Random Rants: World Cup Blog

Americans are ready to go, offering no excuses.

Welcome banner outside the Gelsenkirchen Stadium where the United States opens World Cup play against the Czech Republic. -- Photo by Chris Courtney --

By Chris Courtney
SoccerTimes

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (Sunday, June 11, 2006) -- "We've prepared for one month and I feel good about where we are. There will be no excuses." So said United States men's manager Bruce Arena in today's press conference, conducted with captain Claudio Reyna as the team makes its final preparations for its opener against the Czech Republic.

Reyna added, "The team wants to start -- we are all anxious since we've been waiting for four years."

To the question many would like answered, specifically if Arena was looking for a start similar to the U.S. debut in 2002, a 3-2 victory over Portugal, he answered: "It would be great to get off to a good start, but these will be 90 minute games requiring 90 minutes of concentration."

Regarding the expected match-up between U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu and Czech striker Jan Koller, Reyna offered, "Gooch is strong and physical and he has dealt with big opponents before. We're aware of Koller's qualities, but I know Gooch can do the job." He went on to say: " I notice that everyone is talking about that match-up, but it takes everyone doing their best to scoop up second balls and take good defensive positions for us to deal with Koller and the rest of their offense."

On the Czechs, Arena opined that: "We are facing an outstanding team which is consistently in an attacking posture. They bring their best, regardless of the opponent, and are backed by an outstanding keeper in Petr Cech. When they lose the ball, they are good at pressing right away to win the ball back."

Arena stated the team's immediate goal was to advance out of group play and is obviously ready to get started. "I'm sick of preparation and I can't wait to hear the opening whistle. Now its time to get the job done," he said.

As for what line-up the Americans will face, the consensus seems to be some variation of the following: Goalkeeper - Petr Cech (Chelsea, England); defenders (left to right) - Zdenek Grygera (Ajax, Netherlands), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorientina, Italy), David Rozenhal (Paris Saint-Germain, France) and Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan, Italy); midfielders (left to right) - Pavel Nedved (Juventus, Italy), Tomas Rosicky (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Tomas Galasek (Ajax), Jan Polak (FC Nürnberg, Germany) Karel and Podborsky (Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic); forward Jan Koller (Borussia Dortmind (Germany).

With striker Milan Baros (Aston Villa, England) apparently out with injury, coach Karel Bruckner's preference is expected to be a 4-5-1 formation. Another option would be to insert Jaroslav Plasil (Monaco, France) at left midfield and move Nedved up to a withdrawn forward role. Or, Libor Sionko, a late call-up to replace the injured Vladimir Smicer, could be used as a second striker, pulling someone out of the midfield.

Chris Courtney is SoccerTimes European correspondent and lives in Brussels. He is in Germany covering the World Cup.