I'm watching Euro 2008 qualifiers today, and I never thought I'd have to say that I wish we'd played the Czechs as tough as San Marino are. They're down to ten men now, so I'm sure the bloodbath will start, but still...
The big problem for the USA in the Czech match is that they let their FIFA ranking and own hype go to their heads. They thought they could compete aginst the Czech Republic on a player vs player basis, but they couldn't, became disillusioned and were duely walked over. To beat the Czech's they should've realised that they had to outwork them, frustarte them and play as a tighter unit. Against Italy they did exactly what they should've doen in the Czech game, though in the Italy game they were too extreme giving away too many fouls and cards. Plus having played such a hard game against Italy probably didn't help them agianst Ghana. Howvere if they'd impliemnted the tactics in the first game they wouldn't of needed to play as hard to be effective against a Czech team that was later shown to be deficient. I think next World Cup if the truly USA recognises it's weaknesses, they could do well 'cos they are actually very proficient at outworking teams.
I'm not sure what you mean by outworking another team. Player by player the team has to remain compact as many coaches stress. The Czechs played compact, the US didn't. Same thing with the Ghanians. You don't allow an unchallenged cross to a monster center forward and take away your confidence. You don't have your captain crumble and give away the first goal to a relatively untested African team at the World Cups anyway. These things have to stop happening when you play at this level! I watched the 8th WCQualis yesterday and found the Italy-France match the most striking. Not many nations have the luxury of an Henry but he was stopped in his tracks. Ribery is danger incarnate and the Italians contained him. Both midfields were incredibly good. We need a defense like Italy and an offense like Brazil.
Yah that would be pretty good. I'd like that. I'd also like one trillion dollars to land in my lap today.
The Czech Republic beat us because we had nobody on our team in the class of Thomas Rosicky, Jan Koller, or Pavel Nedved. You can overanalyze it however you'd like.
THis is my point though, the USA tried to play like they did have players of those class, when it became very quickly apparent they didn't , they just lay down. If the Czech Republic were firing ion all cylinder, USA could only win by luck, 'cos simply their best is better than your best. Howver Czceh Republic weren't firing on all cylinders and where never really tested. USA needed to rectify the abilty gap by working harder than the Czechs and depriving them of space so the game didn't fall down to who had the better players.
True enough, but on that particular day not only did the better players prevail so did the superior tactics. Czech manager countered our counter attack; we were left with the ball at the feet not knowing how to penetrate. And when we eventually lost possession…guess who came screaming down the field on a counter and scored? Still, I wont buy that we didnt play hard. Thats just a load of barnacles!
we were out gunned plain and simple against the czechs. We played a veteran battle tested team in the opening game, that was pretty much the same unit that did real well in the prior Euro cup. Man for man they probably outclassed us in 9 out of 11 positions. by the time the czechs played italy there were depleted by injuries, i just wish we played them in the 3rd game. and another thing: 4-5-1 would only works if you have a star target forward and world class wingers. Otherwise it will blow up in your face
It took me 2 minutes to realize what the Czechs were doing and yet we couldn't adjust our tactics on the fly and were slaughtered because of it. We needed to play more reservered and deeper and hope to take it to half time at 0-1 to have a shot, switch from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-2-1 by dropping Beasley or Convey to the LM spot from attacking midfield.
I don't feel that would've worked as well. Our major problem was up top failing to realize how to exploit the old and slow Czech defense. The Czech backline could cover a McBride type well and he was our only option up top. If we used a 3 prong attack of Landon, EJ and say Josh Wolff that game we would've fared better. However, Bruce put his eggs in 1 basket and played a typical Bruce game, relying on counter-attacking and set pieces, which the Czechs could easily defend.
If by "*****in ridiculous" you mean that Pablo was shockingly stupid to challenge from behind w/ his studs up shortly after an Italian was sent off, yes I am pissed at him for that. If you are saying that to blame the official, no I am not pissed at the official for brandishing the red there. It was a really stupid and rash challenge, at a time where a ref is looking to even things out. Also, wasn't it about 100 yards from our goal? It was hardly a spot on the field that require such an awkward lunge.
Yeah... I bet the Aussies who took them to a dodgy stoppage time PK in the elimation rounds... the Germans who took them until late in the second period of overtime in the semis... and the French who took them to PKs in the final... really wished they all resorted to getting an own goal by the Italians in their favor... since they would've won those matches, had they done so... One thing to keep in mind while watching Euro 2008 Qualifiers... is that they are just that... Euro 2008 qualifiers... These are hardly World Cup squads, and World Cup heightened mentality displayed by those teams... It's also nice to point out... San Marino hosted the match against the Czechs this weekend... and lost 3-0 by the same score we did... that's following a 6-0 loss at the Czech Rep, for a combined 0 gf and 9 ga after 2 matches... While the US at 1 WC match, on a separate continent, playing in a nation that neighbors the Czech Rep, and holds a league which many Czechs play in... Surely you don't wish the US played Germany in 2002, the way San Marino played Germany the way San Marino hosted them earlier in Euro 2008 qualifiers...
You're right. And then they went out and got crushed in their next 2 games, vs. Ghana and Italy, which really demonstrates how far down the world football talent pole we are. If Koller did not get hurt it could have been 5 nothing or worse. How "up" do you think the Czechs were to play San Marino any way? They were most likely phoning it in. Having said that it is always nice to see a incredible underdog grind it out vs. a big club/nation.
Riiiiight. BEFORE the game, a bunch of posters predicted we would not be able to compete with CR given Arena's announced strategy. CR was good, and our coach diminished our talent to exaggerate the disparity.
Not the USA in general, specifically Bruce Arena and by proxy the team. The noises that Arena and many of USA's most influential players were making before the match and before the World Cup ceratinly suggest this. Czceh republic have plenty of good players, but the way USA approached the game was wrong.
This Euro 2008 qualifying games are pretty interesting.. Germany is of course the best team....we did not lose any game..we won all games, and I think just two draws....but are the best european team based on these games.. England had some problems..but I did root for them when they played against Israel and Russia....I think with England would be much more fun in Euro 2008....and without England it would be boring...Owen scored two excellent goals...looks like England is recovering after they lost home against Gemany (B-team really surprise..Scottland, they did beat big "favorite" France.... France and Italy seems that they could not repeat their "world cup story"...France without Zidane..hm..?...Italy won against Ukraine..and I think they qualify...Italy simply belongs to Euro 2008...and France do...but it looks like Scottland will make it... Czechs are in our group...they are second....Czechs lost to Germany, both time, in Prague and in Germany......our group is not that so tight...the hardest team is Czechs...but they are not the Czech team from Euro 2004.....it is a bit "another team"..but they qualify..they will be at Euro 2008. Germany played friendly game yesterday...against Romania....we won 3:1...Romania did not lose 14 games in row I think before...so they came "arrogant" to Cologne....in the first half they were better maybe, but in the second half, we dominated...and I repeat we played with B-Team..with no Frings, Ballack, Klose etc...but we won!....we can play in any combination, we still win....Löw is doing pretty good job.....Schneider from Leverkusen scored nice goal...and Podolski also made excellent goal in his old home-town cologne.. so fazit: actually Germany must win Euro 2008....based on the statistic, we are the best