John Anthony Brooks at Hoffenheim

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by Pagefan, Dec 14, 2009.

  1. diablodelsol

    diablodelsol Member+

    Jan 10, 2001
    New Jersey
    More like someone who grew up in a country where proper technique was taught at early ages, and demanded at every age afterwards.
     
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  2. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, Gooch was a very different player. Much more a pure strength and height based defender. Although his skills showed improvement just before his injury, he never had the smoothness of Brooks.
     
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  3. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Gooch never had the touch JAB has. Gooch was commanding in his box, very good getting forward on set pieces. Intimidating as heck, but never as smooth nor close to the attacking vision JAB has. Despite their similar size and position, they have fairly different skill sets.
     
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  4. LuckofLichaj

    LuckofLichaj Member+

    Mar 9, 2012
    No, not even close. Gooch was much better in the air and a tad stronger but JAB is far more agile and technical.
     
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  5. FirstStar

    FirstStar Hustlin' for the USA

    Fulham Football Club
    Feb 1, 2005
    Time's Arrow
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Gotta say, while that was a simple goal (a great run and pass, but then a simple goal), there were a lot of ways it could have been screwed up. Good play by both players - one to do a lot (to get the pass off) and one (JAB) to not try to do too much. Great call on his part to let the ball cross his body and play it in with his left foot- much easier angle off the surface of his foot and into the net.
     
  6. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It looked like he was some guy in the stands that ran out at the right time and scored the goal. The Frankfurt defense just couldn't have bothered to defend. Awful, the coach must be pulling his hair out.
     
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  7. munichfan9

    munichfan9 BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Aug 7, 2005
    Burke, Virginia
    I thought the same thing, I watched the highlights last night and was wondering how the hell he was so wide open with Eintracht defending a 1-0 lead.
     
  8. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Defenders typically aren’t prepared for the opposing center backs deep run into their box so it can really flummox them.
     
  9. Casper

    Casper Member+

    Mar 30, 2001
    New York
    And they're frequently an extra body not easily accounted for in this scenario.
     
  10. ttrevett

    ttrevett Member+

    Apr 2, 2002
    Atlanta, GA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    From the replays, he was at that moment playing as a 9, and started his run from a perrrrty typical 9 position (midfield). Not sure why they couldn't account for him.
     
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  11. Jazzy Altidore

    Jazzy Altidore BigSoccer Yellow Card

    Sep 2, 2009
    San Francisco
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not saying they shouldn't have done a better job, but marking an opposing CB in the run of play can really cause confusion. Of course, it is a high risk attack strategy because you are likely to get burned on the counter if the defense wins the ball. That's why it usually only happens in goal desperate situations.
     
  12. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    With 3 goals and 2 assists Brooks may be the central defender with best stats in the BuLi right now.

    They're better than Bobby Wood's (3/1), Pulisic's (2/3), Sargent's (2/0), McKennie's (1/4), Morales's (1/1), Fabian Johnson's (1/0), Wright's (1/0), Tyler Adams's (0/2), making JAB our top Yank in the Bundesliga when counting goals and assists, at this point.

    On the other hand, Brooks has been responsible for five goals conceded, if my memory serves me right, which tempers my enthusiasm. Also, of note, all the Yanks in the Bundesliga have a combined 14 goals, 13 assists. Sancho alone has 11 goals and 13 assists.
     
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  13. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    So, you're saying that it's perfectly fine for us to say that Brooks is among the best defenders in the Bundesliga?
     
  14. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    Depends on ideology. If you think a defender who scores and assists even though he commits defensive blunders is good, then yes, why not.

    I still prefer defenders who are solid at defending, even if they never score. But I'm old-fashioned.
     
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  15. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Touche. But only conceding 5 goals in 1 season; probably average for a CB right?
     
  16. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    I think Brooks ratings are pretty much right in the middle of the pack via Kicker and Whoscored, fwiw. Wolfs GA are 8 or 9 - so pretty much as average as you get.

    My casual watching has him about average for B1 defending as a CB and bit above average going forward for a B1 CD.
     
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  17. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    will not make the squad tomorrow due to fitness.
     
  18. adam tash

    adam tash Member+

    Jul 12, 2013
    Barcelona, Spain
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #3843 adam tash, Apr 27, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2019
    eh....i think you undersell him.

    1. he's the highest scoring american in the bundesliga. 3g/3a damn good for a cb.
    2. no team above them in the table has scored less goals than wolfsburg - they are as high as they can be considering the lack of goals they score compared to top teams....and brooks is more than making up for that with his contributions to the offense.
    3. only 6 teams have given up less goals than wolfsburg - all above them in the table as well.

    to me they are punching a bit above their weight as a club and brooks has a lot to do with it.

    (that said, yes he does have some games where he isnt at his top form...but not that often)
     
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  19. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    It's actually 3g/2a, which is very good for a CB in the Bundesliga, and even good for a Yank there, in any position. By comparison, Fabian Johnson had 6/4 in his best season (15/16), playing mostly wing and sometimes fullback.
     
  20. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    I remember there was a season where Boca scored 5 league goals for Fulham. Even more striking he was their 2nd highest scorer that season. Who was the highest scorer? Some dude they named their bar after. :)
     
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  21. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Being an "average" starting Bund defender and "a bit above average going forward" for a starting Bund defender is a pretty good level. Is he maybe a bit above average for starting CDs? Sure, depending on how you rate them. Is he in the top 25%? I think that's probably a stretch. But being in the middle of the pack among starters in one of the best leagues in the world - that's a pretty good level in my book
     
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  22. hype25

    hype25 Member

    Jul 17, 2016
    With a win today Wolfsburg are officially in a fight for European football next season. They've done a great job turning things around and Brooks has played a positive role in that.
     
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  23. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Wolfsburg has just about the easiest run-in you could ask for as well.

    Nuremberg home
    Stuttgart away
    Augsburg home

    Everyone else around them is going to drop points, so if they can win all 3 of those extremely winnable games, they're definitely bound for the Europa League. There's an outside shot at Champions League, but Frankfurt will either win just enough to get there, or one of Leverkusen or Gladbach will slip into 4th at the end.
     
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  24. Ger90

    Ger90 Member+

    May 13, 2016
    Club:
    FC Bayern München
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    out for the season.
     
  25. DHC1

    DHC1 Member+

    Jun 3, 2002
    NYC
    Where did you see this?
     

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