First of all, it has to be said: What. A. Comeback. Donovan - who hits the underside, the ceiling of the netting? Nice. Boy Bradley - way not to think about it. Hit the ball anyway you can at the goal. Thank you.
So we got some moxie - to go along with their bad luck. More on that in a minute.
At the beginning of the game I applauded the young Torres' inclusion in the squad. He had played well up until today, when he appeared in just a little over his head. It didn't help having Onyewu playing soft in the back giving the Slovenians room to square up with Timmy. (See first goal.) Then again I can't put it all on Guch. During the first half the entire U.S. squad looked uninspired, slow, and about as bad as the qualifiers during the Confederations cup last summer when we embarrassed off the pitch. I applaud Coach for making some key changes in the second half and getting that team running and playing like they wanted it.
Findley's yellow was a joke. The ball hits him in the face clearly and now we don't get him for Algeria. That's the first F U from the ref.
Then there's Maurice Edu's game winning goal that wasn't. Even though Jozy (nice second half, by the way) goes down pretty easy in a very Italian fashion to win us that free kick, I'd still take that goal. I was screaming as much as the next until I realized the score on ESPN hadn't changed yet. Was Bradley so locked in embrace with the defender behind him that the sideline official couldn't see that Bradley was even with not only his marker, but also the leg of the player marking Altidore? Even then, the ball was played to Edu, so - and this is the gray area - Bradley doesn't make a play on the ball, so depending on who you ask, it wouldn't be offsides anyway. Finally, Bradley's glistening, fleshy skull, if an eyebrow offsides he was (I said, IF) then Slovenia's second goal was offsides as well (by the sweat on the striker in green's knee).
Basically, I'm trying to find a reason for the call and I CAN NOT! Bullshit I say! BULL-SHIT!
Oh and there were two other amazing games today as well. The short of it - Klose's second yellow was exactly that, a yellow card infraction, but his first - incidental contact when hustling back after a missed opportunity - was NOT a penalty. I'll say Algeria's goal was nice (the right winger with the bleached hair was man of the match for me) but it's impossible to separate Klose's sending off and the goal a few minutes later. Tough break for the Germans, and now our group has a lot to think about since 1st place might have to play the Germans in the next round.
Okay, my Three Lions - man I hate those guys right now. Both hands are sore from slamming the granite bar top at Thirsty Lion this morning. Wayne Rooney where the fuck are you?! Stevie G - why don't you shoot the ball when you're dribbling up to goal?!?! Did you forget how to do that?!?! Huh?!?
Still, there loss helps us, these self-destructive United States of America. And if I recall, we finished up okay last summer - even if we did blow a massive lead to those samba-stylin' Brazilians in the final.
Essentially, it's not over. And I lost my voice for the second time this Cup. Cheers.
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Just finished harvesting the DVR for it's nightly payload. The last three nights have been awesome.
ReplyDeleteTonight?
BULLLLLLSHITTTT!
The reffing so far had been fantastic.
I think second place in group C is going to have a hard slog to the semifinals. If things fall right they'd have to go through Germany and then Argentina.
If the Swiss end up being consistent with the shutouts I think that we will see them in the finals against Brazil. Think they can mug the yellow and green like they did the Spanish?
To put this all in perspective...I am in the UK and even the commentators (def. not pro-US) think that the call was atrocious.
ReplyDeleteBut the England draw is good for us...all we have to do is beat Algeria by a convincing score 2-0 or 3-1 to assure a way through. I suspect, however, that England will show up against Slovenia and beat them which assures us 2nd.
As far as the Klose send off, you could argue that a guy with a yellow early probably shouldn't be going for tackles from behind.
So I was walking through the break room at 10:30 this morning and noticed a woman setting up her 8 years oldish daughter to watch cartoons on the company's big screen HD TV. I was quite interested if the World Cup watching crowd that gathers every day less than 45 minutes later would hesitate to kick her off the TV.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky enough to be strolling through the break room again at 11:15 when the first soccer fan arrived, sized up the situation, and sent her packing without a moment's hesitation and no visible remorse.
"We need to use the TV. You've got to go."