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There’s always a point in every season where things go wrong. When they do, I inevitably refer to Apollo 13, specifically the scene where it didn’t look good for the astronauts.

One of the men says, “This could be the worst disaster NASA’s ever experienced.”

Legendary Flight Director Gene Kranz snaps back at him, “With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.”

I still believe, even after today’s pseudo-debacle for the United States women, this might prove to be our finest hour.

If there were few people that thought the U.S. had a shot of dethroning Germany, there are surely less now. But, now that we’ve seen each team three times, even with all their faults – and they were on full display today in the back – they might still be the best team in the World Cup.

(I can hear you laughing, but seriously, think about it. And don’t just use the third game as your barometer, all three games, please.)

Unfortunately, the biggest hurdle will likely come Sunday against Brazil in the quarterfinals, but four years ago at this time, there were few people that thought Brazil was going to beat the United States back then (let alone 4-0). We shall see.

(I’ll have a preview of the U.S.-Brazil game and the dreaded sweeper Friday night.)

For now, here are the 10 things we learned in Day 11 of Germany 2011.

1) You saw the danger of playing a high line in the back and of playing a flat 4-4-2

People will talk about the lack of pace and that certainly is an issue, but in the center of a defense, it’s more about reading the game than pure speed, and Rachel Buehler and Christie Rampone had a lot trouble anticipating and being in the right spot today. That could be a real problem against Brazil, but it might not with a little different game plan.
The trouble on the first goal started when Buehler had to step up where a holding midfielder would have (should have) been, and then all heck broke loose behind her (and Amy LePeilbet should have been sent off, there’s not much doubt).

2) Lauren Cheney not only should start, but is one of the best three or four players in this tournament

Starting her at left mid has turned out to be brilliant by Pia Sundhage, because teams can’t track her coming in from the left. She pops up in dangerous spots, and is a dangerous player, able to score from places on the field others can’t.
Unfortunately for the U.S. today, she wasn’t very clinical around goal, but she’s shown enough of late, that if you give her the chances she got today against Brazil, I’ll bet on her scoring at least once.

3) Of course, Cheney vacating the left side leaves LePeilbet on an island

And that’s going to be a real lonely place when Marta and company start running at her. I don’t know what Sundhage’s answer is there, maybe put Heather O’Reilly – who hopefully will be healthy – on the left side and Cheney on the right. We’ll talk about that Friday.

4) It doesn’t mean much going forward, though

This is from yesterday, but it bears repeating: “As I said in the opening, it is a great accomplishment to win the group, and I’m sure they’re happy to avoid Germany in the quarterfinals, but I think it’s still a toss-up at best in the England-France match (and that should be a good one). Obviously, just on today’s performances, maybe England was better, but as we’ve seen already, things change from game to game.”

5) It is a missed opportunity, though, for the U.S., and Germany has an easy path to the finals

You can’t help but think the U.S. would be better off against Sweden and Australia then Brazil. But such is life. The real winners are Germany, who get a tricky game with Japan (but one with a good matchup for them) and then the Sweden-Australia winner in the semifinals. Hello, finals.

6) Unfortunately, it might be too late for Sundhage to make changes

Sundhage has proven she’s not afraid to pull the trigger on player moves, and I wouldn’t put it past her to throw a lineup out there Sunday that didn’t include LePeilbet, or possibly Lori Lindsey for Shannon Boxx.
But my mind wonders what a 4-3-3 with Megan Rapinoe able to sit in a hole and run at people with O’Reilly and Lauren Cheney in wide positions would look like. It ain’t gonna happen, though, so there’s no use dreaming about it.

7) Thomas Dennerby did win the tactical battle, though

Some of what he did was forced by the suspension to Caroline Seger (another discouraging point for the U.S.), but Dennerby decided that speed was the way to beat the United States, gave Josefine Oqvist the start over Jessica Landstrom, and it was definitely the way to go.

Australia may lack some in talent and experience, but not in guts

Sometimes you can get by with guts, like when your opponent takes advantage of a defensive calamity to grab a lead, and you come back – literally – off the ensuing kickoff and tie the game. Sweden will probably have more talent on the field on Sunday, but I’m probably picking Australia just because of the pure hunger factor. If they can’t find a way, they’ll make one. Until they play Germany, I guess.

9) Brazil was more of the same today

They played almost all their regulars, which was somewhat surprising (read yesterday’s stuff), and still went into halftime against Equatorial Guinea scoreless. Through Marta and some fantastic finishing (Erika’s goal was fantastic), Brazil prevailed, but didn’t really dominate in they way you’d expect them to. Again.

10) The Brazil-U.S. quarterfinal should be a great game

You can bet as you read this that the U.S. coaching staff is scratching their heads trying to figure out how to attack a Brazil sweeper formation they probably haven’t seen in 20 years.
I think they’ll succeed there (more on Friday), but stopping Marta? That might be a taller task. But we’ll see.

Bonus:

Zonal marking is still stupid

That is all, Sweden.

Double bonus:

Did not going to ground hurt Elise Thorsnes and Norway?

Hear me out. If Thorsnes were any men’s player, she probably would have gone to ground when she was hit by Australian keeper Melissa Barbieri on the Aussies’ defensive nightmare that nearly cost them a spot in the quarterfinals.
She scored, and that is admirable.
But, if she didn’t, and went down, it likely would have had to be a penalty and a red card to Barbieri. Would Australia with 10 players been able to come back?
I know I’m reaching. But, at the least, Barbieri is lucky she’ll be playing in the quarterfinals.

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