(R) Czechs -- Qualifying Euro 2004

[Parmigiano]

OK, I'm a big Czech fan (wife (and son) are Czech) but haven't been able to keep up with their qualifying run, except the results. I'd like to know from anyone out there who's been playing on the team, what sort of formation/style they've been using and what and who are we likely to see in the upcoming key matches.

What do you think of the coach? How is he mixing together players like Nedved and Rosicky, what their roles are, if Poborsky is still in the pack and where (right mid?), if Smicer is still there and if Berger (who looked good with Portsmouth the other day) is likely to be a part of the team as well. And of course Baros.

Looks like we should be able to deal with Belarus, but we will need a win and that could be tricky. But how will we take on Holland? Any thoughts?


GROUP THREE TABLE
Team P W D L GF GA Pts
Czech Republic 5 4 1 0 14 1 13
Holland 5 4 1 0 11 2 13
Austria 6 3 0 3 9 8 9
Belarus 6 1 0 5 2 15 3
Moldova 6 1 0 5 3 13 3

FIXTURES

Sept 6: Holland v Austraia, Belarus v Czech Republic

Sept 10: Czech Republic v Holland, Moldova v Belarus

Oct 11: Austria v Czech Republic, Holland v Moldova

[Canadian_Supporter]

I would love to answer your question but I haven't seen a Czech national team game since last August. :(

The CR shouldn't have any problems with Belarus, but Minsk can be a tricky place to play (as you mentioned). I wouldn't be surprise to see a 1-0 result.

I am just curious, do you have a favourite Czech club team?

[Parmigiano]

Originally posted by Canadian_Supporter
I would love to answer your question but I haven't seen a Czech national team game since last August. :(

The CR shouldn't have any problems with Belarus, but Minsk can be a tricky place to play (as you mentioned). I wouldn't be surprise to see a 1-0 result.

I am just curious, do you have a favourite Czech club team?

I can't say I have a favorite Czech team. I lived in Prague for almost two years and am moving back early next year. In Prague I go to games of all the four teams in the capital. I enjoy the hard life over in Zizkov just about as much as I like watching the Lazios and Barcelonas come and play Sparta in the CL. But my main Czech soccer passion is the national team and watching the Czech players playing abroad.

Minsk is a tricky place (I once saw Belarus-Ukraine there in a WC qualifier; Shevchenko pulled it out for his boys in the end) and though we shouldn't have any problems, that's the kind of match that can creep up and bite you when you're not looking. Anyway, it should go well and then to the big time: Holland in Prague.

Bruckner just released his squad (I'd still love to hear from anyone how he intends them to line up). I see there's no Berger -- I assume he's being left to settle in and stay healthy at Portsmouth:

Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Prague), Petr Cech
(Stade Rennes), Antonin Kinsky (Slovan Liberec);
Defenders: Rene Bolf (Banik Ostrava), Zdenek Grygera (Ajax
Amsterdam), Tomas Huebschman, Petr Johana (both Sparta Prague),
Marek Jankulovski (Udinese Calcio), Martin Jiranek (Reggina),
Roman Tyce (Munich 1860), Tomas Ujfalusi (Hamburg);
Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam), Pavel Nedved
(Juventus Torino), Karel Poborsky (Sparta Prague), Tomas Rosicky
(Borussia Dortmund), Vladimir Smicer (Liverpool)
Strikers: Milan Baros (Liverpool), Jan Koller (Borussia
Dortmund), Vratislav Lokvenc (FC Kaiserslautern), Jiri Stajner
(Hannover 96), Stepan Vachousek (Olympique Marseille)

[Canadian_Supporter]

Czech U21 side lost to Belarus U21 1-0 today....

Kalaèov scored in the 78th minute for Belarus. The Czech Republic are now tied with Belarus for first place, but the CR has a game in hand.

Czech line-up:

Laštùvka - Vidlièka, Koubský, Schuster, Bureš (81. Vyskoèil) - Kobylík (50. Musil), Plašil, Polák, Hrdlièka - Svìrkoš (73. Lafata), Lièka

[Canadian_Supporter]

mod: Can we get a [R] in the subject title? thanks....

[Parmigiano]

Well, Czechs survived an early scare to come from behind and beat Belarus 3-1 ahead of next week's
showdown with their main rivals the Netherlands.

In Minsk:

Belarus: Vitali Bulyga (14)

Czech Republic: Pavel Nedved (37), Milan Baros (55), Vladimir Smicer (85)

As Holland also drew 3-1 at home to Austria, the Czechs and Dutch are even on points going into Wednesday's big match in Prague.

Go Czechs!

[Parmigiano]

All right, my prediction is the Czechs will win on Wednesday in Prague. Seems like the top players are playing really well and what's more, seems like the Dutch are once against up to their old business of self-destruction:

http://www.soccer365.com/EUROPEAN_NEWS/Rest_of_Europe/page_109_57599.shtml

(Canadian_Supporter: I didn't realize you'd already started a thread on the Nats; looks like we're talking to ourselves, and each other, about the same thing on 2 different threads!)

[Canadian_Supporter]

Originally posted by Parmigiano

http://www.soccer365.com/EUROPEAN_NEWS/Rest_of_Europe/page_109_57599.shtml

(Canadian_Supporter: I didn't realize you'd already started a thread on the Nats; looks like we're talking to ourselves, and each other, about the same thing on 2 different threads!)

This thread is just fine.... as soon as a moderator puts a little [R] in the subject header. ;)

[Canadian_Supporter]

Any Czech audio on the internet for this game (vs Netherlands)? I usually get my updates via fotbal.idnes.cz, but it would be nice to actually hear the game.

[Parmigiano]

Czechs up 2-0 at half, pen by Koller after Davids red card and Poborsky chip in the 38th!


canadian, you can follow the match online at uefa.com and the netherlands thread is doing live pbp.

[Parmigiano]

What a game -- 3-1 Czechs -- too bad I couldn't see it.

[Canadian_Supporter]

A few players are getting a chance with the national team because of injuries and suspensions.

Goalkeepers: Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Praha), Petr Cech (Stade Rennes), Antonin Kinsky (Slovan Liberec)

Defenders: Rene Bolf (Banik Ostrava), Zdenek Grygera (Ajax Amsterdam), Miroslav Holenak (Slovan Liberec), Tomas Huebschman, Petr Johana (both Sparta Praha), Marek Jankulovski (Udinese Calcio), Martin Jiranek (Reggiana), Tomas Ujfalusi (Hamburg)

Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam), Pavel Nedved (Juventus), Karel Poborsky (Sparta Praha), Rudolf Skacel (Olympique Marseille), Vladimir Smicer (Liverpool), Roman Tyce (Mnichov 1860)

Strikers: Marek Heinz (Banik Ostrava), Vratislav Lokvenc (Kaiserslautern), Jiri Stajner (Hannover 96), Stepan Vachousek (Olympique Marseille)


I am happy to see a few Gambrinus Liga players in the squad. :) Good to see Heinz get another chance with the national team. He certainly deserves it!

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-euroczechsquad&prov=reuters&type=lgns

[Canadian_Supporter]

Oct 11th Czech Republic at Austria

A few players are getting a chance with the national team because of injuries and suspensions.

Goalkeepers: Jaromir Blazek (Sparta Praha), Petr Cech (Stade Rennes), Antonin Kinsky (Slovan Liberec)

Defenders: Rene Bolf (Banik Ostrava), Zdenek Grygera (Ajax Amsterdam), Miroslav Holenak (Slovan Liberec), Tomas Huebschman, Petr Johana (both Sparta Praha), Marek Jankulovski (Udinese Calcio), Martin Jiranek (Reggiana), Tomas Ujfalusi (Hamburg)

Midfielders: Tomas Galasek (Ajax Amsterdam), Pavel Nedved (Juventus), Karel Poborsky (Sparta Praha), Rudolf Skacel (Olympique Marseille), Vladimir Smicer (Liverpool), Roman Tyce (Mnichov 1860)

Strikers: Marek Heinz (Banik Ostrava), Vratislav Lokvenc (Kaiserslautern), Jiri Stajner (Hannover 96), Stepan Vachousek (Olympique Marseille)


I am happy to see a few Gambrinus Liga players in the squad. :) Good to see Heinz get another chance with the national team. He certainly deserves it!

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-euroczechsquad&prov=reuters&type=lgns

[Parmigiano]

Kick some Austrian prdle!

[Canadian_Supporter]

A few changes to the Czech squad that is to face Austria on Oct 11th...

In
Jan Koller - coming off a bout of bronchitis
Petr Vorisek - uncapped midfielder who plays for Teplice

Out
Vladimir Smicer (Achilles tendon)
Zdenek Grygera (thigh muscle)

http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=reu-euroczech&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Already missing in the squad...

Tomas Ujfalusi
Karel Poborsky
Tomas Rosicky
Milan Baros