"I'm watching on TV. If this is the Polish C team, we are not the 7th best side in the world I tell you that! McBride screwed the pooch on a PK and other than Landon and Beasley, no one seems to have much offensive energy. Though Wolff seems to have missed out on a PK in the first minute of the second half through a blown call by the ref.
posted by billsaysthis at 7:06 PM CST on July 11"
That is a hilarious comment I found on a different soccer forum with regards to a the USA-Poland friendly played on 7-11-04 at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. The match ended in a 1-1 tie and the line ups for the respective teams were:
http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullsto...?iNewsid=80671
USA
13-Tim Howard; 6-Steve Cherundolo (3-Chris Albright, 46), 23-Eddie Pope, 4-Carlos Bocanegra, 15-Bobby Convey; 25-Pablo Mastroeni (9-Clint Mathis, 76), 5-Kerry Zavagnin (17-Eddie Gaven, 82), 10-Landon Donovan, 7-DaMarcus Beasley; 20-Brian McBride (capt.) (11-Brian Ching, 65), 16-Josh Wolff (8-Brian Mullan, 72)
Subs not used: 1-Zach Thornton, 12-Cory Gibbs, 14-Chris Armas
POL
1-Artur Boruc; 2-Mariusz Mowlik, 4-Dariusz Dudka (14-Michal Stasiak, 73), 5-Pawel Kaczorowski, 17-Jaroslaw Bieniuk (3-Rafal Lasocki, 64), 6-Tomasz Jarzebowski, 16-Patryk Rachwal (13-Maciej Scherfchen, 79), 18-Marcin Burkhardt, 10-Sebastian Mila (11-Michal Golinski, 62); 9-Piotr Wlodarczyk (7-Wahan Gevorgyan 89), 8-Ireneusz Jelen.
Subs not used: 12-Waldemar Piatek, 15-Lukasz Madej
Here are the bare facts of the encounter:
1) I do not follow the US national team as intensely as Poland's but I know
for a fact that the above US lineup for the 2004 match contains many of
the players that are on the current roster:
Correct me if I am wrong but the following players are stil playing for the US national "A" team:
Carlos Bocanegra, Landon Donovan, DaMarcus Beasley, Brian McBride, Brian Ching, Josh Wolff, Clint Mathis
Conclusion: The US on 7-11-04 fielded at least 7 of its "A" team players and therefore some of its best talent.
2) Now turning to the Polish national team fielded called up for this match. With the exception of
Artur Boruc and Sebastian Mila the remaining players on the pitch on 7-11-04 for Poland are considered the "C' and at best "B" team for the Poalnd national team. Since that game, players such as: Mariusz Mowlik, Pawel Kaczorowski, or Patryk Rachwal have- to put it simply- disappeared off the face of the earth. No one knows where they play because they will never again be called up unless our A and B teams are erased for good. The reamining players do occassionally get called up for some friendlies against mediocre opponents to see the strength of our "B" squad.
Conclusion: Poland fielded its C/B team against USA on 7-11-04 because only 2 of the 11 starting players on that day were and currently are included on Poland's "A" national team.
3) Even though the US played 7 of some of its best players against 2 of Poland's better players and 9 remaining average players, the US only managed a 1-1 tie despite playing on American soil. I was at the game and although 70-80% of the crowd were Polish supporters, it does not overshadow the important point that it was a home game for the US, which also had the better players on paper.
4) Obviously the US has not been exposed to European teams enough but playing agaisnt teams such as Scotland, Poland, Norway in friendlies is the only remaining means of exposure save the World Cup. And the US has not proven to be a worthy opponent agaisnt the above european teams that it ahs faced in recent friendlies.
5) No one is bashing the US but rather trying to prove with recent results and data why playing the likes of Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica... is a poor indication of the team's talent and capabilities. WC 2002 was a hude success for the US but I cannot see this happening again. Grouped with Italy, and the Czech Republic, the US will have a very hard time in advancing past the first round not because of their lack of talent but rather the great talent that they will be facing. If you cannot beat a B or C team with you A team or beat Scotland, which didn't even qualify for the WC, what makes you think that you will beat arguably 2 of Europe's best teams on a World Cup venue?
6) As has been said before, the FIFa world ranking is utterly useless and I don't know why you continue to bring up the fact that the US is ranked 8th in the world when in reality it shoudl be ranked much lower because of the type of teams that they play often from CONCACAF. The fact that Geramny, Italy, Japan are ranked lower that the US is proof that FIFA is retarded to say the least. Again to bring up Poland to prove my point. Our WCQ group included England, Wales, Austria, Norther Ireland, and Azerbaijan and yet we lost only 2 games (both to England even though we were the only team of our group to score at old Trafford) and managed a final record of 8 wins 0 draws and 2 losses. Do you honestly think that the US would advance out of this group if it were put in it in place of Poland? They sure as hell wouldn't win out the group, and I doubt that they would be able to beat Wales or maybe even Austria both away.
7) US has a few key friendlies coming up against Norway and also poland again in March and it will be interesting to see the outcome f this last match since I know for a fact that Poland will be bringing its "A" team for the game and I can't imagine the US not doing the same. The really sad and funny thign is that we are you preparation for a team like the Czech Republic which is much better than us on their worst day. Yes I love Poland but I am also a realist (unlike you) and I realize that there are better teams out there than the one that I am supporting. But it's all fina and dandy because the higher you build up your epectation and confidence meter, the harder and higher you will fall when reality finally catches up to you this summer.