First, Landon Donovan said today that if we don't win against Slovenia (or at the very leastw tie), then our World Cup is pretty much over. So, I assume yha Bradley willput forth our
strongest lineup instead of resting key guys.
From a "get to the next round" perspective, we should be satisfied with the England result, though a win would have been a monumental outcome. A win would have certainly been cited for years to come as a turning point in US soccer. Making it to the round of 8 is the only
other way we can signal that the US has turned the corner re: soccer
respectability.
It's difficult to say either team deserved the victory. Enland had more chances than the US, but not by much. Before the game, I was doubtful that findley's pace would justify his starting. He didnt play poorly, but I don't think he gave the us an advantage with his speed.
For Slovenia, I'd put Donovan in a withdrawn forward position (in place of findley), stu Holden in donovans place on the wing, and torres in place of Clark. One can argue that edu also deserves a shot in Clark's spot, but torres showed something special against Turkey and should be rewarded.
A couple more observations:
- no cards for Bradley or Clark. This is a really good sign, as both
of them have learned (it seems) to play within themselves.
- remember the days when the us couldn't muster any offense without
Donovan? It looks like those days are gone.
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