He may lack some composure but JJ definitely still has great athletic ability..and certainly enough for his role in CM.
We're not talking about the 2010-2011 Jermaine Jones here. Edu can give us everything that Jermaine Jones can in that role and more. Jones does not have the range or stamina that Edu does. Jones days in the sun are over.
No, Edu can't, because Edu needs a shock collar to stop him from crossing the midfield line. He's completely useless in the attack.
I am OK with Bradley being toy'd as our '10'. It's an experiment I feel he's ready to take on. ----------------------------Jozy------------------------------ -------------------------------------Aron------------------- ------------------------------MB---------------------Duece------ ---------Fabian---------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------Jones------------------ Beas------------------------------------------------------Evans or Yedlin ---------------------------------Cameron------------------------------ -----------------------Besler------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Howard------------------------------- For those that aren't as sold on Jones anymore, I am OK with Cameron being thrown in there or Beckerman.
I'll take useless in attack over useless in defense, especially from someone who's primary mission is to provide DEFENSE for the defense. And Edu can sure as hell get up and down the field better than Jones at this point. For krissakes, Kyle Beckerman is a better option over Jones at this point.
I know this is a Bradley thread, but is it me, or was this the last time in which JJ was at full strength? He left the match, after receiving stitches at half time and and nursing a badly sprained ankle, in the 83rd minute. His playing time at Schalke 04 thereafter became an issue and he ultimately left for Besiktas /Turkey. Does it mean he won't factor in Brasil? Not at all, he's in JK's spine...so we will most likely see him barnstorming Bradley into a lesser role than might otherwise be possible with a player other than Jones in the central midfield pairing. Jermaine Jones Withdraws with Injury Mar 24, 2013 Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on google_plusone_share U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones has been ruled out of Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Mexico after suffering a sprained left ankle in the USA’s 1-0 win against Costa Rica on March 22 in Commerce City, Colo. Jones did not travel with the team to Mexico, and no replacement will be added to the 23-man roster. Jones received the injury in the first half, which required two stitches during the interval. He continued play until being subbed out in the 83rdminute. The U.S. resumes World Cup Qualifying when it faces Mexico on Tuesday, March 26, at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The game kicks off at 10:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN, WatchESPN and Univision. Fans can also follow the game online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker and on Twitter @ussoccer. Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on google_plusone_share
This is definitely a great thought/idea. However, you have no one else on the team with his decision making, smarts, intelligence, spatial awareness, long/short passing ability, fearlessness to make smart tackles, when to start counter attacks, when to start runs from the defensive side, when to play ball control. If you take him out of the midfield, there is no one else to fill that massive void. Also, you have about 15k competent strikers on this roster. We have plenty of guys who can make great entries to the feet of anyone playing that 10 spot. A.K.A, Chris Wondolowski.
Check the 19min highlights of Jones' latest Super Lig match in his YA thread. Edu can't and has never been able to get up and down the field like Jones does in this vid. Of course Jones made a red card worthy tackle and had a turnover that lead to a goal against, also things Edu doesn't do.
The Mexico game showed how Bradley can take overr a game and it also showed in the second half what can happen when you have him to far up the pitch. I like the formation and the idea more as an alternate at about the hour mark we could shift into it. We could probably do that once or twice in the world cup and maybe catch them offguard. Mexico figured it out after a half and MB no longer bossed the game. I think with our defense we have to pack the middle and force everything wide. Not that we are better on the flanks, but it raises the difficulty level of the offensive execution. When we go to a diamond, the middle opens up and we expose or weak central defense.
You push Bradley forward that far and you lose his ability to drop deep and start the play making good, safe passes out of the back. Personally, I would hate to loose his ability to start the play from back there. I also wouldn't want to see us with a single depe midfielder in the middle against any of the teams we are going to face at the World Cup. I can't say I envision no scenario where we are pushing for a goal that Bradley moves further forward, but as far as how we will start out games in Brazil I would be very surprised.
Ever since JK went away from having his starters wear numbers 1-11, the US has been playing with a false number everything. The vast majority of US players are "hybrid" (positional) players, in some real sense.
JK should go back to it, just to distract a good number of observers from the other things that the could hate about what JK is doing (or not) with the team.
Dropping back is part of Clint's role with the Nats. He's not out there just to help Jozy or stretch the defense- he's a big help to guys like Bradley and Zusi in keeping possession in the middle of the pitch. This sort of possession is often just for possession's sake, but it's valuable to us because our CBs are so bad. In early 2013, people didn't complain much about this because Clint wasn't turning the ball over like he has been (until his recent improvement). He was even able to pivot this role into attack- something I'm sure Klinsmann hopes he can do this summer. Bradley is by far our best CM at keeping possession, but he can't and doesn't do it alone.
Mexico was pressing us high in the first half, we were able to play it around the first line of pressure and find big gaps in midfield. In the second half they subbed in a DM and the space that a #10 operates in got shut down. Exactly, everyone needs to go back and watch our 2002 game against Germany (or more recently the Panama home WCQ). The pace and intensity with which we were moving the ball in that game is breathtaking. Bradley is quite good at playing simply and quickly. If we ask him to do that and provide him with teammates operating with a similar mindset he will excel and we will maximize our chances of getting a result. If a team is playing a diamond and is weak centrally then they are organizing their defense in a comically inept fashion because that is the entire point of playing a diamond.
This is a type of XI I expect to see at some point in May and June. Jones will be pushed forward more, and it's the only way to arrange an XI where it can be even somewhat argued that it is smart to bench one of Donovan or Dempsey. I, of course, wouldn't, but others would. (I expect to see it because it plays to the strengths of Jones without hurting Bradley, and the fullbacks can provide some of the width. Dempsey would have freedom to float all over the field, which is why I would expect Klinsmann to favor Bedoya or Zusi.)
We need to move forward and I can't wait for Tuesday to come already to be honest. The question is, does this team get built around Michael Bradley? I see that as one of the viable options, but it all depends on which way it gets executed. I am not so sure about him being our number 10 (this was the first MB thread I found) other than say wearing that jersey now. However, he will clearly now be the lynch pin.
Could certainly envision a post '14 team built around Bradley either in 4231 or in a New England style 4141.
Zusi should be the #10. He is the most creative and has the best set piece skills. His passing is unparalleled in MLS and he has the all-american upbringing to best represent our country.