The American Cookie Crumbles

Czech Republic 3 - USA 0.

I got up early to watch this game. I had intended on sleeping 'til 12 but I got up at 10:30 instead. The game was on ESPN2, but I don't have cable so I had to watch Univision.

And for what?

Team USA got smoked with the sort of kung fu precision that I have not seen since The Matrix. Landon Donovan and Co. made the Czech Republic look like Brazil. The game was downright embarassing.

Tactically, the Czechs played brillant game. They attacked hard and fast. They never slowed down a possession or withdrew to their own half while on Offense. Instead, the Czechs cut, passed, led their teammates and gave American goalie Kasey Keller no chance to make a difference.

5' The First Goal: Early on, the teams looked well-matched, and I sat back for a even and exciting game. Then Koller put away a beautiful cross and I sat reeling on the couch for the next five minutes. At the time, there were only two defenders in the American box. Koller, the Czech striker, also happened to be about six inches taller than his American defender. It was a beautiful goal, and it inspired the Czechs on to an even more explosive victory.

The American defending was weak on almost all parts. Eddie Pope and Brian Convey looked exceptionally unprepared. Only Onweyu seemed up for the challenge of defending against the Czech offense and saved the US in several precarious positions. The American defense was also unassisted by the midfield. In one photo of the second Czech goal, Claudio Reyna can be seen sliding in from the midfield. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.

In all of the Czech attacks, the Americans looked thin and weak in the box. By comparison, the Czech defense was a packed and aggressive collection of players within the goalie's box, and there was enormous pressure on any American attack.

Claudio Reyna had the US's only got look at the goal when he fired off a beautiful 20 yard shot near the 24'. Unfortunately, the shot spun jsut wide and hit the post for a very near miss. Here, one of the weakness of the American game was completely unveiled. As the shot rebounded into the box, there was no put-back or follow-up from the Americans. Truly, it was a missed opportunity.

Rosicky then scored another goal in the 35' to put away the Americans for the second half. Ironically, Rosicky's goal came off of a rebounded shot, and was strikingly similiar to Reyna's 24th minute blast.

Throughout the game, American possesion grossly exceeded that of the Czech. At one point in the first half, ball possesion was estimated at 58% - 42% in favor of the Americans. But the American possesion was sloppy and haphazard. It lacked form, structure, or discipline and readily shot long balls to strikers beyond reach. The American attack also focused to heavily on a east-west attack rather than a north-south. Relying on their crosses, the American offense was overwhelmed by an all-too-prepared Czech defense. Reyna's shot was the approach that the Americans needed. Good ball possesion and dribbling until a space could be found to shoot.

Had the Americans actually moved with the ball and attacked the Czech goal head-on, I feel that they would have actually had a positive result. Johnson, a second-half subsitute game very close to scoring equalizers by attacking head on. Even Landon Donovan, the buzz kill whose weak and uninspired play left Team USA high and dry, made a solid move straight at the net when he was brutally cut down and was able to draw a free kick.

Eventually, Rosicky got clear in the second half and scored a second goal to bring the Czech total to 3. This is where the game would end, and how the American's would recieve their most brutal loss since 1990.

On Landon Donovan I have had to see this guys' face way too much for him to suck when it becomes time to pay the piper. Landon Donovan was an absolute non-presence today, and I was convinced that Bruce Arena would sub him. Clint Dempsey is sitting on the American bench waiting to score goals like he did in 2002, when the pressure was on. Why is Team USA wasting its time on a weak, poorly-playing poster boy?

With any luck, and by that I mean A LOT of luck, the US team will advance. But that requires beating Italy and Ghana, who both played an inspired match tonight and looked as though they would easily crush the Americans in the upcoming matches. Currently, I would expect the US to draw with Italy and to narrowly defeat Ghana. But they will probably no advance. Instead, Italy and the Czech Republic are destined for elimination soccer.