An open letter to US Soccer coach Bruce Arena a few hours before the pivotal match against Ghana. The Americans need to win – and then help from Italy – to advance to the second round.

Dear Bruce,

We’re calling in sick today for you. We set it up nicely Wednesday with some late afternoon coughing, just so nobody would suspect that we would skip out on work to watch a goalless American team play against freakin’ Ghana.

In return, how about putting forth a lineup that’s going to produce a goal or two? Is that too much to ask?

We humbly bow down to your soccer knowledge; heck, we had friends take the pitch at UVa for you, and even though they didn’t always speak fondly of you, everyone knew you were a brilliant soccer mind, destined for greatness.

But for the love of Tab Ramos, WILL YOU START EDDIE JOHNSON UP FRONT? Please? If you do that, and we lose, we promise to spend crucial bandwidth on this blog in your defense when the other eight soccer fans in this country demand Jurgen Klinsmann take your place (but don’t read all the comments on that link – they get nasty). Unlike the US attack through two World Cup games, bloggers can make things happen.

Win, and we’ve got your back.

While we’re praising you, brilliant move starting Clint Dempsey against Italy – he was the best American threat all afternoon. Who Starts for Pablo in the middle? Hey, that’s your job. But we’d like to respectfully submit: Johnson and McBride up front, underwhelming Donovan and Reyna in the middle, and just like last time, Convey and Dempsey on the flanks. As much as we love Beasley, he’s a second-half sub at this point.

We’re predicting a US victory, but we’ve done that in both US matches because we’ve got a case of homeritis. Hell, if the US does advance, we might even pick you clowns to beat Brazil!

Ok, back to reality. The Czech catastrophe is a distant memory now, like Jeff Agoos constantly fucking up on the backline in ’98. And a victory here – even if Italy doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain and win – would completely save face. Yes, some people will try and tell you this game has massive ramifications, but as brilliant as Grant Wahl can be, sometimes even he falls victim so the nuttiness of SI hyperbole.

Anyway, Brucie, good luck. And smile a little, wouldja?

Fondly,

The Big Lead

Who Starts Against Ghana? (USA World Cup Blog)
Big game? Yeah, maybe (SI.com)
All I Want to Say Is… (116th St. Soccer)
On the Right Path (LA Times)
Donovan needs to make his mark in Germany (San Jose Mercury News)