AJC.com > Sports > Soccer blog > Archives > 2006 > June > 12
Monday, June 12, 2006
A total, utter debacle
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
AP / It doesn't get any easier for Claudio Reyna and the U.S., which plays Italy on Saturday.
Making a quick trip back from Hell to tell you about the special kind of Hades in which Uncle Sam’s outfit finds itself.
The AJC’s Mike Knobler just called in from Gelsenkirchen to report that the post-game backbiting was pretty heated in the American camp. More intense than the printed words might indicate. If only they’d have saved that kind of energy for the game …
This is the first real adversity in the Arena regime. It might be more interesting to see how the coach, rather than the players, handle the aftermath, especially after Italy looked strong downing Ghana 2-0. If you thought Nedved and Rosicky were too much to handle, then imagine the nightmarish task of trying to hold Pirlo and Totti in check, among others. Or the nasty, physical tackling of the Azzurri on defense.
The Bruce has a surefire mutiny on his hands if he can’t inspire confidence in the next four days like he has the last six years. For the first time since he took over, players are openly questioning his tactical decisions, and he’s lacerating right back. Donovan and Beasley were spared no savaging, and neither was a very experienced keeper in Keller, whom Arena blamed for the first goal.
Who says there’s not any pressure on the Yanks? Maybe not as far as the rest of the world is concerned, because it wasn’t expecting much to begin with.
But a ton of optimism, and illusions, were shattered this afternoon, and I can’t imagine there being much buzz here on The Fruited Plain before Saturday’s clash in Kaiserslautern. America’s interest in the World Cup plummeted in shocking, rapid fashion.
Welcome to the World Cup, America. This is what happens to nearly every other country with even a small amount of expectation. Except that nearly everywhere else they keep watching, perhaps even more intently, while we tune out.
@@@@@@@
Some think this was an entirely predictable result. So don’t fret about it Americans. They’re not in the Czechs’ class.
Still others are of the mind that to call this a crap game does a disservice to crap. Guess which side of the Atlantic they’re on. This one.
Sez Reyna: “Now there are no more excuses.” Shouldn’t that should have been the case before today?
@@@@@@@
Mercifully, only two meaningless minutes of stoppage time were added. The end: 3-0 Czechs. And it could have been much, much worse.
For the last 20 minutes or so, there was nary a push from the U.S. The Americans were defending their own penalty area quite a bit.
Dave O’Brien on ESPN2: ‘The U.S. is going in the wrong direction.’
Oh, how it is.
The Boss Man says this reminds him of France ‘98. All the millions plunged into U.S. Soccer for development, and they can’t make a dent in a game of this magnitude?
No. 5 in the world? Ready to beat the best? Lots of talk, that’s all.
U.S. record in World Cup matches in Europe: 0-8-0. Will it be nine on Saturday against the Italians? Wouldn’t bet against it.
@@@@@@@
Reyna gets a yellow in the 60th for a very harsh foul on Plasil. Way to go, Captain America. Take a caution into the Italy match on Saturday.
No need for any more rash fouling, not with Rosicky slicing up the Yanks D and a third goal past Kasey Keller. Arena has brought in Stone Mountain and Parkview’s own Josh Wolff to replace an ineffective McBride, but it ain’t gonna matter.
What a debacle. A total, utter debacle.
@@@@@@@
Bruce is making two subs to start the second half, trailing by two goals:
O’Brien for Mastroeni. Johnson for Cherundolo. Two offensive-minded players for two defenders. It’s a gamble, a big one, but there’s no other choice.
One of Off the Ball’s colleagues who was mucho excited about this one was spouting off some (non-profane) four-letter words during halftime.
A friend of Off the Ball’s who hates soccer called, she thought, to rub it in. He was impressed how they took Jan Koller right off the field on a stretcher. “In football, they would have taken 20 minutes.” Yes, but the clock stops in that sport.
For the Yanks, every tick of the clock is valuable. Gotta pull one back early in the half, I would think.
@@@@@@@
Rosicky jumped all over a Keller clearance and cracked it back past the keeper from 35 yards out in the 36th minute. 2-0 Czechs. Fantastic shot.
The Boss Man said he’d be back from his doctor’s appointment to watch the second half, unless the U.S. is down 2-0. Guess I’ll have the place to myself for the afternoon.
Exactly the opposite of what had to happen for the Yanks. Instead, it’s happened to them.
They’ve gone from possibly being level on Reyna’s near miss to in a big, big hole.
There’s still time, but it looks grim at the moment.
@@@@@@@
Both teams are taking their sweet T-I-M-E here. There’s no pace to this thing at all.
Just when the graphic flashed on the screen that Donovan hasn’t scored in his last 11 games for the U.S., he makes his first touch of the day a big one, racing out into open space and getting fouled, a yellow for Rozenhal. Pope didn’t do much with the short diagonal free kick, and that was the end of that.
U.S. has two thirds of the possession in the early going, but like American football it means nothing unless you do something with it. They are operating in the penalty area, though.
Reyna gets the whole midfield to himself and CRACKS ONE AGAINST the left post, 28th minute. Cech wasn’t gonna get it. The Czechs are letting them road around inside all they want.
Now the pace is picking up a lot. The Yanks are dictating play to a certain extent. Again, LOVE to see them picking their spots to attack. They have to.
Before Reyna’s blast, the Czechs had another good chance to double up on Koller’s goal. Nedved got free from Cherundolo on the touchline and served up a cross that Grygera couldn’t do much with on the header.
@@@@@@@
Then Koller scores for the Czechs in the fifth minute. USA is down 1-0, very very quickly.
Don’t like Onyewu back there all alone with Koller, not with that yellow card.
U.S. starting to get a little possession now. Two good strong cross in a row by Convey, one saved by Cech, the other a short corner and a wide header by Pope.
Like to see them attacking, although the pace is still a bit deliberate.
@@@@@@@
Two free kicks for the Czech in the first four minutes or so, with the latter resulting in a yellow for Onyewu hauling down Nedved. Not good for such a critical defender.
Cherundolo floated one harmlessly on top of the Czech net.
@@@@@@@
Here’s the lineup, according to FIFAWorldCup.com:
GK — Keller D — Lewis, Onyewu, Pope, Cherundolo M — Convey, Reyna, Mastroeni, Beasley F — Donovan, McBride
Here’s the Czech Starting XI:
GK — Cech D — Grygena, Jankulovsky, Ujfalusi, Rozenhal M — Galasek, Poborsky, Rosicky, Nedved, Plasil F — Koller
I’ve got the sound down in the office, but the words are flashing across the screen. Probably the best way to take this coverage.
The lineup: Just like many suspected after Arena experimented with Beasley on the right side of the midfield and Convey starting on the left in the last friendly. Like Convey’s ability on set pieces, too.
A recovering Baros is starting off the bench for the Czechs; he could give them some good energy in the second half.
@@@@@@@
And what a electrifying start to the day: Australia 3-1 Japan. Just when you thought the Down Unders should have stuck to Aussie Rules, they score three goals in the last nine minutes for a stunning win. A great three points for them, given that they’re in Brazil’s group.
Less than 10 minutes from start time in Gelsenkirchen now. Here come the teams. What an agonizing wait.
At last, ESPN is showing a pre-game ceremony and anthem-playing. They should do it for everybody.
The boys have their blue kits on.
And ESPN2 cut away to commercial before the Czech anthem. Typical.
Gotta get three points — gotta gotta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The element of surprise, no shock, in its opening match catapulted the U.S. to its surprise quarterfinal berth in the World Cup four years ago. The Yanks throttled Portugal 3-0 before holding on to a 3-2 win that sent their confidence sky-high. This was a major European power that have always given the Americans fits, but they overcame that hurdle.
Fast forward to today in Gelsenkirchen, where the equally talented Czechs are in a situation not unlike Portugal. Its venerable star, Pavel Nedved, came out of international retirement for a last shot at the World Cup. But he and some other mid-30 something stalwarts of this team reportedly aren’t in the best of shape.
Still, the bullish attitude that has featured in the American press at large isn’t shared in all quarters. Here’s a rather pessimistic dispatch from the home front by someone who, like myself, saw events unfold in person last time. The essential message is this: if the U.S. does falter, be ready for withering criticism from a global media outfit that doesn’t really respect the improvement of the American side at all. Give ‘em a reason, and they’ll pound away.
Without a good start today, that fate is likely sealed, and even Landon Donovan understands that.
George Vecsey says in the NYT that it’s no time for the U.S. to be conservative (his column, however, is behind a paid firewall and I won’t post it for that reason). You can read this piece with some passing mention of the same theme but is mostly about young U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu, an ex-Clemson All-American. This is a familiar storyline today, and there’s no doubt Koller’s 6-foot-7 presence will be a big problem. Don’t forget the endless running and speed of Milan Baros, too, as well as Nedved’s playmaking. This is a splendid team to watch.
Is the U.S. now is one of the ‘big boys? I’m still not sure, FIFA rankings notwithstanding. They’ve got to play like it now, against the kind of foes who have always given them trouble, to earn that moniker, and the kind of respect they say they deserve. Not to mention a spot in the second round.
Play for three points, and no matter what happens, that will be a sign that they’re ready to take up the mantle. Not many are expecting the Yanks to advance, but it’s not impossible or improbable. Just very difficult.
Predix, anyone? I’m going to be optimistic and say 2-1, USA. Johnson comes on in the second half and scores on a looping, freaky shot that the formidable Peter Cech can’t grab. Daytona Beach gets it done.
Man of the Match: Reyna, for holding Nedved, in, um, Czech.
Come back around noon and contribute to this live blogging thing, and help me elevate my brain and my blog above ESPN’s coverage, as Horn Guy Dos has savagely accused me. Three points or bust!
