"Yeah, his choice was to be in a better spot as the play developed"

[appoo]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=337153&cc=5901

:D :D :D :D

you might dislike Arena but he's ususally entertaining! That his response to a question on what choice Olsen had other than fouling the player in his red-card. the entire quote:

"Yeah, his choice was to be in a better spot as the play developed. That was his choice. The other choice is not to foul the player."

I actually had to explain why I started laughing at my Monitor. what was it he said after the 2001 CRC match? "Give them credit, they gave a good effort, they ran around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off but they did it with effort"

[imasyko]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=337153&cc=5901

:D :D :D :D

you might dislike Arena but he's ususally entertaining! That his response to a question on what choice Olsen had other than fouling the player in his red-card. the entire quote:

"Yeah, his choice was to be in a better spot as the play developed. That was his choice. The other choice is not to foul the player."

I actually had to explain why I started laughing at my Monitor. what was it he said after the 2001 CRC match? "Give them credit, they gave a good effort, they ran around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off but they did it with effort"
Good quote...can't imagine we'll be seeing much of Benny in a Nats uniform after this tourney. And he only got in this game because of Dolo's injury.

[mickhayafe]

http://sport.monstersandcritics.com/soccer/article_1034797.php/US_international_Steve_Cherundolo_injured

[sidefootsitter]

Anyone has a replay of that foul?

Did Ben keep Fuller onside or should he have just been closer to him?

From what I recall, it was a bang-bang play and Ben just couldn't catch up with the Jamaican striker on his breakaway.

[Nutmeg]

I thought this was the most telling quote from the article, from Tyrone Marshall:

"I think DaMarcus is the best player on the U.S. team. He's a guy you don't want to see (as an opponent)."

Considering that we fielded some of our best players, including JOB, Donovan, Dolo, and Mastroeni, that is very high praise. Beasley is the one guy who scares the crap out of every team he plays. I think we grossly underrate what he brings to our team.

[england66]

Anyone has a replay of that foul?

Did Ben keep Fuller onside or should he have just been closer to him?

From what I recall, it was a bang-bang play and Ben just couldn't catch up with the Jamaican striker on his breakaway.


he was playing pretty flat and got caught on the wrong side of Fuller...clearly a fk and a sending off....

[JohnR]

Beasley is the one guy who scares the crap out of every team he plays.

Well, it depends what the game looks like. If it's one of those tightly congested affairs, with the guys beating their brains out in the midfield, DMB ain't much of a player. On the other hand, if we're talking a more open game, with thrust & counterthrust, he's brilliant. Motors upfield on those runs, motors back to cover defensively. Gotta love that.

[Bajoro]

Well, it depends what the game looks like. ....

Part of BA's job is to create a game plan to take advantage of our strengths... which are Beasely and Donovan.

[NBlue]

I thought this was the most telling quote from the article, from Tyrone Marshall:

"I think DaMarcus is the best player on the U.S. team. He's a guy you don't want to see (as an opponent)."

Considering that we fielded some of our best players, including JOB, Donovan, Dolo, and Mastroeni, that is very high praise. Beasley is the one guy who scares the crap out of every team he plays. I think we grossly underrate what he brings to our team.

It is even more fascinating considering that Marshall plays for the Galaxy along with you know who . . .

[Clint Eastwood]

I thought this was the most telling quote from the article, from Tyrone Marshall:

"I think DaMarcus is the best player on the U.S. team. He's a guy you don't want to see (as an opponent)."

Considering that we fielded some of our best players, including JOB, Donovan, Dolo, and Mastroeni, that is very high praise. Beasley is the one guy who scares the crap out of every team he plays. I think we grossly underrate what he brings to our team.

I was at this game at Foxoro and can tell you Beasley was far and away the best player on the field. Well, you could make a case for Keller too. Whenever Beasley got the ball on the flank my entire section of Honduran fans stood up. He was the only player that got that kind of "buzz." Jamaica simply couldn't deal with this pace, and this Jamaican team has some speedsters. It's also extremely important that he and LD have such an understanding for each other. LD and Ralston couldn't get the same kind of action down the other flank. In fact after the game the newbie I went with asked me if Ralston was playing. Simply invisible.

[Nutmeg]

Well, it depends what the game looks like. If it's one of those tightly congested affairs, with the guys beating their brains out in the midfield, DMB ain't much of a player. On the other hand, if we're talking a more open game, with thrust & counterthrust, he's brilliant. Motors upfield on those runs, motors back to cover defensively. Gotta love that.

Good point. A couple thoughts:

Keep DMB on the wing. No question he's a more effective player out there, no matter how the other team is playing.
PSV defenders did a great job last year of playing the ball early to DMB last season. I'd like to see our defenders looking upfield to Beasley more often. I am not a proponent of long-ball soccer, but DMB times his runs as well or better than any other US player, and his speed is beyond even the world's best defenders.
Eddie Lewis is still a great card to have in-hand when we do face the bunkered in teams.

[gaucho]

Someone's got to start collecting Bruce's one-liners. They're priceless.

[MelH]

Motors upfield on those runs, motors back to cover defensively. Gotta love that.Little dude can straight motor, cant he! :) My daughters thought it especially sweet when he scored on them after they tried to kill him (thier words)


Mel

[appoo]

Good point. A couple thoughts:

Keep DMB on the wing. No question he's a more effective player out there, no matter how the other team is playing.
PSV defenders did a great job last year of playing the ball early to DMB last season. I'd like to see our defenders looking upfield to Beasley more often. I am not a proponent of long-ball soccer, but DMB times his runs as well or better than any other US player, and his speed is beyond even the world's best defenders.
Eddie Lewis is still a great card to have in-hand when we do face the bunkered in teams.



the issue with DMB with the Nats is not his ability, which is unquestionable, but how Arena uses him. He has a lot of defensive responsibility, far more than what Guus Hiddink. If you want the early ball to be a true weapon for USA, you would have to convice Arena to allow DMB stay high for stretches of time.

you'd also need better skilled players along the back line

[appoo]

It is even more fascinating considering that Marshall plays for the Galaxy along with you know who . . .

I'd be more scared of DFB than LD if I were a defender to. LD won't attack me everytime he touches the ball like DFB does

[dabes2]

the issue with DMB with the Nats is not his ability, which is unquestionable, but how Arena uses him. He has a lot of defensive responsibility, far more than what Guus Hiddink. If you want the early ball to be a true weapon for USA, you would have to convice Arena to allow DMB stay high for stretches of time.

you'd also need better skilled players along the back line

But DMB is unlikely to get that kind of freedom he has at PSV playing out of a 4-4-2. It would take a formation shift.

DMB can be very dangerous receiving long diagonal balls in the midfield. Less of a threat to score himself, but still able to wreak havock by forcing the defense to lose their shape.

[erikl2]

Good quote...can't imagine we'll be seeing much of Benny in a Nats uniform after this tourney. And he only got in this game because of Dolo's injury.

Well, I looked at that play several times. I could have sworn that the player that was fouled was actually Conrad's mark, but Conrad hesitated before following him on the run. Olsen just ran himself into position to foul him before a shot was taken.

Doesn't change the fact that Olsen fouled him and got sent off. That's a total judgement call. I just don't think Olsen was a fault for being out of position on someone else's mark.

[imasyko]

the issue with DMB with the Nats is not his ability, which is unquestionable, but how Arena uses him. He has a lot of defensive responsibility, far more than what Guus Hiddink. If you want the early ball to be a true weapon for USA, you would have to convice Arena to allow DMB stay high for stretches of time.

you'd also need better skilled players along the back line

Who's our left back again...? ;^)

[appoo]

Who's our left back again...? ;^)

you busy next summer?

[Alex_1]

Good point. A couple thoughts:

Keep DMB on the wing. No question he's a more effective player out there, no matter how the other team is playing.
PSV defenders did a great job last year of playing the ball early to DMB last season. I'd like to see our defenders looking upfield to Beasley more often. I am not a proponent of long-ball soccer, but DMB times his runs as well or better than any other US player, and his speed is beyond even the world's best defenders.
Eddie Lewis is still a great card to have in-hand when we do face the bunkered in teams.


Hm. I agree. IMO the problem with Beasley in some of the other games for the USA this season was that Arena was playing him out of position. He's more effective on the wing or further up and is far more comfortable there than in the center of the field. His delivery is better and he can come at the defense more effectively and draw attention.

I also remember that one thing some PSV fans would mention about him, and that I noticed when he first got there, was that he didn't run at the opposition as much/as effectively as Robben. IMO he wasn't quite as demanding in that way. He's grown in confidence since then and is far more comfortable there now than he was when he first started off at PSV.