Right Midfielder-Desparation for Bruce Arena

[appoo]

I think coach Arena is desparate to find a solution for the gaping hole we have at Right midfielder. The proof is that he attempted to play Frankie Hejduk there. IMHO this is the biggest problem that faces the current US Squad. Every game we have played so far against a good opponent half the field gets taken away from us because the opposing team won't defend our right flank. There is no need to defend it because we can't offer a threat of ANY kind along the right flank. This is a problem that has gotten worse since world cup because in South Korea we had either Donovan or Earnie Stewart along the right side, both of whom was a threat offensivly. Post world Cup, the best I've seen us play was the 2nd half vs Venezuala, when a pumped up Earnie Stewart roamed the right side of the field, to complement DMB along the left side. He is our best player on the right-side and that scares me. It was a huge problem against Mexico, and we won't win a game in France this summer if it continues to persist. The other squads are too good to just play on one side of the field and get away with it

[Nutmeg]

Try DMB on the right, Lewis on the left.

I couldn't hurt, and whether DMB is on the right or left side, you're still not getting any crosses from him.

[MLSNHTOWN]

I agree this is growing into our largest "hole". I think that Claudio is a possibility there as he played it well against Mexico. I think that Klein isn't showing poorly in the games that he has gotten. He isn't the most threatening player on the right, but he is a decent enough filler of the hole. He is tall to help out on set pieces. His pace is ok, but not exceptional. He works hard and defends ok. He has a decent outside shot is good going forward, but is an average crosser. He doesn't have the whole package, but neither does Beasley as was explained above.

I agree regarding Earnie v. Venezuala. He came on and showed well in that game. So he is still in the picture until someone can push him out.

Ben is ok as well, but hasn't gotten the pace back that he needs to perform at the international level.

I really wouldn't be surprised to see Cherundolo get a look at right mid. One would have to admit that he has the offensive skills to play the position. He just lacks height which is hurt less in the middle of the pitch as opposed to the back line. If we play a 3-5-2 with Califf, Pope and Boca (Sanneh instead of Califf, Suarez, Gibbs or whomever else), the right mid position might just be perfect for Dolo. If you watched him this past week on FSW, he has the speed, pace, crossing ability, defensive tenacity that we would want our right mid to have in a 3-5-2. He just is short.

[JohnR]

Originally posted by Nutmeg
Try DMB on the right, Lewis on the left.

I couldn't hurt, and whether DMB is on the right or left side, you're still not getting any crosses from him.

Yes, I think that's best.

Plus an asymmetrical offense can be very effective. With Lewis staying on the side and striking good crosses, and DMB cutting diagonally to goal with attacking runs, we'd have two very different wing strategies. Difficult to defend.

[Sweeper]

My, the sky is falling a bit quite lately, no?

We have Olsen who can play over there and will get better with more time, more matches, the further he goes without an injury, the better of a player he will become.

Don't forget us perhaps throwing Martino out there, though perhaps he poses somewhat of a defensive liability.

A hard tackler and man marker like Mulrooney could be a nice fit on the right side. And reports about Oneywu seem to suggest that he moves forward well, so perhaps he can add a nice matchup defensively to our midfield.

We have plenty of options on the right side guys, Ralston and Klein included.

[flanoverseas]

The role that Stewart used to play is perfect for Donovan.

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspMathis -- McBride

DMB ------- JOB ------- Donovan (Stewart's role, floating)

&nbsp&nbsp----Convey----
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp------Reyna-----

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspBarrett ---- Boca ---- Pope


This is just ONE lineup. Convey might be too young now, Reyna, McBride and Pope, too old later. Dolo, for one, cannot be counted out. Consistent First team time in the Bundesliga is going to get him some time in the Qualifiers. Maybe something like this in 2 years:

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspMathis -- Buddle

DMB ------- JOB ------- Donovan (Stewart's role, floating)

&nbsp&nbsp----Convey----
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp------Dolo-----

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbspBarrett ---- Boca ---- Oguchi

[Nutmeg]

Originally posted by flanoverseas
The role that Stewart used to play is perfect for Donovan.

I've said the same thing. Someone else mentioned that Donovan would be a great Ljunberg-type player. That analogy fits well. This might happen if another forward or two step up and allow Donovan to move farther back on the field.

[sch2383]

I think we could try JOB out on the right side in the Stewart role. Both of them learned how to play in the Dutch system, so you figure they will know when and where to be. Then we could have Martino or Convey in the middle (their natural postion). JOB has played right back for Ajax a few times, so its not like its totally unfamiliar for him.

[Detective40oz]

Ben Olsen if he continues to improve his fitness and skills that are still a bit behind where they were before his injury

[dark knight]

I really thought this was going to be Thorrington's job to lose by about now. Hopefully he can get his club situation sorted out and get back in the picture.

[appoo]

of the suggestions I saw I would say that O'Brien would be the fit. I love the idea of donovan as our Ljungberg (its something he does already with San Jose now that I think about it) and it'd be a waste to put him out there on the right.

Sweeper, I think Arena said that Olsen lost too much pace to play on the right. Its why he put him in the middle vs Argentina. Ralston, Klein...yea these guys will be fine vs everybody but the better countries. The Mexicos, Spains, and Germanies of the world. If we're aiming to be at that level your gonna need players who can do it and I don't those 2 can. The idea of Cherundolo playing as a winger in a 3-5-2 is intriguing though. I actually hope that we can convert someone to be a right mid. Players like Tino, and I think Devin Barclay is attempting to do that for the u-20s. Doesn anybody know if Justin Mapp plays on the right for Chicago? I thought he was left-midfielder but he might have switched cuz of DMB

[stopper4]

Why is everyone writing Chris Klein off after one bad game?

[galperin]

'Dolo at right mid is a grea idea! He defends well, gets forward well, and crosses well. He is short, and that hurts, but I think his pluses outweigh his minus.

[flanoverseas]

Originally posted by Nutmeg
I've said the same thing. Someone else mentioned that Donovan would be a great Ljunberg-type player. That analogy fits well. This might happen if another forward or two step up and allow Donovan to move farther back on the field. I must have seen you say that in another thread...but I've been advocating him for a roaming type role a la Baggio '94 since the U-17s so I didn't mind not citing you.http://digilander.libero.it/doniuccia/faccine/Angeli/angel1.gif

[foosball]

Klein, to me , is very underrated by the Big Soccer community.Obviously BA gives him plenty of respect with his opportunities and growing number of caps.He has the size,adequate speed and work rate to be the answer at right mid especially in a 3-5-2 which is where he plays for the Wiz.His nose for the goal isn't too shabby either.He's not pretty,but he gets the job done.

[Bajoro]

(Just a thought, and maybe not such a well developed one at that, since it's the middle of the work day.)

Is the problem that we are desperate for right midfielders, or is it that all the guys who might be good or great at right midfield are being used to plug up holes elsewhere?

- Donovan
- Mathis
- Klein
- Convey
- Martino
- Mulroony
- Olsen
- Reyna
- Mastoeni


I think the real hole is either at attacking centeral midfield or maybe striker (depending on how Mathis is doing physically and where BA chooses to use him). We'll always have a supply of players who can handle the wings, where speed and endurance can make up for the ball control class that only a few or our players have -- Reyna, O'Brien, Mathis maybe Donovan. I think these guys are suited to positions other than attacking central midfield, yet that's where they get used because they're our best options.

In the meantime, we hope and wait for a new generation of central mids to develop in time to make an impact.

In short, I don't think the problem is out wide. It's finding the really great ones to play in the middle.

[Bajoro]

Originally posted by foosball
Klein, to me , is very underrated by the Big Soccer community.

foosball, when I saw Klein in person playing for Indiana, before MLS was established, it was inconceivable that he would not be a USMNT mainstay for the forseeable future. I'm just surprised it took so long.

[appoo]

Originally posted by Bajoro
(Just a thought, and maybe not such a well developed one at that, since it's the middle of the work day.)

Is the problem that we are desperate for right midfielders, or is it that all the guys who might be good or great at right midfield are being used to plug up holes elsewhere?

- Donovan
- Mathis
- Klein
- Convey
- Martino
- Mulroony
- Olsen
- Reyna
- Mastoeni


I think the real hole is either at attacking centeral midfield or maybe striker (depending on how Mathis is doing physically and where BA chooses to use him). We'll always have a supply of players who can handle the wings, where speed and endurance can make up for the ball control class that only a few or our players have -- Reyna, O'Brien, Mathis maybe Donovan. I think these guys are suited to positions other than attacking central midfield, yet that's where they get used because they're our best options.

In the meantime, we hope and wait for a new generation of central mids to develop in time to make an impact.

In short, I don't think the problem is out wide. It's finding the really great ones to play in the middle.

Thats a fairly interesting way to think of it. I have absolutly no idea how accurate it is because I don't know the natural positions those players play in. What I do know is that we don't have a right-midfielder who has been brought up as a right midfielder through the ranks outside of Ben Olsen, Chris Klein, and Steve Ralston. I mean DaMarcus Beasley is a NATURAL left midfielder. Reyna and O'Brien are NATURAL central midfielders. I started a thread before on how Donovan is a tweener and I still think thats true. But when you say

"We'll always have a supply of players who can handle the wings, where speed and endurance can make up for the ball control class that only a few or our players have"

I kind of have to disagree. Otherwise why would I have started this thread? Can you honestly say that your satisfied and have no reservations with letting Chris Klein or Steve Ralston or Ben Olsen man the Right midfield spot for the next 4 years? You can say that with Donovan at striker, DMB at Left Mid (to an extent anyway), O'Brien as a Central Midfielder, Bocanegra, Pope, and Cherundolo as 3 of our backliners.

People have mentioned this before, but I hadn't really thoguht of it till now but Martino might be a GREAT option on the right side. He always seemed to drift that direction anyway.

[Bajoro]

Originally posted by appooOnU
...
"We'll always have a supply of players who can handle the wings, where speed and endurance can make up for the ball control class that only a few or our players have"

I kind of have to disagree. Otherwise why would I have started this thread? Can you honestly say that your satisfied and have no reservations with letting Chris Klein or Steve Ralston or Ben Olsen man the Right midfield spot for the next 4 years? ...

My point is that right mid would be a perfect position for Donovan or Mathis, or Reyna, or Convey, or Martino, if they weren't filling in slots that are more urgent (the middle).

There are lots of trade-offs that whoever is coaching has to make. It is the stuff that BigSoccer is made of.

:)

[sch2383]

Originally posted by Bajoro
My point is that right mid would be a perfect position for Donovan or Mathis, or Reyna, or Convey, or Martino, if they weren't filling in slots that are more urgent (the middle).

There are lots of trade-offs that whoever is coaching has to make. It is the stuff that BigSoccer is made of.

:)

I think that Landon is more important to the US Natioanl team right now as a forward be it a true forward or a withdrawn forward. It allows him to roam all over without having much defensive responsibility. I think him playing on the right would be a waste of his talents.