Best USA player I have seen in MLS this year: Klein

[passtheblizz]

What about Santino? He will be twenty by then, and I am betting that he will be playing pretty well out there. Or what about Kelly Gray. He is deceptively large and fast as a bugger, although he plays more on the left I think. Suarez is also a good young player, and what about Mark Lisi?

[Shaster]

Originally posted by Bruce S
But the problem is not just what we do with the ball, it is also what the other team does with the ball. Who will mark players on free kicks and corners? Will Beasley or Donovan mark Ballack, Jancker, Borghetti? Somewhere int he mix MUST be some big guys who can really play. He is not a lock, but CK gets an asterisk next to his name because he is a big horse. Just like Sanneh did.

In World Cup 2002, Tony Sanneh is the tallest US player in the field. Compare with Ballack, who is at 189cm.

Here is our defense lines:

Tony Sanneh 6'2" 188cm
Gregg Berhalter 6'1" 185cm
Eddie Pope 6'0" 183cm

Our three tallest defenders. Also

Jeff Agoos 5'10" 178cm
David Regis 5'11" 180cm
Carlos Llamosa 5'11" 180cm
Frankie Hedjuk 5'8" 173cm
Steve Cherundolo 5'6" 170cm

If counts Greg Vanney at 5'11" 180cm, yes we are very short in the world stage.

Things get a LOT of better:

Cory Gibbs 191cm
Jim Curtin 6'4" 193cm
Ryan Suarez 6'2" 188cm
Mike Petke 6'2" 188cm
Danny Califf 6'1" 185cm
Jose Burciaga 6'1" 185cm
Lee Morrison 6'1" 185cm
Carlos Bocanegra 6'0" 183cm
Chris Gbandi 6'0" 183cm

Also compare with all short forwards, we only have three are taller than 6'0" before:

Brian McBride, Ante Razov and Jovan Kirovski all at 6'1" 185cm.

Now, we have

Eddie Johnson 6'2" 188cm
Conor Casey 6'2" 188cm
Edson Buddle 6'1" 185cm
Santino Quaranta 6'0" 183cm
Taylor Twellman 5'11" 180cm (is he still growing?)

Compare with our all short midfielders of Reyna, O'Brian, Armas, Mastronei, Jones, Lewis, Donovan and Beasley, we now have

Chris Klein 6'1" 185cm
Sasha Victorine 6'2" 188cm
Eric Quill 6'0" 183cm
Keely Gray 6'2" 188cm
Brad Davis 5'11" 180cm
Miguel Saavedra 5'11" 180cm
Francisco Gomez 5'11" 180cm

So we will be taller and taller in future generations.

[Martin Fischer]

Originally posted by Shaster


...

Compare with our all short midfielders of Reyna, O'Brian, Armas, Mastronei, Jones, Lewis, Donovan and Beasley, we now have

Chris Klein 6'1" 185cm
Sasha Victorine 6'2" 188cm
Eric Quill 6'0" 183cm
Keely Gray 6'2" 188cm
Brad Davis 5'11" 180cm
Miguel Saavedra 5'11" 180cm
Francisco Gomez 5'11" 180cm

So we will be taller and taller in future generations.

You really think the likes of Klein, Victorine, Quill, Gray (he will be a force, but I suspect at the back), Davis, Saavedra and Gomez are going to pass Reyna, JOB, Mastroeni, Donovan and Beasley by 2006. I don't think so, which makes your hypothesis sink a bit, no?

[Bruce S]

I was talking only of Klein. Why even mention those guys in the same breath, except to set up a straw man.. It is clear that Klein has been on Arena's radar, the others haven't.

[Shaster]

Originally posted by Martin Fischer


You really think the likes of Klein, Victorine, Quill, Gray (he will be a force, but I suspect at the back), Davis, Saavedra and Gomez are going to pass Reyna, JOB, Mastroeni, Donovan and Beasley by 2006. I don't think so, which makes your hypothesis sink a bit, no?

They will not bypass the guys you put there, but sure they will bypass guys like Stewart, Jones, etc.

[fuentga]

I see Klein play on regular basis - I am a Wizards season ticket holder- Klein is not ready for International play..he is slow in thought and he really does not have a presence going forward..he still makes the predictable play-

He is big..he is fast of foot..but not fast of mind..He would not be my choice..but then I have never coached

[BenC1357]

Originally posted by fuentga
...He would not be my choice..but then I have never coached

There you go. Klein is ready, he proves it day in and day out. Can't go forward? He sure has a few goals and assists this season although his role has been shifted defensively.

At times hes slow in mind and predictable, but think of it this way. Maybe, just maybe, he is playing in a system or league that doesn't allow his mind to grow. If he were in a national team setting for more than a few days, with very creative and skilled players maybe his creativity and skill would come out of the woodwork.

PS-If Fransico Gomez reaches the USMNT, the shyte really has hit the fan. Trust me.

[whip]

Mario Kempes wake up and turn off REPUBLICA DEPORTIVA, Mario DC UNITED whoop MEXICAN FAST TOLUCA, and it seem that super Argentina league team have hart time with the MEXICANS on Copa Libertadores, so can you make a judgement now.....Another nail on that arguments coffin: Super fast LUIS MATADOR HERNANDEZ look like a SWEEDY PIGGY trying to keep up with the "SLOW" BOYS OF MLS....OINK OINK..OINK wait for me.....

[BenC1357]

Originally posted by whip
Mario Kempes wake up and turn off REPUBLICA DEPORTIVA, Mario DC UNITED whoop MEXICAN FAST TOLUCA, and it seem that super Argentina league team have hart time with the MEXICANS on Copa Libertadores, so can you make a judgement now.....Another nail on that arguments coffin: Super fast LUIS MATADOR HERNANDEZ look like a SWEEDY PIGGY trying to keep up with the "SLOW" BOYS OF MLS....OINK OINK..OINK wait for me.....

is this english? it reminds me of my girlfriend (who is chinese) speaking to her mother. its half chinese and half english (the words she doesnt know in chinese). as i am now, it confuses me.

hart=hard???
SWEEDY=SWEATY???
complete sentences???

not to be a grammer cop or anything, but whip, you confuse the heck out of me dude.

[fuentga]

I understand you believe that Klein should be on the national team..but i guess I just do not see it..

I am not a coach..but my guess is that most people on here are not pro coaches..Ben,,if you are a coach of some repute please let me know..and I will respect your comments..if you are not then it seems that your opinion is worth about the same as mine..NOTHING..but that is why this forum is fun!

Klein is a marginal NAT player at best...and I think history will prove me right..

You are right about Gomez..the fact that he wears the #10 for the Wizards is a joke..and tells you something about Gansler..who I will never forgive for not taking Hugo Perez to Italy..

[GoDC]

Originally posted by fuentga

You are right about Gomez..the fact that he wears the #10 for the Wizards is a joke..and tells you something about Gansler..who I will never forgive for not taking Hugo Perez to Italy..

Thanks for stopping by Hugo.

Bitterness does not look good on you.

[BenC1357]

Originally posted by fuentga
I understand you believe that Klein should be on the national team..but i guess I just do not see it..

I am not a coach..but my guess is that most people on here are not pro coaches..Ben,,if you are a coach of some repute please let me know..and I will respect your comments..if you are not then it seems that your opinion is worth about the same as mine..NOTHING..but that is why this forum is fun!

Klein is a marginal NAT player at best...and I think history will prove me right..

You are right about Gomez..the fact that he wears the #10 for the Wizards is a joke..and tells you something about Gansler..who I will never forgive for not taking Hugo Perez to Italy..

I've coached, and will be taking over another team soon, but not professionally by any means. That is not to say that watching nearly every game that Klein has played in MLS doesn't make my opinion worth something because some people on here have seen him play a handful of times and might not be aware of his skills.

I seriously don't think that the actual number that players wear matters all the much in the US (or most other countries anymore...). Preki is our #10, but he has always worn #11, so he sticks with that number.

I haven't said once that Klein should be given the starting right midfield spot and someone has to win it from him. I simply believe that of all the contenders for the US pool, he is a strong candidate if he continues to improve as he has.

[whip]

hart=hard???
SWEEDY=SWEATY???
complete sentences???

not to be a grammer cop or anything, but whip, you confuse the heck out of me dude....

Sorry about my 'grammer'....just kidding ....I am trying to improve ....About your confusiong, let me try again .....It just blows my mind that many soccer fans call the MLS 'SLOW", even though many foreing players like LUIS HERNANDEZ have play in USA and have really look BAD..... Probably our league is not the best but is different.