Garrick
Awesome, lid.
We're gonna need some sparkly eagle .gif's for this one, here goes:
Where were you the day the United States of America became a footballing nation?
Where were you the day that millions took to the streets to watch their beloved national team, with millions more at home, boosting the match to TV ratings higher than the World Series or NBA Finals?
Where were you the day that the Jürgen Klinsmann dumped the park-and-counter ugly soccer for beautiful, attacking football with fullbacks bombing down the wings, immense pressure, and an absolute wonder strike courtesy of Jermaine Jones?
And, of course, where were you the day that the United States were robbed of a “deserved” result courtesy of a defensive lap and a pinpoint, world class cross from a player that is the very definition of world class?
This is, of course, how it had to happen. In order to truly become a footballing nation, you need to suffer through the pain, as well. Association football is a cruel, cruel mistress, and after years of “robbing” results off of others, our turn to be “robbed” was well overdue. And who better to commit the heist than the player who has robbed so many before.
Damn you and your insane footie skills, Ronaldo. We were flying high. We were moving on. We were closing down on a performance where we played the 4th ranked (according to FIFA) nation off the pitch, until, that is, it was all undone in the waning moments. Fury. Rage. Dejectedness. Those were some of the feelings I felt after that night in Manaus.
But at the same time, if you would’ve offered any reasonable Yank footie fan a 2-2 draw against Portugal before kickoff, they would’ve taken it. The fact that a draw instead of a win felt like a gut punch shows how far we’ve come, but really three points against Ghana and one off Portugal was the game plan all along. We’re in the driver’s seat for knockout qualification, with only the nuttiest of 3rd game results capable of sending us home early. Any sort of draw will send us throw. We have a decent padding in goal differential. And if we beat the Germans, we top the group.
If we beat the Germans. That phrase doesn’t sound so ridiculous anymore, does it? For those following along at home, you’ll note that after Die Mannschaft absolutely demolished Portugal, living up to their claims of invincibility, but they looked decidedly mortal in their 2-2 draw vs Ghana, with Ghana using their athleticism to counterattack with brutal speed. The Germans were forced to abandon their false nine setup and bring out the man who’s now tied as the top all-time World Cup goalscorer, Miroslav Klose to salvage the match. And now, they get to play a side coming off one of their best technical performances ever, managed by the one man on the planet that can get inside all of their collective heads.
Is there a recipe to success in here? Let’s face it, even if Michael Bradley has finally stumbled around long enough in the dark to find the “on” switch, even if Jermaine Jones continues to play his mind out, and even if Kyle Beckerman continues to dominate the space in front of the back line, there’s no way we’re going to outmuscle a German midfield containing top, top footballers like Özil, Muller, Lahm, and Götze. It’s just not going to happen. We’re going to be playing on the counter. We may not be as fast as the Ghanaians, but our beloved manager Roberto Martinez did just call the US the fittest team he’s seen in the tournament, so perhaps there’s hope.
It may be easy to look at the fact that it’s master vs student, Klinsmann vs Löw, and say they’ll just play to a draw and party like it’s 1982.
…Nah. I think Jürgen would rather use the war machine of his creation and go for the jugular on his former bosses. At this point, he’s more American than he is German. And, as you may have realized, we go to war over some pretty silly things. Pride included.
We’ll likely see the same 4-5-1 setup used against Portugal this time around. The diamond clearly didn’t work without a target forward up top, and Jozy will be out for at least one more match. So, another 5 man midfield with Dempsey up top. Hopefully Bradley will show up to this one, as it’s the only way we’re even going to have a shot. He was better against Portugal, but still way off his true ability. I could say again that old man Beasley might get switched out, but honestly he looked pretty ageless in Manaus. Whatever. Keep the geriatric on. Besler, Johnson, Jones, and Dempsey will all look to build on stellar outings. Howard will continue to prove that he’s f%$#in’ ace. And hopefully Geoff Cameron has a few less brain farts.
It’s an uneasy sort of calm, going into Recife. We’re playing ace football. Chances are, we’re through to the knockout. But yet, it’s all still too new… Perhaps it’s a mirage? Maybe the Germans will turn our dream into a nightmare, assisted by a massive win by Ghana?
Best not think about it. Just go out there and show that ludicrous support again, one last time, before everybody’s vacation days run out and we all have to go home before the knockout round no matter what happens.
What? This is America, after all.
I just have one, final tip before we jump out of the Group of Death frying pan and into the fire…
…Don’t mention the war. You may hurt a poor German’s feelings.
THE YANKS ARE COMING.
Where were you the day the United States of America became a footballing nation?
Where were you the day that millions took to the streets to watch their beloved national team, with millions more at home, boosting the match to TV ratings higher than the World Series or NBA Finals?
Where were you the day that the Jürgen Klinsmann dumped the park-and-counter ugly soccer for beautiful, attacking football with fullbacks bombing down the wings, immense pressure, and an absolute wonder strike courtesy of Jermaine Jones?
And, of course, where were you the day that the United States were robbed of a “deserved” result courtesy of a defensive lap and a pinpoint, world class cross from a player that is the very definition of world class?
This is, of course, how it had to happen. In order to truly become a footballing nation, you need to suffer through the pain, as well. Association football is a cruel, cruel mistress, and after years of “robbing” results off of others, our turn to be “robbed” was well overdue. And who better to commit the heist than the player who has robbed so many before.
Damn you and your insane footie skills, Ronaldo. We were flying high. We were moving on. We were closing down on a performance where we played the 4th ranked (according to FIFA) nation off the pitch, until, that is, it was all undone in the waning moments. Fury. Rage. Dejectedness. Those were some of the feelings I felt after that night in Manaus.
But at the same time, if you would’ve offered any reasonable Yank footie fan a 2-2 draw against Portugal before kickoff, they would’ve taken it. The fact that a draw instead of a win felt like a gut punch shows how far we’ve come, but really three points against Ghana and one off Portugal was the game plan all along. We’re in the driver’s seat for knockout qualification, with only the nuttiest of 3rd game results capable of sending us home early. Any sort of draw will send us throw. We have a decent padding in goal differential. And if we beat the Germans, we top the group.
If we beat the Germans. That phrase doesn’t sound so ridiculous anymore, does it? For those following along at home, you’ll note that after Die Mannschaft absolutely demolished Portugal, living up to their claims of invincibility, but they looked decidedly mortal in their 2-2 draw vs Ghana, with Ghana using their athleticism to counterattack with brutal speed. The Germans were forced to abandon their false nine setup and bring out the man who’s now tied as the top all-time World Cup goalscorer, Miroslav Klose to salvage the match. And now, they get to play a side coming off one of their best technical performances ever, managed by the one man on the planet that can get inside all of their collective heads.
Is there a recipe to success in here? Let’s face it, even if Michael Bradley has finally stumbled around long enough in the dark to find the “on” switch, even if Jermaine Jones continues to play his mind out, and even if Kyle Beckerman continues to dominate the space in front of the back line, there’s no way we’re going to outmuscle a German midfield containing top, top footballers like Özil, Muller, Lahm, and Götze. It’s just not going to happen. We’re going to be playing on the counter. We may not be as fast as the Ghanaians, but our beloved manager Roberto Martinez did just call the US the fittest team he’s seen in the tournament, so perhaps there’s hope.
It may be easy to look at the fact that it’s master vs student, Klinsmann vs Löw, and say they’ll just play to a draw and party like it’s 1982.
…Nah. I think Jürgen would rather use the war machine of his creation and go for the jugular on his former bosses. At this point, he’s more American than he is German. And, as you may have realized, we go to war over some pretty silly things. Pride included.
We’ll likely see the same 4-5-1 setup used against Portugal this time around. The diamond clearly didn’t work without a target forward up top, and Jozy will be out for at least one more match. So, another 5 man midfield with Dempsey up top. Hopefully Bradley will show up to this one, as it’s the only way we’re even going to have a shot. He was better against Portugal, but still way off his true ability. I could say again that old man Beasley might get switched out, but honestly he looked pretty ageless in Manaus. Whatever. Keep the geriatric on. Besler, Johnson, Jones, and Dempsey will all look to build on stellar outings. Howard will continue to prove that he’s f%$#in’ ace. And hopefully Geoff Cameron has a few less brain farts.
It’s an uneasy sort of calm, going into Recife. We’re playing ace football. Chances are, we’re through to the knockout. But yet, it’s all still too new… Perhaps it’s a mirage? Maybe the Germans will turn our dream into a nightmare, assisted by a massive win by Ghana?
Best not think about it. Just go out there and show that ludicrous support again, one last time, before everybody’s vacation days run out and we all have to go home before the knockout round no matter what happens.
What? This is America, after all.
I just have one, final tip before we jump out of the Group of Death frying pan and into the fire…
…Don’t mention the war. You may hurt a poor German’s feelings.
THE YANKS ARE COMING.
