Michael Bradley = foul machine

[portiere]

This was my first time watching Bradley play in person--my goodness he's a dirty player. His first instinct seems to be to use his hands, which leads him to give up fouls when there's no need. He does this even when he has a good position. The yellow card tackle was also really stupid, he had cover and why wack someone when you have a lead like this. I can see his potential, but after watching him live, I've soured quite a bit on him. Its not that he _fouls_, its that he gives up stupid fouls.

My question: will maturity fix this problem?

[ChrisSSBB]

This was my first time watching Bradley play in person--my goodness he's a dirty player. His first instinct seems to be to use his hands, which leads him to give up fouls when there's no need. He does this even when he has a good position. The yellow card tackle was also really stupid, he had cover and why wack someone when you have a lead like this. I can see his potential, but after watching him live, I've soured quite a bit on him. Its not that he _fouls_, its that he gives up stupid fouls.

My question: will maturity fix this problem?

I was there as well. I have a feeling he was looking to get a yellow card which guarantees his suspension against T&T and then get start clean again.
It looked like he tried a little earlier for the yellow but wasn't given to him.
I could be wrong, but that is what it looked like to me.

[m vann]

This was my first time watching Bradley play in person--my goodness he's a dirty player. His first instinct seems to be to use his hands, which leads him to give up fouls when there's no need. He does this even when he has a good position. The yellow card tackle was also really stupid, he had cover and why wack someone when you have a lead like this. I can see his potential, but after watching him live, I've soured quite a bit on him. Its not that he _fouls_, its that he gives up stupid fouls.

My question: will maturity fix this problem?

I take you've never seen Mastroeni play live? Michael does use his hands when it is not warranted. It is annoying. I don't think it necessarily hurts his game per se. Doesen't really help either. It's an area he needs to work on. Gooch struggled with this. It appears he's managed to curve this aspect of his game. The nature of this position will lead one to have a little higher number of fouls and cards but the stupid fouls need to be erased. Maybe the problem lies in the position he plays for the Nats which is deeper and more defensive because on the club level this isn't the case. Maturity will fix this so will moving him a little higher in the midfield.

[Dan Roudebush]

He also wins a lot of balls.

[ChrisSSBB]

The one foul he had in the first half where a Cuban was running at the back line was one where I expected MB to foul the player. He was coming from behind and there was a chance of Cuba penetrating. It was a good foul as it was still a distance away from the goal. It was the kind of professional foul that you see many DM's make in the same situation. He was able to make that foul without the card.

I thought he did pretty well possessing the ball and some nice effective footwork to get out of tight spots. Granted it was against Cuba, but I thought he played a good game. His worst play I thought was his shot in the very beginning of the game that was blown over and wide of the goal. That looked like the kind of setup he was getting at Herenveen for some of his goals.

[TimB4Last]

I was there as well. I have a feeling he was looking to get a yellow card which guarantees his suspension against T&T and then get start clean again.
It looked like he tried a little earlier for the yellow but wasn't given to him.
I could be wrong, but that is what it looked like to me.

I was there also, so I'll comment (before the thread devolves into the typical reflexive MB-bashing). At least twice before he received his yellow card, he practically begged for a yellow - first, for refusing to understand that an opponent's offside foul can never be committed in their own side of the field; and second for jawing at the referee, a now-common practice of his.

I agree with your suspicion that MB knew (that with a US win) he was on his way back to Germany, probably wouldn't play again until the Hex, and wanted a clean slate. He remembered how well this strategy worked in China, and he decided to prove his point with another heady. coach's-son move. Ok, fine.

MB does use his arms a lot, and I think it must go back to how he learned the game (and developed his game) - as a little scrapper. Now that he's full grown he doesn't know his own strength, and he sometimes throws smaller opponents around like rag dolls. Hope he learns better.

[Maximum Optimal]

So does anyone around here know if a yellow accumulated in this round carries over to the Hex?

[narko]

Foul Machine?

In this game... the Cuba one at RFK?

:confused:

[Cool Hand Luke]

So does anyone around here know if a yellow accumulated in this round carries over to the Hex?

No, it doesn't carry over.

[Maximum Optimal]

No, it doesn't carry over.

So there is no logical reason for Michael to be trying to pick up a yellow.

[narko]

So there is no logical reason for Michael to be trying to pick up a yellow.

It doesn't matter.

However, he was clearly trying to pick up a yellow.

[Maximum Optimal]

It doesn't matter.

However, he was clearly trying to pick up a yellow.

I just want to be clear about what various people are saying. In your case, would I be correct in surmising that you are saying he was clearly trying to pick up a yellow even though there is no logical reason for him to be wanting to do so.

[narko]

I just want to be clear about what various people are saying. In your case, would I be correct in surmising that you are saying he was clearly trying to pick up a yellow even though there is no logical reason for him to be wanting to do so.

All I know, is that Michael ran down two guys from behind then clipped them.

He also ran up to the ref to argue something that made no sense to argue about.

There's all this talk about the cards that he gets, but he's played by far the most minutes this year, and has 3 cards (so do Mastroeni and Cherundolo).

He's not a dumb player.

[JuanPeron]

All I know, is that Michael ran down two guys from behind then clipped them.

He also ran up to the ref to argue something that made no sense to argue about.

There's all this talk about the cards that he gets, but he's played by far the most minutes this year, and has 3 cards (so do Mastroeni and Cherundolo).

He's not a dumb player.


I think folks remember his performance at the Olympics and his comments about the refs and cards.



He's not dumb but he lacks composure. Edu and even Torres look like they have a better head on them.

[narko]

I think folks remember his performance at the Olympics and his comments about the refs and cards.

To be fair... if someone in that wall doesn't jump... both Bradley and Adu look like very smart players.

[dsp87260]

I just want to be clear about what various people are saying. In your case, would I be correct in surmising that you are saying he was clearly trying to pick up a yellow even though there is no logical reason for him to be wanting to do so.

I don't think it's officially decided that cards don't carry over...

traditionally they do not, but in typical FIFA fashion they don't make any official announcement until the particular stage is over (this applies to the WC 1st rd and any other tournament overseen by FIFA...and even the Olympics IIRC).



...in other words, you have to assume that they will carry over until FIFA officially announces that they will not.

[Deuteriumoxide]

From my perspective it looked like Michael played pretty well. He has a good first touch and he does well relaying the ball from back to front.

The only really stupid foul I saw was the one that actually got him the yellow card. Other fouls looked to me like either non-calls or your average run of play fouls that happen in soccer.

I don't know what some people around here want.

[diablodelsol]

To be fair... if someone in that wall doesn't jump... both Bradley and Adu look like very smart players.

To people like you and perhaps Bradley and Novak. To people who actually bothered to read the rules regarding card carryover in the Olympic tournament it still makes him look like a ********ing idiot.

[ChrisSSBB]

Maybe he just wanted to spend this next week in Germany now that the team made it through this round. Or, maybe like a previous poster said, FIFA has not actually decided yet on carry overs.

[bkulz]

Umm, no. Because while cards may not carry over, a suspension earned in the last game of the group stage does (or at least it used to and I'm assuming it still does). If he picks up his second yellow of the round in the third group stage game, he is suspended for the first knockout game. I'm assuming it works the same way here. If he picks up his second or third yellow (whichever number earns the suspension) in the last game in this qualifying round, he is suspended for the first game of the hex. I suppose you could argue that Bradley/Novak just shouldn't play him then, but that's up to the coaches.

To people like you and perhaps Bradley and Novak. To people who actually bothered to read the rules regarding card carryover in the Olympic tournament it still makes him look like a ********ing idiot.