O'Brien in Chivas Scrimmage [R] [Archive]

Bigrose30

20 Apr 2006, 09:03 AM

http://www.soccer365.com/EUROPEAN_NEWS/Germany_News/page_177_118862.shtml

The first of two scrimmages for Chivas during their "bye-week" (not sure why any team would have a week off at this point in the season...ah well).

Everybody's All-American John O'Brien started and went 85 minutes, picking up a 4th minute goal.

With a two scrimmages and two more weeks of training, it'll be interesting to see if JOB gets the start next weekend against NY Red Bull. That is looking more and more like his day of reckoning...his last chance to prove he can be useful to the squad before Bruce names it.

Mark the Calendar...April 29th.

sidefootsitter

20 Apr 2006, 09:33 AM

He's in ... but he better be at or close to top form by June, 12.

Rocket

20 Apr 2006, 09:46 AM

but he better be at or close to top form by June, 12.
Or what...

An O'Brien at 80% is probably better than most USMNT players at 100%.

But, still, you'd like to bench him if he's playing at 80%?

DCFAN96

20 Apr 2006, 09:52 AM

But, still, you'd like to bench him if he's playing at 80%?

Of course, if your not 100% fit you can't start against the Italians or Czechs, period. Sure at 80% he'll be able to string a couple of nice passes on offensive the problem is gonna be when the Czechs are on a counterattack and JOB can't keep up. We can't have a guy out there who can't run 90 minutes.

sidefootsitter

20 Apr 2006, 09:52 AM

Or what...

An O'Brien at 80% is probably better than most USMNT players at 100%.

But, still, you'd like to bench him if he's playing at 80%? JOB at 80% probably means a couple of the balls similar to what Donovan took off with for the OT goal for the Galz.

Plus, if John's a liability defensively, Bruce wouldn't pair him up with Reyna in the 4-4-2 Box. And that means a choice of Reyna, Dempsey or a formation.

The US is not that deep in talent and having a top player out or in an indifferent form has a domino effect.

robchap628

20 Apr 2006, 09:54 AM

Or what...

An O'Brien at 80% is probably better than most USMNT players at 100%.

But, still, you'd like to bench him if he's playing at 80%?

I agree, however I think the posters point was that JOB has to prove that he can adjust to the speed of intnl. soccer after spending the last two seasons injured. We don't know what JOB at 80% looks like anymore, we all remember him from the '02 WC, but things change. can he play with the same confidence he used to? is he still as good on the ball? there's still a lot of questions to be answered about him, saying he's healthy is simply not good enough

dcole

20 Apr 2006, 10:00 AM

JOB at 80% probably means a couple of the balls similar to what Donovan took off with for the OT goal for the Galz.

For the record, O'Brien played a dangerous ball that SHOULD have been picked off and taken in for a goal, but was not. A minute or so later, the Galaxy stripped another Chivas player (not JOB) and took it for a goal. The point (which is taken) is that we can't afford those kind of lapses. Personally, I think O'Brien will play himself out of those types of problems well in advance of June.

superdave

20 Apr 2006, 10:46 AM

Or what...

An O'Brien at 80% is probably better than most USMNT players at 100%.

No he's not. He's a great player. He's not God.

forza inter

20 Apr 2006, 10:59 AM

No he's not. He's a great player. He's not God.

oh but he is now, havent you seen his new hairdo??;)

forza inter

ugaaccountant

20 Apr 2006, 11:37 AM

For the record, O'Brien played a dangerous ball that SHOULD have been picked off and taken in for a goal, but was not.

Alot of dangerous balls will have to be played in the WC. I want JOB and Reyna making those decisions not Olsen or Zavagnin. JOB has looked ok right now to come off the bench at the WC and is showing signs that come June he could make some starts.

PhxSoccerDude

20 Apr 2006, 11:50 AM

Landon Donovan praised JOB as one of the best players the US has that is some pretty high praise. JOB is on the US team barring any serious injuries. He is just taking his time getting back to form because he is so injury prone. I am sick and tired of the talk of whether he will make the team. As I said earlier unless he gets a serious injury he will be on the team period.

Soccerprep

20 Apr 2006, 12:00 PM

who did they scrimmage? who will be there next scrimmage opponent?

Colo-Colo

20 Apr 2006, 12:01 PM

Does anybody know details on JOB leading up to 2002. I'm not sure that I remember this perfectly, but it seems to me that he didn't provide a great deal of evidence that he was in top form prior to that WC. He wasn't cutting it as close as this time around, but I don't think he had won back a regular starting role at Ajax after whatever his last injury had been in 2001. Can anybody confirm this?

Anyway, if I am indeed remembering this correctly, the point I'm trying to make is that he was one of our best players four years ago despite not being in the form that comes from playing several months of first-team football, which makes me optimistic about his ability to get up to speed as long as he doesn't get hurt again.

Martin Fischer

20 Apr 2006, 12:01 PM

Bigrose30

20 Apr 2006, 12:04 PM

who did they scrimmage? who will be there next scrimmage opponent?

A simple click of the posted link reveals the following information:

"John O'Brien, Drew Helm and René Corona scored to give Chivas USA a 3-0 win over San Diego State in a scrimmage played Wednesday on University Field 1 at The Home Depot Center."

"This Saturday, April 22, Chivas USA will play another scrimmage, against U.C. Berkley, on University Field 1 at The Home Depot Center at 10:00 a.m."

Chowderhead

20 Apr 2006, 12:18 PM

Or what...

An O'Brien at 80% is probably better than most USMNT players at 100%.

But, still, you'd like to bench him if he's playing at 80%?

We could debate that. One thing I do know is that O'Brien should cut his hair and start embracing his masculine side.

Dead Run

20 Apr 2006, 12:44 PM

We could debate that. One thing I do know is that O'Brien should cut his hair and start embracing his masculine side.
Agreed. If Arena is using hair as a selection criteria, JOB is will be in Playa del Rey in June.

Arena has said in so many words that he'll take O'Brien. Coaches like Arena love players who can legitimately play many positions and O'Brien is one of those players. He started as a defender many times for Ajax. He's played effectively every midfield position but left. One of the problems our team has now is that guys like Donovan and Beasley, great players, are only great in one place and just acceptable in others. It makes it hard to get our best 11 on the field at once. JOB is not like that and therefore will be in Germany.

banbaseball

20 Apr 2006, 01:14 PM

does anyone ever have the impression that JOB is/will be our version of Redondo. so many expectations and brilliance but ...

Dave216J

20 Apr 2006, 01:23 PM

If O'Brien is 80% fit, he will not start.

If, however, O'Brien is "at 80%" - meaning 80% of his usual self, lacking some sharpness and match fitness, but physically at 100%, I would much rather have him in than Zavagnin, Olsen, or (in most formations) Dempsey. As was said earlier, dangerous passes will need to be made, and I'd rather have him making them.

AWF08

20 Apr 2006, 01:39 PM

does anyone ever have the impression that JOB is/will be our version of Redondo. so many expectations and brilliance but ...
But, what? Left off the national team and out of World Cups because he won't cut his hair? No.
Be one of the best holding midfielders of his time? Win two Spanish League cups? Win two European championships? Play in La Liga and in Serie A for over ten years for Real Madrid and AC Milan? Be named UEFA Champions League MVP? Hmmm, I hope so.
Take away Passarelli (?), and one of the dumbest decisions in the history of football, and Redondo plays in the World Cup twice, maybe three times--who knows what may have been . . .