Demerit: Our Best Defender

[Optimus Prime]

He calls offside traps better than anyone we have.
He tackles better than any defender we have.
He clears headballs better than anyone we have.
He reads the attack better than anyone we have.
He passes out of the back better than any defender we have.

It's between Boca and Gooch for the 2nd CB slot.

[Munich_Lex]

He calls offside traps better than anyone we have.
He tackles better than any defender we have.
He clears headballs better than anyone we have.
He reads the attack better than anyone we have.
He passes out of the back better than any defender we have.

It's between Boca and Gooch for the 2nd CB slot.


Demeritt has played well for us. There was always something missing with Gooch/Boca. I think they are both gifted athletes, but not gifted at reading and anticipating the game. We need brains and braun at center back. Gooch undoubtedly qualifies for at least the Braun part. Maybe we need Demeritt to help read the game.

I think when players, no matter who or where on the field, are given cemented starting spots, it reduces the chances of fielding our best XI and improving as a squad.

It would have been difficult for Bocanegra to have played as well as Demeritt has, and sadly if Bocs wasn't hurt, Demeritt would have never gotten this chance.

[Adam Zebrowski]

he's proven to be a capable 3rd central defender...

bocanegra to left back opens up the chance for him to start...

but it's delusional to think he's better than either gooch/boca....

[Karl K]

He calls offside traps better than anyone we have.
He tackles better than any defender we have.
He clears headballs better than anyone we have.
He reads the attack better than anyone we have.
He passes out of the back better than any defender we have.

It's between Boca and Gooch for the 2nd CB slot.

I like Jay DeMerit, I really do, but you are too generous to him.

First off, he is not very quick. Speedy strikers give him lots of trouble. I recall an Arsenal vs Watford game where Adebayor just schooled him on a number of occasions -- and even the bench players on Spain are better than Adebayor. If he plays against Spain, David Villa/Fernando Torres will scorch him more than once.

Second, for such a strong guy, his clearing headers are not all that great. They tend to go up in the air rather than away from danger.

These defects, among some others, are why no EPL team came calling when Watford went back down to the Championship. He is an OK defender; but he will make no one forget Maldini or, more appropriately, Eddie Pope in his prime.

That being said, he has a lot of solid high pressure competitive games under his belt (when Watford was in the EPL, Jay spent a LOT of time defending), and he clearly works hard and has a good brain for the game. It is great we have such a player on our side.

But let's not get carried away here.

[moytoy12]

He calls offside traps better than anyone we have.
He tackles better than any defender we have.
He clears headballs better than anyone we have.
He reads the attack better than anyone we have.
He passes out of the back better than any defender we have.

It's between Boca and Gooch for the 2nd CB slot.

I think Demerit is at least Boca's equal. One small disagreement, he does not clear headballs better than Gooch.

[arkjayback]

Club histories can't be that wrong. Onyewu is one of the biggest free agents in Europe right now, and Carlos was in the English first division then the French first division. Bocanegra and Onyewu have both played better players than Demerit and are technically better. Demerit just has a better attitude.

He has the attitude that US fans appreciate, i.e. the 2007 Clint Dempsey. Hard working, no fear, and going 100% all the time.

The biggest thing is that it opens up the possibility of sliding Bocanegra to the left. I think Spector has shown that the US fullbacks can get wide without great athleticism or superb attacking skills. With Bocanegra able to play both positions and Spector able to play all 4, just think of what Bob can do when Cherundolo, Hejduk, Bocanegra, Spector, Onyewu, and Demerit are all healthy at the same time.

[TrueCrew]

Pet peeve: When starting a thread about someone, spell their name correctly:

Jay DeMerit.

Captital D, little e, capital M, little e, little r, little i, little t. Just one t on the end, not two.

[Soccerprep]

Before the tournament I was worried that Demeritt was playing. I was talking to a friend and he asked me my prediction for the Italy game and I said 2-0 Italy unless Demeritt is playing then I predict 6-0 Italy. I have not be prouder to be proven wrong about this. He still may be out of his league against Spain, but I hope he is on the Gold Cup roster. He has proven to me that he can be a good CB when needed, and it appears that over the last three games he has won a WC spot.

I think Califf now needs to worry, because Spector has also guarenteed himself a spot if healthy in 2010. The Defense will most likely look like this

Gooch
Boca
Demeritt
Spector
Dolo
Hejduk
Bornstein

[moytoy12]

I think Califf now needs to worry, because Spector has also guarenteed himself a spot if healthy in 2010. The Defense will most likely look like this

Gooch
Boca
Demeritt
Spector
Dolo
Hejduk
Bornstein

I hope that Bob gives Dolo and/or Frankie multiple chances as a LB at the Gold Cup.

[papasa90]

He calls offside traps better than anyone we have.
He tackles better than any defender we have.
He clears headballs better than anyone we have.
He reads the attack better than anyone we have.
He passes out of the back better than any defender we have.

It's between Boca and Gooch for the 2nd CB slot.


Glad to see Jay get some full match time instead of mop up duty in the past. However, Optimus you may be a bit generous in your assessment. We need Gooch in the back line as the big rock and then to build the defense around him.

It has been mentioned, and I agree from watching these matches, is that Jay and Gooch are very much on the same page so to speak. I don't see that at times when Boca and Gooch are playing together. Perhaps giving Boca the captaincy may have been a mistake. Maybe a bit of complacency has set in? Who knows.

If nothing else Jay's play in this tourmnament may force Boca to raise his game a bit. Competition within is always good. Lets see what happens tomorrow.

cheers
papasa90

[ArsenalMetro]

Onyewu is one of the biggest free agents in Europe right now, and Carlos was in the English first division then the French first division. Bocanegra and Onyewu have both played better players than Demerit and are technically better. Demerit just has a better attitude.

I don't know if anyone has addressed this yet, but that is not true. If it were, he'd be linked to bigger clubs than Fenerbache, Wolves, and Birmingham.

[appoo]

I think DeMerit misjudges too many headers, and possibly lacks the requisite speed. To me, he looks like a smarter version of Danny Califf.

[Optimus Prime]

AH, got the spelling wrong, and don't see an option to edit it.

Anyhoo, Jay and Gooch also execute the offside trap better than Boca and Gooch do. I think it's cuz Jay is more "on his toes/jumpy" than Boca, who is more, I guess, deliberate.

Jay also calmly passes out of the back and TO OUR OWN PLAYER after winning a ball than Gooch, maybe not Boca.

I mention these as surprising me--having watched a ton of Watford matches, composure was never his strongest point. It shows a lot of growth. As a late bloomer, this guy is still getting better.

[superdave]

DeMeritt is no polished defender, but he's a better CB than Boca.
I disagree that he's better in some absolute sense. But as a partner for Onyewu, yeah, I've been very, very impressed with DeMerit(t) in the Confed Cup. He's surprised me, in a good way.

[QuakeAttack]

Jay is having a very good tournament. Probably the best of all of the defenders. I don't know if he is our best defender, but to be honest, I don't know if we have one (whoever is in form at the time).

I haven't seen him play consistantly since the season Watford was in the EPL. He hasn't definately improved his reading of the game. My biggest concern has always been his pace, but he is no worse than Gooch or Boca in that category.

Frankly, other than set pieces, we have not missed Boca.

[Arid_Torpor]

To the original poster, you rate DeMerit way too highly. Gooch has outplayed him in every game of the Confed Cup so far. In fact, Gooch has showed the most improvement on the backline since 2006 and is now far and away our best defender. However, I would agree that DeMerit is better than Boca.

[JohhnyCaps]

To the original poster, you rate DeMerit way too highly. Gooch has outplayed him in every game of the Confed Cup so far. In fact, Gooch has showed the most improvement on the backline since 2006 and is now far and away our best defender. However, I would agree that DeMerit is better than Boca.

Demerit isn't captain of Watford for nothing... and he has been our best tackler on the pitch this tournament... You want to say Gooch is better and and outplayed him, ok... but Demerit has shown plenty enough to earn more starts...

His pros are:


Good field vision and spacing
Good offside trapping (with Gooch)
Very Good tackling (When he commits to a tackle, he wins balls - period.)

His cons:


Speed and first step (not terrible but top flight, speedy forwards can run on him)
Header clears?? (Frankly, I have not noticed that but I'll need to watch this more closely...)

All and all, I think his play warrants more caps and starts... I also think that the more full games he plays, the more comfortable he'll get with Gooch and the other backs and we haven't seen his full upside as yet... and that is encouraging....

Let's see Boca move to his other natural position at LB and see how things work... Bob should at least try that for a game or two... Of course, that doesn't mean he will...

[Marko72]

I think DeMerit misjudges too many headers, and possibly lacks the requisite speed. To me, he looks like a smarter version of Danny Califf.

Yes, and indeed I think he's an upgrade over him. Whether or not he's an upgrade over Bocanegra is debatable, and I think time will have to tell. He is NOT an upgrade over Onyewu by any stretch. He's our best center back (and has proven it again in this tournament, IMO). Demerit might be a good long-term partner for him, which of course goes back to what I'd said before, that remains to be seen. The basic chemistry seems to be developing positively between them, which is a good sign.

What has been established, I think is this: Demerit does belong on this team. As does Spector. But that doesn't really surprise me. I've felt for a while that Demerit was likely our 3rd best CB.

[arkjayback]

I don't know if anyone has addressed this yet, but that is not true. If it were, he'd be linked to bigger clubs than Fenerbache, Wolves, and Birmingham.
There is a difference between "free agent" and "transfer target." Onyewu is one of the biggest free agents. Fenerbahce, being a perennial Champions League participant, isn't too shabby.

[Marko72]

There is a difference between "free agent" and "transfer target." Onyewu is one of the biggest free agents. Fenerbahce, being a perennial Champions League participant, isn't too shabby.

With this clarification, yes I agree. Of the guys available to be picked up on a free, Onyewu is one of the hottest on the market. And while none of those teams are glamorous, none are shabby by most standards.

Of course, for the teams that can afford over $10 million for a defender, Gooch doesn't really make their short list for the most part; they're looking elsewhere.