Ricardo Clark too good not be on the team

[United20]

This kid has the complete game and the US is still trying to find defensive help. Look, Clark has an offensive mind and a killer defensive game. I know he plays central/defensive mid, but he could succeed at rightback and be a valuable back-up at dmid behind Reyna. Clark is by far a better player than Mastro at DMid or Hejduk at RB.

MLS performance might not translate into international success, but Clark has had a impressive start in the 2004 MLS season.

[afgrijselijkheid]

nah, his distribution needs a LOOOOT of work - i wasn't pleased when bradley moved him to the wing last season - is he back in the middle for the metros?

[regulator]

i agree; clark is a much more skillful player than either hejduk or mastroeni, and is a good defender, but is definitely not better than hejudk or mastroeni in this respect. however, clark does deserve a spot on the team, and should probably receive one pending another good season this year with the metrostars.

[ayers]

Isn't he coming back from injury? No need to rush him onto the national team right now, especially against Mexico.

[UxSxAxfooty]

i agree; clark is a much more skillful player than either hejduk or mastroeni, and is a good defender, but is definitely not better than hejudk or mastroeni in this respect. however, clark does deserve a spot on the team, and should probably receive one pending another good season this year with the metrostars.

Everybody and their mom has more skills than Hejduk. But the guy can go 110% all night long and then some.

As for Pablo, point out the next time he loses a tackle or 50-50 to anybody, and you might have a case. He doesn't go forward, but he doesn't get beat.

[ChrisE]

nah, his distribution needs a LOOOOT of work - i wasn't pleased when bradley moved him to the wing last season - is he back in the middle for the metros?

http://www.internetsoccer.com/images/ACF1A1D.jpg

More than this guy's?

[United20]

nah, his distribution needs a LOOOOT of work - i wasn't pleased when bradley moved him to the wing last season - is he back in the middle for the metros?

He is back and his game is sharp even after the injury in the winter. As for his distribution - Clark is as good as Mastro or Armas.

[lurking]

He is back and his game is sharp even after the injury in the winter. As for his distribution - Clark is as good as Mastro or Armas.
Wow, amazing praise! :rolleyes:

Clark has some skill, and great athleticism, but Id really like to see more polished players in central midfield positions personally. That doesnt mean that I think he wont eventually be one of those guys, but his game seems to fit the pattern of a destroyer, something I dont want to keep seeing on the field for the US.

[UxSxAxfooty]

Ricardo Clark reminds me of Patrick Vieira.

I hope he sees some time in friendlies this year and qualifiers maybe next year.

He certainly has the potential to be better than our current crop of defensive midfielders, excluding maybe Reyna and O'Brien.

However, right now, Mulrooney, Mastroeni and Armas and Zavagnin are all higher on the depth chart,

[appoo]

Ricardo Clark reminds me of Patrick Vieira.

I hope he sees some time in friendlies this year and qualifiers maybe next year.

He certainly has the potential to be better than our current crop of defensive midfielders, excluding maybe Reyna and O'Brien.

However, right now, Mulrooney, Mastroeni and Armas and Zavagnin are all higher on the depth chart,
Viera? Thats high praise for a kid who was barely average during the U20 Championships.

[TAKK]

Clark has no chance.

Armas is Bruce's GOD!

[Shaster]

Viera? Thats high praise for a kid who was barely average during the U20 Championships.

During U20 games, Clark was playing hurt so he wasn't 100% percent. Also Convey played like a forward that left a big hole in the midfield to let opponent overun Clark. That was also the reason why Rongen took out Magee and add Grabavoy in the center to enforce the midfield.

[appoo]

During U20 games, Clark was playing hurt so he wasn't 100% percent. Also Convey played like a forward that left a big hole in the midfield to let opponent overun Clark. That was also the reason why Rongen took out Magee and add Grabavoy in the center to enforce the midfield.
I forgot that Clark was injured. Thanks for pointing that out. But I still think he's too young for such an important position on the field where mental abilities are sometimes more important than physical. He definatly has the physical abilities, but I'm not so sure he's ready mentally

[Sevin]

I forgot that Clark was injured. Thanks for pointing that out. But I still think he's too young for such an important position on the field where mental abilities are sometimes more important than physical. He definatly has the physical abilities, but I'm not so sure he's ready mentally

It seems that the TV commentators during the U20's were more impressed with him than any other US player. Could it be that since his game isn't a traditional "Euro" game that some people just don't get it? I don't mean that as any kind of attack on anyone's knowledge of the game, just that he plays different than most of the players we produce. During yesterdays Metro's game much of the play seemed to go through him and he did a really good job of helping the team keep possesion. That and his positioning are what set him apart.

[Richie]

This kid has the complete game and the US is still trying to find defensive help. Look, Clark has an offensive mind and a killer defensive game. I know he plays central/defensive mid, but he could succeed at rightback and be a valuable back-up at dmid behind Reyna. Clark is by far a better player than Mastro at DMid or Hejduk at RB.

MLS performance might not translate into international success, but Clark has had a impressive start in the 2004 MLS season.

He started in his first game this last game of the new season. This season the impressive player has been mark lisi for the metrostars.

Clark faded at the end of last season in the MLS, and he was not that good when playing with the younger national team either.

The fact is in the modern game the defensive mid and the offensive mids have to be interchangeable. Clark is not there yet on the attack in the flow of play when we have the ball. If Lisi can ever get himself to be what it takes defensively. He would be the perfect defensive mid because when he has the ball he is an exceptional passer of the ball.

[lmorin]

Wow, amazing praise! :rolleyes:

Clark has some skill, and great athleticism, but Id really like to see more polished players in central midfield positions personally. That doesnt mean that I think he wont eventually be one of those guys, but his game seems to fit the pattern of a destroyer, something I dont want to keep seeing on the field for the US.

Hey, I think that is the point of this thread! United20 stated, "This kid has the complete game..." That might be a bit of an overstatement, but I'd agree with those who are saying he distributes better than Armas or Mastroeni. Don't know about winning tackles, but I'd bet he is close. More important and more to the point of your objection, I think his footskills are much better than either Armas or Mastroeni. By "polished players" do you mean Reyna? He is the only truly "polished player" on the Nats, including JOB (which says nothing at all about relative contribution to the team). And, perhaps most important, Clark is definitely not a "destroyer." He is hard hitting, tenacious, and all that, but his ball winning skill is overwhelmingly obvious, and lets him succeed without destroying.

[sregis]

He started in his first game this last game of the new season. This season the impressive player has been mark lisi for the metrostars.

Clark faded at the end of last season in the MLS, and he was not that good when playing with the younger national team either.

The fact is in the modern game the defensive mid and the offensive mids have to be interchangeable. Clark is not there yet on the attack in the flow of play when we have the ball. If Lisi can ever get himself to be what it takes defensively. He would be the perfect defensive mid because when he has the ball he is an exceptional passer of the ball.

i thought clark was fantastic in his first start of the season. i see him much more of an offensive player- very good, accurate, distributor, likes to move forward and switch fields, and will not hesitate to take shots from the outside- entirely different from armas or mastro- which is why i think he's not on arena's immediate radar. he's still got some rough edges, but it's inexcusable not to get him and lisi into the nats mix.

[Shaster]

I forgot that Clark was injured. Thanks for pointing that out. But I still think he's too young for such an important position on the field where mental abilities are sometimes more important than physical. He definatly has the physical abilities, but I'm not so sure he's ready mentally

Not agree. Clark has the mental ability to play in the center. His only weakness right now is the decision making on the distribution. When people say his distribution is not good, it is not about his ability to deliver the long ball or short ball. The problem is what decision he makes. Switch the field, or send a long ball to corner, or send a through ball, or make a controlling back/side pass? Those are come with experience and shouldn't be overcoached that can kill a guy's confidence. Remember it took Mastronei some of times to improve his decision making under Bruce.

[RevsRule]

Maybe the "All Hair" team. His doo reminds me of Eddie Murphy as "Buckwheat."

Getting by that, there's many between him and a call and one nice drive isn't going to be enough to make the phone ring

[ChrisE]

Getting by that, there's many between him and a call and one nice drive isn't going to be enough to make the phone ring

What the hell does that mean? "One nice drive"? Clark was one of the best rookies in the league last year, in MLS's best rookie class ever. He led the Metrostars in minutes. The guy, easily, has more potential than any other defensive midfielder in MLS, and isn't much worse (if at all) than Bruce's new favorite Kerry Zavagnin. Ricardo Clark has been pretty tremendous as a defensive midfielder for over a year now - I really don't know what you're talking about.