I mean, IMO, a 6 is more a mentality with moldable positioning for a specific coach or system. The role is "break up the attack and link your lines in possession." Where and how you do that, I think, is flexible.
Greggg will have to give it a try with Adams as a 6. As you mention there is a potential tradeoff between having a 6 who can distribute and one who can defend. It is hard to find someone really great at both. We'll just have to give Adams some games there and see how it plays out. I don't perceive that either Bradley or Trapp is vastly superior as a distributor. They may not be superior at all in that regard.
I'm a bit curious about how Pomykal would do in Bradley's spot. A central midfield of McKennie, Adams and Pomykal sound pretty interesting to me. Add in Pulisic and Boyd for a 5 man midfield in whatever configuration you determine.... something like: (Altidore) Pulisic Boyd Adams McKennie Pomykal (?) Long Brooks Cannon McKennie!
Worth a shot and Pomykal has some defensive bite to him. I'd probably put Adams at the 6 but if you play around with those three players plus Holmes and potentially Arriola, that's the basis for a good lineup with some defensive bite and speed. I'd like to see Yedlin in Cannon's spot but understand why many are calling for him.
i dont get the argument of destroyer (adams) v distributor (bradley). other than averaging one decent diagonal per match what the hell are people seeing re bradley distributing anything other than backpasses and possession to opponents? can adams make one helpful pass and find our cbs? yeah...i think he can handle that. in addition to be being FAR superior in every category imaginable other than years and years of unearned (his first three and last two years worth of) caps.
i see this a lot, and im a little curious why it wouldnt be pomykal_________mckennie ________adams ...frankly with pomykal starting just a bit ahead of mckennie
for one thing, I think Adams is better at covering ground (Pomykal is good too) and I think putting Pomykal in front of the defenders gives Adams more freedom in the midfield to do what he does best. That being said, it may very well be true that it works better the way you suggest (or possibly a different option altogether). It is something that will have to be tried and played with to find the right combo.
i think ultimately id want a hurricane of the three of them swarming all over the middle, but in terms of keeping shape i just see adams as the primary guy i want sitting on/patrolling the top of our backline when not in possession.
For the Olympic sure (if we qualify). That is probably where you will see this trio first, we will see how that works out.
I think Pomykal-Adams-McKennie in midfield is wishful thinking. There's no indication that Berhalter will go that route, ever. Stop assuming Berhalter will change his ways. He's like JK but limits himself by choosing inadequate MLS players for the roster. If the friendlies in September and Canada and Cuba matches in October and November aren't FIFA dates, then expect to see an all-MLS roster, except without Pomykal.
Pomykal-Adams-McKennie will be slaughtered in half anyway. Adams is at his best with a dual 6, the way RB Liepzig utilize him. He can cover a hell of a lot of ground.
That's the right idea but I'd put Pomykal in McKennie's spot for starters and leave Pulisic at the 10. Then we can compare how Pom did vs. Wes. I think Pom + Puli will click 'ere long. Would be nice to be ready somewhat for nation's league which I believe is in Oct v. Canada and Cuba. Unfortunately, I get the feeling Pulisic and Adams will be on CL duty in the Sep window so we might have to suffer thru Pom + McKennie + Trapp. They'll probably start McKennie as an 8 under his new manager @ Schalke before trying him elsewhere.
I suggested early on that people get on board with Trapp for the beginning of the cycle but an avalanche of boos made sure we'd get Bradley at which point everybody was like wtf? Going forward, what about we push Earnie to get Tab Ramos to take the position of midfield coach of the USMNT as an assistant to the Egg?
USMNT really needs a good playmaker to control the tempo instead of just charge forward. The 2002 team was so strong because of Reyna.
You don't really need it if you press or break with speed. It's just a different way to play. Obviously there is such thing as playing too slow (maybe you don't believe so as the slowpokeking), especially for the U.S. Nobody ideally wants to break the lines and most don't always want to look backward for their reliable distributor on paper. In the subsequent WC that's what doomed the U.S. actually. I think Pomykal can make decisions well and pass accurately enough to serve his purpose as the 10 in a press which we should be playing. That's how we got a leg up on Mexico in the last two u-20 youth 'ships. Now that should be moved up to the senior team with a lot of the same players manning it like Pomykal, Adams, and EPB; with McKennie entering the fold.
personal projected: ----------------Sargent---------- --Novakovich------------Pulisic----- ----------Wes---Pomykal----- -Lima-------Adams-----Cannon ----------Brooks---Long------------ --------------Steffen------------------- subs/#2's - Weah, Altidore, Mueller, Morris, Boyd, Lletget, Yedlin, Zimmerman, Roldan, Horvath, Miazga, Arriola, EPB standbys - Wood, Canouse, Holmes, Lichaj, M. Robinson, A. Robinson, S. Johnson, Bradley, CCV I feel pretty good about that team getting at or above par results for a USNT. But it's going to take a little time still to integrate. Hopefully that's done at least by the end of preliminary WC qualifying. Although depending on the group, which could get tricky as last cycle it was pathetic and the team still struggled, might require the job to be done even before that. We are still behind in the process because most of several years wasted on this front.
If you watched RB Leipzig this year, you might have seen Adams make one of the best passes of the season leading directly to a goal from a deep-lying midfield position.
These are good lineups. Question - has EPB been called in under Egg? I don't think he has, but I wonder why not many talk about him. He seemed to be playing pretty frequently in Holland. Granted, maybe not the best league, but he's always been one of our top young guys, so why not more interest in getting him to the team?
Press and break require a playmaker as well, since the ball moves faster than men. And you can't do it all day, you gotta learn to change the tempo. I'm not saying there must be a Xavi like figure, but at least someone with the vision and passing skill like David Beckham.
Out of curiosity, who do you think will "slaughter in half" that trio? would it be worse than a Bradley Adams McKennie trio? If not, what do you have in mind that is superior to both?
just wanted to rep this hard for absolute truth. ive posted elsewhere we wont see a lineup without bradley or trapp. im partaking in wishful thinking in this thread, though.