The Analysis of Warm Up Friendlies

[Fulham South]

For the beginning record, this is the thrills of working night shift for the governemnt. WAAAAY too much time on my hands. Anyway, here goes...

I remember not too long ago everybody bashing those in charge of scheduling for the USMNT for lining up such "weak" warm up opponents for the pre-World Cup run. Well, considering all three of the teams we will be playing are placed firmly within the top 71 teams according to the FIFA rankings (yes, i know the rankings are crap, just bear with me), it got me thinking : How tough is everyone else's warm up games? From what I've been able to find, the US schedule is comparable to, if not tougher than, many other World Cup-bound teams.

Here are a few examples of what i mean.

Comparable:

England
v. Hungary
v. Jamaica

Paraguay
at Norway
at Denmark
v. Georgia (at Dornbirn, Austria)

Sweden
v. Finland
v. Chile

Serbia
v. Uruguay

Germany
v. Luxembourg
v. Japan
v. Colombia

Iran
at Croatia
v. Bosnia

Korea Repulbic
v. Senegal
v. Bosnia
at Norway
v. Ghana (at Glasgow, Scotland)


There are also several schedules that include one tough opponent along with a cupcake or two.

Ukraine
v. Costa Rica
v. Italy (at Lausanne, Switzerland)
v. Libya (at Wohlen, Switzerland)
at Luxembourg

Japan
at Germany
v. Lithuania (at Germany)
v. Malta (at Dusseldorf, Germany)

Ivory Coast
at Switzerland
v. Chile (at Vittel, France)
v. Slovenia (at Every-Bondoufle, France)

Other teams do play soewhat tougher schedules.

Spain
v. Russia
v. Egypt
v. Croatia (at Geneva, Switzerland)

Ghana
v. Turkey (at Bochum, Germany)
v. Jamaica (at Leicester, England)
v. Korea Republic (at Glasgow, Scotland)

Australia
v. Greece
at Holland
v. Liechtenstein (at Ulm, Germany)

France
v. Mexico
v. Denmark
v. China

Poland
v. Colombia
v. Croatia (at Wolfsburg, Germany)

Trinidad and Tabago
v. Wales (at Graz, Austria)
at Slovenia
at Czech Republic

A few teams are playing absolutely difficult schedules.

Mexico
at France
at Holland

Angola
v. Argentina (at Salerno, Italy)
v. Turkey (at Berlin, Germany)

Holland
v. Cameroon
v. Mexico
v. Australia

Switzerland
v. Ivory Coast
v. Italy
v. China

Croatia
at Austria
v. Iran
v. Poland (at Wolfsburg, Germany)
v. Spain (at Geneva, Switzerland)

Italy
at Switzerland
v. Ukraine (at Lausanne, Switzerland)

Costa Rica
at Ukraine
at Czech Republic

Saudi Arabia
v. Czech Republic (at Innsbruck, Austria)
v. Turkey (at Offenbach, Germany)
v. Argentina (at Germany)
v. Boznia (at Berlin, Germany)

And some teams are playing schedules that make the USMNT schedule look like Murderer's Row.

Portugal
v. Cape Verde
v. Luxembourg (at Metz, France)

Togo
at Liechtenstein

Ecuador
v. Colombia (at The Meadowlands, USA)
v. FYR Macedonia (at Madrid, Spain)

Argentina
v. Angola (at Salerno, Italy)
v. Saudi Arabia (at Germany)

Tunisia
v. Belarus
v. Iraq (at Schweinfurt, Germany)


Brazil
v. New Zealand (at Geneva, Switzerland)

and I have one schedule that I hesitate to put in any of these categories----

Czech Republic
v. Saudi Arabia (at Innsbruck, Austria)
v. Costa Rica
v. Trinidad and Tabago

I really want to put this schedule into the last category, but all three of these teams did qualify for the World Cup, so I hesitate to put it there.

So what does everyone else think? am I off my rocker and we play the weakest schedule out there or does our schedule fit in about the middle - or lower middle - of the table when compared to the rest of the World Cup participants?

[SoulflyTribeFC]

Of the CONCACAF teams, I'd say the U.S. has the fourth toughest set of games.

All three others are playing difficult road games.

[TimB4Last]

For the beginning record, this is the thrills of working night shift for the governemnt. WAAAAY too much time on my hands. Anyway, here goes...

I remember not too long ago everybody bashing those in charge of scheduling for the USMNT for lining up such "weak" warm up opponents for the pre-World Cup run. Well, considering all three of the teams we will be playing are placed firmly within the top 71 teams according to the FIFA rankings (yes, i know the rankings are crap, just bear with me), it got me thinking : How tough is everyone else's warm up games? From what I've been able to find, the US schedule is comparable to, if not tougher than, many other World Cup-bound teams.

[skip]

I really want to put this {CZE} schedule into the last category, but all three of these teams did qualify for the World Cup, so I hesitate to put it there.

So what does everyone else think? am I off my rocker and we play the weakest schedule out there or does our schedule fit in about the middle - or lower middle - of the table when compared to the rest of the World Cup participants?

[I'm glad you have the time. Thanks! Excluding my posts, of course, there's some interesting back and forth on this topic towards the end of the very first USMNT N&A thread on the US schedule.]

I had focused initially on the Czechs' schedule, because (as you noted) their three opponents (however weak/ranked) are WC teams, and therefore will have their 'A' teams (and 'A' subs) playing. I'm not sure what we'll get from our three non-WC opponents.

Someone said a better US comparison is with Mexico, who are going to Europe 'early' and will play both France and the Netherlands as prep matches. As under the circumstances we could not expect WC Euros to come here and play, staying home longer meant accepting a lighter-weight schedule.

It all comes back to what you are hoping to accomplish with these matches.

[Some teams may also have scheduled controlled 'scrimmages' immediately pre-WC - I have no idea who might have that sort of information.

[OutKast3000]

I'd rather play a medium of the road schedule vs. a really tough one going into the cup. I don't want the games to be too tough so as they end up discouraging the players and I don't want them to be too easy so that they are over confident. With that said - I am sure that the non qualified teams (Morocco, Latvia, etc.) have a lot to prove so they are not necessarily going to lay down either.

The US plays to thier competition -- I believe that these will be good warm ups. Remember these are warm ups not the full out sprint......I'd rather ease into Italy, Czech, Ghana than just file them in behind other powerhouse teams like Holland, Argentina, Germany, etc. like Mexico is doing. I don't want to be burning the candle at both ends so to speak.....buy hey I am not expert!

[NBlue]

Of the CONCACAF teams, I'd say the U.S. has the fourth toughest set of games.

All three others are playing difficult road games.

True, but if you add in the matches in Germany against Poland and Germany in March, this changes. I'm not sure these should be included, though, its kind of a different analysis plus we certainly did not have the full team there for either match.

Regardless, much kudos to the thread starter for his excellent research and analysis . . .

[thedeuce_2]

I read somewhere on BS when the friendly schedule was released that Bruce Arena picked these teams based on the playing styles being similar to Italy, Czech Republic, and Ghana. That could be wrong, just remember seeing that posted somewhere.

[DCSharksFC]

i don't think its really possible to analyze these friendlies until after the world cup, plus bruce isn't exactly looking to see if we're up against the best b4 we play the best, he's looking to for team chemistry, fitness, and form, if we go up against the best now, wouldn't we just burn out?? i like the teams we're up against, latvia and morroco especially, both play at a high level

[luftmensch]

I read somewhere on BS when the friendly schedule was released that Bruce Arena picked these teams based on the playing styles being similar to Italy, Czech Republic, and Ghana. That could be wrong, just remember seeing that posted somewhere.
I'm pretty sure Bruce ixnayed that idea in an interview. No link though.

Just for fun I tried to match up which of these three teams would stand in for which. Let's just call it a major stretch.

Morocco-->Ghana (African nations, albeit very different parts of Africa)
Latvia-->Czech (uh, both Eastern European former Soviet allies, must translate to something)
Venezuela-->Italy (hmmm...both speak a Latin-derived language?)

[FakeFlopper]

Working for the government eh? Shouldn't you be listening in to my calls.

I like our schedule, although these teams didn't make the cup they still don't want to lose to us. I don't expect any injuries from teams like this, but you never know. I know nothing about Latvia, but they are supposely okay. Didn't they do well in Euro or something. I think Morroco will be our best challenge if they are speedy like the other African nations. Venuzela should be a good look at a "fancy" team, but they aren't really that good, but I think that's where we might see the dirtiest game. I like the selection, and I don't think it's possible to really prepare players for the cup fully, everything does go out the window when the first game starts.

[Shaydee]

I don't know much about the Moroccan team but all their players that I have heard of aren't coming.

http://www.moroccotimes.com/Paper/article.asp?idr=28&id=14817

[VOwithwater1]

For the beginning record, this is the thrills of working night shift for the governemnt. WAAAAY too much time on my hands. Anyway, here goes...

I remember not too long ago everybody bashing those in charge of scheduling for the USMNT for lining up such "weak" warm up opponents for the pre-World Cup run. Well, considering all three of the teams we will be playing are placed firmly within the top 71 teams according to the FIFA rankings (yes, i know the rankings are crap, just bear with me), it got me thinking : How tough is everyone else's warm up games? From what I've been able to find, the US schedule is comparable to, if not tougher than, many other World Cup-bound teams.

Here are a few examples of what i mean.

Comparable:

England
v. Hungary
v. Jamaica

Paraguay
at Norway
at Denmark
v. Georgia (at Dornbirn, Austria)

Sweden
v. Finland
v. Chile

Serbia
v. Uruguay

Germany
v. Luxembourg
v. Japan
v. Colombia

Iran
at Croatia
v. Bosnia

Korea Repulbic
v. Senegal
v. Bosnia
at Norway
v. Ghana (at Glasgow, Scotland)


There are also several schedules that include one tough opponent along with a cupcake or two.

Ukraine
v. Costa Rica
v. Italy (at Lausanne, Switzerland)
v. Libya (at Wohlen, Switzerland)
at Luxembourg

Japan
at Germany
v. Lithuania (at Germany)
v. Malta (at Dusseldorf, Germany)

Ivory Coast
at Switzerland
v. Chile (at Vittel, France)
v. Slovenia (at Every-Bondoufle, France)

Other teams do play soewhat tougher schedules.

Spain
v. Russia
v. Egypt
v. Croatia (at Geneva, Switzerland)

Ghana
v. Turkey (at Bochum, Germany)
v. Jamaica (at Leicester, England)
v. Korea Republic (at Glasgow, Scotland)

Australia
v. Greece
at Holland
v. Liechtenstein (at Ulm, Germany)

France
v. Mexico
v. Denmark
v. China

Poland
v. Colombia
v. Croatia (at Wolfsburg, Germany)

Trinidad and Tabago
v. Wales (at Graz, Austria)
at Slovenia
at Czech Republic

A few teams are playing absolutely difficult schedules.

Mexico
at France
at Holland

Angola
v. Argentina (at Salerno, Italy)
v. Turkey (at Berlin, Germany)

Holland
v. Cameroon
v. Mexico
v. Australia

Switzerland
v. Ivory Coast
v. Italy
v. China

Croatia
at Austria
v. Iran
v. Poland (at Wolfsburg, Germany)
v. Spain (at Geneva, Switzerland)

Italy
at Switzerland
v. Ukraine (at Lausanne, Switzerland)

Costa Rica
at Ukraine
at Czech Republic

Saudi Arabia
v. Czech Republic (at Innsbruck, Austria)
v. Turkey (at Offenbach, Germany)
v. Argentina (at Germany)
v. Boznia (at Berlin, Germany)

And some teams are playing schedules that make the USMNT schedule look like Murderer's Row.

Portugal
v. Cape Verde
v. Luxembourg (at Metz, France)

Togo
at Liechtenstein

Ecuador
v. Colombia (at The Meadowlands, USA)
v. FYR Macedonia (at Madrid, Spain)

Argentina
v. Angola (at Salerno, Italy)
v. Saudi Arabia (at Germany)

Tunisia
v. Belarus
v. Iraq (at Schweinfurt, Germany)


Brazil
v. New Zealand (at Geneva, Switzerland)

and I have one schedule that I hesitate to put in any of these categories----

Czech Republic
v. Saudi Arabia (at Innsbruck, Austria)
v. Costa Rica
v. Trinidad and Tabago

I really want to put this schedule into the last category, but all three of these teams did qualify for the World Cup, so I hesitate to put it there.

So what does everyone else think? am I off my rocker and we play the weakest schedule out there or does our schedule fit in about the middle - or lower middle - of the table when compared to the rest of the World Cup participants?


My personal view on playing in an away tournament in general. We should be playing any friendlies leading uo to the tornament away and not home and against European competion only we hardly ever face them away.

[Shackleton]

One other possible comparison is to our 2002 warm-up schedule.

Then we played Urugauy, Jamaica, and the Netherlands in the run-up to the cup. A much tougher final three opponents, IMHO. We also played friendlies away to Italy, Germany, and Ireland earlier in 2002. Fewer international dates this time, however, precluded similar away friendlies.

[SoulflyTribeFC]

10 teams, including the U.S., don't play any friendlies against World Cup teams -- not counting any closed-door scrimmages or anything like that.

[TimB4Last]

My personal view on playing in an away tournament in general. We should be playing any friendlies leading uo to the tornament away and not home and against European competion only we hardly ever face them away.

I don't hate our approach, but I don't think it's ideal either. Neither is Mexico's approach, because if I lose (and get badly outplayed and/or expose my weaknesses) I lose, and if I win I don't gain much - they're only friendlies, not true confidence-boosters. Although if I beat France and the Netherlands, in Europe, this close to the WC, I'm actually feeiling pretty good about life.

Back to the US. I know we played Poland and Germany not so long ago in Germany, but that was different. Even playing Latvia in Lativia, as game 3, would make more sense to me.

[We should be playing decent Euro teams in Europe as often as possible. I'll be passing the hat round after the WC, guys, so start saving your pennies, thanks.]

Morocco sounds about right - different style of play, requiring some mental adjustments. Sounds as though we may not get their full A team, however. That's why CZE may have it right with weak but WC-bound teams, not experimental sides.

Venezuela was a terrible choice, on several levels - not very good, not very friendly. I have a bad feeling about that game, but I guess we do need the oil.

People keep saying it doesn't matter, none of this really matters. I doubt there's a one-size fits all approach that's right for every team, but it does matter.

[Adam Zebrowski]

i think arena has less concern over having really good friendlies than in the past, preferring to get the best available ones here in the states...

of course, ONE top side would have been preferred...

mexico will be in europe for quite a while before the cup...

we shall see if holland and france get them readdy, although the mexican group is weak