Wynalda to Bruce Arena: It's "now or never" for Taylor Twellman

[Nutmeg]

U.S. Needs Twellman (http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/90min0917wynalda.html)

Wynalda reiterates his opinion that Twellman is the best forward in American soccer today, and in a way rips Arena for not giving Twellman a fair shot with the USMNT.

I don't know whether to agree with Wynalda here or not. On one side, I don't think Taylor has been given a shot with the best US side to show what he can do with the best talent around him. On the other side, in the games Taylor has played, he hasn't been that impressive.

I also think Taylor has some obvious shortcomings that Wynalda doesn't discuss. He's not a tremendous athlete. He doesn't have the explosive first step of a Landon Donovan. He hasn't shown that he can create for himself on the international level - a characteristic that I believe is key for a US forward under Bruce Arena.

That doesn't mean he shouldn't be looked at. Obviously Bruce feels there is something in Twellman's game worth investing in, as he called in Taylor for the Confederation's Cup and named him to the roster. Taylor had a bad break when he got sick, and then shortly after he was injured and not ready for the Gold Cup. Wynalda apparently chose to ignore those realities in this column.

In short, I believe the jury is still out on Taylor. I think he should, and will, get serious consideration in future games. But if his contributions don't improve from what we've seen in the past, I think Bruce has no choice but to look elsewhere.

[Martin Fischer]

What a bunch of crap. Frankly, I think Wynalda is worried about Donovan or McBride breaking his record.

My favorite argument is that McBride played poorly against Panama, so we have to drop him. That's funny on a number of levels.

[MD_05]

oh and just in case you (eric wynalda) are looking around these boards (i know for a fact that some of the tv people do):
I think he is way off target on this one, but I admire him for being the one to always take a stance on something. He's the one always pointing the finger and calling guys out during games and that is needed and others seem hesitant to do so.

[Crew14]

Great. Another announcer patronizing Twellman.

C14

[Ghost]

The part about McBride and Panama is pretty hysterical. How many goals did McBride have in that tourney? Exactly that many more than Taylor has in his Nats career. If he thinks Taylor wouldn't miss those shots, I have news --- I've seen nothing on the International level that would tell me that Taylor would even get in position for those shots.

I hope Taylor comes through. I really do. It would be very exciting. And if it doesn't happen until he's 26 or so, it will be just as welcome then. But he needs to score. In bunches. Now. Any further dallying with Twellmann without results is minutes taken away from the development of Edson Buddle (and/or Conor Casey) . It's time for him to produce.

[Soccerski]

Twellman is a poacher extraordinaire, but has nothing else going for him. He is not big enough or good enough in the air to take McBride's role, he is not quick or tircky enough to take on a defender one v one, but he does seem to score goals.

Other than Twellman, I am not sure who we have that can take on the forward position.

Donovan is probably our best option.

McBride is getting old, particularly for 2006.

Mathis, and this hard for a Metro and Mathis fan to say, is a shell of his former talent, and a head case.

Cunningham , just dribble aimlessly.

Razov in good form now, and could be a Twellman alternative, but he is also prone to loosing his cool.

Kreis - injured, not as talented as Twellman, and not as good a poacher.

[jmeissen0]

i kinda have the belief that wynalda doesn't think that twellman should take donovan's spot

they play the game completely differently, and he mentions that

what's meant is that twellman should be played because he will score

donovan is more of a creator... twellman is an out and out finisher

wynalda meant that mcbride should lose his spot to twellman... both are fantastic in the air (both have balls of steel in that department)

mcbride has an inch on twellman, not a lot of difference

and i think that wynalda feels that twellman is playing better now, and has room to grow as a player... unlike mcbride, who is on the down side of his career


but nice harping about what wasn't really said :rolleyes:

[IamtheShark]

The guy I'd really like to see get a shot is one Edson Buddle. Twellman deserves a real look as well. The way injuries and other problems seem to play out, both should have their chance.

[onefineesq]

I guess i'm in the minority here (as usual), but i think wynalda is 100% right. LD is not strong enough physically to stand in amongst the trees in the front line and battle. His best attributes are as a creator in the midfield (he's a GREAT passer), and as a guy who gets the ball and RUNS AT or PAST defenders (much like Adu seems to be). Its funny to me that Freddy understands this and has expressed his desire to play directly behind the forwards, but LD insists that he's better at forward than at the attacking midfield, which he IS NOT. Wynalda is correct, one has to get used to playing with the national squad and get some Caps before you will be at your best. Neither Twellman OR Edson Buddle have gotten that chance yet. If you look at LD's numbers in competitive national team matches, he has only scored a handful of goals in over 30 games. And with his San Jose, he has only 6 goals and 5 assists in 19 started games i believe. In 17 starts in the league, Twellman has 13 goals and in 15 total competitive games (including US Open Cup and Concacaf Champions Cup), Buddle has 14 goals. Having these 2 guys up front, with a gifted Landon Donovan distributing the ball and flying by defenses right behind them, the U.S. would be a VERY dangerous squad.

[Parmigiano]

I think it speaks volumes about some here that they contemptuously dismiss Wynalda's comments as if he were simply a soccer idiot or just selfishly interested in protecting his own scoring record.

So we're supposed to listen to you rather than that cretin Wynalda-what's his name?

Whatever.

[Nutmeg]

Originally posted by Soccerski
Other than Twellman, I am not sure who we have that can take on the forward position.

Donovan is probably our best option.

This might be the only point of Wynalda's article I agree with. I don't think Donovan's best position is as a forward. I think Landon should assume the Earnie-goal role and play a roving position behind the forwards with the freedom to move all over the field from a nominal right midfielder position. Think Freddie Ljungberg.

McBride is getting old, particularly for 2006.

I haven't seen where McBride is slowing down at all, and right now he is the best forward in the US pool. Like other older players before him (Dooley, Agoos) I think Arena should keep a close eye on McBride and watch to see if his game slips. Replacement alternatives should be developed in case Brian's game runs head-on into Father Time.

Mathis, and this hard for a Metro and Mathis fan to say, is a shell of his former talent, and a head case.

Hmm, I am just not ready to dispense with Mathis. At his best, Clint is the most dangerous player on the US roster. I was hoping to see more from him under Bradley this year, and I still hold out hope that Clint regains his dominating form.

Cunningham , just dribble aimlessly.

JC is not the "other" player from Columbus who is knocking on the US door. That player would be Edson Buddle, who has been dominant since his return from injury.

Razov in good form now, and could be a Twellman alternative, but he is also prone to loosing his cool.

Ante's and Twellman's game are very similar. Twellman is just younger and has been more productive than Razov in MLS. Ante has proven that he can produce in key games internationally, with the Guatemala and T&T games coming immediately to mind.

Kreis - injured, not as talented as Twellman, and not as good a poacher.

Kreis isn't even in consideration.

Add Josh Wolff, Edson Buddle, and Conor Casey to the list of players who will get solid looks going forward, and your depth chart looks something like this:

McBride
Buddle
Mathis
Donovan
Wolff
Razov
Casey

Those are the guys Twellman is competing against for playing time. Another guy who hasn't been seriously talked about enough is Chris Carrieri, who I think should be thought about more and more as he continues to create and finish chances in Colorado. He might be the hardest working forward in MLS, and is a huge part of Colorado's emergence in the West.

[MD_05]

are you guys reading the article? Wynalda didn't say Donovan should sit down, he said Donovan isn't a striker, he can't be compared to twellman. He is however comparing Twellman and McBride, and making himself look rather stupid in the process.

[onefineesq]

Whoaaaa!!!! What is this love affair that people have with McBride. Look, I LOVE US Soccer, but the numbers bear out the truth. Taylor Twellman and Edson Buddle's numbers are HIGHLY superior to both Donovan's and McBride. Donovan SHOULD be playing attacking midfield as Wynalda said. Someone PLEASE look at what these guys are doing in MLS and explain to me on what rationale McBride is better than them RIGHT NOW. He is in fact on the downside of his career now due to his age. And with Buddle, the comparison is obvious because they are the same height, weight and are on the same team, so all the Xfactors are equal between them, yet Buddle is outperforming him in a monstrous way in terms of goals per game, goals per shots, he's faster, and he consistently looks TWICE as dangerous as McBride. Twellman is the only other guy in MLS whose numbers compare with Buddle in those categories, so please, let's stop going on emotion here and lets look at what counts ............ PRODUCTIVITY!!

[appoo]

the simple matter is that Twellman doesn't have the pace or the creativity to play at the international level that American's are going to need to perform on. He can probably play and do well vs 90% of the squads we'll face. But against the likes of Costa Rica, Mexico and the rest of the field he would be lost.

[MD_05]

Originally posted by onefineesq
Whoaaaa!!!! What is this love affair that people have with McBride. Look, I LOVE US Soccer, but the numbers bear out the truth. Taylor Twellman and Edson Buddle's numbers are HIGHLY superior to both Donovan's and McBride. Donovan SHOULD be playing attacking midfield as Wynalda said. Someone PLEASE look at what these guys are doing in MLS and explain to me on what rationale McBride is better than them RIGHT NOW. He is in fact on the downside of his career now due to his age. And with Buddle, the comparison is obvious because they are the same height, weight and are on the same team, so all the Xfactors are equal between them, yet Buddle is outperforming him in a monstrous way in terms of goals per game, goals per shots, he's faster, and he consistently looks TWICE as dangerous as McBride. Twellman is the only other guy in MLS whose numbers compare with Buddle in those categories, so please, let's stop going on emotion here and lets look at what counts ............ PRODUCTIVITY!!
look, who knows why the heck McBride doesn't tear up MLS like he should. Is it the service? maybe. motivation? maybe. i don't know. i wish he would perform for the Crew like he does for the USMNT and like he did for Everton. But, I'll say the same thing you said, changing just one word, and you come up with an answer for that.
you said: "Someone PLEASE look at what these guys are doing in MLS and explain to me on what rationale McBride is better than them RIGHT NOW."
I say: "Someone PLEASE look at what these guys are doing internationally and explain to me on what rationale McBride is better than them RIGHT NOW."

[appoo]

Originally posted by onefineesq
Whoaaaa!!!! What is this love affair that people have with McBride. Look, I LOVE US Soccer, but the numbers bear out the truth. Taylor Twellman and Edson Buddle's numbers are HIGHLY superior to both Donovan's and McBride. Donovan SHOULD be playing attacking midfield as Wynalda said. Someone PLEASE look at what these guys are doing in MLS and explain to me on what rationale McBride is better than them RIGHT NOW. He is in fact on the downside of his career now due to his age. And with Buddle, the comparison is obvious because they are the same height, weight and are on the same team, so all the Xfactors are equal between them, yet Buddle is outperforming him in a monstrous way in terms of goals per game, goals per shots, he's faster, and he consistently looks TWICE as dangerous as McBride. Twellman is the only other guy in MLS whose numbers compare with Buddle in those categories, so please, let's stop going on emotion here and lets look at what counts ............ PRODUCTIVITY!!

Its that little thing called TALENT. You can also throw in skill and pace. Statistics at the club level mean jack. If Productivity mattered so much Steve Ralston and Jason Kreis would have been our starters for the past 5 years. DMB,Donovan and Eddie Lewis would not have played in the World Cup. And hate him or love him Bobby Convey would not be getting the CAPS he recieved last year.

[onefineesq]

Originally posted by appooOnU
the simple matter is that Twellman doesn't have the pace or the creativity to play at the international level that American's are going to need to perform on. He can probably play and do well vs 90% of the squads we'll face. But against the likes of Costa Rica, Mexico and the rest of the field he would be lost.

That simply isn't true. Is he as fast as Donovan? NO. Is he at least as fast as McBride ............. without question he is! This is not track and field. this is soccer. And if he were a midfielder, i might agree with you, but he is going to be playing forward and does have pretty good speed. Where did this old wives tale come from that Twellman is a tortoise?? McBride was never a burner and yet he has had quite a career, and at this stage of their careers, Twellman is faster and stronger with as good an instinct and finishing touch as we have .......... yes, and that includes McBride and the "golden boy" Landon Donovan.

[onefineesq]

Originally posted by appooOnU
Its that little thing called TALENT. You can also throw in skill and pace. Statistics at the club level mean jack. If Productivity mattered so much Steve Ralston and Jason Kreis would have been our starters for the past 5 years. DMB,Donovan and Eddie Lewis would not have played in the World Cup. And hate him or love him Bobby Convey would not be getting the CAPS he recieved last year.

Now how RIDICULOUS does THAT sound?!! "IF PRODUCTIVITY MATTERED ..........." hahahahahahahaha. well, if productivity doesn't matter, we better all get ready to watch US Soccer flounder instead of flourish like it should! I wish people would stop talking with their hearts and more with their minds. Look up the career statistics on the national team of both Donovan and McBride ........... neither of them come CLOSE to Wynalda in their per game averages and neither of them scored at a better than 1 goal in 6 game clip. That's the reason we are passing on Twellman and Buddle?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that's ridiculous. give these guys an extended chance and see what they do. neither has had that yet, and US Soccer is only hurting themselves by not making this happen.

[Rev79]

I can't believe that anyone here could say (with a straight face at least) that Twellman has had a fair shot. The kid has had 6 caps (1 of them a whole game, if memory serves) and most of those were while the midfield was pure ****.

I like McBride, I do, but he wasn't setting the world ablaze when he first entered the national scene either (First Cap: March 1993; First Goal: November 1996). Wynalda's right on the money: Taylor Twellman needs to be given a fair shot.

[QuakeAttack]

Originally posted by Rev79
I can't believe that anyone here could say (with a straight face at least) that Twellman has had a fair shot. The kid has had 6 caps (1 of them a whole game, if memory serves) and most of those were while the midfield was pure ****.

I like McBride, I do, but he wasn't setting the world ablaze when he first entered the national scene either (First Cap: March 1993; First Goal: November 1996). Wynalda's right on the money: Taylor Twellman needs to be given a fair shot.

I think the problem is with the words "fair shot". Twellman has been given the opportunity to be part of the USMNT. Unfortunately, do to illness, he couldn't contribute in the Conf Cup. So, has Arena given Taylor an opportunity to be a part of the USMNT. Yes.

Should he continue to give Taylor an opportunity? Yes. However, other players like McBride, Wolff, Buddle, Razov, Carreira, etc. should also be given the opportunity. Depends on who is in form and experience at the National Level. Mathis, Donovan, McBride, Wolff and Razov will be given first choice because of their experience.

So, I don't agree with Eric in that Twellman hasn't been given a "fair shot". He has been given an opportunity, and I for one hope he will continue to get an opportunity to prove himself. I do agree that we need to find out whether he is an "international" in the next year or two...