ok..so yall come back to earth now..

[Sir X]

Better question did we deserve to beat them ? and if not why ?

Stop pretty it up!

[Jangle]

I hate it when me and Xcuse are on the same side of an argument.

[Brush]

The problem here is that everyone felt teams would be running up the score on Antigua and their two performances thus far have proven the so-call experts wrong. If jamaica had beaten Antigua 3-1 in Jamaica folks would be running around here hollering and crying but that was a decent result for the powerful USA.

[Pbanta]

...on paper our players should be far superior. Our players (most of our players...) seem to be coming out of superior leagues! ...but by today's performance you would not think so!!!

You are right Karl. As we've shared before a development plan for junior and senior players with a good tactical approach in those developmental years (and it take the right people to make it happen) is the answer. It's not just about developing technical abilities of players. There are two other parts of football (and very encompassing) as well. They are football fitness (age appropriate) and tactics in attack and defending opposing teams (and again age appropriate). It's about coaches being able to teach tactics and using the natural gifts (that are being developed) through the game. PB

[Karl]

All I am hoping for is that the people with the power to make the changes some are asking for is not as "jumpy" as some of you ites.

What changes, outside of playing good football...some would say playing football...have been asked of the 'authorities'?

[Pbanta]

I hope not!
..when all is said - if it is even 'stumble through' I want my Reggae Boyz to go through!!!

We all should want this for the Boyz and there coaches and it is often about really not playing well for most all sides in these first few rounds (Remember these are not club and never have the time to prepare correctly). Allot of time, energy and money has been put on the line, and leaders want a bang for their bucks and their egos to keep their roles or jobs in football, so players get a bit nervous and edgy in really playing their best. So many factors. No one wants to fail.

[myYout]

Easy nuh, WC qualifier mi wi tek di point away ebry time, suh yuh can gwaan talk. Once wi hold serve at home wi good.

[Assasin]

you need some Calibration, because you know that when you and X on the same side you MUST be at least partially wrong. LOL.

[Jangle]

lol

[Karl]

The facts: Reggae Boyz profs v Antigua and Barbuda profs

They are definitely better than that given that quite a few of their players are professionals in England and even Byers is a man who gave defenses lots of probelms in the A-league. With that said, yes we should still beat them.

Please let us take a look at the facts?

Starting XI -
Antigua and Barbuda -

*7 players are from the US Pro League's Antigua Barracuda FC.

Match card:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/prelimi...883/index.html

Antigua Barracuda FC [Position in USL Pro league http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/standings/ ]

GEORGE DUBLIN
KARANJA MACK
LAWSON ROBINSON
MOLVIN JAMES
PETER BEYERS
QUINTON GRIFFITH
RANDOLPH BURTON

+

Others -

Marvin McKoy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_McCoy
Marc Joseph - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Joseph
Mikele Leigertwood - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikele_Leigertwood
Keiran Murtagh - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiran_Murtagh

Subs:
Josh Parker - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Parker
Stefan Smith - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Smith

Starting XI -
OUR REGGAE BOYZ

DWAYNE MILLER - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Miller
NYRON NOSWORTHY - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyron_Nosworthy
Jason Morrison - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Morrison_(footballer)
Ryan Johnson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Johnson_(soccer)
Dane Richards - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dane_Richards
Demar Phillips - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demar_Phillips
Lovel Palmer - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovel_Palmer
JeVaughn Watson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevaughn_Watson
Rodolph Austin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolph_Austin
Adrian Mariappa - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Mariappa
Luton Shelton - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luton_Shelton

Subs:
Errol Stevens - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errol_Stevens
Ricardo Fuller - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Fuller
Tremaine Stewart - Aalesunds FK, Norway's Premier League

Again: No amount of 'rationalizing' washes away that that Antigua and Barbuda team is 2nd form!!!

Look - Our team did move the ball as fast as we should have. ...and the players did not move their arses as fast as they should on support (both on attack and on defense). Our passing was awful...thus there was a lot of giving away of possession.

Specifically on attack our movement and our passing in the attacking 3rd was pathetic and thus clear cut chances were few.

We need such movement and passing within that final 3rd such that a shooter's/our shooters first touch is more often than not "the shot'.

Why we need that?
The stats show that most goals are scored that way...and many would say that the reason has to do with the opponents defense (inclusive of the GK) does not have the time to adjust for the shot.

Additionally most goals are scored from within the penalty-area. The movement and passing (swift movement and passing) allows for ease of entry into the opponent's penalty -area.

As Stonigut would say - the stats, please(?)!

Finally: My suggestion is were view our games as comparing TEAM against TOP WORLD Competition. We should not be comparing ourselves to '2nd form' TEAMs. It is about ambition (what we wish for our TEAM...and selves ...)...World Cup Finals attendance but not merely to attend...but to create waves once we get there.

Japan which we defeated in '98 has shown us the way forward. *Pleeeeeeeeeease...no nonsense about the size of Japan and the money difference? We have 'brains' and 'physical ability'...we must maximize on same!!!!

*If it were not so then, for example, our Track and Field performances would never have been...after all many are the countries with greater size and more access to wealth than our likle talawah JA!!!

FORWARD!

[Assasin]

make them stay deh and gwaan talk. Some a dem nuh understand the ball thing.

[Brush]

Please let us take a look at the facts?

Starting XI -
Antigua and Barbuda -

*7 players are from the US Pro League's Antigua Barracuda FC.

Match card:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/prelimi...883/index.html

Antigua Barracuda FC [Position in USL Pro league http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/standings/ ]

GEORGE DUBLIN
KARANJA MACK
LAWSON ROBINSON
MOLVIN JAMES
PETER BEYERS
QUINTON GRIFFITH
RANDOLPH BURTON

+

Others -

Marvin McKoy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_McCoy
Marc Joseph - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Joseph
Mikele Leigertwood - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikele_Leigertwood
Keiran Murtagh - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiran_Murtagh

Subs:
Josh Parker - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Parker
Stefan Smith - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Smith

Starting XI -
OUR REGGAE BOYZ

DWAYNE MILLER - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Miller
NYRON NOSWORTHY - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyron_Nosworthy
Jason Morrison - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Morrison_(footballer)
Ryan Johnson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Johnson_(soccer)
Dane Richards - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dane_Richards
Demar Phillips - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demar_Phillips
Lovel Palmer - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovel_Palmer
JeVaughn Watson - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevaughn_Watson
Rodolph Austin - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolph_Austin
Adrian Mariappa - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Mariappa
Luton Shelton - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luton_Shelton

Subs:
Errol Stevens - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Errol_Stevens
Ricardo Fuller - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Fuller
Tremaine Stewart - Aalesunds FK, Norway's Premier League

Again: No amount of 'rationalizing' washes away that that Antigua and Barbuda team is 2nd form!!!

Look - Our team did move the ball as fast as we should have. ...and the players did not move their arses as fast as they should on support (both on attack and on defense). Our passing was awful...thus there was a lot of giving away of possession.

Specifically on attack our movement and our passing in the attacking 3rd was pathetic and thus clear cut chances were few.

We need such movement and passing within that final 3rd such that a shooter's/our shooters first touch is more often than not "the shot'.

Why we need that?
The stats show that most goals are scored that way...and many would say that the reason has to do with the opponents defense (inclusive of the GK) does not have the time to adjust for the shot.

Additionally most goals are scored from within the penalty-area. The movement and passing (swift movement and passing) allows for ease of entry into the opponent's penalty -area.

As Stonigut would say - the stats, please(?)!

Finally: My suggestion is were view our games as comparing TEAM against TOP WORLD Competition. We should not be comparing ourselves to '2nd form' TEAMs. It is about ambition (what we wish for our TEAM...and selves ...)...World Cup Finals attendance but not merely to attend...but to create waves once we get there.

Japan which we defeated in '98 has shown us the way forward. *Pleeeeeeeeeease...no nonsense about the size of Japan and the money difference? We have 'brains' and 'physical ability'...we must maximize on same!!!!

*If it were not so then, for example, our Track and Field performances would never have been...after all many are the countries with greater size and more access to wealth than our likle talawah JA!!!

FORWARD!

So what does where a player plays have to do with their ability to play the game? I know you are familiar with the the old saying, "Judge not a book by its cover". The last two games that Antigua played is just testament to the fact that they are no one's beating stick, even for their bigger brothers to their west.

[Karl]

As we've shared before a development plan for junior and senior players with a good tactical approach in those developmental years (and it take the right people to make it happen) is the answer. It's not just about developing technical abilities of players. There are two other parts of football (and very encompassing) as well. They are football fitness (age appropriate) and tactics in attack and defending opposing teams (and again age appropriate). It's about coaches being able to teach tactics and using the natural gifts (that are being developed) through the game. PB

Amen!

[Jamaica2099]

No amount of 'rationalizing' makes this Antiguan team better than a 2nd form outfit!

And yet it's quite rational that Antigua's game plan worked for them.

[Jamaica2099]

make them stay deh and gwaan talk. Some a dem nuh understand the ball thing.

So it guh! People just need to work out the permutations and then ask themselves how many matches from the four left that the teams in the group can win or lose. And which teams in the group have a realistic chance of collecting the wins to advance to the HEXAGON?