But even though Danny remains in blog retirement I’m back again to drop knowledge, mostly on the USMNT but also a variety of other topics of interest, like MLS, the Premiership, parts of Europe and South America and thegeneral experience of trying to be a “serious” soccer fan in a nation of scoffers. Whether you call it football, soccer, futbol or futebol if you’d like to join in we would love to have you be part of the discussion. This will be fun.

Adu and Altidore continue to put on a great show, auditioning for places in Europe perhaps?
Both of these guys belong on the senior side when we take this circus on the road in the fall.

Quickly, I don’t even want to talk about the Copa.  It was a wasted tournament.  Anyone who thinks Drew Moor is good at soccer is wrong.  Straight damn wrong.  He is bad at soccer.  Not even close to National team level.  But I read about 25 good reviews of his Copa America performances, and bad reviews of Jonathan Bornstein, who although he made that horrible backpass, played fairly well and was a creator going forward.  Bornstein – Future, Drew Moor – Suckypants. And don’t get me into ole Backpass Johnson.

Tonight, after the US’ huge performance against Poland in the U-20 World Cup (6-1, Freddy Adu hat trick) ESPN, in their infinite wisdom, has decided to show the US-Brazil game on the main network, good news, good exposure.  I’m glad.  I expect a US win now.  I don’t care what people say, US killed a Poland side that held Brazil in check with only 10 men.  The US has to beat them.  And i bet Danny Szetela scores again, he just seems to find himself in front of goal.  and freddy wants to go to Europe, so I think he will score as well.

Off of soccer.The Orlando Magic just signed Rashard Lewis to a max contract.  Which is pretty good, except that Darko Milicic’s agent is throwing a tantrum now because the Magic made Darko a free agent to sign Lewis and Cornstein (Darko’s agetn) is tantrumming, says Darko will never play for the Gic again.  I think Darko is going to be a really good basketball player, i think he will be an all star level player.  I want to keep him.  Not as much as I want Rashard Lewis.  I’ve also heard that the Gic are trying to trade Hedo Turkoglu for Ron Artest straight up.  Ronny is a nutcase, but on the court he is great.  Make the trade.  Then trade some loose players to resign Darko.  I don’t care how it goes, just do it.  If Otis Smith can pull that off, then he doesnt suck.  But as off right now I still feel that he is under par.If we get the trade our starting lineup will be.Jameer Nelson – PG, Ron Artest – SG, Rashard Lewis – SF, Darko Milicic – PF, Dwight Howard – C.I like that lineup alot, tough, young, talented.  That’s a top 4 in the east lineup.  Just by adding Rashard, we are not contenders.  The good news is that Dwight is on the up.  That was just bout the worst ever write up on the magic.  I promise I will do better ne

Regardless, there are some things we can all learn from this experience, including never to drink the agua in the team hotel. Meet me after the jump for some thoughts from the Copa.

I’ll be the first to admit that I thought the USMNT played poorly in Copa America. It was clear that in defense we were simply shambolic, while in the midfield we struggled to maintain possession and the forwards remain unable to generate any significant pressure. That, combined with Kasey Keller’s sleepwalking rotunine against Paraguay give weight to the argument that this was not a showing of quality futbol from the US squad, but what did we learn? Here are a few things, numbered for your convenience. Please to enjoy.
1. You heard it here: Bob Bradley is the real deal
If its true that Bradley wanted Donovan to come to Copa its clear that Bradley wanted to have Landon in South America to provide leadership, which means Bradley knows the team pretty well but also wanted to give Landy Cakes a choice. He tried to include Donovan, but now Bradley has started grooming replacements for Landy Cakes, who probably will be neither the captain nor the best player on the squad when the US gets to South Africa. Nice work BB. And oh yeah, he can coach his butt off.

2. Feilhaber is to Peyton Manning as Donovan is to Dan Marino
When he plays in the middle of the park the US are a better team than when he doesn’t, which separates him from Landon who could not be less of a leader. Paired with Michael Bradley and Freddy Adu, Benny is the future of the USMNT because he makes the team better, which Donovan doesn’t do. Feilhaber’s winning strike against Mexico is probably just the first of many and his passing is getting better by the day. Seriously, he could be the best US player ever, and it shouldn’t take long to show it.

3. Kasey Keller is finished with the USMNT
Did you see some of his efforts against Paraguay? Compared with his replacement Brad Guzan, Keller looked confused and a few steps slow. Guzan played with more confidence as the Columbia match wore on, and his Guzan’s penalty stop was a nifty bit of keeping, if you like that sort of thing. Thanks for the memories, Double K, please don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out. I just hope that this opens the door for the next generation of US goalkeepers.

4. Everyone needs to go to Europe
Not on vacation, but to play soccer. And I mean right now. Bornstein, Boswell, Sacha K., Guzan, Mapp, Clark, Wynne and Gaven, just for starters. These guys are young enough to be able to learn from higher quality European coaches, just like the guys in Copa America who kicked their butts. I don’t care if we take every good US player under 26 and ship them all to play in the Norwegian Tippeligaen, US players need games that matter against players who want to win. MLS doesn’t provide that, its too safe. Look at some of the players in the US team who are improving the most, guys like Dempsey, Pearce and DeMerit. They’re busting it every week in Europe, not hanging out in California with Bianca and the dogs.

5. The team is getting better
While the Copa result leaves a bad taste in our mouths and nothing much to hold onto (a little like Spring Break) I think most soccer fans recognize that the decision to take a team to COMNEBOL’s tournament, even if it was a weak squad, was a bold move for the USSF. We risked something, (especially in a country like Venezuela, where we are not well liked at the moment) which is not something US Soccer is in the habit of doing. If we had taken a better team, I think we might have advanced past the group stage, as it is I think that the growth of our youngsters on the senior national team, combined with a good showing at the U-20 World Cup gives plenty of hope for the future of US Soccer, which looked to be pretty bleak only a year ago.

I think the US will trot out a much different starting 11 than we’ve seen against Argentina and the Guays, particular in the defense, at striker and between the pipes. K. Keller should have already been sent back to his castle in Germany, perhaps to pose for more enticing photo shoots. And while I love to see Ben Olsen, he’s not really a viable prospect for 2010 is he? Is he?!? I’d love to see some more Charlie Davies though…
Kickoff is at 6:35EST tonight, I’ll see you then. I think the US wins this one, 2-1 on a goal by Eddie Gaven (hah!)

US Lineup
Johnson
Mapp-Kljestan-Gomez
Beckerman-Clark-
Pearce-Boswell-Califf-Moor
Guzan
No real surprises here, seems like Bradley wants to see some of the new guys, and give Johnson another chance to get untracked in international matches. On to the match.

Kickoff
Columbia in yellow, the US in white and Huge Chavez in fits of laughter.
2nd Minute
Ugly early yellow for Drew Moor, who continues to suck.
4th Minute
Both teams look rough early, but some US guys just look lost in a full stadium with fans who’ve seen a match before. Close kick there from a US set piece.
5th Minute
Clark takes a long shot, he has been really aggresive so far in this tournament, and even gets some shots on net. Johnson has the look of a man who is being punished, or who might get dropped.
9th Minute
Heath Pierce has looked good early, he’s one guy in Europe I’d like to see more of. Especially since his girlfriend is a babe. And her name is not Feilhaber.
11th Minute
The US really lacks someone to hold the ball in the center of the park, which doesn’t explain some of these long Columbian runs into our half, but still worth mentioning.
13th Minute
There remains no consistency to our play at all, which is why Guzan looks like he’s going to have some sort of attack before the night is over.
15th Minute
Beckerman looks shocked to be in the game, but Hercules Gomez (what a great name) is adpating pretty well so far, the crowd at this match is absolutely insane.
16th Minute
GOL! 1-0 COLUMBIA
A long cross into the area from the right nets a nice header for Columbia, and our inexperience shows itself again. Drew Moor is made to look like he belongs in Minor League Soccer. Poor dude is in way over his head.
18th Minute
Free kick into the area for Columbia, and somehow in the resulting scramble we clear it out and force Columbia to re-set.
Reflecting on that goal, its obvious that we need to set the first-choice back four and just let them play together. Now we’ve seen the rawness of our back line hurt us in the Gold Cup and Copa America, they need to gel together.
21st minute
Columbia is just passing the ball around, waiting for a chance to break us open, holding it and waiting. Johnson breaks the press and draws a kick from the right, just outside the box. Mapp will swing it in. It bounces out to Sacha who does his best Benny impression, but it goes right to the keeper. Best shot of the night so far.
23rd Minute
Eddie Johnson is the only striker I’ve ever seen who would rather pass the ball back than shoot it. He’s like LeBron James, with much less skill and fewer children.
25th Minute
I am excited to see Guzan play in this match. Even with Tim Howard at the top of the GK ladder, these “young” guys need to keep developing for the future. Gomez is everything that Johnson isn’t, he runs with the ball and gets after defenders. I like him.
28th Minute
If this keeps up, Bradley looks like he might dismember someone at the half, just to make a point. If you were taking a shot after every poor US set piece in this tournament, you would be drunk dialing your own grandmother right now, claiming to be God.
30th Minute
Close free kick from the right for Columbia. I’m sure this would be much more interesting if my Spanish was better. Defensive middies everywhere for the US and still not much to show for it in possession of the futbol.
33rd Minute
I don’t know if they’ve heard, but someone should tell the US defenders that they’re allowed to pass the ball forward and to one another. Ooh, nice slide tackle there from Sacha and a Columbian isn’t dead, but looks like he might fake it if he thought it would work.
35th Minute
I sure hope none of the U-20 team is watching this match, they might be regressing…
Penalty coming for Columbia after Guzan makes a nice diving tackle in the box. And…Columbia is denied that was a really class diving save to his right by Guzan. Keller never did that…
38th Minute
Following two lousy corners and one moon shot from the top of the box, the US earns a goal kick. Nice English reference from the announcers, “Who are you? I’m the keeper!” and “Keeper. Goal, Keeper.” James Bond is classic even in Spanish.
40th Minute
Another nasty takedown by the US near the box as Clark slides in. Guzan looks like he’s feeling it after that penalty save. Nice kick off the wall comes to nada for Columbia.
41st Minute
There are a ton of Maradona look alikes at this match with Mullets and Argentina shirts. And the US blows another decent free kick from 28 yards. Sheesh.
44th Minute
For a 22 year old Guzan is looking more and more comfortable, even with this lineup in front of him. I bet they love him at Chivas…Nice move by Boswell to avoid a penalty as a Columbian dives over the ball. No yellows for diving tonight, that was atrocious….
The Columbians are not a very graceful people, except when making coffee or smuggling cocaine.
HALFTIME
After the first half its hard to get much of a feel for this match. Its obvious that the US fielded a side that haven’t played much together, since we haven’t done a great job of dictating pace or directing passes. Johnson continues to play a timid game, while Gomez looks like he would like some one to come and get the ball once and awhile. Drew Moor likes to cross the ball but can’t defend a lick. In the midfield Clark is still top of the line, while Sacha has some growing to do. I think if Feilhaber was inserted you’d see more control through the middle of the pitch, and probably a little stronger sense of purpose across the board. Guzan has played strong after giving up the header for a goal early on…I just can’t shake the feeling: WHY DID WE SEND A TEAM TO COPA AMERICA IF WE KNEW THEY WOULD SUCK THIS MUCH?
46th Minute
We brought in Eddie Gaven for Gomez? Really? I guess. Let the goal avalanche begin.
This feels like when your dad used to pass you the ball at the family-pick-up game, before you earned it. Its nice of Dad to include you, but everyone knows you don’t deserve it.
50th Minute
Offside for the US, and right now the Spanish announcers are listing every first team US player who isn’t at the Copa. Nice move. They said Donovan’s name twice. Because he’s a national embarassment.
52nd Minute
Is the Columbian keeper’s name really Robinson Zapata? Robby Shoes is shutting us out right now? Could we be more pathetic? Corner for the US, now swung in by Mapp to Gaven and it way over the net.
53rd Minute
Drew Moor makes Gooch look like John Terry. Which is not a compliment to any of the above. My mom just asked why he looks so out of place. I think he just hit Gaven in the face with a cross.
55th Minute
We look much more active this half, lets see if it lass with a corner coming up. It leads to nothing.
Kyle Beckerman’s hair is our best offensive weapon at this point. Backpass Johnson does what he does best, giving up the ball to a player who is not the dominant American striker in MLS. (and yes, I know how ridiculous that sentence sounds)
57th Minute
Guzan just made a nice punch out, he’s locked in right now, like he is really upset he missed the opening night of Transformers while watching the Kasey Keller Retirement Tour.
60th Minute
At this point, I’m almost hoping my Mac crashes so I don’t have to sit through 30 more minutes of this. Moor did something right with a clear to the middle and now the US is into the attack.
63rd Minute
I wonder if Bob has considered offering money for the first two players to string together more than 2 consecutive passes to their own teammates. It might work. Columbia looks pretty satisfied with a 1-0 win, which at this point means they’ll probably get it.
65th Minute
How did Juan Pablo Angel not make this Columbian side? Are they ethically opposed to scoring goals?
Charlie Davies comes on for Mapp, proving to his family that he IS on the team for real. Backpass Johnson continues to make a face like he smells something bad and then throw up his arms when he doesn’t get service.
68th Minute
Corner in from the right for the US goes all the way through the box, for naught. We’re taking a serious turn to negative town here folks.
72nd Minute
Here comes Lee Nguyen, let the goals commence! I guess his shoulder is feeling better, but his play so far in this tournament indicates otherwise.
74th Minute
If the US scores in this match, it will be completely by accident, good gracious.
76th Minute
And they are stretchering off a Columbian…thats a moral victory for the Red White and Blue.
78th Minute
Lee has looked pretty good so far actually.
80th Minute
If the comments are getting shorter, its only because my brain can’t deal with such horrible play but Davies and Lee (insert last name here) have inserted some good pace so far, but still no more chances to score.
82nd Minute
Lee drives a free kick into the box but here come the Columbians! Its a wide open foot race and the ball is cleared over the bar by…Lee? No way, that kid is all over the pitch.
85th Minute
Davies just got shoulder dropped on a free run, that looked pretty painful. Face+bone=not fun. Free kick is…wasted, and so are you if you’re playing the US Missed Set Piece Drinking Game.
86th Minute
Goal for Beckerman, but he was offside, and now Robby Shoes is taking his time tying his cleats, burning away precious minutes for the US. And there’s the yellow card for a delay of the game.
87th Minute
More time for US free kick depression to set in, but in the meantime the whole Columbian team is arguing with the referee about the yellow card.
89th Minute
After all this drama Robby Shoes is sent off after Columbia tried an illegal substitution? I think so. Shoes has given the shirt to some other Columbian and stormed off. 5 minutes of extra time after all the histrionics finish.
Injury Time
Columbia plays the ball into the corner. In hockey we call it icing, in soccer we call it strategy. Funny how that works.
Sacha has played some nice balls in for Davies, but nothing that has been finishable.
Beckerman’s hair is a joke, but his long passing is far from humorous at this point.
Columbia should start a seminar on diving and Gaven continues to look to the touchline to see if his mom will  bring him a juicebox and some orange slices. He looks way out of his depth.
And a 10 man Columbian team with a field player in the net just finished off a shut out of the mighty USA. Good grief.
Final Thoughts
The US went out with a whimper rather than the bang we were hoping for. The bright spots to me are Davies and Lee Nguyen, who along with Guzan looked like the only 3 players excited to play for the US tonight. Eddie Johnson should be happy finishing his career in KC since he is still unimpressive to everyone, and Bob Bradley should go back to Sunil Gulati and request some more real international friendlies to get the team ready for real international competition. The Swiss and the Swedes just won’t cut it. Peace.

Can you imagine what the US midfield in South Africa will look like? Perhaps the deepest part of the squad with guys like Adu, Bradley, Feilhaber, Donovan, Beasley, Mapp, Clark, Dempsey, and Convey…and the list goes on and on. More later.

Regardless, after falling 3-1 to the Guays the US will be back on the pitch tonight versus Columbia in a mini-consolation game before making a swift exit from the Copa America, much to the “irk” of Comnebol.

Tune in tomorrow for my running commentary of US-Columbia, which should be as interesting as a group match between two already eliminated teams has ever been! It should also be Kasey Keller’s last run-out for the US, so come by and pay your respects to the 7th-most-capped-player in US history.

Of course, all that beautiful passing hasn’t filled the old onion bag (shout out to Tommy Smyth) , or brought much silverware home to the Emirates lately. Now that the most prolific Gunner of all, TH14 himself has moved on to Barca, Arsenal is in desperate need of someone to score goals.

It isn’t necessary to find a 30 goals a season scorer, but the Gunners need to add some firepower up front while they wait for some of Arsene Wenger’s young prospects (paging Theo Walcott) to make the great leap to the first team.

The transfer window officially opens this week, and for now the team’s striker options seem to be growing shorter.
Obafemi Martins, the Nigerian international who suits up for Newcastle, has a 13 million pound buyout clause in his contract and might be a candidate to come to Arsenal. He is the sort of speedy striker who could pair with Van Persie to finish some of those pretty through-balls sent in by Fabregas. He’s also only 22, which would add to Wenger’s stable of young talent.

Another possible addition is former Arsenal striker Nicolas Anelka currently at Bolton Wanderers, who scored 23 times during his previous stint under Wenger. There remains some question among fans whether or not the board will want him back, which may result in a showdown between Wenger and the board. Seems to me that the board owe something to Arsene, presuming that he extends his contract.

The third option in my mind is the longest shot of all, young Argentinian Carlos Tevez, from West Ham United, currently donning his home nation’s striped kit and wreaking havoc in the Copa America. Tevez has been linked with moves to Inter Milan and Real Madrid, but has also mentioned that he’d like to stay in England and that he is attracted to Arsenal’s style of play.

The fact is, someone needs to score for this team to stay in the top 4 in the League, so Arsenal can keep playing Champions League soccer which is tremendously attractive for the best players in the world. I also think it’s best to get someone from within England, so that their adjustment period will be as short as possible and that they will contribute immediately.

USA v. Argentina

Copa America Group Stage Round One.

Starting lineups….

Argentina looks considerably scarier than the US lineup.

BENNY BENNY BENNY!

He is the great Jewish Austrian-Brazilian-American hope. That and maybe if Twellman can convert a chance.

Kickoff – Twellman got a haircut. He is very pretty looking, is that a good or bad thing? Pretty boys are rarely dangerous, but then maybe he will be overestimated.

1:00 – So far I have understood no words, and the announcing is still better than the announcing of Max Bretos.

3:00 – Three minutes in. We haven’t been finished off yet. If we can hang in there for a half then maybe we can lose by less than 12 goals. That’s the dream anyways.

4: 00 – Biggest issue so far is that Twellman has the yellow (avocado) boots and Johnson doesn’t. He must not have got the memo; ya know the one where all the strikers have to wear boots that don’t match the US uniform.

4:40 – The first real chance for Argentina, cleared out by Jimmy Conrad, the only 33 year old rising star on planet earth.

6:00 – I like saying Estados Unidos way better thn United States. WAYYy better. And right now Eddie Johnson, Ricardo Clark and Marvel Wynne are the three hottest Negroes from Les Estados Unidos. And that is fact, and possibly inappropriate for me to say.

7:00 – Great pass and Eddie Johnson makes the right moves…PENALTY United States. That is a huge deal for the U.S. But who takes it without Landon Donovan or Damarcus Beasley.

EDDIE DOES. That’s one way to get a national team goal, as long as he doesn’t miss it.

8:00 – GOAL USA. Eddie really took that like a seasoned pro. I’m actually kind of shocked. What a dang good start to this game. And his boots don’t match.

10:00 – Who would have thought at this point the U.S. would be up 1-0 on Argentina. This is a good start for Los Estados Unidos. I am Captain Obvious. Did we score too soon, did we wake the sleeping giant, did Max Bretos explode at his home residence while watching, then cry bitterly about not being the one who made the call. I’m pretty sure that Bretos would have compared Eddie to the Great Maradona. I would have liked that.

11:00 – GOAL HERNAN CRESPO. That didn’t last very long. Horrible work for the US on the Argentina freekick. That was really really really horrible. Now we are even.

Did we wake the sleeping giant….yeah probably.

-Are they gonna pour it on us now? I don’t know, shake it off U.S.

13:20 – Eddie Johnson looks good, he just got fouled making a good run. That’s two more good runs than he made all Gold Cup.

-Estados Unidos really looks pretty good right now, don’t look outclassed and have controlled possession. Granted we are only 15 minutes in.

16:10 – US has another chance with the cross, too long. I imagine right now the announcers are probably talking about how great Ben Olsen looks. But I don’t speak Spanish.

18:00 – They are pounding on Feilhaber so far. Also, he got a new haircut. Him, Ben Olsen and Twellman. AND THEY ARE LOOKING GREAT OUT THERE! Feilhaber is going to get a new club just based on that hair, English football look out.

20:00 – This is still a knotted up match. That’s cool. Still think that Kasey Keller will have to stand on his head for us to get out of here with a tie or better.

21:00 – Justin Mapp just did a hell of a job against Javier Zanetti going into the corner. Nice defense.

22:10 – US fights off two corners and another cross from Riquelme….look solid on the D that time down. It’s a drag the Argentina goal came on such a lame play. Otherwise I would be bursting with the ole’ confidence if ya know what I mean.

24:15 – Jonathan Bornstein steals the ball from Lionel Messi. You get the feeling that he is going to be excited about that later. And that is worrisome, he’s that green. I’m surprised he didn’t stop and take a picture. Or ask Messi for a clipping of his hair. But what better way is there to get blooded. Ya know, other that playing a team he can compete with.

25:15 – Bornstein does a good job against Messi again. Didn’t love him in the Gold Cup but looks good so far here.

26:15

Me – “What do you think of the game so far, Meagan?”

Meagan – “Soccerific.”

….that says it all doesn’t it.

The announcers just had a conversation about Brad Guzan and Chivas USA…weird. I know this because I heard the words Brad, Guzan, Chivas, and USA.

28:30 – Jimmy Conrad is only 30, I fact-checked it. I feel horrible for slandering his good name. English clubs take note.

-also, has anyone else noticed that Jonathan Bornstein is slightly hunchbacked…I wonder if that will get worse as he becomes a better player….Quasimodo.

31:00 – US earns a freekick in a good spot. But who takes these. Landy does everything usually. PKs, freekicks, the laundry, pep talks, psotgame massages…

Benny Feilhaber badly misskicks it. Wasted opportunity.

33:45 – Messi makes a move and crosses, headed away by Conrad. First time Messi has really been involved, you can’t expect him to be that uninvolved for the whole game. But if he is, at least we get a break because they will bring in….Carlos Tevez. So that will be really great……

-and if the US strikers don’t do well, no problem, we just bring in….Hercules Gomez. Great news.

37:00 – Eddie makes another good run. US man o’ da match so far. But doesn’t go after the defense when he gets stuck in the corner. Feilhaber makes an errant pass. We need to get a shot off in those situations. Abbondonzieri might really be the weak point of this Argentine side. And he doesn’t even suck.

39:45 – Argentina has a good opportunity. Crespo kicks the volley wide.

42:00 – Great save by Kasey Keller on Veron. Off the hand, off the bar. What a rip. Defense looked weak on the long through ball, although Wynne made up well before Argentina moved the ball across the field for the shot.

43:20 – Johnson made another great run but couldn’t turn on the jets or make the moves to get in on goal. That’s what he’s missing. And I’m missing Max Bretos’ call – “He’ll want to turn this into a track meet.”

45:00 – If we get into the half without any goals you have got to be happy with this if you are a US soccer fan. Only one minute of extra time. They haven’t exactly played inspired, but the Argentines are playing down to their level.

45:40 Benny makes Abbondonzieri make a decent save. First shot on goal of the game for the United States.

The Half.

Like I said, gotta be happy with the first half. 1-1 against one of the toughest teams in world football. Although they don’t look like it. Expect an Argentine side with a head of steam for the second half. They are much better than they have looked so far. Pray that they don’t wake up, because then the U.S. is going to have a chance. And a chance is all we can hope for isn’t it. ISNT IT!

-Also I don’t even mind not having the commentary. I trust the Spanish speaking announcers are saying something good, and that’s enough for me. Max may have lost me forever.

START OF SECOND HALF

Lets see how this turns out. I’m biting off my fingers. Eddie has to find a way to finish a play this half. Also where the heck has Taylor Twellman been?

1:40 –I’m back at starting my minutes from zero because that’s what Telafutura does and I’m not gonna do the math.

2:30 – Not loving Benny’s passing. He tends to be very errant.

3:15 – The US defense handles itself admirably again against the more talented Argentines.

4:15 – and again. But The Argentines are breaking out much too easily, the D can’t do that all half.

5:30 – Veron looks like he is wearing a bald cap, does he even have eyebrows?

7:00 – Big freekick again for the US. This ball needs to at least be on goal. I say no to Feilhaber here. I base my decision on the only freekick I have ever seen him take. Which sucked. Although I badly wanna be on the Feilwagon.

- Mapp goes high with it. Not exactly any freekick specialists on the pitch for the US.

9:00 – Eddie doesn’t do enough when he gets the ball. A striker of his diminutive size should have some skills on the rock. And have some confidence making runs at defenses. Because Landon Donovan is not out there trailing him tonight.

10:20 – PELIGROSA. Crespo gets a foot on a long cross dangerously close to the goalmouth. Goes wide.

- The game still hasn’t opened up. At what point does Argentina start to throw some weight forward. I suppose they are confident to keep at it for at least another 15 minutes before bringing in Tevez and really going after it. If the US can keep it together until then, then maybe they can get a counter when that happens. That is wishful thinking, but at least I’m thinking.

12:24 – Cambiasso off, Aimar on. Mapp make a run beyond the defense, Milito takes him out along the side of the box and gets a yellow. But Mapp looked like he didn’t know what to do when he got there. Also Twellman has his pants all bunched up, what is that about.

- Another freekick that finds no US heads in the area.

15:40 – Messi misses after burning the right side of the US backline. That was alarming, hits side netting.

16:50 – SUB Eddie Gaven for Ben Olsen. I know almost nothing about Eddie Gaven. I know that Ben Olson was on the cover of Fifa 2001 in the US, why, because he is the most dominant force in modern soccer. And now he is on the bench. I don’t like our chances. OR DO I?

18:00 – Taylor Twellman tries a side volley and gets blocked. Halfway through the second half and …..

well….there’s this.

GOL GOL GOL….Hernan Crespo scores a goal. Defense got shredded. We needed a big save from Keller, but he didn’t come through either. Now this gets really interesting. Would not be surprised if Argentina gets another one here quickly and seals it.

20:27 – Eddie Johnson seems to waste whatever space he gets on the attack, always stpping and passing the ball back. Also Ben Olsen is off the field and Argentina scores…. need I say more.

22:00 – Demerit/Bornstein did a good job against Messi’s try to finish this thing up. He’s probably got more moves than anyone they’ve seen. Except maybe Nery Castillo, that man is PELAGROSA!

SUB 23:40

Hercules Gomez in for Taylor Twellman. And now the South American Soccer powers are shaking in their adidas.

24:50 – Not that you need a specific thing to look at to tell the difference in class between these teams, but if you want one thing. Look at how badass the Argentines look. If you want two things, look at the passing. Fluid, smart, crisp. Accurate.

27:00 – US controls for a second but a lackluster cross by Mapp. Then again, only one man in the area to find. Can’t completely blame the man.

28:00 – Quasimodo takes a yellow for a hard tackle from behind. Tonight he will cry in his belltower. But he sure loves Esmerelda.

28:45 – Argentina does have freekick specialists, but they go back to the floating ball in that worked for the first goal and Keller pulls it off the head of Heinze.

- At this point the US is going to do something, and I think that something might be to start throwing more men forward. Which could really end in more goals for Argentina if it fails. I don’t care, this is a tournament, and I’m not looking for a 1-2 loss. I want a tie or a 1-9 loss. Screw respectability. Bob Bradley, ARE YA WITH ME!

32:00 – 13 minute left, time to do something beyond rolling over and dying….

33:00 – Golazo! That ‘bout does that. Aimar with the header off the beautiful cross. A lot of US defenders in the area….all of them watching Aimar run past. Ouchie.

Messi off, Carlito on.

35:00 Another bad free kick from the USA. No one left on this roster has apparently ever tried one of those before.

Kyle Beckerman in. I don’t know who for. Because I was peeing. And I don’t speak Spanish. Beckerman, known for his hair, not for his national team success. Though I have seen him before for the Nats unlike Eddie “The Invisible Man” Gaven.

- A fully loaded US squad would have had a chance tonight. I really believe that. A little Brian Ching up front. Landycakes. The team on the field now has no confidence going forward. I wish Freddy Adu was out there, even.

39:00 – I guess Beckerman came on for Ricardo Clark. And he just took a left footed shot that looked like my left footed shot. And my lefty is WICKED AWESOME….not WICKED BAD, I promise.

40:00 – GOL! 4 – 1. This did end up pretty bad. Carlos Tevez shredded the US defense which was apparently smoking doobies back there while he torched them. Also Keller, not looking very good at all. Tevez looking world class though. How many more do you think they can get. As a US fan this game was more fun 20 minutes ago. Just saying. Tevez almost scored again. The defense is obviously pushing forward. I only know that because Argentina is scoring lots of goals, not because you can see a lot of the Nats on the attack.

42:30 – SUB Gago on for Veron…Sweet now’s our chance, Gago sucks yeah…He totally wouldn’t be the best player on the US team. Not AT ALL!

44:20 – Gaven kicked the ball near the Argentina goal, it went pretty fast. Cool.

45:45 – This is wrapping up. And even though it went the way everyone thought it would, I’m still bummed because for something like two great minutes, the United States was beating Argentina. Of course we only managed one shot on goal all game and talent won out in the long run and all that. But beyond that, I like when the US wins. And I hope they can figure a way to score some goals in the rest of their group games…because it isn’t too hard to advance beyond the group stage at this tournament.

GAME OVER 4-1 Argentina wins.

Man of the Match – Hernan Crespo.

So Eddie Johnson ran, no one helped him and he couldn’t do it alone. Benny Feilhaber did not play as inspired as everyone expected after he scored that goal. I had secretly hoped that he would transform into a world class player on the back of that goal against Mexico. It didn’t happen. But he wasn’t bad and he is young. So I think he will be the world’s best in like 6 years.

So US on zero points through one game. That’s all.

Thanks for reading.