[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

I do disagree with Cox's assessment that US can compete (offensively) with the better sides in the world.. He is right about a pattern, but the pattern I saw was that US attack came to life in the waning minutes of the match where US stamina and conditioning proved a significant advantage so it looks like we really were able to attack weakened defenses. Belgium was clearly tired when the US took over towards the end. When USA sprang to life at the end of the Ghana game the Africans were also starting to look gassed. We ALMOST out gassed Portugal until it was they who took advantage of USA exhaustion, and in particular notice that was a game where USA was balanced and 50-50.. Possibly THAT is interestingly what may have hurt us, playing a more balanced game sapped up energy a bit earlier that USA needed defensively down the stretch..