"I am disappointed in the judgment of the referee," Arena said after the game. "We would have liked to come out at halftime even, with a chance to win the game. That was a big call."

dont blame it on the ref. he is one of the best refs in the world, I don't agree with his call, but dont try to shift the blame because of that one call. dont try to weasel your way out of this one.


"Desperate for offense, Arena sent in Eddie Johnson in the 61st minute"

Why didn't he start? Why did you wait till the 61st minute to put him in? Why was there a desperation for offense only in the last ten minutes of the game? not even that. there was a glimmer of hope around the 55th minute, around the time McBride's header went off the post, but then what? the offense disappeared? everyone sat back and passed the ball. there was no urgency, no intentionality, no focus on the goal. YOU HAVE TO SCORE IF YOU WANT TO WIN!!!! play some offense for the love of God. don't wait until you are down a goal or two or three to start thinking about pressing forward. that is futile thinking and it is why there need to be many changes made. set the tempo of the game yourself. play hard, play fast, go to goal, at all costs. make something happen. dont wait for it to happen for you.


"Instead, the United States (0-2-1) finished with one point -- its first in a World Cup played in Europe, but not enough to escape the basement of the four-team group."

embarassing. pitiful. shameful. honestly, it makes me sick to my stomach how poorly that team represented one of the largest and most powerful nations in the world. we suck. that is the conclusion taken from this World Cup.


"Soon after, Dempsey tied it -- the only goal scored by an American this World Cup. The goal in a 1-1 tie with Italy was scored by an Italian defender."

he was the only one on the field that looked like he wanted it. he was playing to win. there was no laziness or jogging or wasted touches on the ball. Dempsey rose to the challenge and earned that starting spot. Starting him in today's game is the singular thing I can say good about Bruce Arena's coaching.

"'The worst part is the finality of it,' said midfielder Landon Donovan, a playmaker who failed to score in this World Cup after getting two goals as a 20 year old in 2002. 'Even during the game, you don't get the sense this is it. Then the whistle blows and it's over.'"

that sums it up right there. no desire. no will to win. not even thinking or realizing that this was your last game in this World Cup. What is wrong with you? do you not love this game? do you not want to play on the highest level? do you not want to WIN???? you, Landon Donovan, above all, performed horribly. Yet you stayed on the field in your utter ineptitude and worthlessness. Like a little girl with no confidence, you continually hesitated and pulled back. no intensity, no fire. you even had a WIDE OPEN look at the goal nearing the end of the game, but you didnt shoot. you are too scared to shoot. you cant do it. you have no confidence. on this level of play, there is no room for arrogance that is not earned and there is no place for a lack of confidence in your own ability. you HAVE to take that shot. you had no choice. that moment defines you and your team and your coach. the opportunity of a lifetime is right in front of you, but you wont take it. it is as if you don't care. how can you not be thinking about the fact that it is your last game??? you have to know that you and your entire team must man up and play balls-to-the-wall to win this game.
whether that is a lack of interest and motivation and desire on your part or whether it is your coach failing to inspire, you have disgraced us all. i am ashamed to be a United States soccer fan.


finally, i call for Bruce Arena's head on a silver platter (proverbially of course). FIRE HIM IMMEDIATELY! there must be a message sent that we will not stand for this level of futility in coaching and inability to compete. He must be fired today and announce the search for a new head coach. open the doors to all who would apply. get a great player or great coach. Franz Beckenbauer, Marco Van Basten....hell, call up my high school coach TJ White. He would do a better job, there is no question in my mind. there are great coaches in the United States and in the world. it is time the American soccer community takes its head out of its ass and realize that Bruce Arena is NOT ONE OF THEM! Fire him now. find a new coach. give him free reign over the team. if you suck, youre cut from the team. we have four years to prepare. it is time to start now.



one game changes everything