SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums College, Pro & International Soccer US Vs Italy DO NOT READ

i was highly impressed by the US performance today bc if any other team would have been in our situation they prob would have lost control and Italy would have been scoring left and right, unfortunatly the ref cost the US i would say 2 pts, that i believe they deserve after fighting off a soccer power house with just 9 men even though Italy did have 10. I do not think it baise(sp?) when i say that the Italy red card was well deserved, and well the straight red for Mastorni was just awful, Pope's first card was crazy and the second foul was all ball.
And i have heard that the Italian mob has caused problems before in world cups with refs, that may be what was up today or he just plane sucks.

What's up with the criticism of McBride for the offsides? Beasley makes one play in 2 games and McBride gets criticized for being offsides? Chances are the shot would have been picked up quite easily had the keeper not been obstructed. Correct call and just part of the game. McBride is among of the best strikers this country has produced. Beasley may be one day, but has miles to go.

Mark, we actually agree! The offsides was the correct call. An aggressive striker like McBride will find himself in the offside position time and again. It happens. And yes, it was a good call because the keeper may very well have made the save if McBride had not been there.

well i wasnt at all thrilled to see beasley on the field.. he did nothing besides the goal he scored that was called back. i also wasnt pleased to see the US sit back when they had eddie johnson on the bench ready to go. he could have came in and done something huge at the end with nobody on the field really moving faster than a jog. i think we could have beat them 9 on 10 at the end. but i guess thats why im not the coach.

I agree. I think McBride is a great player, but somewhere around the 80th minute would have been a great time to insert Johnson's speed and fresh legs.

It was hard to tell on the tube. Was the US playing 4-3-1 in the second half after putting Conrad in for Convey?

Seriously! McBride had a great game.. but it seemed like a no brainer that Johnson would come in and win the game.. ..i felt it in my bones.. and it didn't happen :|

Mcbride is by far the toughest striker around I have to say. He scores most of his goals with his head, which usually has a huge lump on it or a cut, but I have not seen many chances for him to get a good head on goal. Im sure everyon felt like I felt about the 85th minute when the commentators said why is johnson not in. Seriusly what was Arena thinking sure we locked it in for a tie but with johnson up top late he could of caused serious problems for a fatigue Italian team. I guess one point still gives us hope though. And seriously even balboa was saying that he doubts that ref will ref another game

Coach P, we probably agree on much in regards to soccer. That other issue just hits a raw nerve with me.

I was a much better player and ref than I ever was a coach, from my own assessment. But for the life of me, I can't understand why Beasley was inserted ahead of Johnson. Versus the Checs, Beasley could not have been less effective or Johnson more. And as big of a McBride fan as I am, it wouldn't have hurt my feelings to see him pulled for 15 or 20. Johnson appeared to have earned an opportunity.

I agree with Dude about johnson. I think that with Johnson out there USA would have won even with nine man. They held their composure through all the adversity in this game, and the US should build the momentum for a very tough ghana squad. Through it all, i think the US will come up a bit short this time around

Regardless of what happens on Thursday.. I think the US has certainly redeemed themselves from the 3-0 loss against the Czechs.

Hopefully the moron (forget who it was) that said that loss would set us back 10 years is liking the taste of his own foot.

GO USA!