Here it is, the analysis you've been waiting for, in no particular order...
6. Bruce Arena lacked the coaching creativity and brilliance in strategy that had marked his career so far. Where were the surprise moves to throw the other teams off balance? Why didn't Johnson play against Italy? Why not bench Donovan to shake things up? Why does he continue to play his old University of Virginia homers even when they are DONE (see 4 below).
5. Landon Donovan didn't show up in Germany. For those who have followed his career, he doesn't play well in Deutchland (just ask Bayer Leverkusen).
4. Eddie Pope is DONE. At least 2 of the goals scored by Czech Republic and Italy were a result of him getting burned. I respect what he has done in his career, but he's too slow to mark the world's best strikers--just ask Real Salt Lake. Jimmy Conrad played the Ghana game and proved he should have started the entire tournament--perhaps we'd still be alive?
3. Officiating! Where did they find these officials? MLS? A penalty kick for a 50/50 ball with no card given against Ghana? PUH-LEASE. This was just unlucky.
2. Goalkeeping. Remember how Brad Friedel beat out Kasey Keller for the starting job in 2002 and Keller didn't even get a cup of coffee? No doubt that Keller is a quality keeper, but Friedel kept us in games in 2002 with amazing saves--Keller only stopped the shots that he was supposed to in 2006, and didn't give the defense any lifts. And, his ball distribution was lacking--his outlet to no one against Czech Republic resulted in their first goal and the U.S. never recovered for the entire tournament.
1. Finishing. No one wanted to finish or they just couldn't get it done. Donovan looked lost when dribbling in the box against Ghana. Take a shot! The teams that have scored lots of goals in this tournament had great runs and had great finishing--we had neither. No goals=no wins=go home early. The U.S. was unlucky not to score on a few occasions, but they didn't have that finishing flair that characterized their qualifying run.
Now, the questions begin. Will Arena be back for 2008 in South Africa? Will the U.S. even qualify? As expected, have we truly seen the last of Reyna, McBride, Keller, and Pope as National Team players? Who will lead us in the future in light of Donovan's failure in Germany?
Overall, I am still proud to be a fan of U.S. Soccer and I appreciate all that these men have contributed. I just wish they would have beat Ghana today...
