MLS flavors of the week: 2012 Edition [MLS R's]

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by EXALIFTIN, Mar 4, 2012.

  1. leppercut

    leppercut Member+

    Oct 10, 2006
    SLC and Anchorage
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not watching just saw that chicago scored and feared another screwup. Bad to hear though.
     
  2. Hararea

    Hararea Member+

    Jan 21, 2005
    Nothing like an Oduro breakaway to boost MacMath's confidence. :)
     
  3. EXALIFTIN

    EXALIFTIN Member+

    Nov 23, 2010
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anibaba was pretty good at CB for Chicago today
     
  4. EXALIFTIN

    EXALIFTIN Member+

    Nov 23, 2010
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Rimando with a rare gaff, if you wanna see why Rimando will never make it in Europe take a look at the Chivas goal he height cost him there. Casey Townsend gets his first mls goal as a result of the mistake though
     
  5. Clenbuterol

    Clenbuterol Red Card

    Aug 25, 2011
    Club:
    --other--
    Anibaba always seems to be solid for my Fire. And as I have pointed out in another post he can be used as both a CB and a RB which can be helpful.
     
  6. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Took a long look at Vancouver's Jun Marques Davidson last night.

    He doesn't do anything spectacular but his positioning is really good and he's very clean on the ball. Plays a very simple but very effective game. To wit, the Whitecaps have yet to allow a goal this year, though it must be pointed out that the shutouts have come against expansion Montreal and woeful Chivas USA and DC.

    Still, clean sheets are clean sheets and three to start the season gets your attention. Not saying that's all Davidson, because it's not. But it certainly helps the evaluation of him.
     
  7. Skevin

    Skevin Member+

    Aug 9, 2009
    Colorado
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    Kenny Cooper is back in form. I always thought he was a good striker but he had a poor season last year.
     
  8. Bigrose30

    Bigrose30 Member+

    Sep 11, 2004
    Jersey City, NJ
    I was at the game.

    Kenny Cooper is not national team material. He seems utterly clueless off the ball, and can't hold up a ball to save his life despite being twice the size of everyone else out there.

    Pass.
     
  9. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Well, he's averaging a goal a game, which will be a tough pace to ignore IF he keeps it, or something close to it, up.
     
  10. Bigrose30

    Bigrose30 Member+

    Sep 11, 2004
    Jersey City, NJ
    Both his goals were put on a plate for him and against a team that looked to me to be one of the worst MLS sides I've seen in a long time.

    He spent most of the game being 5 yards offside, drifting wide away from the play while Henry got on the ball, losing aerial battles and being bumped off the ball by players 50 pounds lighter than him.

    Thoroughly unimpressed.
     
    1 person likes this.
  11. Skevin

    Skevin Member+

    Aug 9, 2009
    Colorado
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Czechia
    Cooper does almost average a goal every othe game for the national team and not all his appearances have been starts. He is a good poacher.
     
  12. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I thought Sapong put in some good work.
     
  13. england66

    england66 Member+

    Jan 6, 2004
    dallas, texas
    And you my friend are totally clueless about this game....his first goal was NOT put "on a plate".....here's a newsflash for you: They ALL count one....wether in off your ass or 30 yard rockets....being in the right place at the right time is what all good strikers do.....see his second goal today.
     
  14. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    The US player who impressed me in that game was Chance Myers. He was Hejuduk-esque going up and down the flanks tirelessly and on the game-winning goal he outraced a Dallas defender to the corner and then got off an UN-Hejduk-esque cross that was perfectly hit for Kamara to finish.

    Earlier in the game he drew a PK, though Hartman guessed correctly and denied Kamara.
     
  15. leppercut

    leppercut Member+

    Oct 10, 2006
    SLC and Anchorage
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Long time no see, Señor cooper. :D
     
  16. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    sss

    small sample size
     
  17. Real Corona

    Real Corona Member+

    Jan 19, 2008
    Colorado
    Club:
    FC Metalist Kharkiv
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Cooper refuses to play target striker. He wants to be a winger/false 9 forward, despite the body. He's basically a less talented version of Jozy Altidore. Since the US hasn't played with two strikers under Klinsmann except for one time, and when they did Jozy was playing off a target forward, I don't see how Kenny Cooper is getting in that role over guys like Herculez Gomez, let alone Jozy Altidore.
     
  18. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Cooper has an excellent scoring rate for the US. One can bleat about 'sample size' but the man hasn't been given the further opportunities his performances merited.

    He's healthy now and looks to have settled in with Red Bulls.

    Both of his goals came from running center channel. He spends less time out wide than in earlier years.

    His shot making ability and overall feel around the area is the best of any US striker.
     
  19. EXALIFTIN

    EXALIFTIN Member+

    Nov 23, 2010
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Id take Wondo over Cooper any day of the week he has been consistently scoring for the last two years now and its not looking like he's going to be slowing down this year. On another note Grahm Zusi is off to a flying start he has 1 goal and 4 assists in three games, He only had 7 assists all of last season (9 if you count playoff games)
     
  20. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Wondolowski hasn't done anything at international level in the chances given.
     
  21. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    It's actually much better than that: a goal every 85 minutes.
     
  22. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Facts - bah!

    [​IMG]
     
  23. Maximum Optimal

    Maximum Optimal Member+

    Jul 10, 2001
    Also small sample size. Not that I have expectations that Wondo would be a success at the international level.

    At this point I would give Gomez another opportunity before playing Wondo or Cooper.
     
  24. kokoplus10

    kokoplus10 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 5, 2008
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    More Meara pimping:

    Not much for him to do against Colorado, but he did come up with a nice save (2:50 mark) just before halftime when the Red Bulls were leading 2-0. If Colorado scores that maybe the game turns out differently.

    http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2012-03-25-ny-v-col/highlights

    Distribution was pretty good throughout the game minus one play that didn't cause any major problems.

    Also, the one goal he did let up (5:30 mark) was off a terrible turnover by Marquez in a terrible spot on the field. However, but I was wondering if maybe he should have retreated all the way to the goal-line to give himself a better chance on that shot. Any goalkeeping coaches have any input here?

    21 year old rookie goal keeper with 3 good games in a row. :)
     
  25. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    I like Kenny Cooper as much as the next guy, being an FCD fan. This "strike rate" nonsense, however, doesn't take into account circumstances & the quality of competition at all.

    Kenny's first US goal came in garbage time against a Denmark C team after Camp Cupcake. Then he had a penalty kick against Panama, a goal against Guatemala in a meaningless WCQ after we'd already advanced (& Guate was eliminated), and one against Honduras in the official "Gold Cup of Backups" in 2009 (Honduras brought none of their good Euro players).

    I have no problem with JK taking a look at Cooper before WCQ begins. Why not? But let's not use his "strike rate" with the USMNT as an indication of his quality. His recent play in MLS suggest he might be worthy of a look.
     

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