I want to start by saying I think Bradley's done an admirable job as an interim coach. I respect him for doing what he's done by bringing a few newer players into the mix (Bornstein, Clark, Mapp). I also have little respect for Sunil Gulati and the position in which he's placed Bradley. However, I don't think Bradley's the guy to lead us to WC 2010. Here's why... First - Chris Rolfe and Rico Clark. I don't have a problem, like some have, with running Rolfe out there to test him. Rolfe had a bad game, and it's better to find out what a player's made of before the World Cup cycle begins. However, in fairness to Rolfe, Bradley put him in a position to fail. A more appropriate position for Rolfe would've been playing up top with either Cooper or Twellman, with Donovan in support as an A-mid. The same can be said about Rico Clark - he was put in a bad position playing beside of Mastroeni. See point #3 for more on this. IMO, Clark and Rolfe should both have started, but we should have put them in better positions to succeed. Which brings me to problem #2...enough with Chris Albright. I like Albright...he has his place on a squad. For example, he'd make a good second half sub as a right mid when you're up a goal, or sub him in when you're down a goal as a right back and let him push forward...but we've seen what he can do. If we're in a process of testing new players, then he should be replaced. We have 3 1/2 years until the next WC. If we're going to get killed down the right flank, let someone take their lumps who may actually improve and become a decent RB. Finally, #3. Bradley made some tactical mistakes that I don't care to see in a game that means something. 3A - Playing Clark and Mastro together in the midfield. They're too similar and both play too deep, and they provided no support to our forwards. Pablo's passing has been terrible (see the Czech game as an example, if last night wasn't enough). Many of Mexico's counters were spurned by balls given away by Clark and Mastro. Like Albright, we've seen what Mastro can do. Donovan would've been a better MF partner to Clark, because he would've given Clark a forward outlet (as opposed to a lateral one) and provided a link from our defense to our offense. JOB is the ideal partner to someone like Clark. 3B - Once Mexico started pouring attackers into the game, it took Bradley too long to adjust our strategy and begin substituting. Albright was exposed for about 15 minutes more than he should've been on the right flank. Dempsey tired about 10 minutes sooner than he was removed. While Gros didn't do any better than Albright, we were lucky not to have given up a goal in the first 20 minutes of the second half. Again, a holding forward would've been an excellent use of a substitute, especially as we began pumping balls out of the back to try to relieve pressure. I think Bradley is a good soccer coach, don't get me wrong. I just think we could do much better. If I don't think Bradley is the best coach in our own country, how can I believe he's the right man for the job? I posted when Arena left, if we hire another American coach, it would be a step down. No one has matched the overall success Bruce has had in coaching. What we needed was someone to take us to the next level, and Bradley's not that guy. So please, Sunil, please hire someone for the job...and, in fairness to Bradley, please do it quickly. On a side note, if TV adds ten pounds, Gulati must only go a solid 125 dripping wet.
Someone watching the game with me asked if he was handicap. I said no. Then they were like, "Nah, I think he's in a wheel chair. There is something wrong with him."
I think the jury's still out on Bradley, but I agree wholeheartedly that 1. Mastro and Clark are NOT good together. Neither can distribute well. Feilhaber may be the solution. 2. Rolfe and Donovan are NOT good together. Playing Rolfe with another shorty, and Mastro and Clark in the mid, is not an honest look in my opinion. That being said, he still didn't play well. 3. Albright was crap. Where are all the Heydude haters now? Dolo and Spector are definately the top two at RB. However, on the positive side for Bradley 1. Bornstein played well. I thought Pearce should have started vs. Denmark. But Bosrstein played better vs. Mexico than he did vs. the Danes. 2. We did win. Though it wasn't impressive.
Great post I do agree that Albright is okay but if he is testing players, then he should've called Spector or somebody else. Also, I hate the fact that he likes to play with two D-mids doing this is why we can't go forward, because there is nobody that can distribute the ball to the forwards we only attack by the flanks; which is why we only need one either Rico or benny, and we should have a 4-1-3-2, where rico/benny is the d-mid, convey and beasley on the sides(i don't know who in which side), and the person who I think should be our 10, clint the deuce dempsey, i think he has the potential to be that, we'll just have to wait and see.
Maybe it's an FDR-type situation. That's why we only see Sunil sitting down for FSC interviews or behind a desk on ESPN.
I think the only reason we had Mastro and Clark playing together is the lack of two way midfielders in the MLS pool. I think we could have put beckerman in there , but he is still fairly green , and from what I have seen of him in MLS , his defending isnt that great. With the addition of lil Bradley and feilhaber to the national team pool , our central midfield will look a lot stronger , as both MB and benny are better at getting forward. As of now , I have nothing to complain about Bradley.
The only thing I really care about with the national team boss is player selection... i guess subs and tactics come into play with this a little bit, but not much. i'll give him a free pass for twellman/johnson over cooper, and starting an unfit convey... but it is yet to be seen if this guy truly knows how to judge his talent and fashion a good team. I thought bruce arena was a magician from 02-06, in reality, every sport its all about the players.
First we all know that this was more than just a friendly, but at the same time Bradley has to test the players that he needs to see so they can perform in this top class enviroment. Do I think the long term experiment of Chris Albright at RB is done?, YES! Now who will replace Albright at this moment is the question, but unless someone can take over right now or somewhere down the road before the Qualifiers come around & I am being biased on this, Marvel Wynne at RBNY is the future RB for the Nats. I believe his current play towards the end of last season including his U-20 World Cup matches have shown him to be that good. 2nd the tag on Bradley's back is called "INTERUM!" Some of the players aren't sure if he is staying or leaving. This hurts the progression and the mental health of the US Players as well as the program. If Sunil doesn't find his favorite suitor a.s.a.p., then for pete sakes, remove the tag & make Bradley the full time coach till after the 2010 World Cup. Because this is getting rediculous and stupid. I'm not saying I'm in Bradley's corner. All I'm saying is to end this the right way. Either let him stay, or make the change now. We all need to know what's in Gulati's head. Because if he screws this up, not only being involved with the Gold Cup might come crashing down, but we could have a major screw up at the Copa America. So I hope the decision comes quick. 3rd is that half of our players are just starting pre-season training camps. The other half came half the country & over the Atlantic away for a few days. You could see that the first half wasn't that good for both sides, but the 2nd half was game on. Once again we scored first, they over reacted and couldn't put away their chances. Just like against the Germans in the 2002 World Cup Quarterfinals, we were the better side, but that one chance for Germany ended our dreams to the Semis. Just like this match, we had a B side that wasn't good statistically, but we had two quality chances that went in their net. How many times have our Mexican friends tell us many times "You didn't beat our real A Team, this was our B or C team, but when our A team really comes to play, you will lose." Well this time Hugo Sanchez brought his A team and they lost to our B side. I'm not saying our players are not Grade A material, but we are trying to bleed in new players since three of our favorites have officially retired from the National Team. So once again, this is what Sunil has to do. Either remove the interum tag off Bradley and allow him to stay? Or get his forigen coach outside of the country and do it a.s.a.p. because the longer Bradley is know as the interum head coach the longer the program suffers and it could cost us a repeat title in the Gold Cup as well as our performence in the Copa America.
good post. Bradley is a good coach but not the right one for the nats. I have been posting on how horrible Albright is for weeks, so I am glad some people are starting to notice too.
I am pretty sure the consensus on Chris Albright is that he doesn't have what it takes since...oh...his first year in MLS.
I think Bradley is getting the Player No. 10 should play Support striker-thing right. Cooper should've been in the team. I don't know what happened but I feel as if Cooper will evolve into the first choice striker.
Have you read the Convey Beasley, LD, Deuce thread? Also Mapp is coming along, Adu oughta be ready no later than after the Olympics. Bradley, and Feilhaber will also prove effective.
Two of these issues have little to do with why or why not regarding Bradley.... 1. Rolfe and Clark are young players, and the purpose of friendlies is player evaluation. An answer of "no" or "not yet" are acceptable answers. 2. Given player availability and the various tournaments coming up this summer (Copa America, Gold Cup, u20 World Cup), the depth of our program will be tested. Albright, with his limitations, is still the best American RB in MLS. Until a younger player is developed, and until foreign player call-ups are less problematic, he'll be a factor on the national team. My worry is that Bradley is simply a continuation of the collegiate coaching mentality of Arena. That approach to international soccer and the USMNT will only get us so far and I think we're already there. The next step in establishing our program is far more difficult and I think that requires a certain boldness in thinking, strategy, and approach. If we're going domestic, I've no issue with Bradley. But I'm not sure that's the right option......
i think gulati agrees, and is hot for a euro coach... after the klinsmann failure, the leaks have been plugged.... quieroz seems the guy to me, anyone else would surprise me, although hiddink could become the guy if russia fails to qualify for euro 08
It looks like the majority of soccer writers in US are rooting for Bradley to get the interim tag of his title. Ives wonders what will make sceptics on these and other boards accept Bradley. Let me answer: Copa America's final or two wins /or a win and tie of two friendlies on a European soil against such competitors as Italy, England, Germany, Holland, France, Portugal will make those sceptics more agreeable. Otherwise we will risk to have only a continuation of Arena's successes, and they turned out to be not enough for WC 2006, for American fans or for Gulati.
I agree. I'm definitely not convinced. While I'd have no problem were Bradley to coach the Wizards at some point - I do think he's a great MLS coach - I have been completely unimpressed so far with what I've seen, from a technical coaching standpoint. I'm definitely willing to let him continue with the job. And I plan to keep an open mind, but I really don't understand the folks who are all but screaming for Gulati to just go ahead and give him the fulltime job.
1. I admire Bradley for testing Rolfe and Clark...it was the right move. The problem was the position in which he put them. Rolfe stunk, but we were unable to play he and Donovan balls on the ground (due to the expanse of space between our D-Mid tandem and our forwards). Neither of them win many balls in the air, so that eliminates service from the wings. Rolfe and Donovan may have played well together in practice (as Bradley said after the game). However, they needed someone to play in between them and Clark/Mastro. 2. I don't get to watch many MLS games due to where I'm located. Is Albright the best option we have in the MLS? I remember watching him get torched in person in Cary last year before the WC against Jamaica. I remember thinking to myself...if he can't defend against Jamaica, there's no way he holds up against quality competition. Mexico's left wings had a field day against Albright. In the mean time, I think I'd about rather call up one of our RBs from the U-20 pool (Kirk?) to go ahead and give them the experience. They would struggle at first, but maybe they'd be ready when we start qualifying next year. The good news is we should have 'Dolo for either the Gold Cup or Copa America. I don't know if we'll call him for both.
I don't believe in the magical foreign coach who's going to fix our tactics & spread joy and satisfaction throughout the land. If we had one, we'd be questioning some of his player and game decisions right now. Because you don't like Albright, for example, is not proof that Bradley shouldn't be the coach. Do I think he's perfect? No. There are no doubt going to be problems & bumpy times. But none of the alternatives who have been floated around these boards sound any better to me.
I think Bradely's done a great jo given the resources he's had, that same Denmark team recently eat Australia 3-1, and Mexico was pretty much full stregnth. Even with Sunil looking for every oppurtunity to fire him, he's still been trying new players at new positions, and stayed away from people who wont be around for 2010. As for Rolfe, Bradley gave him his shot by putting him out on the field, just becasue he didn't have the supporting cast around him that you feel would have made him look better isn't a reason to fire Bradlry. I like Rolfe as well, but I wouldn't base my starting lineup on players who compliment him. Next, we all know Albright isn't a starting RB, but with Dolo out and Spector unavaliable, what should Bradley have done. we're not to stong at RB after Dolo, nothing Bradley can do about it. And then your comment about Clark and Mastro. Even though they both do play a little to deep and defensive minded, they were probaly the best 2 cm's avalaible and with Albright and Bornstein manning the flanks, having midfielders who can defend certainly doesn't hurt. I'm happy with Bradley, the players like him and respect him and he seems to have a good idea of our player base, I think as the players confidence grows in him he could have us looking like a pretty good team. He atleast should be given a chance to take the team to Copa America and Gold Cup, after those to tournaments we'll have a better idea about him.
Good point. There's definitely a media campaign to rush Gulati into making the decision now. Why? Are they worried a foreign coach will be less accessible?