While searching for synonyms for “letdown”…

June 12th, 2006 | Posted by PostmanE

Seriously, I did not expect that. Even as I attempt to gather my thoughts, I can’t fathom how a team with skill and speed and fitness could have suffered such a comprehensive defeat.

If the U.S. were as legitimately bad as they were in, oh, 1994, I would be ok with this result. I would say, hey, maybe that is the best we can play; these Europeans are just too good. Good effort.

But you can’t say those things about the 2006 MNT. They’re so much better than the 1994 team, or the 1998 team, it’s an absolute shock to see them outclassed in midfield, dominated in the offensive end, porous in the defensive third. And the gaps in performance seemed less due to ability and more due to a lack of energy and cohesive (attacking) strategy, rare form for a Bruce Arena-managed team.

Credit the Czechs, who are looking pretty set. Rosicky has to have pleased Arsenal fans with his brilliant striking out of the midfield, and Nedved proved he still has the creative skills that made him one of the most highly-revered players in the world.

We, on the other hand, are looking pretty screwed. It would likely take two wins in our last two group games - over powerhouse Italy and upstart Ghana - to get a second-place finish in this group. A win and a draw might get it done, but it’s pretty doubtful.

So, with all of the buildup, the hours and hours spent speculating over the U.S.’ ability and its progression on the international soccer stage, soccer in the U.S. seems to have come down to a swift 90 minutes in which the United States showed just how far they might have regressed.

USA loses to Czech Republic 3-0