Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Whatever happened to Vanney? I've only seen him play with the Nats a couple times. What are his qualites and drawbacks that make him worse then Boswell?
Re: Training Camp Updates *** FIRST-HAND REPORTS *** I went to practice this morning, and was seriously the only person there watching the practice, which might mean everyone else has a life, but hey I haven't gone back to school yet, and what else am I going to do at 10 in the morning. Anyways, I got there when they were finishing up their warm up, which was dribbling, passing and some ladder work. They they spilt up into two teams and did a full field scrimmage. Blue Team: Hartman, Boswell, Dunivant, Ihemelu, Noonan, Jacqua, Zavagnian, Quaranta, Klein, Olsen, Johnson Red Team: Reis, Pearce, Conrad, Pope, Hejduk, Dempsey, Carrol, Donovan, Twellman, Wolff, Ching Red team won 1-0 (Wolff) Scored in the first 5 minutes of the game, didn't see the build up, but he scored from a little outside the six yard box. Heard the coaches saying thatBoswell kept Wolff onsides for the goal. Martino, Rolfe, Adu, and Guzan subbed in at half. Rolfe was called offsides around 4 times, but the coaches talked to him a bit but liked that he was making a lot of offensive runs. He rarely gets knocked off the ball for someone his size. A few free kicks in dangerous positions but nothing real exciting, Freddy took one that I remember but went high. Klein seemed to be playing right back, but made a lot of runs forward. Zavagnian was very vocal in the middle, he seemed to be talking the most on the field. Hejduk was getting in hard tackles left and right, slide tackling the ball away from everyone. I really don't know what else to comment about, I guess if anyone has specific question ask away, but I don't want to keep rambling. After the scrimmage Bruce gave them "free time" or if they felt alright they could cool down and stretch in the middle, which most of the team did. Landon, Freddy, and Clint did a shooting drill, with one of them swinging it in from the flanks and the person in the middle hit it first time, then turned and checked to the keeper coach who was hitting balls in, which they turned and hit in two touches. Landon rarely missed, while Dempsey and Adu had a little more trouble with it. The only other two who used their free time was Dunivant and Conrad who hit long balls to each other the width of the field. And that was it, I think John O'Brien was there, not quite sure since he was clear across the field. but I've heard that he's in LA rehabbing. I'll get pics up in a bit. Hope this helps those of you who can't make it out to practices, don't hesitate to ask any question, I'd be happy to answer, just don't know what you want to hear. -Alison
Re: Training Camp Updates *** FIRST-HAND REPORTS *** Thanks for the report. Could you tell how Twellman/Ching/Wolff were lined up? Was one of them withdrawn a little? Did any outside backs make interesting runs down the wings? Edit: Oh crappolio! This thread isn't for discussion... sorry. Just wanted to ask a question.
Re: Training Camp Updates *** FIRST-HAND REPORTS *** how well did EJ and Freddy play in the scrimmage?
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Real slowwww. Does not play for DeeCee. Maybe he turned down an invite.
Re: Training Camp Updates *** FIRST-HAND REPORTS *** Twellman would usually be the one dropped back the most if I remember correctly. Pearce made a few good runs down the left flank, he shanked one of his crosses though. Hejduk was of course up and down the line like a mad mad and swung in a few good balls. Freddy didn't stand out either way, made a few good passes, a few bad. And just that free kick that I can remember. Eddie looks to be getting his speed back, but still working on the touch, same with Freddy didn't stand out either way.
Re: Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion http://community.webshots.com/user/tallyhoaliho21 Here are the pictures that I got before the battery on my camera ran out. Not the best, but still better than nothing. Just click the US National Camp album. Hope to be going to the session tomorrow as well.
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Exactly. Albright and Hejduk both go barring injury. Spector waits.
Re: Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Great pics! I also liked the 80's dance party pics, the show was a little tight on the kegstand though.
Re: Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Great pics! I also liked the 80's dance party pics, the show was a little tight on the kegstand though.
Starting lineup vs Canada tallyhoaliho wrote this on the updates thread: I say that the starters vs Canada is the red team. The only question I see is the formation. Is Arena really gonna try a 433? Or will one of the forwards be dropped for one of the mids on the blue team? I think it will be the 433 with the red team intact.
Re: Starting lineup vs Canada At the risk of getting into tactical minutiae, my guess is that this would be a 4-2-3-1. The back 4 is obvious, and Arena will send Pearce and Hejduk forward often. I think Dempsey and Carroll man the middle, with Carroll staying at home while Dempsey can make forays into the attack. With Carroll chilling in the back, this gives us 3 guys back if we get hit on the counter (entirelly possible against the competition for these upcoming friendlies.) Donovan will be attacking mid, while Twellman and Wolff have more responsibity to check back and, at times, get wide (Pearce and Hejduk can only come up so far.) This leaves Ching as the massive target up top. Of course, this is all speculation, but what I don't like about it is that I don't see any three of our true forward ever playing together in the World Cup. You'd have to replace either one of those guys with a Donovan or Beasley to approximate something we'd use.
Re: Starting lineup vs Canada Probably true. Also, I'm guessing everyone gets some game time of the 18. The other 7 will be: Hartmann, (so that BA doesn't have to man the nets himself if there is injury) Rolfe, EJ, (some minutes in at forward replacing Wolf and Ching) Olsen, Quaranta (Olsen gets midfield minutes for Carroll (maybe Dempsey); Quaranta replaces Twellman) Klein (cover for defender or we can go to 3 defenders if there is an injury) Adu (gets his first cap for 2 minutes at the end for the last remaining midfielder (probably Dempsey)
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Just watched the latest scrimmage video...I think every 3rd word is "HEY!" Dempsey and Donovan looked very involved in the red team build up. And I hope that somewhere, USSoccer.com wins an award. This went from a site that I casually visited to a mandatory visit every time something significant happens with the National team.
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion agree on everything. "Hey" guy calls for the ball, gets it, makes a run and lays it off to "Sprints Weird" guy, who then shoots it past "Hard to tell" man Still appreciate the feed though, however recognizable the player. Dempsey and Donovan did standout, passing wise, attacking from the middle. I now visit the Carson camp website daily, times 10
Re: Starting lineup vs Canada If this is the case, the USNats vs Hammarby (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=292596) will probably be the blue team
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion The Catch-All notes from Jen Chang Postcard from the U.S. national team camp EJ: ".........Good news for U.S. fans, Eddie Johnson is starting to look like his old self again. He seemed to be running at full speed in games without any apparent problems. When asked how close he was to being 100 percent, EJ estimated that he was nearing full fitness. "Each day it's getting better and better and the toe's doing really well." LD and his left foot: ".............In the shooting drills that I saw, Landon Donovan looked to be easily the most adroit finisher among all the offensive players. Even more impressive was the fact that Donovan appeared to be working predominantly on his left foot and was still scoring with ease." Rolfe: "...........Turning Heads: Speaking with Kansas City defender and ESPN.com moonlighter Jimmy Conrad, he mentioned Chris Rolfe as a player that had really caught his eye in camp and impressed him with his potential." Rossi: Soundbite: "I haven't even spent two seconds thinking about it." "............Bruce Arena's response when asked about the possibility of calling up Manchester United's Italian-American youngster Giuseppe Rossi, should Rossi have a change of heart and express interest in playing for the U.S. prior to the World Cup."
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Rolfe is going to Germany. Keep doubting. I'll keep saying it. It will happen. Bank on it.
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion Fire vs DC I think this was the moment where I relented and penciled Rolfe onto my US WC Roster.
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion rolfe appears to be emerging as offense off the bench.... all along that slot was open, and was the way adu could have made the squad.. with rolfe and dempsey good start thus far, they appear to be the BIG winners in camp thus far
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion I hope it's true, but how do you know that Wolff and Twellman haven't been the big winners? I've tried to read between the lines on these video snippets and interviews, and I can't tell anything. In the second to last scrimage, Rolfe came on in the second half with 4 other forwards starting in front of him.
Re: Jan Training Camp Week 3: Open Discussion I've been reading all the sources I can find, and my rolfe and dempsey mentions are totally subjective feel from me.... if both perform will in the upcoming friendlies, the solidify their chances.... if they get a call for the poland match, they'll be close to locks