It's time to stop playing Freddy out of position

Here is an interesting thread in the Union forum on who the 3 best players are for the team as seen by Philly Union's Big Soccer posters.

https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1924968

 

I saw the game and Freddy was great. The broadcast crew was stunned when he was subbed off at the 60+ min mark. He must have delivered 6 to 8 incisive passes which should have led to scoring chances.

 

He hasn't played much, with the injury last year and the Olympic qualifying this year.

Pretty normal for them to withhold judgment until they can come to a reasonable conclusion...

 

Do fans in other countries disproportionately hate on their most "hyped" players in an attempt to make themselves look more knowledgeable? It used to happen all the time with "Landycakes" here, and now there's talk of how "terribly" Adu played in the last game, despite setting the Union's best chances.

 

It was trendy to hate Messi in Argentina, but I think they're getting over that now.

To be fair, people come around on Adu really quick when he puts in a good Nats game.

 

Claudio Reyna, Brian McBride, (yes) Landon, Clintinho...we've spewed our share of venom towards each of them, each of them clearly sucking in their own way, with you being blind or an idiot or both if you disagreed, because the truth was simply so utterly obvious.

Fulham fans told us that, contrary to our "common knowledge", they rated Brian over Carlos, and eventually we came around and saw Brian's quality. After Landon's Everton stints, it became next to impossible to deny his quality. Clint has upped his game. He just looks so athletic, fluid, and in the zone these days; he's simply a stud.

And none of those guys had the "American Pele/U.S. Soccer Savior" tag applied to them to quite the same degree (if at all). Unless Freddy does like them and ups his game to a level where his consistent quality is simply undeniable, he'll continue to have detractors. Even then, we expect dominance every game (or close to it), and will rag on him when he's not living up to our unreal expectations, e.g., "he has a tendency to disappear at times".

Fwiw, Benefica fans, noting the split in their own fan base when he was shipped to Monaco, sometimes said this is how it is w/ all special talents, inspiring both rabid support and critical doubt. In other words, whether Freddy ultimately proves one side right or not, it does seem like this is simply what fans do.

 

It's still trendy to hate on him (in Brazil, when your name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento. )

Regarding Freddy, do people actually come around? Or do supporters simply speak up more while critics disappear and bide their time, waiting until their next chance?

 

Hopefully 2012 is his breakthrough in shutting people up at the club level, because there have been a lot of false dawns since the early success at Benfica. In 2007. 5 years ago.

The difference with all the other top American players that have been hated for being "great" is that none have been in the club wilderness as long as Adu. Hopefully he puts together a season that can silence this type of criticism.

Edit - now, the good news is that Adu still only turns 23 in June. At this point in Donovan's career, for example, he was about to flame out spectacularly at Leverkusen. But he bounced back immediately in MLS.

 

All good points.

 

Adu has demonstrated incredible vision in being able to make killer passes. The main problem is in the 'small details' of the game. Facing up and trying to take on 2 defenders from a stationary position, twice; getting stripped of the ball from behind multiple times; losing concentration while defending deep putting his team in a tough position. The small details that keep an attacking movement alive, that prevent the opposition making a quick counterattack.

Michael Bradley(at least in the Italy game) and Clint Dempsey exemplify the elite team level mastery of the finer elements. Hopefully with consistent playing time Adu can at least iron out the faults.

He looked better at Aris but hopefully that's more rust than Aris's better players and more flowing style.

 

That's the sort of thing I was referring to. Adu could use some of Claudio Reyna's canniness if he's going to be a player that the USMNT or any high-level team is going to use him as the player that the team plays through. (As opposed to an off-the-bench spark kind of player when the game has gotten predictable and is in need of some creativity and flair instead of stretch-the-defense speed or killer finishing or whatnot. Which for the USMNT is what I think he is useful as right now.)

 

From what I have seen the last few months for the U23 and Philly is that Adu can play the left, the middle and the right side pretty well.

I think his role on the National team should be the Super Sub role. When he came into the game against Panama in the Semis of the Gold Cup it was like magic. He brought a certain spark and energy to the game that helped us win.

He can be Like a poor man's Denilson and have a good US career that way.

 

I will say it again. Freddy needs to get away from Nowak, again. Hopefully it's Nowak that leaves. If Freddy loses concentration one second he gets pulled. While other teammates who have been losing concentration the whole game stay in. Who was the best player to have on the field to close out the game on Saturday? It was Freddy. And again he gets pulled. Same thing happened with the U23 ( although that's a different issue).

 

Yes. For example, I remember being at a bar in Spain listening to people skewer Xavi. This was well before Spain's 2008 victory. He was too slow, too small, and too simple to be on the Spanish team. Fairly or not, a team's star(s) often carry the weight of a team's failure.

I am in no way equating Xavi and Freddy, nor do I think Freddy is or should be a regular (let alone a star) on the US Team until and unless he proves his worth through consistent club performance.

 

That's pretty much the long and the short of it.

 

"Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey exemplify the elite team level mastery of the finer elements." lol...When and if they ever go to anything approaching an elite team, we'll see about that...

Dempsey never gets stripped of the ball? Bradley didn't just a couple games ago head the ball to the opposing team's striker, leaving him one on one with the goalie, to throw away his team's three points?

I don't know why I'm hearing diametrically opposite things about that last game of Adu's.

 

I doubt there is a coach that has seen Freddy in as many games and training sessions as Nowack. That could be good, could be bad. I was a little surprised Nowack brought him to Philadelphia, but since he did, it couldn't have been just to play head games unnecessarily. If Freddy does what Nowack expects of him, he'll get lots of time. If Freddy does what Nowack expects, I believe he will be a better player for it and find himself moving on to better things.

 

So Freddy keeps up the club success, 81 minutes and a winning backheel goal in some kind of a war. I fell asleep early on, any reports on his overall play?

 

Adu played left midfield this week as opposed to forward the previous. He didn't see much of the ball but his was a more composed display overall imo. Took care of the ball better and made more effective passes. Hustled well with 3 fouls won, 5 recoveries, 3 clearances, a blocked shot, a tackle, etc.

Had a shout for another hand ball penalty. Broke out a vintage move in which posted up and beat two defenders from the left corner and should have won the foul/penalty (can't remember where the foul would've been called).

Honestly think the Nowak situation is a great short term move. Playing time is the #1 thing at this point as far as development goes.

The cheeky back heel goal is the sort of thing one expects from Adu.

 

Freddy Adu is one player you don't want to see (if you are the opponent) in this position.
Fred's backheel, his first goal of the season, at the 40 minute mark holds up.
Chivas outshot Philly 21-4 in a messy match where 2 Union players were sent off.
Freddy was a late sub, as the Union, down two wished to insert a more defensive player. Nowak was also sent off for entering the field during the fray.

 

I think Adu has been picking his spots to attack more carefully. Mostly he has been trying to maintain possession for a frantic Philadelphia midfield.

 

Yeah, at this point, Freddy is probably most likely to be a super-sub for World Cup Qualifying, and a DAMN good one at that. You can't really complain about having someone like Adu to spring on the opponent's tired legs.

He also makes us a bit more tactically flexible. You have someone like Shea or Chandler, a touchline-hugging winger, and then you have someone like Adu, who likes to cut in from that touchline (a la Arjen Robben) or receive in central positions.

He might be useful as someone to simply mix up the starting XI to rest players, confuse the opposing coach, and give him a good sixty or so minutes to stretch his legs.

Moreover, he creates competition within the team, which is maybe more important to Klinsmann than getting his team to play whatever style he wants. Juergen will not deal with complacency.

 

Pretty piss-poor game against San Jose. Passing was atrocious especially down the stretch. That's not all on him given the nature Philly's players and attacking style but he's got to adjust better.

His and the other Union player's defense on the game-winning assist was horrific; 2 vs 1 close to the touchline and the guy still gets off the cross to Lenhart.

Probably could have been subbed about minute 70.