Good NY Times article on Convey

[appoo]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/sports/soccer/05soccer.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2006/06/05/sports/05soccer.xlarge1.jpg

Reading this makes me waffle back and forth on Convey starting....god he's such a weapon when he uses his complete skill set - and that's something Mooch touches upon.

"Asked what he liked best about Convey, Myernick said: "He doesn't just rely on his ability to run. Soccer's not just about running. It's a game about thinking, about making the right decision at the right time and being more consistent in those areas.""

One thing I didn't like vs Latvia and some of Venezuela is that Convey was perhaps TOO confident on the ball. He wasn't using his entrie game. And running at people isn't even the best part of his game. It's his vision and passing ability. At his best - IMHO he's our best midfielder. period. There really isn't anything out there he can't do except perhaps play DM. It's just about getting his mentality right

[Ringo]

At his best - IMHO he's our best midfielder. period. There really isn't anything out there he can't do except perhaps play DM. It's just about getting his mentality right


don't start this crap again.

[appoo]

don't start this crap again.


why not? It's true I think. He;s got the pace, touch, creativity, technical ability, passing ability, work rate...he just needs to bring it all. and he's close IMHO.

But he hasn't don ei tyet and right now he's too 1-Dimensional which is why I start JOB ahead of him.

But honest question - where exactly is he lacking?

[ursula]

Thinking ahead of the play has always been Convey's strong suit.

[onefineesq]

What I found funny about this article is that apparently Bruce said about Convey what many of us thought of him when he was here in DC (he was a self-absorbed, coddled player who was used to getting what he wanted); and Convey recently said what SOME of us have been saying about Bruce (that he always wants to get credit for stuff that he may or may not be responsible for). Honestly, despite the myriad of people who lambasted me and others for pointing out those things years ago, it is pretty hilarious to hear them essentially say those exact same things about each other. Vindication. LOL

[Plxix]

I've said it before: he's our breakthrough player in this WC.

[appoo]

What I found funny about this article is that apparently Bruce said about Convey what many of us thought of him when he was here in DC (he was a self-absorbed, coddled player who was used to getting what he wanted); and Convey recently said what SOME of us have been saying about Bruce (that he always wants to get credit for stuff that he may or may not be responsible for). Honestly, despite the myriad of people who lambasted me and others for pointing out those things years ago, it is pretty hilarious to hear them essentially say those exact same things about each other. Vindication. LOL


FWIW he was laughing when he said the Bruce comment...and had the rest of the press laughing to. It was in another article

[onefineesq]

FWIW he was laughing when he said the Bruce comment...and had the rest of the press laughing to. It was in another article Understood, but the best way to say something and make your point without offending, is to say something in a joking way. I doubt that comment gets made if it wasn't something that was in his head.

[Cornballer]

That picture from the article is awesome.

[IndividualEleven]

And running at people isn't even the best part of his game. It's his vision and passing ability. At his best - IMHO he's our best midfielder.

LOL! Only one BS poster could come up with this. But I do hope he
starts.

[Cornballer]

By the way, if everyone wants more context on the quotes that were used in the article, they're all from the press conference yesterday. There's a podcast of it (http://podcast.ussoccer.com/June4_PC.mp3) up on the ussoccer "sights and sounds" page, along with a bunch of other press conferences from Germany (http://ussoccer.com/sights/audio/index.jsp.html). (Including one from this morning w/ Eddie Johnson and Eddie Pope.)

[Ringo]

why not? It's true I think. He;s got the pace, touch, creativity, technical ability, passing ability, work rate...he just needs to bring it all. and he's close IMHO.

But he hasn't don ei tyet and right now he's too 1-Dimensional which is why I start JOB ahead of him.

But honest question - where exactly is he lacking?


what is he lacking? production on the field with the nats.
at their best (your term) landon, claudio, DMB and JOB are all better. what's more, they've shown it. Bobby's just come into his own over the last year.

I'm not saying he can't be there (and I feel a big WC coming up for him) ... but let's not forget the other players in the pool.

[Ringo]

But honest question - where exactly is he lacking?


almost forgot: 20/20 vision. damn cripple.

[IndividualEleven]

what is he lacking? production on the field with the nats.
at their best (your term) landon, claudio, DMB and JOB are all better. what's more, they've shown it. Bobby's just come into his own over the last year.

I'm not saying he can't be there (and I feel a big WC coming up for him) ... but let's not forget the other players in the pool.

I'd throw Mastroeni in there as well.

[appoo]

what is he lacking? production on the field with the nats.
at their best (your term) landon, claudio, DMB and JOB are all better. what's more, they've shown it. Bobby's just come into his own over the last year.

I'm not saying he can't be there (and I feel a big WC coming up for him) ... but let's not forget the other players in the pool.


This is why I said at his best :)

Nope, he hasn't produced just yet. That doesn't mean he won't.

[Ringo]

This is why I said at his best :)

NOpep, he hasn't produced just yet. That doesn't mean he won't.


but if you're going to judge bobby at his best, you have to judge the other players at their best too. when you do, he doesn't stack up to those four i mentioned.

and like you said, he hasn't produced yet ... our best midfielder would've done so.

but like you said, and i agree, that doesn't mean he won't. i think he's gonna have a good WC.

[JohnR]

Honestly, despite the myriad of people who lambasted me and others for pointing out those things years ago, it is pretty hilarious to hear them essentially say those exact same things about each other.

Well, you know how that goes. Putting Eddie Lewis was the stupidest idea in the world that earned catcalls -- until Bruce Arena tried it, then it was the obvious thing to try. 80% of the people on these boards don't like any ideas unless they think Bruce would approve. Just kill 'em all, that way the boards wouldn't periodically freeze up because of server overload.

[appoo]

but if you're going to judge bobby at his best, you have to judge the other players at their best too. when you do, he doesn't stack up to those four i mentioned.

and like you said, he hasn't produced yet ... our best midfielder would've done so.

but like you said, and i agree, that doesn't mean he won't. i think he's gonna have a good WC.


other than perhaps O'Brien, I really do think he has the most complete skill set though. And at 23, he has time to start producing for USA. and right now would be a great time. However, he needs to show that he's willing to use his entire game, because if he's just gonna run at people and try crossing it 5 million times, I'd rather leave him on the bench.

[Ringo]

anybody else surprised we've gotten to the second page of this thread without somebody saying 'See, Landon ... Bobby stuck it out?'

:D


sorry to hi-jack the thread there, too. it was a good story on Bobby and hopefully he keeps that chip on his shoulder. but one wonders if Bobby will strive to prove how well he can play or how well he can play for the team. those are two different things. i feel he'll be a good, team player for us in Germany ... Bruce wouldn't leave him on the field if he wasn't.

[Ringo]

other than perhaps O'Brien, I really do think he has the most complete skill set though. And at 23, he has time to start producing for USA. and right now would be a great time. However, he needs to show that he's willing to use his entire game, because if he's just gonna run at people and try crossing it 5 million times, I'd rather leave him on the bench.


I would agree with that last point ... i made reference to that in a later post. will he try to show how good he is or will he try to show how good of a teammate he is?

but, really ... you'd rank him above landon as far as skill set goes? Because landon's gonna be our all time goals leader (he's already our all-time assists leader) before the next WC. finishing. that's important to a skill set. and i'm not knocking on Bobby ... i'm complimenting landon. bobby's a better crosser, but I'm at a loss to think of anything else he's clearly better. and since landon plays central more often it's not like he's called on to play a lot of crosses.