Live The Pitch

As the U.S. national team looks back on its performance from the FIFA World Cup, serious staff questions need to be answered.  The biggest question of all is whether the United States Soccer Federation will retain Bob Bradley or look elsewhere for leadership.  After their heartbreaking overtime loss to Ghana, the federation is going to let things settle and will wait until after the tournament is completed to start looking towards the future.

In the first match of the cup the U.S. tied international powerhouse England 1-1, to get off to a great start.  The story of this summers tournament started here even though the Americans received a great result.  Steven Gerrard punished the soft American defense in just the 4th minute of the match and if not for the biggest mistake by a goalkeeper in World Cup history, the U.S. would have lost.

Once again in the Americans second match the start was unbearable to watch.  The U.S. saw itself down 2-0 to Slovenia at the half, which made Bradley change his tactics and make some key substitutions.   After great goals from Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley got the U.S. even, Maurice Edu’s excellent finish, which would have won the match was disallowed by referee Koman Coulibaly.

It was a great comeback for the point, and yes Coulibaly screwed us, but we shouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place.  Bradley’s defense once again was soft to start the match and were punished as any team would have playing at this level.  Bradley had to come away from this match excited for how is team played the second half but worried about his squads second consecutive slow start.

Needing a win to guarantee a spot in the knockout stage the U.S. played a gritty Algerian squad who also had a slight chance to advance, but seemed to be content with a draw with the favored Americans.  After back and forth action for the last 10 minutes of the match Donovan scored one of the greatest goals in U.S. history to win Group C in extra time.

As you can see in this unbelievable video of U.S. soccer fans after Donovan’s goal, this team had finally caught the attention of the American Public.

In the knockout round the U.S. fell 2-1 to Ghana in overtime after regulation finished at 1-1.  Ghana once again got through the soft U.S. defense in just the 5th minute after Ricardo Clark lost the ball at midfield to grab the early lead.  Bradley made some key substitutions and his team took control of the match in the second half and were unlucky to not come away with the win.

Asamoah Gyan scored 2 minutes into the first overtime period  once again punishing a soft U.S. back-line.  Throughout the rest of the overtime the U.S. had some decent chances to tie it once again but didn’t have the legs to comeback.

Questions Bob Bradley will have to answer to keep his job:

1. How did you prepare your team before each match? The U.S. allowed soft early goals in 3 of its 4 matches and also just 2 minutes into overtime in the knockout stage.
2. How were you instructing your center backs to play? Throughout the tournament Jay Demerit, Oguchi Onyewu, and Carlos Bocanegra were victimized time and time again for not putting pressure on the ball and retreating as players took them on.
3. Where was Oguchi Onyewu the last 2 matches? Onyewu did not have his best performances is the first two matches but with his speed and size in the center he should have been used especially in the last match.
4. What made you think Robbie Findlay could succeed at this level? Robbie Findlay started 3 out of 4 matches at forward and never was a threat to opposing defenses.  Yes, Findlay has incredible speed but does not possess the technical ability to score goals at this level.
5. Why was Edson Buddle not used more? Buddle came into the tournament as the hottest goalscorer in the MLS and even scored two goals in their last friendly with Australia.  Looking back, Bradley has to question himself on not getting him on the pitch more.
6. Why was Ricardo Clark inserted back into the starting 11 against Ghana? Clark started and played well in the first match against England but his giveaway started the lone England goal.  In the Ghana match, Clark once again gave the ball up in the midfield and Ghana punished them.
7. Why was Benny Feilhaber not used more? Feilhaber was questionably the best player throughout the tournament for the Americans.  Why would Bradley continue to use him as a substitute?

In my opinion Bradley should be let go after the tournament is completed.  The main goal Bradley put in front of his players was to get out of group play.  Why not have the goal be to win the tournament?  At least get to the semifinals!  The American public should not stand for these results.  We are people who demand the best and demand we win international competitions.  There is NO reason why we should lose to a country as small as Ghana. I mean we have 300 million people to choose from. Why can’t we find 11 people to put on a soccer field?

Bradley has been under some heat for some time now and shouldn’t keep this prestige position.  We should go back and try to get Juergen Klinsmann or a younger coach who can relate better with the players.  The youth development here is on the right track and all we need is the right person to lead the way. NOT BOB BRADLEY!