WC 2006: Group E

[Winner]

Don't be so negative. Chechs are on my list still second only to Argentina. And Koller is not that good, actually. He is the weakest player of your team anyway. It sucks to lose him, but he is easily replacable. And from what I've seen; Chechs can do fine without a striker. It's not like you'll miss the final.

I can't agree with that. The problem is that Brückner has built our entire offense on these two players, they are the cornerstones. Without them, he'll need to improvise.

Also I don't think that Koller is easily replacable. He is a game-opener and his stature, combined with skill, is indispensable for an effective play in the standard situations.

Well, I should stop whining, today we need to defeat Ghana and then we'll see what next.

 

[Rik Meleet]

I can't agree with that. The problem is that Brückner has built our entire offense on these two players, they are the cornerstones. Without them, he'll need to improvise.

Also I don't think that Koller is easily replacable. He is a game-opener and his stature, combined with skill, is indispensable for an effective play in the standard situations.

Well, I should stop whining, today we need to defeat Ghana and then we'll see what next.

Please beat them 3-1

 

[Marla_Singer]

Italy vs USA will be an interesting game !

Unfortunately I won't be able to watch that one.

 

[woodelf]

I'm planning my day around this game. 2:30 PM here and likely to be hot outside so a good time to enjoy some football. (At least I'm not taking vacation to see them get potentially embarassed again). That still burns me.

 

[downtown]

At Columbus Crew Stadium (America's FIRST soccer only stadium), there is a huge free viewing party, with bigscreens and free food. I'm going with my buddies to see it there..there should be over 1000 people

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? GO USA

 

[kryszcztov]

I'm for Italy in all my WC games, and that doesn't only include predictions.

USA go home !!

 

[kronic]

there should be over 1000 people

 

[Darkness]

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES? GO USA

I do... Just not that one...

 

[kryszcztov]

Ghana 1-0 after 2 minutes.

THE BLACK STAR STROKE !!!

 

[MCdread]

The czechs aren't the same without Koller or Baros. I agree with winner about Koller. He is very important as an attacking reference and is good at protecting the ball and combine with a player coming from behind. Locvenk is there just to make the numbers. The entire weight of responsability in this game lies with the midfield, but the players there can't attack and defend at the same time. And after the eraly goal they have been a bit afraid. Against the USA, you could see the czechs pressing right as USA's defence was trying to get the ball to its midfield. They aren't doing that today, or at least aren't being so effective.

 

[kronic]

Unbelievable, what happened to the Czechs? They may now fail to reach the 2nd round. I don't see them beating Italy.

 

[Dell19]

Yeah totally agree. The Czechs missed having a striker up front and it was too much to rely on the midfield. Very good performance by Ghana although maybe they should have scored the second goal earlier. The Czechs could easily crash out of the group now as Italy cannot be assured of qualifying if they lose and Ghana beat the US and the Czechs are not even going to have Locvenk for that game as he got his second yellow card.

 

[Dell19]

Unbelievable, what happened to the Czechs? They may now fail to reach the 2nd round. I don't see them beating Italy.

It seemed that they massively missed a forward player to hold on to the ball and provide a better threat. The midfield had to provide the threat which perhaps left the defence open too much.

 

[Rik Meleet]

This is unreal ... Nothing to do with missing Koller and Baros - simply overclassed.

 

[ThERat]

what a game
all sorts of emotions. My favourite team the Czechs have lost to Ghana. On the other hand it would be great to see an African nation making it to the 2nd round. This is the real cracker group and not the so called group of death C.

What a performance by Cech, but he alone can't win the game. Czech needs to get Koller up against Italy or they might be out of the tournament. To follow the last round in this group will be nailbiting stuff.

That said, this game was absolutely cracking to follow.

 

[Rhye]

unbelievable.

The 1st half was the clear example of how blunt was Czechia today.
The 2nd was even more amazing, as it could have finished 5-0 for Ghana. In 10 men, tired, and still blunt isn't easy, your mind collapses.

 

[Rhye]

I would have liked to see the Czechs got through anyway. Possibly 2nd, to face Brazil

To happen this, we should trash now the USA, and let the czechs win 1-0 next round

 

[kryszcztov]

Ghana could have scored in the end, but they were clearly enjoying their victory before the final whistle. Hope they won't regret it (goal average).

Anyway, a fabulous match by the Black Star !!

 

[Hitro]

Has nothing to do with Baros and Koller. Okay, not nothing, but a good team, not to speak of a great team, wouldn't just "collapse" because of that.

They played just like they did during the qualification matches. And as I said, as soon as Rosicky gets decent opposition he is mostly useless.

You could also see that it was true that the USA match was due to the US' lack of skill and probably will in that game. The Czechs profited from their early goal and then the lucky strike by Rosicky to break the US' nerves. This time they recieved an early goal and thus actually had to be creative. Which they can't. Nedved, formerly my favourite player, is sadly beyond the peak of his career, the same applies to Poborsky and Rosicky has always been massively overrated. Maybe he will really break through at Arsenal, but during the last years at Dortmund he surely didn't.

That said Ghana were the opposite of clever, they should have scored many many more goals. Some attempts, such as the offside goal close to the end, were downright ridiculous. They also lost two key players through the second yellow card, so I am not that sure if they can beat the US.

So the Czechs aren't already lost and if they play well against Italy I sure would like to see them advance, but maybe some of those who seem to go by FIFA rankings to rate teams finally see them in a more realistic light. They are not bad, but surely not great either. I mean, they have bloody Jiri Stajner...

 

[Rhye]

oh, and btw Ujfalusi was deleterious