USA 1-3 Costa Rica — What Went Wrong?
In perhaps one of the worst games played for the US National team since the loss to the Czech Republic in World Cup 2006, the boys in red, white and blue were outplayed in almost every aspect last night.
We didn’t compete hard enough. We got beat to balls and they caused us problems we couldn’t figure out. A lot went wrong for us.
We consider us probably the fastest, strongest team in the region but today we got out-passed, outplayed and out-competed in every sense. We have to hold our hands up – we were below average across the board.
U.S. goalkeeper TIM HOWARD
You’ve probably already read all the game reports. I’ll simply make a few comments or mental notes I took during the game:
- I was disappointed that on the 2nd and 3rd goal of Costa Rica, they didn’t have just one option to score, but had a second and a third. The organization of the defense was horrible.
- No sense talking about winning 2nd balls when we weren’t trying to compete for 1st balls. Where was the heart of this team?
- DeMarcus Beasley is not the US answer to the left back vacancy. This has been proven a number of times now in different games.
- When the US had air superiority with players like Onyewu, Bocanegra and Wynne, why did we keep taking short corners?
- What was coach Bradley’s game plan? Either he had a poor one or the players so massacred it that you couldn’t figure out what they were trying to achieve. It seemed like they were trying to keep the ball on the artificial surface and play quickly against the Ticos but they couldn’t hold the ball let alone pass it.
- Will someone tell Michael Bradley that in today’s modern international game, you can’t ALWAYS back pass and square pass. Turn positive and pass positive Michael!
So here’s what some of the players and others involved with the National Team had to say.
USSF President Sunil Gulati
“Obviously, the game on Saturday takes on an increased importance given the result tonight. This early in the competition, one game sort of changes the momentum quite a bit. So it’s very important we bounce back. Obviously, we didn’t have a great game tonight. Bob [Bradley] knows that, the players know that. … The early goal changed things quite a bit, and we didn’t play well. We’ve played better here in the past and not come away with a result, but clearly tonight the better team won.”
CARLOS BOCANEGRA
“We knew they were going to come out with energy and that is exactly how we did not want to start the game, with them scoring so quickly like that.”
TIM HOWARD
“We didn’t compete hard enough. We got beat to balls and they caused us problems we couldn’t figure out. A lot went wrong for us.”
“We consider us probably the fastest, strongest team in the region but today we got out-passed, outplayed and out-competed in every sense. We have to hold our hands up – we were below average across the board.”
LANDON DONOVAN
“I’m disappointed. It’s disappointing to play that way. We were never in control because of the way we started the game, and that makes it difficult.”
“Anytime you give a team a goal advantage, particularly in the first 10 minutes, it’s going to be tough, especially for the visiting team. We made it harder by allowing them to score the second goal. That dictated the game. If the game was 0-0 after 20 minutes, the game looks different. It was a good goal, but when you gift them a goal in the first couple minutes the whole complexion of the game changes.”
“We need to learn from tonight, but the most important thing is getting over it as quickly as possible, and taking what you can from it. We have three days physically and mentally for Honduras, who is a very good team that has been rested and preparing for this game.”
I’m interested in hearing your thoughts of the game?
Comments are closed.
Its time the Federation and all of US Soccer quits looking inside the box for solutions. No joke aside, whether it’s MLS or both the national teams (M and W): (I hope) the level of play and players in the United States deserves to be led better and challenged higher. This includes the association’s ranks (fraternity) of coaches.
The era of the “it’s his turn” approach to picking NT coaches is no longer acceptable. Yes Arena did good things, however, nothing great. How many years has his clan had the run? Bradley? It was his turn. Sampson was promoted within. It was his turn. Gansler, well it was his turn but in a different era. I was a huge Bora fan, change in tempo, tactics and fresh approach to picking the squad. Ironically, Bora did not have to qualify for WC ’94 and could focus on teaching the upset in the year the US hosted.
Having paid your dues (Coaching association dues) and putting your years in is not an acceptable standard. Or even a standard that will get USA into a sub-par world cup quarterfinal. We need a professional coach, who played the highest level and probably from outside our system.
A fresh and new look at our top 100 professionals and upcoming youth. Bora got that yet it doesn’t have to be an international coach. But we should not be so proud to think we couldn’t use the services of a soccer or “football” champion from outside college and MLS.
We need a real winner – understanding Americans is a bonus. But understanding winning with head and psychology, not assembling a squad of mental midgets from California, including an inconsistent son of a coach – sorry Mikey. Also, sorry big fish Landon; time to step up or step out – or at least make it in a real league.
Every time I think we are over Mexico, we step back vs. someone else in Central America (or the Caribbean). The only stick “Bob” could be measured by after defeating the Tri, would have been to go unbeaten with maybe a tie or two in Central America and an acceptable loss at Azteca. It’s time for a new change especially with Sunil calling Bob “Bob”. That shows how comfortable we are when we get embarrassed and give others in the region “hope”.
Nuff said. You get the government you deserve. Ahhhhhh POOP!