Where to start? I guess I'll start with the "tools but not the desire" part. This is a common argument leveled at skillful players across all sports. Most typically offensive players. And most typically in soccer leveled at strikers or attacking wingers. It's almost always based off of perception, how a fan interprets body language, or just general dislike for the player. Manneh worked himself into an MLS starting 11 at age 18. He played over 2400 minutes his age 20 season. He chose to live across the border from Vancouver for years to gain US citizenship in order to hopefully play for the USMNT. He's fought back from an injury that cost him half of last year to full fitness. You need tools for these accomplishments, but damn straight you also need desire. Martinez, for all the love that he has received has played only 212 MLS minutes. On top of that he played 800 minutes for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds last season and had one assist. In a season that was almost a complete loss on every level Dilly Duka won Berhalter's trust more than Martinez last year. Only when the season was completely crocked and mathematically unsalvagable did Martinez see time. He started the final two games of the season, was subbed off in the second half of each, which we lost by a combined score of 7-3. Martinez may very well be a nice player. That he's in the league right now is more a product of rapid MLS expansion of the past 5-7 years, allowing for more roster spots league wide than we had before. This allows guys like Martinez to be here. In another scenario, with a club that had a true B team like Red Bulls, RSL, Galaxy II etc Martinez would be getting tons of minutes to develop. He's not here because he is not better than the players in front of him. I'll put it this way. If Manneh reaches his peak this season along with a few other players this is a team that can make a playoff run and surprise a few teams. He's proven to be a difference maker in this league over thousands of minutes played. The team gave up Tchani and a ton of cash for him knowing this. They are invested in his success, and vice versa. Christian Martinez isn't there yet. He's not just behind Manneh in the pecking order. He's behind a Niko Hansen, Finlay, and Pipa centrally. If your goal is to just make the playoffs and it doesn't matter if you don't, sure throw him out there every game. Start him for Pipa for all I care. That's not where the team is right now. They want to win as much as possible right now over developing players. Manneh gives us the better chance to do so and it's not really close.
For what it's worth (often times not much!) when looking at those advanced metrics scores they show Manneh having a very good game Saturday. Whoscored.com had him as the highest ranked player and Man of the Match. The MLS Audi Index had him ranked only behind Meram and Artur in attacking players (they had Lalas as there MOTM). I've yet to check the Crew twitter MOTM polling. BRB.....
The crew poll boils down to. Who scored the most goals in a win gets MoM. Or the goalkeeper if we lose. Well shut my mouth it was lalas
The way I see it is if Pipa doesn't play Martinez should see the field unless you start Finlay and that's based off of several things. I do think Manneh should start so long as it's not st the expense of Meram. Therefore it's all based off of formation.Also Hansen is hurt right now which gives Martinez a better shot at PT. Best 4 attacking options are: St Ola Cam Pipa Outside mids: Meram Manneh Then : St Jahn Cam Martinez or Meram or Artur/Trapp Outside mids Finlay Hansen Martinez What do you think? I also think we really need a upgrade at Striker and another rightback ( young starter)
No--I seem to recall it last season too. But we usually just park near North Fourth and walk in--and that's one reason why. It also lets us comfortably spend money at the food trucks.
Someone else mentioned this a week ago. My first thought was it sounded like a good idea. But after a couple minutes I decided that was an awful idea considering how much our fullbacks handle the ball trying to build up the passing out of the back. That's the weakest part of his game. Perhaps in the 3-6-1 formation over the 4-5-1 formation, it may be a little more of a possibility with a more true defender behind him and he can roam the touchline more.
"Tools not desire" is a polite way of saying really f'ing lazy. He is known for speed but was repeatedly beaten to balls by players including Pace Demon Ale Bedoya. He gives little defensive effort and his passing lacks. Remember, Vancouver gave up on him because he wasn't a difference maker. No need to mention Duka unless you believe he was better than Tchani as well. Is Martinez good enough? We don't know. I like what I see and his passing and effort is what has stood out for me. Is Manneh good enough? Only if the goal is to sneak into the playoffs
Again, here is something where we are judging body language and the look of a player rather than the actual work they put in. It's cool. I get it. There are definitely players I do that for as well. But your examples, especially if you are looking at the past few games where he's been given an opportunity are comically incorrect. Was Manneh beaten to some balls? Absolutely. Like everyone else on our team. Was he beaten by Alejandro Bedoya, yes. The same Alejandro Bedoya that has offered next to nothing to the USMNT except beating players to balls it seems that he shouldn't win? Yep, that Bedoya. Thing is, shocking as it is Bedoya also uses pace to win those balls. Perhaps throughout his career Bedoya has also had pace to win the balls. If you naively believe trades only happen in a vacuum I can see your point about the trade. I tend to take a overhead view and recognize Kekuta can't play d-mid, Vancouver needed a d-mid, Kekuta had easily the highest trade value of anyone on the team. Oh, and Vancouver had their highest point total when Manneh had his career high in minutes. Let's dive further into some of the data collected at whoscored.com on notoriously lazy Kekuta Manneh: https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1...-Soccer-2017-Columbus-Crew-Philadelphia-Union As for his defensive effort, he had more tackles than Trapp, Afful, Raitala, and Jimenez combined. As for his notoriously poor passing, his 82% was among the lowest on the team. Given the Berhalter system a player like Lalas or Trapp with simple side to side passes will of course be higher than an attacking player. Still his accuracy was better than Kamara and Afful. His 4 key passes led the team As for his notorious laziness. His 56 touches was highest of attacking players last game. Seems like a player working to receive the ball to me. Berhalter may have recognized this. In fact it seems he did kept him on to help close out a vital 1-0 victory. Look, not every player is gonna sprint to the Nordecke after a goal to win the fans affection. I'm not gonna deny that Manneh's body language comes off as aloof at times. I understand why people view that as lazy. Again, it's the Dad/Uncle argument. But it can not be backed up in with anything other than emotion and how you view the game. And to say that Martinez, who was unable to make a difference in Pittsburgh is a better option because he has better body language is a novel idea. But this is soccer not America's Next Top Model. Tools matter.
I doubt Vancouver gives up an incredible asset for an inconsistent journeyman. Something's not adding up.
While you are pondering that, the difference Tchani has made in their midfield, and the cash we sent their way, let me know how many teams have been knocking down the door for Pittsburgh Riverhounds everyman/16th man on a historically poor Crew team. I mean their were people calling for Brad Stuver to get extended time after a friendly vs Valencia a few seasons back. It's always the same thing with this fanbase. More interested in having friends/being acknowledged by players/team culture than actually having decent players on the team. ******** it. What's Mario Gori doing? He always looked like he was running hard when caught hopelessly out of position and completely unable ti understand the simplest of tactics. He probably has something to offer still.
I don't know if anyone was knocking down the door. We found a better player and traded our surplus as did Vancouver. Not sure what you're talking about with body language. I really don't care where someone celebrates, I care if they give us a reason to celebrate.
Two game winning goals and an assist in the last 4 league games isn't a reason a cheer? He was again one of our best players last game by any metric excluding perceptions of his body language. Do I like Manneh? Of course. Do I wish he had played better or adapted into the team more quickly since he came over. Absolutely, 100%. Part of that is on Berhalter as well. But again, this random idea that he's not producing or playing well over the past month is so bizarre and inaccurate. And the idea that one of our best players over the past month should be sat for Christian Martinez based off an international friendly and perceived hustle, despite Martinez failing to even make an impact in Pittsburgh is just strange. I'm sorry. It's extremely bizarre and strange.
I see someone who limits themselves you see someone who excels. I also prefer mint juleps to martinis so we'll just agree to disagree until after we win tomorrow. What I think is bizarre is the fact we bought Martinez and aren't using him. From his cameos I like what I saw. I don't see the point of him wasting away on the bench.