2006 World Cup

[Scott MS]

Wow. That's was a great World Cup. See you in 2010.

 

[SirStefan32]

for those watching the game, do we still have a shot?

You always have a shot, but they just need to stop playing as if though they are intimidated. Believe, me, there is no reason for them to be intimidated by these guys.

 

[Zeno]

To me, a key player is Johnson. He has the potential to bust the game wide open. True, he lacks experience and maturity, and he would have been a risk, but I think it's a risk we badly needed to take. We NEED another striker up front who can truly threaten in the box. Sorry, but that is true. I'm now VERY worried, whereas before I was very confident.

Hopefully, we're keeping Mastroeni in there and then bringing in O'Brien to use him for a limited time...basically saving his gas for the 2nd half. We'll need him, and Mastroeni is not enough of a forward threat, IMO, to help us enough. Hopefully he can help feed Beasley, Donovan, and McBride well enough.

Ugh. I'm scared. Very, very scared. I HATE the 4-5-1. It's a frickin' timid formation and, contrary to popular belief, it does NOT, especially in this case, put our best 11 out on the field. Oh boy. Here we go. LET'S GO USA!!!

4-5-1 is far from timid. We don't have players like the Netherlands who can play with 3 forwards.

The only player I'd argue with including in there that is our best 11 its O'Brien. Johnson hasn't proven squat yet, CONCACAF goals and thats it. I never expected him to start and fully expected Wolff to get the nod over him. I'd like to see who on the field today you would consider out of our best 11.

At 2-0 Czech's, Johnson will probably see ample playing time in the second half. They aren't losing right now because of their formation they are losing right now because there set pieces suck, they have had 4 defensive lapses that I've counted (lucky its only 2 goals) and they have some of the worst passing in the offensive third that I've ever seen.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Isn't the Czech Republic ranked very high?

 

[TucsonDevil]

They are ranked #2... However, I really do believe the US has talent, experience, and character to beat anyone... except for the Brazillians - they play "beautiful".

 

[Sunshooter]

Isn't the Czech Republic ranked very high?

Be frank, FIFA Ranking is sxxk.

 

[Zeno]

1st Half Analysis

Beasley, Convey are disappointing.
Onyewu had at least 3 huge mistakes....2 goals as a result.
McBride can't dribble at people and isn't a threat to do so. He can't set up his own shots. I look forward to his retirement so that the US National team can move forward with more creative players up front.
Donovan had 1 good run but is not impressing with his form and hasn't been on the ball enough.

I'd sub O'Brien for Mastroeni, Johnson for Convey and move Beasley to the left side of the MF and have O'Brien play on the right and Johnson up front with the ineffective McBride.

I'd also like to hear Arena's explanation for the terrible set pieces.

 

[CaptTurbo]

The czechs are so much taller. We havent won one contested header. We dont even go into the box on corners. We know we are by far the worst team on the pitch and we are playing like it.

 

[Stout]

I'm a newbie to strategy...are you saying that the 4-5-1 implys that the defensive players suck? I don't understand.

Nope...there was a good explanation already, and I'll clarify what I mean. Everybody, from US fans, soccer experts, and pundits, claim that we have to play a 4-5-1 or a permutation of that formation because it puts our best 11 players on the field. ********. You can't tell me that Mastroeni is one of our best 11 players. He's a somewhat serviceable holding and defensive midfielder. He's a decent sub in the 2nd half if we have a lead. He's a spot starter in case somebody in our starting 4 midfielders is injured. He is NOT a quality fifth midfielder to play because we don't have anybody better. I hate Arena's strategy today, and it has imploded right in his face. Damn it!

 

[SirStefan32]

They are ranked #2... However, I really do believe the US has talent, experience, and character to beat anyone... except for the Brazillians - they play "beautiful".

Whoa, hold on there. I am impressed with all the improvement in US soccer, but I think that winning two games is the best we can hope for at this point.

 

[Stout]

The USA are not a team that can make the pace, they are decent if it is 0-0 and the other team is better and pressing for a goal so they can hope for a counterattack but they are pretty bad if they are down and the other team lets them make the pace.

Maybe we could if we pushed forward, put in a striker, and actually TRIED. I mean, from the coaching to the playing, it's like we aren't even TRYING to push forward. No speed pushing forward, and every time a pass goes forward, it goes right back again in order to maintain possession. Ugh.

 

[BACH]

Isn't the Czech Republic ranked very high?

Using default ranking (traditional common sense)this is the vital game, since these two team are supposedly the 2nd and 3rd best team in the group, but only two team goes on from the group play.

 

[Stout]

for those watching the game, do we still have a shot?

Not unless our coach gets his head out of his ass and puts in a second striker. Not unless Onyewu stops sucking major ass. Not unless our players can actually move in the offensive half instead of walking. Not unless we can push forward. Not unless we can actually try out there.

In other words, highly unlikely.

 

[Zeno]

Using default ranking (traditional common sense)this is the vital game, since these two team are supposedly the 2nd and 3rd best team in the group, but only two team goes on from the group play.

As of now we have to try to get a draw, at the very least a goal because we don't want to be -2 in goal differential, in case we happen to beat the Italians.

 

[TucsonDevil]

Whoa, hold on there. I am impressed with all the improvement in US soccer, but I think that winning two games is the best we can hope for at this point.

Beat, anyone - ON any GIVEN day... didn't mean to imply we could do it consistantly...

 

[Stout]

4-5-1 is far from timid. We don't have players like the Netherlands who can play with 3 forwards.

The only player I'd argue with including in there that is our best 11 its O'Brien. Johnson hasn't proven squat yet, CONCACAF goals and thats it. I never expected him to start and fully expected Wolff to get the nod over him. I'd like to see who on the field today you would consider out of our best 11.

At 2-0 Czech's, Johnson will probably see ample playing time in the second half. They aren't losing right now because of their formation they are losing right now because there set pieces suck, they have had 4 defensive lapses that I've counted (lucky its only 2 goals) and they have some of the worst passing in the offensive third that I've ever seen.

Yeah, how's Mastroeni working out for ya in that 4-5-1, bud? If you try to tell me Mastroeni's better than Johnson, then you have no football knowledge. Clearly O'Brien is better, but he's just as clearly not fit for a full match, so that brings it down to Johnson or Mastroeni. Stupid, stupid decision from the top, and it hurt us badly, though not as bad as our lack of effort. Yes, idiotic defensive lapses killed us for those goals, but a bad setup from the get-go, and a focus on possession rather than attacking has killed us just as much.

 

[Stout]

As of now we have to try to get a draw, at the very least a goal because we don't want to be -2 in goal differential, in case we happen to beat the Italians.

Sorry, your post is right on...you're absolutely right, but the thought of us beating Italy at this point is laughable. We have to keep faith, but wow.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Do soccer fans act like hockey fans and yell "Shoot!" whenever their team has possession anywhere near the goal?

 

[Stout]

Onyewu is sucking balls today. An idiotic, unnecessary yellow, and basically giving up two goals out of stupidity, bad positioning, and bad clearance of a simple ball. Wow. Playing his way OUT of a big contract. I doubt 'Borough will want him now.

 

[Zeno]

Yeah, how's Mastroeni working out for ya in that 4-5-1, bud? If you try to tell me Mastroeni's better than Johnson, then you have no football knowledge. Clearly O'Brien is better, but he's just as clearly not fit for a full match, so that brings it down to Johnson or Mastroeni. Stupid, stupid decision from the top, and it hurt us badly, though not as bad as our lack of effort. Yes, idiotic defensive lapses killed us for those goals, but a bad setup from the get-go, and a focus on possession rather than attacking has killed us just as much.

I am almost guaranteeing you that had a second forward started it would have been Wolff. I'd rather have Dempsey or O'Brien than Johnson or Mastroeni but obviously I don't make the decisions.

2nd half is just starting---Johnson and O'Brien in Cherundolo and Mastroeni out.

 

[Stout]

Okay, O'Brien and Johnson in...good moves and exactly what Arena needed to do. Arena knows we need more attackers, so now having 5 midfielders, 2 strikers (fnally) and only 3 defenders is just what the doctor ordered. It's risky, but at this point, we need to take risks.

 

[Zeno]

Onyewu is sucking balls today. An idiotic, unnecessary yellow, and basically giving up two goals out of stupidity, bad positioning, and bad clearance of a simple ball. Wow. Playing his way OUT of a big contract. I doubt 'Borough will want him now.

100% agree, to think he was my pick as breakout US player.

 

[SirStefan32]

Alright, let's go boys!

 

[Stout]

I am almost guaranteeing you that had a second forward started it would have been Wolff. I'd rather have Dempsey or O'Brien than Johnson or Mastroeni but obviously I don't make the decisions.

2nd half is just starting---Johnson and O'Brien in Cherundolo and Mastroeni out.

I could have seen Dempsey or O'Brien, sure, but I doubt Wolff would have been the striker. I think you're dead wrong on that one.

 

[SirStefan32]

Man, they look like Phoenix Suns with Steve Nash on the bench :-(