New fifa rankings have us 43rd. That seems very low considering the nations above us. I'd put us top 30. https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/#all
Not to be a "Eurosnob", but Fifa rankings don't take into account competition. We are behind 2 North American teams and 3 Asian, I highly doubt any team from AFC would qualify to a tournament from UEFA and only Mexico would have a good chance from Concacaf. Of course, it also remains to be seen if we do... It also clearly counts results from several years, because Slovakia at at 31 are in decline now that all their talent is getting older (and we beat them twice recently).
Krmencik was on his way back from injury, but went off after about a half-hour last match. He's only shown small flashes of his former self... but still probably would get the call up just on competition. I'm guessing Necid is a lock for one of the other spots... after that it is grim unless we call up a youth player. Skoda isn't starting at Slavia, but of older options would be choice since he at least can be good for set pieces. I guess the other call up will be on the wing, Darida is back just in time for Pavelka to be injured, which I guess explains Husbauer's return... he's playing well at the club level but he doesn't work on the national team as he offers zero defensive work-rate. Defense is what it is, but surprised we went with Brabec over Kudela.
I'd be tempted to slot Kaderabek at right wing, Jankto left wing, and have Soucek, Kral, and Darida as our center mids. Coufal is decent at right back, and we really do lack a good right mid. Kaderabek plays as a wingback/winger so it can work.
Krmencik's recent knock must have been minor, he started today and has a goal for Plzen already in the first half. If he is healthy, a still rusty Krmencik is along with Necid much better than the other reserve striker options.
Pretty much consistent with what he's called since he's been in charge. My initial reaction was the lack of any of Hlozek, Sadilek, and Matousek. I can understand having them give the U21s a boost for the beginning of their qualifying campaign, but I think at least Hlozek and Sadilek are ready for the A team and will hopefully be integrated into the team in the lead up to the Euros. Not a fan of Husbauer at all in the national team. He simply isn't able to keep up on the European stage. I'd like to see Simic called up to replace Kalas. He's been starting for Hajduk Split. Necid should've been named in the initial squad, but he'll likely be added anyways. Crazy to think he's just 30 now. Feels like he's been around forever. A nice depth option if he continues to have a good season. He's definitely still better than any of Kozak, Dolezal, Skoda, etc. Vaclik in goal. Kaderabek, Celustka, Suchy, Novak as the back four. Soucek, Kral, Darida as the midfield with Jankto and Kopic on the wings. Schick up front. That's what I think is the most likely lineup anyways, but I like the suggestion of Kaderabek on the wing too.
Can't say I'm too concerned by Montenegro, not saying it'll be easy for us again away, but looking at the rosters they may be missing even more players and Kosovo in general appears the much bigger challenge of these 2 matches.
5 Players added Simic Krmencik Kalvach Krejci Dolezal Kalvach has been Plzen's best player by quite some distance this season, I don't expect him to play as we aren't lacking central midfield options, but pleasantly surprised to see him on the radar at all with how slow we are to bring in new players. Simic getting a chance in a weak backline, and Krmencik back is good news. Krejci is... fine I guess. Dolezal is not a national team player at his best, and is even rubbish at the club level this season. Is Necid injured or uninterested?
Maybe Silhavy just forgot Necid existed. I don't understand why Necid wouldn't get a call up. I mean Kozak was called up last matches so we are clearly desperate for strikers.
Our ethnic Serb national team player makes it clear he has no issue playing Kosovo: https://www.idnes.cz/fotbal/repreze...sovo-cerna-hora.A190904_153303_fot_reprez_vp2
Simic has always come across as an intelligent guy in the little I've heard from him. Hopefully he'll become a regular national team member now. I still feel he can play in a top league one day and be our first choice CB in a few years.
Bad match to be traveling west for, it is very early. I also doubt I'll have enough connection for more than text updates to my phone, but I'm leaning a bit towards expecting a draw. We've actually not had a draw in over 20 matches apparently.
The first Kosovo goal was a collective moment of idiocy from the backline. Celustka played a terrible pass to Schick who couldn't control it which lead to Kosovo's break. However, it was extremely weak defending from Suchy. It's concerning that he still continues to have one detrimental moment almost every game in the national team. I don't even know wtf happened on the second Kosovo goal, but as already mentioned, I too worried we'd concede another at 1-1. Kosovo deserve credit sure, but we also do our fair share of making our opponents look way more threatening than they really are with our hesitant and ultimately indecisive defending. Not impressed with Silhavy's management in the slightest either. Brings off Schick first at the hour mark tied at 1-1 (I understand he is one yellow card away from suspension), but unless we were ahead, he must be on the field. Krmencik is clearly in poor form and Dolezal I won't even comment on. The only player on the bench who could've had an impact somehow remained there in Kopic... Even though Kral never really clicked today, I'd have brought Kopic on and moved Jankto centrally, who appeared to be one of our more active players, and not a useless player like Husbauer. Assuming we win in Montenegro and hopefully comfortably to fix our goal differential, them and Bulgaria are not even in the picture for second place. Kosovo at least has to face England twice and then us away, so we can make up ground. We just have to beat everyone that's not England, which was the goal from the start anyways. Basically our game plan now and probably for the next little while is to have Schick out score whatever our defence concedes.
While Silhavy is a big improvement over Jarolim, he is too conservative for me. I think he will only make changes as a result of injury for the most part so I don't know if we will be getting Hlozek or Sadilek this cycle, much less any other younger options. His subs were all like-for-like and the 10 minutes leading up to their 2nd goal it was clear we needed a change. - Suchy should no longer be treated as an automatic starter. - Masopust is too technically limited to be the right midfielder, he is good enough to be a sub, but we either need to start Kopic or try a Coufal/Kaderabek right side.
Yea Silhavy didn't make the smartest decisions. He subbed off Schick at 1-1 which even at 1-1 I was pretty confused about. I know a tie would have been alright for us, but it's Kosovo. We really should be beating them. I know they are on great form, but they were in the bottom of the nations league, and have yet to play any real good nations. We had more chances, but couldn't finish. Krmencik was a dumb sub. He did nothing for us except miss a decent chance in extra time to tie it. Our defense is so bad, so I get why Silhavy plays a more defensive midfield, but I'd rather see us move Kaderabek to right mid, and essentially play a 5-4-1 on defense, then a 3-5-1-1 on attack.
Changes that I want to see later: Simic in for Suchy Kopic in for Masopust Changes I expect to see later .... I think we win 0-2.
I think Kopic in for Masopust is a must. I'd like to see Simic in action eventually, but I doubt a change at CB will happen today. I could see Novak replacing Boril too. I don't think we need a change in midfield (at least when Husbauer is the next in line) though I'd rather Kral play deeper beside Soucek and have Darida more advanced. Another 3-0 win would be great here. If so, we're setting ourselves up for a showdown with Kosovo in November.
The starting central midfield is fine, but if we are going to use a sub it should be Kalvach since he is more of a 6/multi-purpose midfielder that is a requirement with this squad. I'm not sure how long it will take for national team managers to realize that Husbauer's style of 10 play requires a team that dominates possession and doesn't need defensive help from midfield... we are definitely not that.
Looks like the only change will be Coufal for Kaderabek according to UEFA... To be fair, Coufal probably deserves a chance given that Kaderabek hasn't really performed for the national team with the standard expected of him. However, a change like this is not the one we need right now. Unless Coufal will suddenly turn Masopust into a world class winger..
I assume Kaderabek must have a small knock or be under the weather... Coufal is perfectly fine, but that is down the list of changes to be considered.