Analysis of the Czech Republic...

[mfw13]

Since the Czechs are the one squad that is not getting talked about a lot on this board, I thought I'd go ahead and start a thread about them. I'm American, not Czech, so I would be happy for anybody who is more knowledgeable about the Czechs to correct any errors I make.

I am assuming that their preferred line-up is the one they used in the first match against Norway in the playoffs (Cech, Grygera, Jankulovski, Ujfalusi, Rozehnal, Poborsky, Nedved, Rosicky, Galasek, Smicer, Baros), where it appears that in the absence of Koller, Bruckner played more of a 4-5-1, with Baros as a lone striker.

Without Nedved in the qualifiers, they seemed to be a very ordinary side, splitting their two matches with Romania, losing twice to the Dutch, and dominating their matches against the minnows of the group. Now they will have Nedved, but likely be without Koller (knee injury), who was their top scorer in the qualifiers.

The first thing that jumps out at me a being a major negative is the age of their front six players. Galasek is 33, Nedved is 33, Poborsky is 34, and Smicer will be 31. Not only does this make them more injury-prone, but I also think that they will have a difficult time keeping up with the speedy US and Ghana midfielders.

The second is that without Koller, they will relying to a large extent on Baros to score goals, and he has been very inconsistent, to the point that Liverpool dumped him to Aston Villa.

The defense appears to be solid but unspectacular, anchored by Cech's outstanding play in the nets.

What I don't know a lot about is how Rosicky has been playing for Dortmund, who have underachieved the last couple of years. He has always been a very talented and promising player, but at first glance does not appear to have been able to take Dortmund out of mid-table and back to their previous heights. To the best of my knowledge he is an attacking midfielder in the Nedved, Zidane, Figo mold, which means that if paired with Nedved, the Czechs do not have a defensive midfielder to play in front of the back four.

All in all, I think the key for the Czechs will be for Nedved to stay healthy and not play too many games for Juve, and for Baros to start consistently scoring goals. Given the age of their midfielders, I'm guessing that they probably peaked with their run to the semifinals at Euro2004, but I could be wrong.

[Dirkhrod]

Rosicky and Nedved can play perfectly together, as Nedved is used as a Left Attcking Midfielder in the national team.

The Czech line-up without Koller should look something like this:

_____________________Cech_____________________

Grygera_________Ujfalusi____Rozehnal_____Jankulovski

____________________Galasek____________________

____Poborsky_________Rosicky__________Nedved____

_________________Heinz____Baros_________________

Heinz can also play as an offensive midfielder, as can Smicer (who turns 33, not 31). The only changes to the 2004 starting line-up are Heinz replacing Koller and Rozehnal replacing Bolf.

Grygera is competent at RB, while Jankulovski is world-class, but comes after an injury-plagued season. The central defenders are good, solid and backed up by an excellent keeper in Petr Cech. In front of them is Ajax's Galasek, a veteran but a competent and cool DM.

The wings might suffer mostly from old age, especially if Jankulovski doesn't find his old form. Poborsky and Nedved are extremely experienced and it will be enough for Ghana and the US, but they might still prove the weak spot, as they lack their former speed and stamina. Rosicky is a good AM, albeit a bit frail.

They will miss Koller hugely, since Heinz is not a goal-poacher, he is more of a creative forward, while Baros lacks consistency. But still, they have a lot of potential, although their aerial ability, where they excelled with Koller and Ujfalusi will be hampered.


All in all, a good team, a good bet for 1st place, but if they finish 2nd, they will not manage to stand up to Brazil. They are better than Croatia, Japan and Australia though, and they are the best in Group E, so a quarter final spot is realistic. For more, they'd have to stretch themselves, because sadly they are not as good as they were two years ago and although the young generation has much potential, this was their golden generation - Nedved, Poborsky, Koller... And they missed their chance in 2004.

[mfw13]

I think some people might disagree with your assertion that the Czechs are the best in Group E...especially the Italians....

[squadra_azzurri]

I think some people might disagree with your assertion that the Czechs are the best in Group E...especially the Italians....

you got that right... the last paragraph was totally biased but the rest was useful information that we can have a stronger knowledge of the Czechs

i am just going to post the big match up in Group E that everyone will be waiting for all over the world. This can decide the due or die match for either team.


The Czech line-up without Koller should look something like this:

_____________________Cech__________ ___________

Grygera_________Ujfalusi____Rozehna l_____Jankulovski

____________________Galasek________ ____________

____Poborsky_________Rosicky_______ ___Nedved____

_________________Heinz____Baros____ _____________


The Italians probable line up



The Czech line-up without Koller should look something like this:

_____________________Buffon__________ ___________

Zambrotta_________Nesta____Cannavaro_____Grosso

_______________________Pirlo________ ____________

____Cameronaisi_________Totti_______ ___Gattuso____

___________________Toni____Gilardino____ _____________

[Sinter]

Definitely agree the Italians are the top team in the group.

[Dutch Treat]

While many focus on Nedved and Rosicky,it is Galasek who also is a key player to their game.Although being a DM,and a great one too(despite his age),he likes to come forward from time to time.Never afraid to shoot when doing so.He's underestimated imo.

His main strength however is cleaining up the dirty work in midfield.Make him work his butt off (keep playing offensively,not bunkering)surely will pay off later in the game as you're bound to get more space and time in midfield.The man always plays,and at his age and after a long season you might think his work rate will slowly drop as the tournament advances.

[Massimo_Oddo]

What I don't know a lot about is how Rosicky has been playing for Dortmund, who have underachieved the last couple of years. He has always been a very talented and promising player, but at first glance does not appear to have been able to take Dortmund out of mid-table and back to their previous heights. To the best of my knowledge he is an attacking midfielder in the Nedved, Zidane, Figo mold, which means that if paired with Nedved, the Czechs do not have a defensive midfielder to play in front of the back four.



Rosicky is not as good as Zidane, Figo or Nedved.

Anyway Figo, Zidane and Nedved are all very different players. Zidane is a central playmaker, while Figo and Nedved are predominantly wingers, and i wouldn't really class them as playmakers. Rosicky is paired with Galasek (a DM) in the centre, and he is the defensive player who covers for the likes of Rosicky, Nedved and Poborsky.

[mfw13]

If Galasek is the defensive midfielder, can anyone really see him, at the age of 33, keeping up with Beasley and Donovan for 90 minutes? He might be able to keep up with them for 60-70 minutes, but not all 90.

As it is, Beasley is already going to run circles around the 34-year-old Poborsky.

[beejoo]

The Czech have friendlies vs. Saudi Arabi, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. If they think playing a couple Concacaf teams will simulate play from the US they're in for a surprise.

[Dutch Treat]

If Galasek is the defensive midfielder, can anyone really see him, at the age of 33, keeping up with Beasley and Donovan for 90 minutes? He might be able to keep up with them for 60-70 minutes, but not all 90.

As it is, Beasley is already going to run circles around the 34-year-old Poborsky.

Actually they have met on a few occasions when Ajax and PSV played eachother.He'll keep up for 90 minutes.Maybe even a few games in a row ( depending on his physique when the WC starts,who knows he'll pick up an injury).Question is,will he be able to do it for the whole tournament.Don't let his age fool you,there are plenty of examples of players well in their 30's who play like they're 20-something.

Despite his age,he has great stamina,is not afraid of dirty play when needed.He plays like a pitbull.Bruckner himself stated a while back that he doesn't have to be afraid whether he'll get called up for the NT,since he knows what he can do.The Czechs playing without Galasek is something you'll notice in their play,especially controlling midfield.

[Massimo_Oddo]

If Galasek is the defensive midfielder, can anyone really see him, at the age of 33, keeping up with Beasley and Donovan for 90 minutes? He might be able to keep up with them for 60-70 minutes, but not all 90.

As it is, Beasley is already going to run circles around the 34-year-old Poborsky.

Hmmm you assume you a lot, and i wonder if you've seen any of these guys play recently.

Makelele is around 32/33 and he has no problem playing DM at Chelsea or keeping up with anyone. Besides Galasek is one of the few Ajax players who actually plays well atm. His age isn't showing too much and he was never particularly gifted with pace either.

will Beasely be able to run circles around Grygera? Also, Poborksy is playing very well atm and he does play like he is alot younger.

If age is going to the only factor you base your opinions on, then you may aswell say that the USA will concede a lot of goals since Keller is 36.

[Timbers_Roberto]

The Czech have friendlies vs. Saudi Arabi, Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago. If they think playing a couple Concacaf teams will simulate play from the US they're in for a surprise.

Interesting observation. Who do you think would give the Czechs a better idea of the US style?

[auf Amerika]

Age also means experience... although Donovan, Beasley, and the rest have played in a WC while the Czechs havene't.

Rosicky is also probably one of the best CMs in the world. Arsenal has been rumored to be in to him. He's the little engine that drives the Czech train. We'll see it in June.

[beejoo]

Interesting observation. Who do you think would give the Czechs a better idea of the US style?

Maybe odd, but South Korea or Japan. Relatively new players in the spectrum and full of learning potential relying on running and fittness with a splash of technique from time to time. All three teams are working on short passing into space and developing players at the national level rather than working with the talent they already have.

[mfw13]

Massimo....

Age isn't much of a factor for goalkeepers, as they do not have to run around a lot. Midfielders, however, do more running than any other players on the field, which is why I think age is much more of a factor for them than for players at other positions.

You are right that being old does not necessarily mean that you are less fit, but older player are more suspectible to injuries and fatigue, especially at a tournament coming at the end of a very rigorous club season.

Fitness played a major role in Korea/Japan 2002, and I think it will be a major factor again in 2006. Look at your own team, Italy. Whatever you may think of the red card issued to Totti in the match against Korea, the lasting image in my mind will be a clearly exhausted Maldini getting easily outjumped by the shorter Ahn for the match winning header.

Maybe its a niggling injury that doesn't heal quite as fast as it used, or a pulled muscle, or one ball that someone gets beat to for a goal...age has a way of showing itself, moreso in a tournament where one mistake could be fatal.

[Massimo_Oddo]

Massimo....

Age isn't much of a factor for goalkeepers, as they do not have to run around a lot. Midfielders, however, do more running than any other players on the field, which is why I think age is much more of a factor for them than for players at other positions.

You are right that being old does not necessarily mean that you are less fit, but older player are more suspectible to injuries and fatigue, especially at a tournament coming at the end of a very rigorous club season.

Fitness played a major role in Korea/Japan 2002, and I think it will be a major factor again in 2006. Look at your own team, Italy. Whatever you may think of the red card issued to Totti in the match against Korea, the lasting image in my mind will be a clearly exhausted Maldini getting easily outjumped by the shorter Ahn for the match winning header.

Maybe its a niggling injury that doesn't heal quite as fast as it used, or a pulled muscle, or one ball that someone gets beat to for a goal...age has a way of showing itself, moreso in a tournament where one mistake could be fatal.


You have to get it in to your head that age is a factor for a goalkeeper. As you get older, they will be slower off their line, their reactions will have gone down (significant) and their agility will not be as good. Goalkeepers can generally last a bit longer than outfield players, but 36 is a very old age for a keeper.

Once again, i ask have you actually seen Galasek or Poborsky play recently, or are you just assuming they are slow because of their age?

With respect to Maldini, i don't think getting out jumped was due to his age - it was a mistake by Maldini - every player makes them. Cannavaro got outjumped by the shorter Marcelo Salas in WC98, yet i dont think age was anything to do with this - it was just a mistake by Cannavaro.

[NBlue]

You have to get it in to your head that age is a factor for a goalkeeper. As you get older, they will be slower off their line, their reactions will have gone down (significant) and their agility will not be as good. Goalkeepers can generally last a bit longer than outfield players, but 36 is a very old age for a keeper.

Once again, i ask have you actually seen Galasek or Poborsky play recently, or are you just assuming they are slow because of their age?

With respect to Maldini, i don't think getting out jumped was due to his age - it was a mistake by Maldini - every player makes them. Cannavaro got outjumped by the shorter Marcelo Salas in WC98, yet i dont think age was anything to do with this - it was just a mistake by Cannavaro.

First, I think age, in itself, is not a factor. Over the years, players tend to wear down and become less effective due to many factors but the age at which this happens is different for each player based on how they've taken care of themselves, genes, good luck etc. For example, Frankie Hejduk, a reserve US fullback, will be almost 32 when the cup begins and yet there is no one more in shape that he on the US squad -- he is the one member of our team for whom fatigue will absolutely not be a factor, even well into stoppage time. Accordingly, I think making a generalization about any of the Czech players (or any players) based solely on their age is a mistake. That said, as a general rule, having so many important players on a team getting into their thirties may make it more likely that one or more may not be fit for the Cup. Certainly, the US has seen a lot of this recently with its more experienced core players (Reyna (ankle), O'Brien (everything), Lewis (hernia)) missing time due to various ailments.

That said, I'm not sure that you're analysis about the position of keeper is necessarily true. Though I would certainly concede that a 36 year-old keeper is less likely to have the same "spring" in his step when he was 26, there are many other factors at play here. So much of keeping is about positioning, anticipation, reaction-time and "guessing" right and, imo, these are factors that generally improve over time -- that is why you see so few young keepers with top teams at a young age whereas young field players are all over the place. With Kasey, in particular, aside from his '98 performance against Brazil, I have never seen him play as well as he has in the past year. In an interview he did recently, he even admitted that he is certainly not physically as good as he was years ago, but he thought he was a much better keeper due to the mental side of the game -- whether this is true or not I have no idea, but the results sure look impressive.

btw, Salas also made that play because he was one of the best strikers in the world at the time, it wasn't just a mistake by Cannavaro.

[tomvandamn]

dont forget the czech B team beat germany in euro 2004 with ease
they do have some good unknown youngsters

[mfw13]

I just dug up one other little factoid that does not bode well for the Czechs...

Since 1992, no European team that has made a surprise semifinal run in either the World Cup or European Championships (as the Czechs did in 2004), has made it out of the group stage at the next major tournament.

Denmark - won Euro 1992, did not qualify for World Cup 1994
Sweden - semifinalist at World Cup 1994, did not qualify for Euro 1996
Bulgaria - semifinalist at World Cup 1994, finished 3rd in group at Euro 1996
Czech Republic - finalist at Euro 1996, did not qualify for World Cup 1998
Croatia - semifinalist at World Cup 1998, did not qualify for Euro 2000
Portugal - semifinalist at Euro 2000, finished 3rd in group at World Cup 2002
Turkey - semifinalist at World Cup 2002, did not qualify for Euro 2004
Greece - won Euro 2004, did not qualify for World Cup 2006
Czech Republic - semifinalist at Euro 2004, ??? at World Cup 2006

What this data would lead me to conclude is that the smaller nations in Europe don't have as much depth and therefore tend to peak for a much shorter period of time, which would lend credence to an argument that the Czechs peaked at Euro 2004 and are now trending downward.

[Massimo_Oddo]

but the czechs run in euro 04 wasnt a surprise