(Picture Credit - USA team in their 2014 kit by Streetweardeals dot com)
USA
lost to Belgium in the last 16 of The World Cup after Extra Time. Failure? No
way. You were heroes who put your bodies on the line and could have won.
USA were truly great heroes in The World Cup. I
speak specifically of your magnificent attempt to take the talented Belgium to
penalties in your last 16 match. After 110 minutes you were going flat-out
trying to force an equaliser. I doubt whether the England team is fit enough to
do that.
Even before this match you had helped knock the
highly fancied Portugal (Ronaldo and company!) and dangerous Ghana out in the
group stage. Even a 95th minute equaliser by Portugal did not faze
you. Germany were held to 1-0 to put you through.
You always grafted hard, with spirit and athleticism
(and pace). But against Belgium you excelled. Your keeper Tim Howard was
immense. So was his team of defenders. They put their bodies on the line for
the cause. It was very exciting stuff. With Clint Dempsey prowling around up
front you could always snatch a win.
To be fair, many of the World Cup “minnows” were
heroes too: Chile, Algeria, Australia, Iran… Few star players but superbly
organised, industrious and pacy. They all showed touches of class too. Chile
were the bog-standard South American side: silky-skilful and sophisticated:
only losing to Brazil by one penalty in that shoot-out.
So the only “Davids” remaining against the
“Goliaths” are Costa Rica who face Holland in the quarter finals. However, this
World Cup has been the FA Cup and English Premiership combined, in Brazil. Not
surprising that when you consider 110 Premiership-associated players were named
in the various World Cup squads.
Last night Howard (USA) fended off Lukaku and
Mirallas (Belgium) – all Everton players (Lukaku on loan from Chelsea)! But as
I say, many players were “schooled” in the English Premiership.
Imagine THIS English Premiership side at The World
Cup: Hart; Azpilicueta, D Luiz, Kompany, Evra; Silva, Hazard, Y Toure; Dzeko,
Aguero, Oscar. (I’ve dropped Saurez – an attack can have TOO much bite lol).
Only one Englishman here, but who cares?
Good football is good football, whichever country
you come from.
Paul
Butters
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