Okay! That's why we lost!

[Mosiah]

Boyz stunned by Grenada's Spice Boys in friendly
Grenada surprise Ja 2-1 in World Cup warm-upSEAN A WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor
Wednesday, June 11, 2008

JFF president Captain Horace Burrell, head of delegation and JFF vice-president Bruce Gaynor (left), JFF general secretary Horace Reid (2nd right) and Grenada FA general secretary, Victor Daniel, in discussion on whether or not to have a Grenadian referee officiate in yesterday's friendly international in St George's. The game went ahead with Grenada's George Phillip in the middle. The home team won, 2-1. (Photo: Sean Williams)
ST GEORGE'S, Grenada - Jamaica's Reggae Boyz suffered a humiliating 1-2 defeat against the Spice Boys of Grenada in a friendly international at the Grenada National Stadium here yesterday, the result of a very unconvincing rendition from the visitors.
Jamaica took an auspicious-looking 20th-minute lead courtesy of Stoke City's Ricardo Fuller, but that effort was erased by Sharlie Joseph's equalising goal for the home team in the 68th minute, while Blackburn Rovers' Jason Roberts found the winner in the 76th minute.
It is not the kind of performance and result Jamaica (ranked No 98 by FIFA) would want to carry into next week's CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tie against the Bahamas in Jamaica.
On the other hand, the result will certainly be a tonic for Grenada as they host CONCACAF powerhouse Costa Rica here on Saturday.
The start to the game was delayed for 20 minutes as the Jamaicans officially objected to having a Grenadian referee officiate the game, but after discussion with officials from both federations, it was agreed that the game would go on with the local official.
Jamaica totally dominated the first half with their slick passing, and only occasional were the Grenadians (ranked No 143 by FIFA) able to truly test the visitors' defence so well marshalled by the veteran Ian Goodison, Jermaine Taylor and Simon Ford.
But the second half was another story. The Boyz's defence appeared to have surrendered to the marauding Grenadians, who were more motivated by the ultimate desire to beat their more celebrated rivals. And it is a victory the home fans would have celebrated way into last night.
When the going was good for Jamaica, it was Rudolph Austin who was the first to test Desmond Noel in the Grenada goal, and he did so with a curling 25-yard free-kick that the goalkeeper scrambled to gather.
The Boyz's sustained attacking pressure became a little too much for the Spice Boyz to handle, and their defence, lead by Portmore United's Anthony Modeste, cracked when Fuller rose majestically to steer a fierce header home from an Evon Taylor corner in the 20th minute.
And similar to the scene when a cat toys with its prey before killing and devouring, that's the pomp with which the Reggae Boyz went about dominating their opponents.
In the 40th minute, that dominance almost paid dividends when Marlon King broke free from his markers, but the Wigan Athletic striker amazingly dragged his 14-yard angled shot wide.
The Spice Boyz returned in the second half a more spirited team and found their way into the Jamaica goal area on numerous occasions, but the under-fire Jamaican defence line withstood the onslaught.
On one occasion in the 49th minute, it took a desperate lunge from a defender's foot to prevent Roberts from pulling the trigger inside the box.
At the other end in the 58th minute, 1998 World Cup hero, Deon Burton, was a shadow of himself when he offered a weak shot from the edge of the area.
And only seconds later, Burton's header from close range after Grenadian goalie Noel punched the ball into his path off a powerfully struck free-kick from Rudolph Austin, lacked conviction.
The Spice Boyz's attacking bravo yielded a handsome return when they equalised from 19 yards when Joseph bent his free-kick around the Jamaican wall and into the far left hand corner of Donovan Ricketts' goal in the 68th minute.
Roberts got the go-ahead goal in the 76th minute when Jamaica's under-siege defenders failed to clear a bubbling ball out of their area, giving the England-based striker an easy tap home.
Teams: Jamaica squad - Donovan Ricketts, Ian Goodison, Jermaine Taylor, Simon Ford, Tyrone Marshall, Ricardo Gardner, Rudolph Austin, Demar Phillips, Jermaine Johnson, Omar Daley, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Evon Taylor, Ricardo Fuller, Deon Burton, Marlon King Luton Shelton, Shawn Sawyers, Obrian Woodbine, Keniel Moodie, Adrian Reid, Richard Langley, Oneil Thompson.
Booked: None
Grenada squad - Sharlie Joseph, Jason Roberts, Jason James, Rickey Charles, Patrick Modeste, Shane Rennie, Anthony Modeste, March Marshall, Desmond Noel, Jake Rennie, Doset Langaign, Byron Bubb, Ken Searles, Eric George, Dwaine Leo, Henson Cuffie, Franklyn Baptiste, Lyndon Antoine.
Booked: None
Referee: George Phillip (Grenada)
Assistants: Fimber Charles, Ernest Richardson (Grenada)
Fourth Official: Valmon Bedeau (Grenada)

[Peter R]

"The Boyz's defence appeared to have surrendered to the marauding Grenadians, who were more motivated by the ultimate desire to beat their more celebrated rivals. And it is a victory the home fans would have celebrated way into last night."

Simoes said this somewhere...that our biggest challenge was motivation. If we can't find it we salt. the report suggests that we ran circles around them in the first half but fell flat in the second. What does that say about our mental preparedness?

pr

[Mosiah]

Seems to me like Maestro would fit right in, since we don't seem to be a second half team.

[Me]

Certainly a bad loss, but not such a big surprise to me.

I remember watching the WCQs when the US played thgem and I thought then if they had a couple more decent players, they would have done a lot better. Even with that limited team, Modeste kept out anything that came his way and Jason Roberts gave their defenders tons of problems. Shalrie Joseph is also a lot better now, than he was then.

Simoes claim that the 5-3-2 is what him want to work with, but it looks like our defense clearly needs that shield in front of it with two hard tacklers in the middle.

[Me]

Seems to me like Maestro would fit right in, since we don't seem to be a second half team.

I still can't figure out why he is not in the squad given the formation we are playing. IF Andy Williams is out, what happen at that point in time.

[Rockman]

More likely a team of one half, with Luton being the needed injection in either.
At this rate, very soon we are going to trust Whitmore's judgment over Simoes'.
Think we would lose to Grenada with Whitmore at the helm?
We have the quality to do better and we are not.
Simoes has much to do and real fast too.


Blessed

[Mosiah]

I guess Balla was right all along - Maestro will never be a Reggae Boy, just a good club balla.

I have learnt to accept that. And I might not even need a 12 step program!

[Hortical]

I've seen him play a few times in person, and he does have class.

[Mosiah]

Yuh ever hear Simoes admire "class"? What we want are 18-18 type midfielders (cover from penalty area to penalty area), two-way players (defend and attack) and players who don't miss training.

[OJ]

how many 18-18 midfielders do you know.. Vierra and who?

[Mosiah]

Essien, the Ghanaian one, not Evon Taylor.

[Assasin]

Bwoy that is a tough lost to take but hopefully a just that them head never totally in the game. A wonder if a too much games in a short while fi them plus flight?

Well Mr. Simoes here you have it. I am glad there is no sugar coating and talking bout them play good but(as regular seen from Jamaican coaches).
I don't know what going to happen to our defense. Every combination we use so far fail. These ones are the least expensive one so far but still not good enough.

Roberts was always going to give problem but I though we should have been up to the task. I can only hope the players and all aspiring ones, the coaches and the admin take sleep and mark death cause this is unacceptable from them. Yes we have lost many over the past few years and badly but now is the time to step up.

We need the English games and camp them badly. hopefully we can put things togather as Simoes will have sleepless nights. Good luck to Grenada on Saturday.