re: Official World Cup discussion thread - USA Eliminated

I'll be 29.

FIFA will screw us again in 4 years. They always seem to every 4 years.


Bottom line, we did about as well than most everyone thought we would. Most didn't even have us getting out of the group stage, but we did and then gave ourselves a fighting chance to win today. Even down 2 goals in extra time against a really good team we didn't give il and very nearly evened the match. Hard to be too critical given all the travel, the group we were in, 2 broken noses, 3 hamstring injuries, and being without Altidore.

I hate moral victories, but really don't have much to complain about in this one. We left it all out on the field. Can't ask for much more.

I'm German/Irish, guess I have to pull for The Reich as well.

I listening to Wagner and drinking a refreshing Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier as I write this. Plus my ancestry is more German than anything else.

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What do you think about the support soccer was getting this time around?

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Better than last time and exploding with those under 30. With the EPL being easily available through NBC Sports and Champions League on Fox Sports, I think we'll catch more every day fans than we ever have post WC.

You can definitely list me as a convert this time around. I passively watched the US in South Africa. This time, I've watched every single game of the elimination stage. I've even enjoyed the non-American games more (Brazil-Chile was spectacular). I look forward to continuing to watch.

Champions League and EPL is the way to keep watching. High quality for the most part and easy to access. The EPL is a great substitute for Gameday on college football weekends. Once the games are over, the football is just getting rolling.

Too bad the names you actually know that aren't Howard play in Germany.

It the first time after the US is out of the Cup I can remember thinking I can not wait until the next and think we will be better. In the past it was always ok we did alright and everyone sort of forgets about it until a new roster is formed and qualifying starts. There are some players I am really excited about as they grow and develop over the next 4 years. Go USA

Unbelievable that we leave Donavan home and take Wondo.

To be fair to Wondo, that was a tough ball to hit cleanly with the goalie charging. The solution was to tap it to Dempsey who would have smashed it home. Still, you're brought to be a poacher and that was a poacher's dream scenario. I knew when he missed it the result was set, it was just a question of how.

This was the best team I've seen us field since I started watching World Cups in 1998. The 2006 team was quietly very good but was Grouped into a group of death with eventual champs Italy, a very strong Czech team, and Ghana. This team was clearly better than that.

It's obvious we missed Jozy a lot. Just look at our play when Wondo came on. Got much better in the attack with Dempsey and Bradley at more natural positions. Jurgen not bringing another targetman forward was his biggest flaw. Donovan would have been nice to have, but he isn't the engine that makes the attack go. Jozy is.

Our fullbacks looked awesome. Still need work the midfield. We've got a number of pretty good holding midfielders and a Bradley who's good enough box to box. We lacked some proper attack minded mids and guys who could control possession. That's a reflection of how far we still must go technically as a futballing nation.

I love our style too. Beats the frick out of Bob ball of park the bus and punt it deep. Jurgen has done amazing things so far and I'm excited to see where we are at the end of next cycle.

Gold Cup is just a year away.