It's time to stop playing Freddy out of position

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by soccersonoma10, Mar 28, 2012.

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  1. soccersonoma10

    Apr 26, 2007
    He doesn't belong on the right wing for any US national team. I think it is only fair that he gets some type of look in a role behind our strikers for the senior team, or out wide left, where shea has been less than convincing despite playing nearly every minute under klinsmann. what do you guys think?
     
  2. John McGuirk

    John McGuirk Member+

    Jun 12, 2011
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i think klinsmann will call him up from now on. whether or not he plays is the question.
     
  3. EXALIFTIN

    EXALIFTIN Member+

    Nov 23, 2010
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As a super sub against Concacaf competition? Definitely. Against tougher south American or European competition? No, not to say that someday he couldn't play against tougher opponents, just not now.
     
  4. ant0n

    ant0n Member+

    Jun 12, 2007
    San Jose, Ca
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And Brek Shea can? Let's be serious.
     
  5. soccersonoma10

    Apr 26, 2007
    exactly. in my eyes, adu is flat out better than shea. but, for reasons unbeknownst to me, klinsmann prefers shea. adu certainly has better control, and is a better passer of the ball
     
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  6. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Klinsmann prefers Shea because he's a better player than Adu, especially at left wing.
     
  7. Otergod

    Otergod Member+

    Sep 20, 2007
    indianapolis
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Adu is an unbelievably talented player and more technical then Shea IMO, but he still drives me crazy when he's on the pitch. He understands that he can make the difference and play brilliant passes. It seems to me that he makes things more difficult then they need to be. He had at least 2 chances inside the box against El Salvador that he could have put a 1-time shot on frame with his right, but opted to bring it back to his left. Even if the keeper saves it, you force a solid save or a deflection that could lead to a follow-up goal.

    Sometimes he takes too long on the ball and opts to try a difficult pass rather then a simple one.

    But i'm not saying this to be down on the guy. He was the reason the US did as well as they did in the Quals. Shea is terribly inconsistent during the game, but still a difference maker (like adu). I think both players are more then capable of playing with the Seniors, but their time on the pitch can be maddening.

    Personally if i were Porter i would have put Shea on the right and Adu on the left. Adu is more likely to place a cross or splitting pass and Shea is far more likely to cut inside towards the middle of the field.
     
  8. ImaPuppy

    ImaPuppy Member+

    Aug 10, 2009
    Using too many parentheses
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    Why is there always this elephant in the room?

    Adu. Is. Too. Slow.

    for the international level against good competition. Klinsmann chooses Shea for his upside, his potential, not what he currently is. I'm not saying Adu is a finished project, but let's be real here, his potential is severely limited by his athletic ability.

    Additionally, if you guys want him to get a look behind the strikers, he needs to prove he is better than who we can currently put out there, which he's not.

    It's really quite simple.
     
  9. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Adu is faster then Clint Dempsey who has done well enough for himself playing wide positions at Fulham and Internationally. It really depends on what Klinsmann is looking for tactically.

    Adu wasn't settled in at club level when Klinsmann arrived. Adu has already well at senior level outside of Concacaf.

    He just needs to bed in and perform at club level.
     
  10. Konut

    Konut Member+

    May 31, 2010
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I disagree with this. I'm not saying Dempsey is fast by any means, but he's tall, and tall people usually look slower than they actually are. He's able to run with people in the EPL who are considered at least relatively fast. He's also a lot stronger than Freddy, which helps a lot when running side by side with a defender in a fight for a ball.
     
  11. Skevin

    Skevin Member+

    Aug 9, 2009
    Colorado
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    Adu is a liability on defense. He need tracks back and always tries some silly play at least once per match. He isn't a CM because he doesn't have the work rate that a normal CM would have. Adu's best spot is under the striker but that's dempsey's spot so I don't see Adu starting for the national team unless he changes his game or plays LW. He is a good player especially against weaker opponents but I'd be scared to have Adu is the starting XI against a good team.
     
  12. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Adu plays cm in Philly's 442 and they had the top defense last season. Nothing wrong with defending and work rate.
     
  13. DoctorD

    DoctorD Member+

    Sep 29, 2002
    MidAtlantic
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    He came in halfway through the season. I wouldn't miss him if he were gone. He is too slow and not strong enough.

    Of course, I'd love to be proved wrong this year. But when the guy is off wasting his time with the U-23s instead of establishing his position with his club, then I have no evidence that he has improved.
     
  14. SoccerScottWV

    SoccerScottWV Member

    Jan 6, 2007
    Charleston,WV,USA
    I like Shea. I think he has a lot of potential. But he is not a better player than Adu. He is taller and faster certainly. That just makes him a (probably) better athlete. Adu's touch, vision, and passing are WAY ahead of Shea's.

    You can't exactly teach height/speed though so Shea probably has the advantage in the long run.
     
  15. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    I agree. Other than a short spell in the Turkish 2nd division, he hasn't really gotten consistent playing time for a club since the very beginning of his spell at Benfica 5 years ago. Adu has to get it done at Philadelphia this season.

    That being said, chances are that he leaves Philadelphia for 3-4 more weeks in May and June with the US.
     
  16. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    Oddly enough I don't think defense is Adu's main failing. Over the last couple years he has worked very hard at being more of a two way player and tracking back. It will never be his forte, but for a guy who is primarily an attacker, he works at it decently. And if he were the offensive juggernaut that some seem to describe, his defense would be well within the acceptable range.

    I see his failings more being that he makes poor decisions on the ball as far as when to make the pass and when to take a player on and despite all the hoopla over his ball skills, he fails to beat his man on the dribble far too often, especially when he plays against adults. His highlights are still impressive, but more often he slows or stops the attack than makes the big play. I haven't seen him play yet for Phili this year so maybe he's improving there.

    Hopefully, he puts it together and improves his decision making, but until he does, he's not going to be a major player for the full team.

    Just a quick random Shea comment - No, you can't teach height, but height is pretty close to useless for a winger anyway.
     
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  17. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    You know why people knock his defending? Because he loses possession often then doesnt bust his butt to get it back always. He is getting better.

    As I said before, when Adu learns to use 95% of his energy on 90% chance effectiveness of plays and 5% of his energy on 10% risk plays, he will be great. His ability to manufacture creativity is a strength only in moderation.

    In my eyes, the USMNT U23's was a clear loser from top to bottom, except Freddy Adu. He came out a winner in my eyes. By a wide margin the most creative US player to hit the field. Both Bob Bradley and Peter Nowak valued that creativity and placed it (on average) in places it could do more good than harm. I see Porter's motivation for hanging him on the right for the cut back shot, it keeps his turnovers relatively harmless as it is on the wing, but put two dmids behind him and Jozy and Dempsey and Donovan in the area and things will heat up right quick.
     
  18. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Adu's main problem has been gypsy club career. At international level he has produced.

    He got consistent time with Aris.
     
  19. LiverAndPineapple

    May 7, 2008
    No, not even then. Who is saying Adu should start? Absolutely not. The argument should really center around what position he'll play when he comes off the bench. Playing him in his correct position doesn't make him starting material. I don't believe Adu will ever be a mainstay in the starting lineup for the national team. He would be useful, however, as a sub for late in games when the US needs to keep possession.
     
  20. nobody

    nobody Member+

    Jun 20, 2000
    For an attacking midfielder I see this problem more in terms of he needs to learn not to lose the ball so often instead of getting better at busting his butt to get it back when he does.
     
  21. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    He was pretty effective against Panama and Mexico in the Gold Cup. Maybe he is too slow and future matches will reveal this. But his two most recent matches with the senior team in a serious competion (not friendlies) suggests otherwise.
     
  22. El Michael

    El Michael Member

    Dec 17, 2009
    Club:
    DC United
    JK has always been clear that he likes big athletic players that are fit and have speed. Shea fits this molde more than Adu
     
  23. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Both games under Bradley of course. Not Klinsmann. Does Freddy have any caps under Klinsmann?

    Yes...........Freddy has shortcomings. A good coach should be able to put a player like Freddy in a position to maximize his positive attributes.

    I don't think Freddy's a forward or a winger in Klinsmann's formation. So he'd be playing in the center of midfield for me............which happens to be the most stacked position for the US.
     
  24. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    I would be surprised if JK didn't call Freddy up for the May/June matches. Here is what he had to say after the ES match:

    "I was extremely pleased tonight to see Freddy Adu be all over the place, being a fighter, being an inspirer on the field, very creative. And it seems he’s maturing and we always thought he should be already be at whatever level he should be, but he’s 22 years old so give him the time to show his game, and tonight he showed a wonderful game. He will only improve. he will only get better. "
     
  25. morange92

    morange92 Member+

    Jan 30, 2012
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    well its kid of hard, as the spot freddy would take over is the one currently held by dempsey, who's done a fantastic job there thus far
     

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