Jamaican pre-game press reports

Great finds, Scotty-- thanks for the insights.

From this first article, a bit of tactical clue as to what might happen (and this should surprise no one, given that the Reggae Boyz need to win to have a chance to get into the Hex):

The coach would also like to have his full-backs contribute more to the attack by crashing the opponents' penalty box to "make crosses, kick to goal or make passes". He also suggested that the midfielders also need to crash the box, without "opening up our shape in defence ... We must keep close and create that situation, I think that is what we need for November 17."

Make no mistake about it, Jamaica will be sending plenty of players forward-- something we'll have to frustrate.

 

Lazaroni seems to want his cake too many ways.

This sounds like a perfect opportunity to run on them.

 

Want to frustrate? Score on the counter, that's all.

We are going to get some sweet chances and if we score first this game could get wild. Someone on our squad needs to be clinical with chance one. Something we have been very poor at.

 

That has got to be the worst thing Jamaica could try against the US team. They'll get slaughtered on the counter attack.

 

Again, if we can put one of those early ones in, which has been a hige problem.

 

We'll see. I'd feel a lot more certain of that with Beasley out there running with LD, because of their chemistry. Hopefully, one of the new guys will be able to pick up a little bit of the slack.

 

Jamaica advances with a win and any result in the other group game or a draw and a Panama-El Salvador draw or El Salvador win. Panama has only two draws in their two home games in the group so far and El Salvador beat Panama in El Salvador.

 

I think that first article also implies that even with a loss, Jamaica can still get through should Panama and El Salvador draw, seeing that Jamaica holds an edge in goal difference over Panama.

 

It's been posted that the first tiebreaker is now head-to-head, not goal differential. Panama has tiebreaker over Jamaica and Jamaica is eliminated with a loss. Also, Jamaica has tiebreaker over El Salvador. Those are the only two combinations of teams in the group that could finish tied.

 

The betting side in me says panama beats el salvador...the caveat being usa hasn't crushed jamaica (say 3-0 ht), and the panamanians lose interest....

I don't think the boyz will start the match pushing everyone forward, they'll let the match settle, identify the areas they can attack, and force the issue there...

a 1-0 win gets them the result they need...so I don't see the game being all that open the first 20 minutes.....as the match proceeds then we'll see the boyz pushing more forwardly with outside backs, and with numbers in midfield...

this all sets up for a donovan game.....

 

Does anyone else get the feeling this is a perfect game for EJ to start given the indications Jamacia will press forward in numbers..I smell another big game for the youngster.

 

I agree, the style is more for ej than it is for mcbride....

I can see long balls for mcbride with him flicking them towards ej...??

i'd prefer another speed forward to pair with ej, get the ball behind the boyz defense on the ground.....

 

Correct. Head-to-head is the first tie-breaker, and Jamaica is indeed toast if they lose, regardless of the PAN-SLV result. If they draw, they can make it if PAN-SLV draw, or SLV win.

If anyone is interested, here are FIFA's tie-break regs for WC2006:

In the league system the ranking in each group is determined as follows:

(a) greater number of points obtained in all the group matches;

If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above criterion, their ranking shall be determined as follows:

(b) greater number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;

(c) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;

(d) greater number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned;

(e) goal difference in all the group matches;

(f) greater number of goals scored in all the group matches;

(g) a play-off on neutral ground.

 

I think what Jamaica wants to do is NOT pushing in the first half. Keep the shape compact and not allow US scores. Only attack when the chances are coming. Get a 0:0 in the half time. Then keeping check the score of Panama vs. El Salvador. If the situation wants to attack, then they can try to steal a win in the late 10 minutes. If they score one goal that time, everyone will get back behind the ball to defend to death.

 

jamaica can get through on a draw given panama-el salvador draws, but playing for a draw based on a draw in panama city is very difficult...

I think everyone will feel each other out the 1st 15 minutes of so...most of us suspect arena will be going with a few new faces, so the boyz will size the new guys up, and see if any weaknesses emerge....

if the usa ever gets up a goal....the boyz will push more adventurously forward with numbers, risking the counter....eevn given a draw at half, I suspect they'll go forward..and the last 15 minutes we'll see 3 forwards up top for them...

 

Above all things, when it comes to press reports, i'd like to see how Panama feels regarding our apparent roster for the game... Do they think we are somehow hurting their chances?.... I know if the tables were turned, many among us would feel like this....And not because this is not the very best team we can put out there (that would be expected to a point), but it seems just way too experimental.....It is hard to see how the chemistry will work....I hope it works out well for the US, as it has happened in the past when playing this type of makeshift lineups.....
I'm still in the crowd that would favor Panama over Jamaica for next round....

 

Not exactly. As Jamaican coaches and players believed that if USA plays its top 11 players, all those players will think about "not get hurt". But if USA plays a second team, everyone of them will play hard to show Bruce that they are belong to the NAT club. So a second team maybe a bad news for Jamaica because there are no much talent drop from our A to B.

 

The brit based boyz are doing a ton of travel...uk to jamaica, then kingston to columbus...don't know if I'd want to do that sort of travel and play the most important match they'll have...


any news on who the ref will be??

 

Could be because of visa requirements.