[SuperJon]

But, correct me if I'm wrong, in a lot of the qualifiers we ran a 4-4-2. All three games, even while we were behind (until something like the 70th minute today) we ran a 4-5-1 and left McBride on an island by himself.

Arena's contract is up soon as well and he's talked about wanting to get back into club ball.

[A.G.]

Another problem is that, by no means, are these the USA's best athletes, unlike in the other countries. Can you imagine TO, or Ricky Williams (boy, would he fit right in with the s****r culture), ARod, D-Wade, etc playing futbol? The US will NEVER, I repeat NEVER be anything more than a poser in International play.

[ALUmnus]

Guys, this has nothing to do with athletics, and by all means, some of these players are some of the US' best athletes. And it's not athletics that determines how good a player is, it's skill. Just for a quick example, look at Hakeem Olajowan, not the most athletic guy, but his basketball skills are what makes him a Hall of Famer. If you saw one of the Brazilian players run you would not think they were athletic, but put them on a soccer field and see what they can do with the ball. And size was not much of a difference, in general, our players are the same size if not bigger than most teams. That Czech striker is one of the biggest players in the world. Our problem is skill and feel for the game. That's why Reyna was always so important for us, he has a trememdous feel for the game and it's flow. American's pretty much all play the game the same way, and it's pretty much the same way we learned growing up in Rec leagues, nothing's changed or advanced. And we don't do anything to improve our skills and abilities. Where do all our premier players go to play? England/Germany/Netherlands for the most part (I know there are a few exceptions), all leagues that are condusive to the American game and skillset. We need players to go to the Serie A in Italy or the South American leagues, where the game is played so much differently. We've always beaten superior teams by trying and working harder than them, not because our game is better. Imagine how that drive and determination would accomplish if we improved how we play the game.

[ALUmnus]

And, sorry, another thing. Growing up in a sports culture that is so obsessed with scoring and highlights, why are our players so afraid to shoot the ball? Do they not have the ability to put a decent shot on goal from outside the box? Take shots! The more you shoot the more likely you're going to score. Enough with trying to get a bunch of headers, we suck at heading the ball.

[LUconn]

also on the learn how to list:

1.Pass to your team
2. winning the 50/50 balls

[bigsmooth]

i have to disagree. the USA has changed the way they teach the game all the way down to the youngest players intorduced to the game. we use a lot of european drills and techniques. franz beckenbauer one of the best to play the game has said the US has made great strides in teaching the game. yes indeed reyna has the feel for the game, but did he show it?? no. he was non-existent. we have improved our skills and abilities, but we need to be better, and we do not have our "best"athletes playing soccer like most countries. the best soccer in the wrold is played in the english premier league and the bundesliga IMO. don't get me wrong the south american leagues are excellent, but it is pro sports and players go where the money is....which is in those two leagues ans well as the italian league.

[SuperJon]

You forgot about the Spanish Premier league. I can't remember the exact name for it.

[PeterParker]

Now that the result has settled in, here's an interesting note. Freddy Adu will be available for the next World Cup run, which is in South Africa. He could go either way, play for the US or play for Ghana. It will be interesting to see where he places his playing alliance in light of how Ghana has fared so far in their first Cup. Ghana's Cinderella story will present Adu with an interesting choice in front of him.

[SuperJon]

He said today on PTI that at this point in time he couldn't make that decision. He wouldn't go either way. In my opinion, he better play for the US. Any US citizen that goes and plays somewhere else just ticks me off.

[A.G.]

Adu is perhaps the ONE player who might captivate US interest. The US team, if it is not going to be able to match up athletically, needs a NAME to captivate interest.

[LUconn]

Adu is all hype. The kid is like 25.

[SuperJon]

It's like LeBron was. He looks older than he really is. Ask anyone who talks to him and they will tell you there is no way he's anything older than 16/17.

[LUconn]

Actually, I don't really believe he is old. But I have read in a couple different places that his barber claims he's 25. I just thought that was funny. But I was serious about all hype.

[PAmedic]

What a final. And to go thru OT to end on penalty kicks- sweet!

And the whole time, I was thinking: Please, oh please, NOT FRANCE. ANYONE but France.

Hey Zidane: nice self-destructive headbutt, BTW. Idiot




And the Oscar goes to:

[LUconn]

I really can't stand either team. So the fact that France lost and an Italian got a vicious headbutt is the best I could hope for.

[LUconn]

[PAmedic]

made for great theater though, ya gotta admit.

[WinthropEagleFan]

While it is very entertaining from a fan's perspective, I've really hated these games ending in shootouts. It just seems silly to me to end a match in what essentiallly amounts to a guessing game. Not to say I have any better ideas on how to end these games without them taking 6 hours....

[bigsmooth]

i agree with LUConn in the fact i was not real keen on either team. Zidane lost his mind with that head butt, but the italian player fell like he got shot in the back......anyway if zidane and hery would have been in there it may have been different, but congrtas to the azzuri. they sould play two more OT'S then go to the shootout. I remember when the NCAA used to play till there was a winner and one time they declared co-champions b/c they played till it got dark. so i would at least like to have clear cut winner than a co-champion.

[Libertine]

While it is very entertaining from a fan's perspective, I've really hated these games ending in shootouts. It just seems silly to me to end a match in what essentiallly amounts to a guessing game. Not to say I have any better ideas on how to end these games without them taking 6 hours....

Agreed, WEF. I absolutely abhor shootouts and the fact that 4 years worth of global effort came down to a guessing game just pisses me off. Why don't we just flip a coin now and declare the winners of the next four World Cups before anyone else gets head-butted? I think they should do what football, basketball, hockey and every other sport on the face of the earth does in playoff time, go till you have a winner. I say you get an additional sub every two overtime periods and if you run out of guys, then you're out and you play with what you've got.

[Libertine]

Just curious: has anyone on this board ever been head-butted before? Not to take anything away from Zidane's apparent insanity and the way too easy temptation of thinking the Italian was flopping, but the only concussion I've ever had in my life (that I can remember anyway) happened when my 2-year old accidentally got me with the back of his little toddler skull right between my sleeping eyes. I can only imagine what it would feel like to have a trained professional who's been thumping things w/ his head all his life test his gourd on my sternum.

[01LUGrad]

Yes, Zidane is trained to whack things with his head (and I'm sure it didn't feel good to be on the receiving end of that one), but he wasn't the only professional in this encounter... The Italians are also trained to roll around on the pitch like they just suffered a career-ending injury if a fly breaks the wind pattern around their bodies.

[Realist]

Getting headbutted hurts, no matter where. I ran full force into a guy's head about to field a punt in flag football about 3 months ago and sported a nice shiner for 2 weeks. I imagine it knocked the breath out of the guy.

[SuperJon]

If you want to talk about diving, look at Zidane in the first half. The dude looked like he should've been on the French diving team.

[LUconn]

I wish he got him in the face. If you're gonna end your career like a punk, you might as well go all out.