Czechs may drop Baroš
Friday, June 18, 2004
Article summary
The Czech Republic are set to revert to a lone striker against the Netherlands on Saturday, with Milan Baroš possibly making way.
Article body
Liverpool exchange
Coach Karel Brückner is likely to adopt a more cautious approach than the one used in the opening Group D win against Latvia. It means that Jan Koller will play as a solitary forward with Vladimír Šmicer coming in to replace his Liverpool FC team-mate Milan Baroš, who will probably be dropped despite his goalscoring, man-of-the-match performance on Tuesday.
Good record
The move will raise a few eyebrows. Koller disappointed against the Latvians and has not scored in seven internationals, a run dating back to a last-minute goal against Austria last October. But the BV Borussia Dortmund target man remains an automatic choice for Brückner, and this decision will be made easier by Koller's record of three goals in four games against the Dutch.
Trump card
Nevertheless, the Netherlands will be aware that in-form Baroš is sat on the sidelines, waiting to emerge as a second-half substitute when Dutch legs may be tiring in the Portuguese heat. The 22-year-old will want to repeat the feat of last September when his last-gasp goal sealed a 3-1 qualifying victory in Prague which effectively rubber-stamped his team's passage to UEFA EURO 2004™.
Bolf out
However, the Czechs go into the match without defender René Bolf as AJ Auxerre's new acquisition has a fever. He should be replaced by the inexperienced David Rozehnal of Club Brugge KV. There are no other injury worries after full-back Zdenek Grygera recovered from a problem with his salivary glands.
Different games
Although the sides know each other well, and Brückner believes it will be almost impossible to surprise the opposition, he also thinks the game is difficult to predict. "It is very hard to forecast the outcome because every match is different," said the coach. But whatever happens, goalkeeper Petr Cech said the Czechs will not settle for the draw. "It's not our style, we always play to win," the Chelsea FC player said. "We'll do it on Saturday too, especially as victory will guarantee us a quarter-final berth."