Goal #1 ...Eddie Pope and Gooch were both caught ball watching instead of keeping their eye on Koller. Keller's distribution, as you said, was also part of the reason Czech scored. Goal #2 ...Gooch clears the ball out. He didn't put it in the middle of the 18, he headered it outward. Rosicky found it and took a wicked shot that should've been challenged better by Reyna. Can't really blame Gooch here. Goal #3...down 2-0 the U.S. was looking for goals. I think they even sacrificed a defender (Dolo) to play with an extra attacker. So three at the back in Pope, Gooch and Bocanegra leaves alot to be desired in terms of speed and they got beat. Gooch didn't step up on the play in time but it was all or nothing at that point for the guys. All I know is that Gooch was one of our BEST in the World Cup. Media praised him, Bruce praised him and teammates praised him.
I'm not the biggest Gooch fan in the world but every time I see this I feel the need to correct it. That was Eddie not Gooch.
over the past 9 months Gooch has been our biggest offensive threat, and our best defender for the national team. take that as you will
Eddie was two miles upfield,and was the guy Keller was trying to find with his misguided punt.NB:Brad Freidel would have thrown it overhand and found Eddie on the run.Just sayin'. Gooch headed toward the guy on the wing that Mastro was already tracking to. I agree,but too many people keep giving Gooch a pass for WC 06.
the first goal started up top with Landon Donovan really screwing the pooch and eddie lewis being way out of position. From where I was sitting in the top corner, you could see the whole thing developing. It was a messed up counter attack and we didn't get it organized quickly enough. Our central midfielder went sprinting to the wing to make up for our left back being way out of position then the cross came in. Again the organization was terrible to deal with the counter. The problem should have been fixed with Keller/Pope/Gooch reorganizing their pieces, but didn't. So yes he is at fault a little, but the more experience duo of Keller/Pope should have definitely done better here. The second goal, the shot was amazing that beat Keller. The third goal, why would you make that tackle when you are being played off the park, you're sitting on a card and have another big match. If makes that tackle and gets sent off, then we'd all be sitting here 2+ years saying that was f***ing stupid, why didn't he save himself for Italy. We were never in that game, I don't have blinders on, as I was so pissed at the way we played. You could really see that Arena had no clue about what he was doing that year and must have been reading all the hype about us and thinking 'we're #5 in the world right now, I know the rankings don't mean anything, but man, we're number 5. We'll just show up and win, we only had 6 months to prepare for this match, so we'll just win it no problem.' On a side note, I was in the Shalke youth dorm before the match talking with some of the players and they were like, you guys are going to get spanked today, and me being the cocky yank thought go screw yourself you stupid little kids, but just laughed. Then I watched us completely suck, bobby convey jump up and down and throw a hissy fit, reyna knick the post (damn i see that shot all the time going like 1 mile an hour in my thoughts) and just Donovan pissing me off the whole time with the worst effort ever. Anyway I digress. I don't think it was all Gooch's fault we lost the match, our attacking core just looked lost and we were just taken apart in that match.
A breakdown of US-Czech goals: (see this for goals 1 and 2). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5okYAVvJrM Goal 1: Eddie Pope got beat, pure and simple. I don't know what Eddie was covering, but it wasn't Koller. He simply misjudged the flight of the ball as well, stepping towards it as it flew over his head. That's called an aging defender that isn't good enough to play in the WC anymore. Goal 2: Sometimes good offense beats good defense. People have such a difficult time understanding this. Rosicky hits an incredible shot funder pressure from 30 yards, flying away from Keller and in the upper right corner. That's a shot every team gets 2-3 times a game regardless, but usually hits it at the keeper or over the bar (or wide), Rosicky nailed it. Problem is, the US never seems to be able to score on these kind of shots, because we aren't skillful enough. (Mastroeni came close vs. Italy). Mathis is the only guy recently who one can picture doing this sort of thing. Sure, Gooch could have made a better clearance, but that was a helluva shot. In fact, I give the Rosicky's shot 70% of the credit, Reyna's lack of hustle 20% of blame (he couldn't have blocked that) and Gooch clearance 10% of the blame (Goal 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMUTr4UQh5g&feature=related (stop and look at the opening frame for a second- positioning) Look how deep Rosicky is when he starts the run. The US midfielder is several yards ahead of him (!), but uselessly ball watches and jogs and lets Rosicky run by him. He's oblivious to Rosicky, his closest mark. His colleague midfielder is also letting Rosicky run past him- but I guess he assumes the 2nd midfielder is going to pick him up. Sure, we all wish Gooch was quicker of foot in that situation, but who was the midfielder covering, what we he doing? Its clear why Gooch was where he was. Also, the outside back could have pinched in (positioning-wise) and been in better position as well. I'd call that a collective breakdown, but I would be most mad at the US midfielder that ball watched and did nothing reactive on the play. Also, I'll point out that US mids generally can't make runs to this standard, (Rosicky) or if they a US midfielder does, US teams don't have the ability, confidence or forsights to hold the ball long enough, and then deliver to this type of run on a timely basis. Its just one thing separating the mens (sophisticated soccer nations) from the US at this point. That's why we desperately need guys like Adu (who can deliver this type of ball) or a Feilhaber.. I was much more disappointed by the US lack of holding ability, and offenisve creativity than defense that game.
So you think Onyewu does not make big mistakes and is better than Cherundolo? I did not realize it was a fact that Gooch was one of our most consistent players. Odd Spector can make it in the EPL and Onyewu can't.
I said one of our most consistent. We don't know for certain if Onyewu can make it in the Prem, but odds favor he can in right situation. His time there was uneven, but not as damming as some here try to portrait. Spector has 'done his time' there, and risen accordingly- but still has not secured a starting position either.
People still blame Gooch or the defense for the first goal by the Czechs? That goal was the results of a bad decision by Keller to rush the ball upfield while the backs and midfield were not well organized because they had just had to defend. Everything after the distribution upfield which was won by the Czechs, was just the defense trying to do anything they could to react to a dangerous attacking situation. Unfortunately the Czech team played it well and scored. If you watch the video, it looks like the defenders tried to do the right things, they just couldn't overcome the situation without a mistake from the Czechs - which didn't happen. To say it was any of their "fault" is missing the big picture. As far as Gooch is concerned... I had expected him to take the top leagues by storm by now, but it hasn't happened. Stories about Gooch suggest he's more of a sensitive player - one who has to "feel right" in his playing situation. Typically he's had to take 1-2 games to feel at home with a team and I think that was his undoing at Newcastle. I think he has all the physical tools to be a top notch player - I just don' tknow if he has the right mental tools to make it above the 2nd tier. That's why I think it's VERY important for Gooch to be partnered in central defense with a much more organized defender who will probably scream and yell and demand quality from the rest of the backs. Putting together a top team takes more than just quality players - it takes the right kind of players with the right partnerhsips on the field.
Cherundolo is more consistent defender IMO. Just look at his club record. Spector isn't always playing, and he did work his way up the ladder, but so many trainees don't. Look at Thorrington and Kirovski. Also Man U. (Ugh!) trainees who couldn't fit in the Prem. Long story short, Gooch makes me nervous in big games.
If you were really focused on the situation, you would be much more nervous about our ability to hold the ball, be creative, and create chances in big games and vs. big-time opponents. That's been a much bigger issue, seemingly, forever. I see that our Olympic team is continuing this poor trend in their warm-ups.
There are already defenders in the EPL far worse than Gooch. He walked into a terrible situation there at Newcastle. He could make a place for himself somewhere.
It wasn't Gooch's fault solely. The primary culprit is Arena-we weren't ready. Given our performance against Italy,it's inexcusable that we did so badly against the other bottom half side in our group.
I seem to remember Koller planting a forearm between Pope's shoulder blades and moving him out of the way.
And let's add Eddie Lewis, out of position at left back (Arena's major error in the WC, IMO) and getting caught far up field, allowing the Czech to get off a no pressure cross.
On the NFL broadcasts, this is called "veteran play". Fullbacks are suposed to attack when their team has the ball and the deep midfielders are supposed to cover for them. The play was a bit of a screw-up from the get-go because Grygera stayed behind after serving the corner and Mastroeni didn't get to him right away. Gooch probably should have cheated toward Koller and let Pablo handle the Czech fullback by himself but Pablo didn't make it easy by letting ZG to continue with his possession. Pope had to put his body on Koller right away - that's the only chance he has of keeping the 6'8" guy from getting his frontal lobe on the ball.
First goal, I'd say Onyewu is partly to blame, in that more mobile CB might've prevented the goal. Second goal was a poor clearance (to anyone who says it wasn't a poor clearnce - at the level of the World Cup finals it was) and a great strike. On the goals you can say Onyewu was partly to blame, but in the scheme of gaffes they weren't the result of absolute howlers by the big man. Still, I can't seriously believe that anyoen would point to his perfomance against the Czech Republic as a good perfomance, he did not seem to be mentally in attendance and was at times ponderous and clumsy. My intial reaction to his performance at the time was that his mind was on his transfer to Middlesbrough (which of course fell through).
You're wrong with your hyperbole. You also don't add any value to the discussion. I hope that you are not a fanboy. So it's supercooper who is trying to debate matters while adding not a scintilla of facts --- sigh. One can look up the two videos in question. It's called the SEARCH command in YouTube. Here is goal #1 by young Badea to tie the game 1-1: Speedy Valentin Badea (nobody told Gooch about young Badea's speed?) bolts up the center of the field to receive a pass and catches both center backs napping. Onyewu is the fellow in the sleeping bag. Onyewu cuts over behind the attacker (his favorite position ) and then takes himself out of the play while strolling in front of his goal. He has an excellent view of Badea's first goal. At least Onyewu didn't pull out his parasol and stroll the way he did after he expertly headed the ball into the center of the field to Rosicki for the second Czech goal at World Cup 2006. Here is goal #2 by Badea to win the game 2-1: Onyewu foolishly hangs around the right sideline way too far upfield and he clearly loses Badea on the throw-in play by Standard. He turns his back on Badea at about 00:16 and then doesn't respond to Badea's move at 00:23. Badea opportunistically joins in the counterattack play while Onyewu strolls peacefully, unaware that Standard is in terrible shape defensively (note: Onyewu is clearly the defensive captain for Standard. He needed to produce a much better plan for Standard to handle Badea). He failed here. Here he does have a parasol. Onyewu tries to recover from his mistake but he only manages expertly to avoid colliding with Badea again (such athleticism for a big man!) before arriving too late and from the side to prevent the shot on goal. At least he didn't produce a PK the way he did against Ghana in the World Cup. He seems to be learning about how to play slow and behind the attacker. Top clubs in top European leagues don't need that sort of player. Note: this second leg game was in Bucharest on August 23, 2006. Bucharest and Standard had earlier tied 2-2 in Belgium without Gooch. There is a news report that the Standard Coach had an angry exchange with Onyewu at halftime of this second game in Bucharest with the game then tied 1-1. This led to the "Onyewu --- it's me or him" headline. The coach was fired within about one week. This is discussed at bigsoccer.com here. So, at halftime, the coach and Onyewu had a big argument in a tense 1-1 game and then Onyewu bollixed up the second goal just SIX MINUTES into the second half. Talk about effectiveness! I guess that Onyewu was still sore at his coach. Boy, he sure showed that demanding coach! The coach took a seemingly healthy but clearly disgruntled Onyewu out of the game just about 10-13 minutes later (64:00?). I guess that he didn't want Badea to get a hat trick in the game. There is a YouTube video of this substitution on the net. I will leave to the student the exercise of finding it on the net. Here is a contemporaneous discussion of that 1-2 game where one poster blames the goal on Onuewu. Badea had a career game against Onyewu. This was the first time in 10 years that Steaua made the group stage of the Champions League. They qualified for home and away games against Real Madrid, Lyon, and Dynamo Kiev for a total of six games. Sure, Steaua predictably finished third and did not advance. However, it earned millions ($5million?) due to Gooch's very poor plays against Badea. Badea no longer needs to buy his own drinks in Bucharest. The thrill of victory. Standard Liege bowed out as usual from the Champions League and the coach was fired in a few days. Standard lost those lucrative games. The agony of the (slow) feet. Heck, David Beckham sat on the bench against Steaua in Bucharest for Real Madrid before a packed house of 45,000+ screaming fans! He could have sat on the bench against Onyewu in a jam-packed stadium in Belgium if only Onyewu had not messed up on defense against Steaua. Standard Liege is a provably quite weak 0-4-1 with 10 goals allowed (2 per game) against tough opponents (Steaua, Celta Vigo, Zenit) in European tournaments when Onyewu has played. I hope that supercooper doesn't cavil about my not presenting the web sites that I used to compile these facts. Does anybody dispute that these are provably quite poor results? And now Standard has a great chance to break this dreary streak against Liverpool. I hope that Standard does very well and that Onyewu finally produces a fantastic game. He needs to show some skill in club play outside of the fairly weak Belgian League where he easily dominates. I am tired of reading over-enthusiastic comments about him based on how dominant he is in the Jupiler League. He needs to be tested again against tough opponents. I think that teams in the Champion's League looked at tapes of Onyewu's complicity in denying Standard Liege several million dollars in 2006. No team that wants to do well in the Champions League can afford a player like Onyewu --- way too expensive at any price. TOP: Steve Austin --- $6million man BOTTOM: Oguchi Onyewu --- negative $5million man
You need to refresh your recollection on this one. Koller was not left wide open. In fact, he was marked by Pope. However, in a canny, veteran move Koller used a well-disguised push-off to get a little bit of space, and the rest is history. Thereafter, Onyewu man-marked Koller out of the match---before that, I believe they were zone-marking. Whether Pope should have been on Koller in the first place is a matter of some debate, but it's irrefutable that the blame for losing him rests with Pope, not Onyewu.
You're putting a LOT of stock in one poor game. If you think Standard doesn't want to have Gooch around (you seem to be making that argument against all evidence), and they're just tolerating him - that's foolish.
Ok, he broke your heart at some point. We get it now. lol 'denying Standard Liege several million dollars'.....'