1. Knight1Rider

    Knight1Rider Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Oct 5, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I never said Morgan Brian was better than Lavelle, although I believe Brian is the more complete MIDFIELDER, Lavelle is clearly a better attacker and a better overall player at this point. Brian and Lavelle are actually the only two people on the team who can both move the ball between lines and pass the ball not only with consistent accuracy, but with a creative and beneficial result. And yes, she is relatively skinny and weak, but no one is arguing for Brian to play CDM over Ertz. However, I do think the US is better off with 3 creative players who can be ball carriers in the midfield and leaving Ertz back (see Thailand game). Brian was a great CDM in the 4-4-2 with help, but the 4-3-3 CDM requires a more physical presence (Ertz), so although Brian doesn't play badly in that position (she does just as well with her strengths there as she does higher up the field), people have come to expect the CDM to be a physical beast, and when Brian doesn't show that, they write her off. In this formation, Morgan Brian should play where Horan is (#8). That would maximize all of her strengths and minimize her weaknesses, and she performed pretty well there on Sunday. To your point about stats - Everyone always brings up Brian's lack of goals and assists (especially over at Equalizer Soccer). What they fail to realize is 2 things:
    1) Lack of goals and/or assists does not mean that a player does not contribute and does not mean that they are an "unimpressive" player. Morgan Brian significantly impacts the game in several other ways that are not immediately noticed when looking at G/A. Her ability to advance passes from the defense to the forwards or out wide, her off-ball movement to free up other players or herself for space/passes, the awareness she has to get goal side and to close off passing and dribbling lanes on defense, and her leadership directing passes/the defense are all factors of her game that go unnoticed unless you are actually paying attention to her in the game, but they are all very important. Lesser-known stats stats that she excels at are passing accuracy and tackle percentage. She is consistently one of the best passers on the team, and her tackle percentage is one of the best among the midfielders. G/A get all the glory, but those other stats are important as well.
    2) Brian has had many, many assist opportunities that people just haven't converted on. In World Cup Qualifying she had 1 to Press, 1 to Lloyd, and 1 to Pugh (all in the same game). All were 1on1 with the goalkeeper and all were poor finishes. In the last game even she could've had 2 assists to Press and perhaps 1 assist to Lloyd. And those are just 2 games out of her 83. I'm sure there are numerous other instances where teammates have let her down in those situations.
     
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  2. Kevin625

    Kevin625 Member

    Jan 4, 2016
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    My #1 assessment of Brian is always the eye-test, not the statistics. I actually had no idea what her statistics were until I looked today. I didn't think they were that great, but had absolutely no idea they were that bad.

    I thought she was good and had a lot of potential several years ago, but I've just never been as impressed with her as some other people, even prior to her injuries. I think she was a better player back in 2015, but she's had a lot of injury problems since then and I don't think she's as good as she used to be.

    I think Brian impacts a lot of games in a negative way. She's like Horan for me in some ways... they're both good technically and can be good at moving the ball around, but oftentimes they do it far too slowly.

    I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree on Brian, which is fine. I actually like her and always root for her to play well, but I just haven't ever been as highly impressed with her as others.
     
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  3. jackdoggy

    jackdoggy Member+

    May 16, 2014
    Big D
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Belated greetings. Everything’s great except I’m fighting some sinus thing- - real ugly, however not to the point where I'd consider setting out a match. Please send Antibiotics.
    I thought T played excellent for her first WC CAP. She was delivering those corners with laser beam accuracy.
    And bless her buttons, Christen really won over the crowd. 2nd half when she jogged over to take those corners, about 3 entire sections rose as one to show their appreciation. Goalie had her number though.

    Legit number of Chile fans, I thought it was all neutrals till they sang their Anthem. I’ve talked to a lot of U.S. folks over here staying for the group stage only and lots folks back home coming over for the semis and finals only. Match 4 & 5 maybe kind of lonely over here - we will see.
    On to the coast.
     
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  4. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    Agree with all of this except the Ertz part. I think she is one of the most overrated footballers I have ever seen
     
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  5. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    One player is a passer , ball mover, facilitator. the other is mostly a dribbler. They bring very different things to a team. Neither player is a big stat padder.

    one of the reason Brian is polarizing is that men who know the game realize she is one of the few who could slot into a mens team and play well. They value her soccer IQ. In the womens game as constructed, her skill set is much harder to utilize effectively because it is a game where the "edge" is usually pace and power.

    i can see and appreciate why Brian may not play, but she is a very talented player in the widest sense with unique skills. Maybe the USWNT is just not the right fit.

    She take s alot of unfair criticism.
     
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  6. Kevin625

    Kevin625 Member

    Jan 4, 2016
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Brian's issue isn't her Soccer IQ, it's her actual game.

    Soccer IQ doesn't matter at all if you're slow, injured or out of form. She hasn't played that well for a very long time.

    All her criticism is absolutely fair. Once again, she's been out of form for a very long time. The people defending her are talking about 2015-16 Morgan Brian and her potential, not who she actually is now or how she's been playing over the past couple years.
     
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  7. Number007

    Number007 Member+

    Santos FC
    Brazil
    Aug 29, 2018
    #257 Number007, Jun 19, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2019
    we see things differently. Thats cool. out of form and struggling with injury are 2 different things. .I am talking about Morgan Brian now ..not 15/16. Soccer IQ is exactly why coaches still picked her in spite of injuries. She can impact a game in many subtle ways and does. Foot speed has little to do with if the ball moves.

    Ertz and Brain are a great contrast into how some people value women soccer players. A reflection on where the game is. Neither have great foot speed. One is tough, physical . the other less so. One is a poor passer and has pretty poor technical skills, the other is excellent at it. One scores goals from set pieces, the other rarely. One is seen as heart and soul and the other a waste.One is considered to be an outstanding player and often talked of as one of the worlds best, the other is slated.

    In the way Ellis hass chosen to play, Ertz physicality is more important than Brians technical ability. I agree with the person above who says they are not interchangeable. Brian is not a defensive stopper. My comment is more about valuing players. Having a #6 who is not a good passer is not how i would build a team.
     
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  8. Lloyd Heilbrunn

    Lloyd Heilbrunn Member+

    Feb 11, 2002
    Jupiter, Fl.
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Paragraphs are your friend!
     
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  9. Knight1Rider

    Knight1Rider Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Oct 5, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #259 Knight1Rider, Jun 19, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2019
    There is a MASSIVE difference between being "out of form" and injured. In Morgan Brian's case she has just been injured. Go watch a 2015 World Cup game and then watch a 2018 or 2019 game. Morgan Brian plays the exact same way and is still as good if not better than she was in 2015. Yes she has struggled with injuries, but she is still a really good player. People don't think that she impacts the game enough because of the change in formation, but she is still really good at what she does.
     
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  10. Kevin625

    Kevin625 Member

    Jan 4, 2016
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    I think the problem is that you don't know what out of form means. I mentioned her injuries as an excuse for her poor form.

    Morgan Brian WAS injured. Morgan Brian IS out of form and has been for a long time.
     
  11. Knight1Rider

    Knight1Rider Member

    Arsenal
    United States
    Oct 5, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Form means exactly what I think it means: Your recent state of play (win three in a row, you’re in good form; lose three, you’re in bad form). Same for a player. Either way, if you’re doing well, you’re “in form”, if you’re not doing well, you’re “out of form”.

    Every time Morgan Brian steps on the field, she produces. Her play has not dropped off and neither has her impact on the game. She is not worse than she was in 2015, she is better. Form means “how well/poorly are you playing?” Well, Brian has been playing well, the only thing slowing her down is injuries.
     
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  12. jnielsen

    jnielsen Member+

    May 12, 2012
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Hope you feel better, Jackdoggy. Go get 'em!
     
  13. Semblance17

    Semblance17 Member+

    United States
    Apr 27, 2013
    Lighthouse Point, FL
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I thought it was worth dragging this thread out of the archives just to proudly announce that I have finally laid claim to one of these posters on Ebay. :D
     
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