USA – Czech Republic (2 – 4) Post-Game Thoughts

May 25th, 2010 | by: Marlon |

Torres

Well, let’s start with the positives. The USA looked very good in the first half. I live blogged about how it was important for Jose Francisco Torres to come in and stake a claim for his spot in the midfield, and I was happy to see Jose come in and dictate the flow of the game. His presence on the field really cut down on the long balls from the back that the US team usually heaves forward incessantly. I was actually very annoyed when Bob Bradley was interviewed after the game and didn’t mention how well Torres did. There were a lot of causes for concern tonight, but there were some good performances as well. So, here are my notes from tonight’s game:

- Stated above, but Jose Francisco Torres really showed why he is valuable to this team. He didn’t do so well against the Netherlands, but when paired with an energetic and tough tackling midfielder like Michael Bradley, Torres tendencies to hang back and spread play could be very useful for the USMNT.

- Of the three strikers trying to break into the US squad, Gomez showed the most promise. The intelligence of his back post run for the goal he scored on the corner should not be underestimated. Hercules Gomez has a nose for goal. He showed more ability in one swivel, turn and shot at Petr Cech than either Buddle or Johnson showed in their 45 minutes. Buddle was eager and hard working, but he rarely looked dangerous and he never shot on goal. Johnson, similarly, was pretty anonymous. Both strikers spent most of their time on the field struggling to hold the ball or being caught offside.

- DaMarcus Beasley looked a lot closer to his old self then he has in recent performances for the national team. His unfortunate time as an out of position leftback may have clouded my memory of just what Beasley can bring to a team, but I’d welcome back the old Run DMB any day.

- Speaking of leftback, the USA’s most problematic position continues to be… well a problem. Jonathan Bornstein and Heath Pearce both looked terrible tonight. Given how good Steve Cherundolo looked I’m willing to say that perhaps Jonathan Spector should play at leftback for us. It’s true he didn’t have a great season there for West Ham United, but there’s absolutely no way he wouldn’t be an improvement over Bornstein and Pearce.

- I’ll sum up what I think of Clarence Goodson in two sentences. Great in the air. Not good on the ground.

- I hope that Onyewu is able to fully recover and get fit for the World Cup. He showed that he can still read the game very well and he looked confident and quick in possession and defensively on the ground, but his getting beat in the air for the first Czech goal really showed that he might not be 100% yet. I’m willing to give him sometime to sort it out, but we might be starting Jay DeMerrit and Carlos Bocanegra in the center of defense come June 12th.

- Stuart Holden looked sharp in the first half, and he continues to be one of the better talents on the US team. He needs to get match fit, but I’d like to see him start on the right side of midfield so that Clint Dempsey can play as a striker.

- 4 – 2 wasn’t the result we wanted, but let’s not forget that we were the better team in the first half. The Czechs managed to equalize after an inevitable dumb foul by Bornstein, but other than that we looked like a much better team with a good amount of our best players watching in the stands. It’s always sobering to lose, especially when spirits were high after the Gomez goal, but all in all all was not lost. The host of changes in the second half certainly unsettled the team and an experienced Czech team was able to take advantage. Let’s see what we do with a full team against Turkey before we let dark clouds rain on our World Cup parade.

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JoseJosue

I'm optimistic about Gomez! He should be on the plane to South Africa… have a feeling that he will score at least one pivotal goal for the U.S. when we need it.

That being said, the defensive mistake are unfortunate, but let's remember that it was a weird line-up for most of the players.
Mark

Good analysis, except I think Cherundolo played horribly
http://usasoccerstud.com Blake

Spot on analysis, Marlon. Yeah, this was just a simulated tryout, not an actual game.
Jake

Based solely on this game, and even including the 7 that didn't dress, I can't find 23 players to put on the plane. Agree on the play of Torres and Beasley. I also thought Ching played very well (and I am a BIG Ching detractor), but that may be because I was comparing him to EJ and Buddle. Rogers showed potential. After that, it gets dicey. I hope practice was a lot better for some of these guys than this game.

(I reserve the right to revoke all of my concerns if things improve on Saturday.)
David

I heard BB say that he thought that Goodson looked good on the back line!?! I have to wonder if he knows exactly who Goodson is.
If cuts are predicated on play (or the lack thereof) from this game, I would have to cut Goodson, Bornstein, Pearce, Johnson, Findley, Kljestan, and Bedoya. the first three of whom were simply terrible and the rest of whom were just invisible or absent.
jim

Bob Bradley is a blight upon this team, and we won't win anything with him.

First 20 minutes, we looked good. In fact, we looked damn good. I was impressed. Buzzing around the ball, playing out of trouble, even keeping possession. Torres, Buddle and Edu all stood out. Great game.

Then we scored.

Then we started Bradley's patented “play scared” strategy, and we lost ground. The Czechs dominated the ball and were get set play after set play on us. They score towards the end of the half.

It seriously felt just like the Mexico game. The Brazil. for as good as we looked early, I am still disappointed because now I have to wonder; even if we go 1 up on England or Slovakia or Algeria …. what is going to happen after? Clearly Bradley has an idea, but it is wrong.
jim c

I didnt see game but like most US coaches he really cant counterattack and he wants to play possession but players of that era dont have individual skills….too unselfish
Patrick

I didn't see what you saw in Torres. I saw more out of second half sub Bedoya. The offense looked better in the second half whereas the defense looked better in the first where I thought Bornstein was ok. Heath Pearce however was most definitely atrocious. I think I agree on all other points.
Coach

Gooch looked a shadow of his former self. He should make the 23 but don't see how we can start him. I worry about the defense and offense.
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Marlon

Patrick, I think our not looking great offensively had a lot more to do with Buddle and Johnson then it had to do with Torres. During the first half the USA really controlled the midfield, but things weren't coming off in the final third. I think if Ching and Gomez had started we would've seen some goals in the first, and trust me I'm not a big Brian Ching fan.
GS

I have a lot to say about a lot of things but all I can seem to get out is…PEARCE IS TERRIBLE! That may have been one of the worst performances by a USMNT defender I have ever seen. He literally did nothing right, even the little things, and was directly responsible for goals 2 and 3.
Unbelievable

Marlon, I pretty much agree with everything you said except for Beasley. Adu would've been a better choice at left mid, but as we both know that can't happen now.

Bornstein and Pearce are not good – agreed.

Spector should move over to left – agreed.

Torres should be in the mix in the starting 11 – agreed.

Gomez should absolutely be in the starting 11 and I think he should be paired with Jozy. Buddle did not impress me.

So I was impressed with our midfield play and how we were able to keep solid possession. The goals that the Czechs scored were strange imo. Maybe it was because I was at the game … who knows?

This was a practice game to widdle down the team. I would say Ching should be left off the squad, as should Eddie Johnson, unless we have to keep one then I would say keep Eddie J.

GLTTMNT
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Marlon

Unbelievable, you know by now I like to keep my posts in the realm of possibility.
RR

I think that Goodson plays well enough in the air to warrant his inclusion on the team. The team will likely need him, especially against England, to defend against set pieces. Otherwise who else will play that defensive role?
http://usa.worldcupblog.org Marlon

Bocanegra and DeMerrit are both good in the air, and Onyewu at his best is a tower at the back. Our aerial game isn't really in question here.
http://betting.betfair.com/world-cup-betting World Cup odds man

Nothing to get too upset about here – Czech republic are a good team and have been to many major tournaments themselves.
Bryan McDonald

Onyewu is a liability. He should not be included in the final 23. Watch the 46:50 mark during the game. He's limping terribly. There is no way he can play during the world cup. It will be a wasted spot, and we can't afford it. We need 23 fit, strong men. There has to be someone in this freaking country who can take his place!
soccerroo

okay so the second half stunk and LB is defenitely going to be a bad spot for us during the WC. ithought Beasley and Gomez earned spots as second half subs during the tournament. Not sure if Buddle will make the team or not but pretty sure we will see these cuts. Findley, Johnson, Pearce, Marshall, Rogers and Bedayor. With six cut that leaves one spot to be cut and I would guess it will be Buddle but not sure maybe Borstein but probably not.
http://buzzardroostus.wordpress.com/ 3D

Rogers looked much better at creating and giving good service than Beasley. Beasley is lazy and flops anytime he's touched. If he makes the team, he must be Bradley little friend.
http://www.worldcupblog.org Daryl

Roster announcement liveblog here:
http://usa.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2010/usa-...
Bryan McDonald

We are screwed. Beasley, Onyewu. Rogers played so much better than Beasley this game. Beasley does not have a good reputation right now. He's inconsistant, has been injured, probably won't get called back to Rangers next season. What the heck is Bradley thinking? As I said before, Onyewu is half a player right now and there is no way in hell he'll be fit in two more weeks!
soccerhead

I am one of those hoping for Gooch's total & speedy recovery. I had him in my personal choice of squad to face England. ALERT!!!! There is no way, no way he is fit to play against Rooney & Crouch. I was wrong but I quickly accept and adjust my thoughts according to this sad reality. Not fit, even in a 5 man defense, which I, sometimes think wouldnt be bad, for such a WEAK defense. And that should be our main concern for the first match vs England. Strategically, we should try not to lose against England. A tie is not a bad result against them. Later we can worry about more attack against slovenia & algeria. England faced with a tie against us would be forced to destroy bothslovenia and algeria to secure a second round spot and to calm ther very critical fans and press. one tie and the pressure is on everyone else. I dont think we should NOT acuse BB of using SCARED tactics because we need to implement better defensive tactics if we have any hopes of advancing. I know that there are lots of people who advocate all attack soccer but I invite them to be REALISTIC and to remember the Inter vs Barcelona champions league game. All those pretty talkers ended up crying about what could have been if Inter would have played how they wanted. Inter fans just partied and celebrated. Inter bosses made lots of money! The World cup is about fame for the players, history for the coaches and JOY for the fans. The more the USA advances the more parties and joy for the fans. Dont jeopardize that by encouraging our strikers to be selfish and to look for an individual notch and get us eliminated very early.If that happens we will get to watch how other countries celebrate their ties and wins. celebrate