstein
Dempsey - Bradley - Adu - Donovan
Altidore - Casey
 
I only got to see highlights. What they showed was that the Clark play was totally unneeded. The guy didn't even have possession really and Clark comes flying in and kicks him. I think the US team needs to work on smart play rather than what kinds of calls are being made. Making careless plays puts you in a position to have bad calls made on you. I am not saying I don't think Italy got away with some stuff, they did.

The other thing I saw was how much more skilled and aggressive the Italians are. The first Rossi goal, he just takes the ball away cleanly, smoothly takes the ball upfield and launches a pinpoint shot from distance to beat a good goalie. Then de Rossi does basically the same thing minus the steal. And Pirlo makes a one-on-one play that I really see the US even attempt, then lofts a beautiful pass in space which Rossi again times perfectly and strikes cleanly.

No matter how the calls are going, we don't have that. We just don't.

Which leads me to my big question. What is it that separates the truly elite soccer countries from the US? Is it athleticism? Probably not. Ball skills; dribbling, passing, shooting? Experience? Better team choreography/organization? Game awareness of when to do what where? It is probably a combination but what do y'all think is the major factor? My guess is ball skills.
 
The US faces an almost MUST WIN today against Brazil. Even if it is a draw ans the Yanks take a point from the match, it probably won't be enough.

Expect Brazil & Italy to knock it around and play for a draw on the last match day. Plus, the goal differential is a killer. Italy is a +2. Brazil is a +1. Egypt is a -1. We are a -2. We'd have to beat Egypt by more than three goals to have a realistic shot of advancing if we don't beat Brazil.

Hook 'em & Go Yanks
 
Ball skills and the way the game is coached in the USA. American sports are primarily games that don't involve or encourage a lot of creativity nor do they involve a free flowing field like soccer.

With regards to our "best" athletes playing other sports...I don't think it's always those guys we are missing out on. I think the guys we are missing out on are the ones who spend their whole life playing sports like basketball and football but are undersized. I bet more than a few of those guys could have grown up to be great soccer players had they been introduced to the sport instead of chasing the typical American sports.

And congrats to the Spanish swimmer...Another person whose family has prospered in America only to turn their back on her.
 
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