Agree Bradleys vision and ball control are better then Jones. I think Jones would excel starting counters in Klinsmanns system
Have no idea why Jones is never played in his best position at CDM for USA. He always plays the box to box role for nation and sometimes even CAM.
Well A little over a year ago Schalke could have made that swap and made a tidy profit. BMG was shopping Bradley back from the Villa loan (sold for ~$1.3mm). Blackburn wanted to make the Jones loan permanent and offered ~$8mm. Schalke would not make the deal. Schalke could have sold Jones, bought Bradley, made $7mm, dumped $3mm per year in salary and got a younger, "better" player as part of the bargain. I wonder why they did not make that move?
Who knows (professional teams miss out on bargains all the time), but now Chievo's the team that got a much better than advertised player and turned a tidy little profit in a year instead of Schalke.
Minor quibble, but this just isn't correct (and it's not the first time you've peddled this misinformation).
When Feilhaber and Michael Bradley were paired together last cycle it was obvious central midfield didn't have enough bite. On the other hand pairings of any two of Mastroeni, Ricardo Clark, andMaurice Edu clearly didn't offer enough going forward. Nomenclature quagmire aside it's really amatter of finding the right balance in the pairings. And so most of the midfield pairings were oneof Clark, Edu, Mastroeni along with one of Feilhaber or Bradley. Klinsmann can refer to Beckerman as a 'stay at home #6' all he likes but the coach makes damn sure to pair Rastaman with someone like Jones or Edu. Same goes for his use of Bradley. Double 6s? Notreally; Beckerman and Bradley are deep-lying players. Barca plays Messi up top. Is he a centreforward a 9? No, his role is just referred to as 'false 9'. On the spectrum of deep-lying midfielders ranging from Makelele to Pirlo what Beckerman and Bradleyoffer is closer to the Pirlo side with each providing a key pass in the goal scoring sequences ofthe signature victories of the cycle(at Azetca, at Italy). What players like Edu and Jones offer iscloser to Makelele. Call them 6s or 3.14159265359s or whatever. Klinsmann clearly likes to playwith deep-lying playmaker with a bodyguard. Yet a player can evolve over the course of his career. In his dotage Mastroeni's passing improvedto the point that he could play more forward in the midfield and lay on the goals and assists.Jones not quite in his dotage finished with 3 goals and 5 assists in 30 games during the seasonbefore the injury. He clearly likes the advanced attacking role moreso than someone like Torresdoes. With Dempsey not match fit, I hope Jones gets the 10 role in the two Jamaica matches. He'll excell in the role or will see that he just needs to be a destroyer/bodyguard for the US.
Three things: - Slovenia: Beckerman (Pirlo) + Bradley (Pirlo)... Brazil: Bradley (Pirlo) and no one... - Beckerman is not a "deep lying playmaker". He's a stay at home controlling/holding midfielder played at the #6 and as a #6. - Barça does not play Messi up top.
If Jones is played with a deep-lying 'playmaker' as in the Mexico match I'd like to see the team utilize a true attacking midfielder who can provide that defensive solidity when Jones goes off on an adventure or gets too creative in the passing. In a diamond he can play the attacking point with Dempsey pushed up high. Not saying he's Kevin Prince-Boateng but maybe Jones can provide something there.
I think the thing that is odd about Jones is that he is sort of by instinct/temperment/look at CDM in the Gattuso mold. But he's got more of an adventurous streak, with a bit more flair and vision. He sometimes pull out these rather elegant mazy runs or surprisingly visionary long "deep lying playmaker" type balls. But both those actions can be high reward, high risk moves when coming from a DCM. That said, with his strength on the ball and a decent shot, playing him higher up should be an inviting option, given the depth we have at CM/DCM. I can't really think of a game. Has he ever played a more or less true #10 (or even forward RM) for club or country?
Here's the way I look at it: Jones is an overall good CM who has a great value to the NT. His best role IMO is as our #6 because of his work rate, overall defensive ability including tackling and positioning, and relatively good passing ability (and maybe a slight intimidation factor). I would definitely start him as our #6 given all of our current options. They way I look at it, our #6 pecking order goes like this: Jones>Edu>Beckerman>Williams (I don't view Bradley as a potential #6 anymore... if Klinsmann uses him there at this point he's a bit nuts) That said, Jones is also our best #8 when Bradley isn't around. It isn't his best role, but I would play him there for the Jamaica game. His overall ability is why I want him there. We definitely have players in the pool who have better individual abilities, but besides Bradley, we don't have a CM with such a combination of talent. Sure Torres or Kjlestan might have better passing ability and creativity, but for our NT, do those attributes really put them above Jones as an #8? I think not. This is the way that I look at our #8 pecking order: Bradley>Jones>Torres>Kjlestan
Yes, JJ was 26 in 2008 about the same age as Edu, Spector and Cameron are today. He played in 3 friendlies for the German MNT that year. In 08 to 09 he was arguably one of the top 10 to 15 DM in the world before his 2nd serious leg injury in a 4 year timespan. I'm not sure he ever regained 100% of who he was in 2008 but like I said that run reminded me of the old JJ c2008. He has looked really really fit in this young BL season.
He played on the right in 4231 against Guatemala. http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-06-12-gua-v-usa/formation Really doesn't look good defending on the flanks from advanced positions. Needs to play centrally for the US.
Davis hits the 2nd best ball in MLS behind one of the best crossers/dead balls guys of all time. He has by far the best left foot in the league. He's international quality. I'd stake my worthless, nonexistent, internets rep on it.
Hes been killing it from a central attacking role since Houston went to a 433. Yes he hits a great ball from the wing, but I think we all knew he didn't have the speed to do that at nats level. But his vision, passing, and sense around the box has surprised me this season. Very underrated player.
I would love to see Jones kind of pinned in front of the back four: ----------------Altidore-------------- Dempsey-------------------Donovan -----Davis---------------Bradley---- ----------------Jones----------------- Not for every game. I put Davis in there because he came up and this is how I would play him. Think Houston. ---------------Bruin---------------- Kandji-------------------------Carr -----Davis----------------Boniek--- ---------------Moffat-------------- I just have a crush on this formation and when it's working, it's a lot of fun to watch. It also gives great opportunities for the wingbacks to get into the play. It creates lots of natural passing triangles and encourages great movement. Also, when possession is lost, the team isn't as spread out, nice and compact to pressure and win the ball back. Just something to think about. So for Jamaica, maybe: ----------------Altidore-------------- Shea-------------------------Dempsey ------Torres---------------Zusi------ -----------------Jones---------------- I realize there is a much better chance of Williams instead of Zusi, that's just a personal preference.
Yeah - I think being that far forward and wide is not a great use of JJ - expecting him to be any sort of winger for any period of time. The interesting thing would be swapping him and demps in that formation. I'm not completely sure how it would work, but there is something both hardnosed and unexpected about Jones that would keeping things interesting. I just wonder if we don't lose too much quickness play. Just idle musing on a Tuesday morning.
or Edu in the Jones position and JJ in the Zusi slot. It risks exposing Dolo on the wing, but it does get JJ a little forward, which is not always bad. It would be nice to get a goal or two from the deeper lying middies. Zusi is probably the best bet for that, although both Jones and Edu can score from outside the box now and again.
I'm hoping Edu makes that CB role his own, as it's where I see him used most optimally. As far as Jones in the Zusi slot, I feel the more muddled his responsibilities are, the less effective he becomes. As the CDM, he will know what he's there for and it will just let him play. Also, Zusi is more of a natural in the right position, although there are better options there in the long run.
Yeah - I'm not going to argue it too hard. I do feel that, esp. with Bradley out JJ brings something "intangible," to use a hackneyed cliche, to the Nats. He probably should play the libero/CDM but he has a bit of a tendency to go walkabout for me to feel 100% thrilled about him back there. Edu, while he has less potential to change a game with a forward run or unexpected pass, also has less potential to change a game by being caught up or out and leaving us exposed on the counter. That's why Jurgen gets the big buck and I just sneak posts between meeting!
Yeah - I think about his gold cup deflection goal v. Jam last time or the great three 1-2s run v. Scotland and think it's not like the USMNT has tons of scoring threats out of the front 3 or 4, so it would be nice to have that. And then I think - but he scored on Scotland from the 6 yard line ... what happens if the keeper grabs instead? The things that keep me up at night!
He's a slick passer. He's one of those guys that will occasionally hit a killer ball (one that breaks the back line) out of nowhere. I have also seen him hit a hand full of hospital balls. But all told, he's a net plus as a passer. He's a willing dribbler, but he can't be counted on to break a guy down when squared up. He will, however, bring the ball up the field with confidence at a good speed while breaking up the field in transition. His shooting is poor. I really like the player in the role he has taken with the US. He has been a quiet leader under Klinsmann, marshaling the midfield and being a good influence on the young pros...something I never thought that he was capable of. I think that he enjoys playing for the US.
I agree with this to a degree. But, I would push Jones up with Bradley and play Edu or Beckerman as the #6. Beckerman doesn't get much respect because he plays in MLS, but that guy keeps turning in rock-solid performances. He plays the game a lot like Nigel de Jong, without the ankle-breaking.