Blu wrote:jfrost wrote:Howard's performance was outstanding, but that just went to show how the US team didn't belong in there with Belgium. It was a great personal achievement, inasmuch as he was compensating for the rest of the team not pulling themselves together.
Nonetheless, it was a great effort. I was able to talk to many crazy American fans in my town before and after one of the US games (they played Germany in Recife) and they were always really cool (also mostly very crazy).
I disagree. I think a statement like that diminishes the success of any up and coming team who hasn't seen measurable success in terms of championships. I think Belgium was a beatable team, but we couldn't capitalize on our chances and that's what cost us, especially when ours were less numerous than theirs. We weren't even expected to make it out of the group stages. I believe we looked a heck of a lot better tactically, had good shape in our formation, but we lack consistency in the midfield and backline. The transition to Klinsmann was a great one but one that will still need time.
I'm still not quite sure what you meant by we didn't belong to be there with Belgium--we made it to the round of 16 as all the other teams that finished first or second in their group.
If this wasn't your argument at all but rather just how you phrased it, then I digress. Simply put, I think we played Belgium because they won their group, we got second in ours. In the grand picture the only way we'll get better as a team is to play others that are better than us. I think the group we were cast into allow us to rid a few of those skeletons that were in our closet and give us a chance to provide some drama and excitement to the World Cup.
I just meant that Belgium were much better, not that the USA didn't deserve to be there. I liked that the US team qualified, it's just that Howard shouldn't have been subjected to that barrage in the first place.
So that I don't seem like such a negative nancy, I liked that the US were able to score once and make it a fight to the end.
I also liked the grit displayed during the whole tournament. You don't get points for beauty, and Uruguay's made a national team out of that principle. It's clear that it is a team with limitations, but it was a fun group to follow.
Now, I want to see them going forward, especially without Howard in the next World Cup.
I'm probably gonna buy a popsicle US jersey too. It's great.
