Upcoming friendly: USA versus Poland

[giorgiob8]

U.S. likely to receive strong local supportFrank Dell'Apa
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Playing against European national teams in Europe is the toughest test for outsiders. Among non-European nations, only Argentina and Brazil have been able to break through the barrier to succeed in major tournaments on the continent.

And the U.S. is about to take its first steps into this hornet's nest when it meets Poland in Kaiserslautern on Wednesday and Germany in Dortmund March 22. These matches will help acclimate the U.S. players to Germany, and also place the team in the European spotlight.

It is one thing to play against Canada, Norway, Japan and Guatemala in the U.S.; it's quite another going against traditional European powers in their backyard at the height of league seasons.

But, like Argentina and Brazil, most of the key players for the U.S. are performing in Europe and therefore won't be on completely foreign turf. Coach Bruce Arena named 11 Europe-based players to the team and all but goalkeeper Tim Howard and Jonathan Spector have a good chance of being in the starting lineup against the Poles.

The match will be played at Fritz-Walter Stadion, the venue for the U.S.- Italy game on June 17. This could be as close to a home-field feeling for the U.S. as there is outside the country, since Kaiserslautern is home to Ramstein Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation outside of the country. Kaiserslautern, (K-Town to the service members), has a population of 100,000. Ramstein is host to 50,000 Americans, plus the U.S. team, which is training there.

Kaiserslautern is teeming with soccer history. Five members of Germany's 1954 World Cup-winning "Miracle of Berne" team were from Kaiserslautern, including captain Fritz Walter and his brother, Ottmar. Germans regard Kaiserslautern as "Soccer Town." Other cities have converted houses of Bach, Beethoven, Durer, Goethe, Luther and Schiller into museums; Kaiserslautern has transformed Fritz Walter's house into a museum.

So, meeting Poland and Italy in Kaiserslautern would not be like facing the Germans there. Friendly, red-white-and-blue painted faces will be visible, possibly a prospective Thomas Dooley among them.

If the U.S. does draw support for this game, then it would be an ironic reversal of the teams' last meeting, when Soldier Field was turned into a mini Warsaw for a July 11, 2004, match. Then, the U.S. rallied for a 1-1 tie, with Carlos Bocanegra scoring the tying goal in the final seconds.

Poland coach Pavel Janas is still experimenting with his team. Janas has a 30-player roster and will choose the squad for the U.S. game after playing a match against FC Kaiserslautern Tuesday.

Arena's experiment has virtually concluded. Arena might have tried Pat Noonan in a substitute role on the left wing, but Noonan is out with a right hamstring strain sustained in New England's CONCACAF Champions Cup game against LD Alajuelense. Noonan will not return before the April 1 MLS season-opener. But, by now, Arena knows what to expect from every prospective U.S. player.

The lineup Arena uses against Poland will be close to the one which the U.S. will present against the Czech Republic June 12 in Gelsenkirchen, about 150 miles north of Kaiserslautern.

Defending in front of Kasey Keller will be Steve Cherundolo, Oguchi Onyewu, either Bocanegra or Gregg Berhalter, and Eddie Lewis. Pablo Mastroeni supports Landon Donovan in midfield, with DaMarcus Beasley and either Bobby Convey or Clint Dempsey outside. Brian McBride and Josh Wolff are complementary forwards. If Eddie Johnson is healthy, he could displace Wolff. Taylor Twellman remains McBride's backup, despite having scored five times in his last four U.S. games.

Claudio Reyna could return for the March 22 Germany match and John O'Brien has an outside chance of being back for the World Cup. Eddie Pope will likely be a starter in central defense against Germany, and Cory Gibbs, now with ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands, will have a chance as a reserve. Few others have a chance of cracking the starting lineup.

But being healthy and in prime physical condition is Arena's prime consideration for selecting the team.

Two years ago, Chris Klein sustained a left anterior cruciate ligament tear the day before a call-up for a World Cup qualifier. It was the second time Klein would undergo surgery for the injury, and his career seemed in jeopardy.

Until recently, Klein was out of national team consideration, but now appears fully recovered. Earlier this month, Klein was slotted into the right back role and did not seem comfortable, then had a breakout match from midfield in a 4-0 win over Guatemala. Even so, Klein remained behind Noonan, a more technical and versatile performer, on the U.S. depth chart. Then, Noonan went down while making a cross late in the Revolution match in Bermuda Feb. 22. So, Klein is in Kaiserslautern.

When the U.S. arrives in Hamburg in June, the team will be composed not of the few and the proud, but of the healthiest and heartiest.

[Dutchfan]

Should be interesting, AND a tougher match for the U.S., certainly, than the "friendlies" against Norway and Gua-te-"mala" were. Interesting note: Poland is the European team, if not the "worldwide" team (that is, team outside of CONCACAF), that the U.S. team has played the most of any other in its history!! Overall the U.S. is 5-2-7 (W-D-L) against Poland over the years, but 3-1-1 since 1990, the year that the U.S. made its return to the World Cup. Should be an interesting match. I'll be watching it!! (While keeping an eye, as well, on the Italy - Germany match. Avanti Azzurri!!!)

[Ryantherusskie]

Finally a chance to see if this team can really compete. Let's hope the US comes out ready to play in the first half, unlike their inexplicable comatose performance against Poland in WC02. I f**king hope Reyna and O'Brien get healthy in time to make the WC roster!!

[giorgiob8]

Originally Posted by Ryantherusskie

........... f**king hope Reyna and O'Brien get healthy in time to make the WC roster!!

I hope that too. But this is a good chance to see the USA without them also, against a team comparable to The Czech Rep. Even if Reyna and O'Brien are ready for WC they can get carded out, so it's good to have a plan B.

I would imagine that Pablo Mastroeni will do what Reyna does transitioning from defense to midfield and probably Landon will come back more often to help out, although this will take some offensive power off the front line.

What is your prediction guys? I would guess a low score game 1:1 probably.

[sportscribe]

Great to know we have some local support.

[Pape]

Wed Mar 01 11:00AM Pacific
Wed Mar 01 12:00PM Mountain
Wed Mar 01 01:00PM Central
Wed Mar 01 02:00PM Eastern
Length: 2 hr 10 min LIVE
ESPN2 (US)
International Friendly - UEFA/CONCACAF
Poland vs United States
Kaiserslautern, Germany

Grrr... I'll be watching this since my gay satellite is blocking my Croatia vs Argentina channel.

[Ryantherusskie]

Originally Posted by SCGsport

Grrr... I'll be watching this since my gay satellite is blocking my Croatia vs Argentina channel.

Do you get the Brokeback Mountain channel?

Originally Posted by Jerry Seinfeld

Not that there's anything wrong with that!

[Someday]

So who's gonna cry, lie, betch, moan, implode, or hide if the US wins? Raise your hands now. You know it will happen.

*sigh*

[BRISTOLUK]

Originally Posted by giorgiob8

But this is a good chance to see the USA without them also, against a team comparable to The Czech Rep.

I'm curious...how is Poland comparable to Czech Rep ?

[Guld]

Originally Posted by BRISTOLUK

I'm curious...how is Poland comparable to Czech Rep ?

They both have German speaking areas that are quickly captured by angry little men with silly mustaches. hahah.

Yeah, I don't see much of a comparison though.

I see Poland winning 2-1

[giorgiob8]

Originally Posted by BRISTOLUK

I'm curious...how is Poland comparable to Czech Rep ?

They are both European with World Cup tradition: The Czech are one time runner-ups, the Polish a strong 3rd place in 82. They both play north-central european style, such as Germany. They both have a zillion of players in the Bundesliga.

I do believe that Polish football compares better to Czech football than the other 190 or 195 countries that are member of FIFA, like Nepal, Guyana or Lesoto

[Dutchfan]

Originally Posted by giorgiob8

They are both European with World Cup tradition: The Czech are one time runner-ups

Actually, the Czechs finished second twice, in 1934 (losing to the hosts, Italy) and in 1962 (losing to Brasil [without Pelé - he was injured] in Chile [after having tied Brasil in the first round that year, when Pelé was playing!)

Originally Posted by giorgiob8

the Polish a strong 3rd place in 82

Poland also finished in third place in 1974 (beating Brasil in the third-place match, 1 - 0) with what at least some people consider to be their best team ever!!

[BRISTOLUK]

Originally Posted by giorgiob8

They are both European with World Cup tradition: The Czech are one time runner-ups, the Polish a strong 3rd place in 82. They both play north-central european style, such as Germany. They both have a zillion of players in the Bundesliga.

I do believe that Polish football compares better to Czech football than the other 190 or 195 countries that are member of FIFA, like Nepal, Guyana or Lesoto

Well, sure Polish football compares better to Czech football than the style in the other countries...but there's a HUGE difference in the style and standard of their national teams. Just because they're both European doesn't automatically mean they're similar. Brazil is different to most other SA teams. Sweden is unlike Norway. Even within the UK Wales doesn't compare to England.
I think you're generalising too much. Both play in a North-central European style? The Czechs are a skillful and attractive team and play more like Holland. Neither play the same style as Germany, who even at their best were never considered attractive to watch.
Poland has rarely been more than WC qualifiers. The Czechs have been successful in European Championships while Poland hasn't.
Yes they both have players in the Bundesliga...but are the Poles as well represented in the higher quality Serie A?

[giorgiob8]

Thanks from your clarifications Dutchfan. It reinforces my point.

[giorgiob8]

Originally Posted by BRISTOLUK

Well, sure Polish football compares better to Czech football than the style in the other countries...but there's a HUGE difference in the style and standard of their national teams. Just because they're both European doesn't automatically mean they're similar. Brazil is different to most other SA teams. Sweden is unlike Norway. Even within the UK Wales doesn't compare to England.
I think you're generalising too much. Both play in a North-central European style? The Czechs are a skillful and attractive team and play more like Holland. Neither play the same style as Germany, who even at their best were never considered attractive to watch.
Poland has rarely been more than WC qualifiers. The Czechs have been successful in European Championships while Poland hasn't.
Yes they both have players in the Bundesliga...but are the Poles as well represented in the higher quality Serie A?

I don't think Brazil is different to most SA teams, it's just better.
I do believe that Poland and The Czech Rep. and Germany play a similar style, although you might be right about The Czech having more players "pleasant to the eye" right now.
I strongly disagree that Germany at their best was not attractive to watch: 5 out the 10 best WC games in history voted by FIFA members involved the German team. Did you ever watch Beckenbauer, Seeler, Matthaus, Sammer, Muller, Littbarski, Breitner, Rummenigge, Klinsmann, Voeller, Kohler, etc play? the fact that you don't like a style doesn't mean that it isn't attractive. I find myself boring at times what some people consider attractive: like endless short midfield passes with no shot on goal. I find extremelly attractive a long well measured pass, with an outstanding reception and a goal in the blink of an eye, like Germans, Poles or Czech traditionally have done for years.

I don't think that Serie A is as strong as it used to be. I see empty stadiums all the time, and a lot of low quality games when the top 5 or 6 are not involved. I believe that the EPL and la Liga are stronger, with Serie A and Bundesliga neck to neck behind. IMMO, you are entitled to a different view.