World Cup -- USA v Czech Republic PbP Thread {R}

Frankly, we are not playing that poorly.

If Koller had hit the post on his header and Rossicky's shot had been just wide, we would be lamenting how we totally controlled the first half but were unable to score.

 

Drop Beasley, add EJ.
Move LD back to AM
Drop Mastro and add JOB - play him alongside Reyna.



And pray Eddie Lewis can guard somebody.

 

JOB and EJ in!!!! Boo Beasley still in WTF??

 

ok we got our subs in...torch them eddie...

 

I think Convey has done quite well he's just not getting enough opportunities

 

I honestly dont see how you can blame the formation. You can certainly blame arena for sticking with DMB who has been AWFUL for the last 6 months, but if we had had 65% of the posession without the awful play by all but 1 of our midfielders then the story might be much different.

EJ and JOB in.

 

Well, not the way to start a WC.

1. Keller was to blame for the first goal. He ran with his head cut off, kicked the ball down the middle to the field to no one, and allowed the defense (Lewis and Convey were moving up to react to the ball) to get stretched. CR countered with a perfect counterattack. Pablo couldn't get over in time to cover for Lewis. Yes, Lewis was partially to blame, but since he has been moving up a lot, you can believe Bruce asked him to move up a lot.
2. Gooch has just lost a lot of money. You never clear a ball on a header to the middle of the field. He was out of position on the first goal (both him and Pope should have been on Koller).
3. Arena screwed up with Beasley on the right.
4. Reyna has locked good. If it's in we are talking about a new game.
5. CR has done their homework. Press the US high, strangle the midfield.

Well, here goes the second half...

 

JOB and EJ are on...DAmn.....Give 'em hell, boys!

 

Its' a reference to the movie Animal House.
(a wonderful movie)

 

OMG that piece of crap Beasley is still in the damned game!!!!!

 

General Thoughts:

Mistake #1. Why do we need Lewis as Left Back if we already get quality crosses from Convey (and don't suggest that he hasnt shown anything, we've been attacking through the middle and the right the whole game, nothing through the left except for the occasional errant ball from Lewis). Boca should have started at Left Back, at least Boca knows how to play Left Back, but Gibbs getting hurt is what truly killed us here.

Mistake #2 Not reviewing the evidence on DMB. He's sucked donkey root since September. Dempsey should have started though Nedved might have eaten him for lunch.

Mistake #3 Using a Forward Combo we havent used since 2002. Ridiculous.

Mistake #4 Leaving our most athletic forward on the bench.

Methods of addressing problems:

#1 Sub on John O'Brien, O'Brien gives us two players in the midfield that can hold possession and actually pass the ball consistently.

#2 Sub on GAM, he's exceedingly athletic and our only real shot up top.

#3 Bench DMB and Bring on Dempsey.


F: GAM
MF: Donovan
MF: Dempsey
MF: O'Brien
MF: Reyna

We're screwed but if we pull a goal back, and get a draw with Italy we're still potentially alive, we need to score, badly.

 

Beasley is still in? WTF?

Man I hope he proves me wrong.

 

but it didnt hit the post and it didnt go wide...so were commenting on how poor we've played

 

2-0 with few shots on goal or 5-1 with lots of near misses and having gone for the win, I'll take the latter.

 

Somebody always falls for this.

USA actually playing pretty well, it's just that the Czechs are executing their game plan perfectly.

 

Well, a 3-5-2 with JOB and EJ on, Mastro and Cher off.

Here's hoping.

 

Geez, some credit should go to the Czech Republic. They are good. They are really good. Anybody thinking this match would be anything but an absolute bitch hasn't been paying attention.

For example, that Rosicky goal was just stellar. Yes, we gave him too much time to line up that kick, but how many times during this World Cup have we seen players either miss the shot entirely or hit it right at the goalkeeper. He put it in an unsavable spot on the goal.

There's still 45 minutes to salvage a point or at least goal differential.

 

why take out cherundolo? is it just to add offense or did he underperform and i missed it?

 

I agree completely! It seems like we can't time our runs for beans! Gooch's clear was a joke! His yellow was way too early also that could hurt us later on. A 2-0 lead is very difficult to come back from especially the way the USA looks out there.
I think a lot of guys were listening to too many journalists and believing their own ranking. Well I guess if the USA is ranked #5 the Czech's are raked #2, so we have to look at it that way also. Claudio had a killer shot and that was tough luck. We need to take more shots like those. We also need to put more pressure on the ball. Maybe Bruce will switch some tactics and try something different in the second half? I see O'Brien & Johnson coming on so we have some speed and some more European experience. It may wear down the Czech's but we need a goal! Let's check out the 2nd half! I still wish Bocanegra would some how find a space back there.

 

OK i learn something new every day

 

What do you thinik are the chances of Arena getting fired, if this ends up like France 1998?

 

He fell down a lot?

 

Apparently our defenders aren't allowed to touch their backs.

 

Probably tactical - O'Brien is a winger right? Strange subs.