[I can't embed the video, but a link to the BBC highlights of the USA v. England match at the 2010 World Cup can be found here.]
Photo From Sohn/AP and the NY Daily News
1. Green Made America’s Day: Robert Green should just be happy this happened in the first game and not the last (though it will likely be HIS last at the 2010 World Cup), because I’d hate to see what happened upon his return if it were. Tabloid writers will splash “Green’s Gaffe!” across their front pages, and England is still in position to win the group. Today couldn’t have turned out better for them, really. The rest of the British will be exceptionally bitter even if they win the group, because they’ll have to put up with the little brother soccer fans from America reminding them about it until the two sides next play a meaningful game. I almost think it would have been better if Altidore’s shot off the post in the 2nd half were the only goal the Americans scored, at least that would have been more “legitimate” in their eyes. Then again, he beat Jaime Carragher, so maybe they’re about even.
2. Who Showed Up?: Tim Howard did. Steve Cherundolo did. Oguchi Onyewu did. I thought Robbie Findley did, too, in the first half, anyway. Jozy Altidore put a shot off the post in the 2nd half, but couldn’t connect on a perfect cross from Landon Donovan in the 20th minute. If you’d told me that Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan would be nearly invisible (save for Dempsey’s goal / Green’s aforementioned gaffe) and we’d tie, I’d be ecstatic. Neither influenced the game in any meaningful way, but a point is a great result.
3. Now the Pressure’s On: The US got their point from the England match, and that’s all well and good. But now comes the hard work: winning World Cup matches. The US will be favorites against both Slovenia on Friday and Algeria on June 23rd. Failure to win either of those games would be a disappointment, and failing to win both could prevent the US from making it out of the group. Slovenia is generally regarded as the better of the two opponents, so a let down in the next game could spell trouble for the Americans.
4. Nice Try, Fabio and Stevey G:
Following the game, goal scorer Steven Gerrard and coach Fabio Capello blamed the ball for Green’s soft goal. For all the talk about the Jabulani, that wasn’t to blame on Dempsey’s shot. Green didn’t get all the way around it, left his right side open, and the power of the shot and the wet grass allowed the ball to skid, bouncing off of Green’s hands and in. Capello also dodged assuring Green of the starting spot against Algeria, putting Joe Hart and David “Calamity” James on notice this week during training.
5. Changes are Afoot for the Three Lions: Ledley King has been ruled out for the English against Algeria, meaning Carragher will likely get the start, and call-up Michael Dawson is the first choice central defender off the bench. Emile Heskey was particularly awful as well, but Capello has a couple of options to replace him.
- Replace Heskey with Jermaine Defoe.
- Replace Heskey with Peter Crouch.
- Change formations, bringing on Joe Cole and leaving Wayne Rooney as the lone striker.
Either way, if Capello gives Heskey another chance he may want join Robert Green in ducking out the side door on the return to England.
What did everyone think of the result? Leave your thoughts below, I’ll be around to discuss.
Posted by @Drogba_Fan on June 12, 2010 at 6:21 pm
It’s almost pathetic that Capello and Captain Stevie tried to blame the ‘soft’ ball. Capello should get his starters right next time. The match was overhyped, and everyone was a nervous wreck except USA.
Posted by Grafton on June 12, 2010 at 6:32 pm
Agreed. I thought Gerrard took his chance well and Rooney finished the game strong, but other than that it looked like England was stiff and afraid to lose.