Howard heroic in US defeat

But it's good for Everton at least that Lukaku is having a miserable World Cup; keeps his price down and interest away.

The only things really learnt up to now is I hope, sincerely hope the Shite don't get that Origi. He's better than Lukaku if I'm being brutally honest.

Also, Howard still looks shaky at times... desperately done good blocks.

I take it back, Rom – you're a flipping frustrating but damn good finisher.

I said on another thread earlier today, if you sign Lukaku, then you instantly know you're getting a striker who scores 18-20 goals a season.

He was an absolute steal at the price we paid. Hardly missed a game in eight seasons. I would go as far to say the best keeper in the PL last season.

Tim has had some shaky moments in group stage, but I thought that tonight was the best individual performance of the World Cup so far!

American hero.

USA!! USA!! USA!!

I had 㿀 on 0-0 tonight. Lucky the 2 best keepers on planet were on show, as it coulda been about 5-3!!

Mirallas created loads of trouble when he came on and big Rom was too strong for the tiring USA defence. He is a genuine striker who will score goals if fed correctly and he is well worth a 㿀 million fee by today's standards.

The lad is not yet 21 years old and would be a solid investment if BK gets his hands out of his pockets and gives Roberto at least 㿊 to 㿔 million — that is of course if he is serious about having ambitions for our club!

He broke the record for most saves in a World Cup game (16).

Evertonians, God bless you all, we are so fucking critical of anyone in Blue.

Timmy is an amazing keeper and I love the man – the Everton keeper!

Neville.. SOUTH-HAAAAALLLLLLLL......

Yes... No better.

But you've all been spoiled. Embrace Timmy! He's gold.

Gutted.... Just gutted....

I'm tired, drunk, and despondent....

We set up wrong IMO. Belgium had one center-half out and another injured. We pulled Beckerman and put a CB in at CDM.

We shoulda had Mix in MF terrorizing a depleted defense...

Oh well....

USA have been great to watch and done themselves proud. Teams like USA, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and Colombia have shown what teamwork in football is all about.

All the focus on Rooney and Sterling, and selfish senior players like Lampard and Gerrard... England were doomed from the start!

1. We're stuck with this SoCal European, who thinks European, and as such is doing is best to make Americans understand how the game SHOUD be played.

2. He gave no consideration, in his selection, to Jozy going down (No Monday morning quarterbacking there. Jurgen wrapped our "attack" around Jozy and that was that.) Klinsmann had no ... anything. He had Wondo and ... just Wondo. Eddie Johnson? Big, physical attacking player? Nope. Wondo was better.

Nicely done.

3. Defensively, our midfield was OK. Nothing special, but not bad. Bradley was pretty good today, for a change. Attacking? Belgium treated us as the teams in our group did. Press the US midfield and they'll cough it up. No denying it.

Christ, in what way shape or form, in control or attacking, could Landon Donovan have contributed more than ... pick a name.

Jurgen, you live in reality, not illusion, God bless you. The reality is, you've chumped our National Team Organization into believing Germany in 2006 was some master-stroke of yours instead of the obvious; a bunch of talent coming thru.

We're stuck with this guy. Yet another European. Christ, bounce him and bring back Arena.

To be honest, I canÂ’t get my head around KlinsmannÂ’s decision not to take Landon!! Even if heÂ’s to keep him on the bench as a back up plan!

HeÂ’s gotta still be one of USAÂ’s best players... I think ya may be right... Get Arena back.

You can second guess Jurgen. I have! I didn't like the Cameron at CDM and Beckerman on the bench move this game. In fact, I think it was a horrible decision.

I also think our exhausted midfield needed a substitution. That was THE massive error by our coaching staff in my opinion – not putting on Mix for Bradley (or Cameron and shifting positions).

But...

To say we're stuck with this guy, and then go on to say "another European" is a bit... Un-American. Jurgen has lived in CA for 18 years. He's emigrated from Germany and he absolutely loves the USA.

This country is frankly a bunch of mutts. We ALL come from somewhere or another.... Your USMNT coach isn't just some "European" – he's a German-American who loves his country and has "soccer" moving in the right direction here.

Bruce Arena? God above help us.

The ugly American card will get us nowhere. Believing we are growing, we have that intangible asset of the never-say-die attitude, we have a man leading the charge who knows football and wants it to succeed in this country so badly... That's what we need and that's reality.

And Jurgen is the man to get us there.

I'm proud of our effort. And I believe we are headed in the right direction in a macro sense, despite my misgivings in this ONE GAME against Belgium in a micro sense. And my utter gutter feeling after this loss...

But we ARE heading in the right direction.

Reminds me a bit of a team in Blue I also love dearly....

Klinsmann is an illusionist, plain and simple, A fine playing career, no doubt. Individual and national success.

What, in any way, shape or form, has he done to improve our USMNT? Jozy went down and Dempsey had to push forward (or, worse, not). We're toothless. I don't care what problems Johnson was having at his club. He was big, strong, physical, and loved to attack.

I love our guys, Mix and Aaron? Love em. How did they do? Jurgen gave them no or minimal light. Yeah, fuck that Eddie Johnson. Jozy won't get injur- ... Whoops!

Speaking of attacking, our midfield was pathetic. We both know it. Why didn't we throw Brad Davis in? After all, Brad Davis is available in the midfield, why would a Head Coach pick Landon Donovan instead? Perhaps Jurgen thought their being the same age made them interchangeable.

Look, I said nothing during the World Cup, because when the games are on, to me one shouldn't do it. Who coaches coaches, who plays plays, and let's go get em.

Klinsmann didn't pick the strongest squad. If we do better in 2018, it'll be because we had talented kids come thru. Klinsmann will have nothing to do with that. Just like in 2006 with Germany's team.

But hey, he was born in Europe, played in Europe, and speaks English with a German accent. He must be good.

One thing we can both agree on:

Let's go punch that Ann Coulter cunt in the fucking gob!

http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2014-06-25.html

I hate that bitch with a red hot intensity!

Russia, 2018... We hoist the World Cup. :0)

Off to bed. Gutted... Looking forward to signing Rom and winning the title; my world is back to all things Blue now...

Contrast that with England who, despite having talented individuals, look scared, lost even, and the Great English Spirit seems to be an even Greater Fallacy!

James (#18): what is it that you don’t like about Europeans? Or do you just want a fellow American in charge of The National Team? European football, whilst not always the most skillful, is definitely the most organised, and that’s one thing that was really impressive about the USA at this World Cup.

I hope way the World Cup has piqued interest in the USA leads to a lasting engagement with the sport beyond the niche. The sport is richer for greater participation.

The difference in attitude to soccer since my first trip to the USA in 2007 and my last trip, last year was incredible. I met loads of passionate Everton fans who came onboard to follow Tim and Landon during his (all too) brief cameo.

Please?

Texas that way

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Never mind playing Tranmere...

I agree with other posters – don't know why Donovan wasn't taken. He could potentially have saved this match by giving them an outlet and goalscoring ability.

Everton will fail to capitalise on the US market, just as they did in Australia when we had Tim Cahill and the years we had Tim Howard already, and the loans of Landon Donovan – they couldn’t organise a piss-up in a brewery

I'm over in the US now and the way they are here, Howard could run for President.

I suppose Elstone is still in his little office at GP counting the pennies while Bill is looking up his "A" list to see who else he can con for a few bob while living his dream while the rest of the world is milking every opportunity the Prem throws up.

Has no-one heard of the Kitbag deal? It doesn't matter if we sold another 1M shirts, they've sold the rights and it's still got another 5 years to run!

I wonder if it includes BK mugs?

But sadly the Everton brand is really not known to anyone but the diehard fans. Liverpool are in this year's edition of the Guinness championship this summer .. I was in Miami last year .. Maybe a thousand blues out of 50 thousand... The Reds will have 20,000 there this summer.

It is criminal that, after 10 years with Howard in goal, I still cannot buy an Everton shirt in his home state of NJ at bloody "Soccer post" retail stores...

Onwards and upwards!

He was gradually working his way back into Jurgen's good graces, but then Donovan's game started to show a noticeable drop. His form in MLS had been really poor up until the US training camp – in fact, he had yet to score a goal. He's put on some weight in the year between the Gold Cup and the training camp; as one tends to do when they hit 32, (Yes, it's hard to believe that he's 32 now...) and he's lost some of his pace and quickness as a result.

Jurgen had to make a decision about whom to take, and I guess he didn't envision Landon getting himself properly fit in time for Brazil. And it was probably also to alleviate any headaches he would have in the press if he didn't start Donovan.

You know that's not true.

I'll speak fairly: Germany regressed in 2006 under Klinsmann compared to 2002. In his own country, no less. The record book says I'm right. Not to mention, he was fired and replaced by Loew.

He manages our Mens Nats, I support him. But he ain't shit.

Most in here are from England and "cunt" is a different word to them.

Take it easy.