Best game I have seen him play in a DCU shirt. Now Michael Bradley ... pretty much the worst game I've seen him play since the Trinidad game. I know he played mid-week the the USMNT, but he just trotted around out there looking all tough, but he really only reminded me of the eagle on the Muppet Show. I'd have rather seen him run himself into the ground and get subbed in the 60th. I am sure he must have, but I don't think he made a single sprint. He ran less than Fabi did that last year before we sent him out to Vancouver.
I think Bradley is worn out. He did 12 minutes the night before (although Segura did 23 and looked fine in his cameo last night). Age and a dismal season has caught up to him. He was good last year, but he has been in a slow decline ever since he left Roma. That move is something I still don't understand. Maybe he was disfavored at Roma, but I can't believe he didn't get some offers to stay in Europe once he wanted out.
True if there are other threats on the field (Ariolla) then that opens the space and time for Rooney and Acosta to get cute.
I think this is where Rooney has made the biggest impact (beyond the fiiiine goals and assists). We've been lacking a good on-field general for years, and you can see him waving, gesturing, calling out and otherwise directing the team when he's not in possession, not just the usual individual "here I am, pass me the ball there" calls, but "move up," "spread out," "settle," et cetera.
I disagree on MB. All Toronto's attacks seemed to go through him. His passing was good, and his corners were superb. I don't think the game plan for him was to run himself into the ground by the 60th minute, nor should it have, And BTW, why was he booed so much during the match? What did he ever do that offended people, besides being Bob Bradley's son. I do remember fools back in the day saying he had no talent and was on the pitch just because of his dad's prominence, but I doubt that had any impact when he played at a high level in European first divisions.
I would agree with it being a tough season, but as a STM, it was hard to watch us miss out on the playoffs last year, especially after 2nd half we had in 2016. But I never got a sense of many guys checking out. I used to HATE watching Fabi trot around the field in 2016, not make space, not use space or move into space and only run there was a ball played for him to get on the end of. So maybe that's why MBs performance irked me so much. You are right, his set piece service had me chewing my finger nails every time he teed it up. I was never a fan of his leaving Roma to come back to the US. I am not a self loathing MLS fan, but I do recognize that moving from Hereneveen (sp?) to Gladbach, to Chiveo, to Roma represented an increasing career progression that wasn't necessarily enhanced going to Toronto and I think that no one could argue that his overall form has not been a positive trajectory since leaving Roma and playing in UCL. Sure the new coach didn't have plans for him, but there had to be a more ambitious stop than Toronto I wasn't as taken with his passing in the course of play, although his set pieces were excellent. I was never one of those people who thought he got ahead because his father was the head coach. He made his bones in Holland and Italy well enough for me to be convinced. I think a lot of people hold a grudge for him captaining a team that just didn't turn out in Trinidad. I know that I am always going to look at the leaders of an organization when a failure of that magnitude occurs.
Bradley has two modes: Great and ineffective. With the USMNT, games where he SHOULD have been great these past two cycles (against lower quality teams), he was ineffective. Then he'd have a great game, but then a string of ineffective ones, and it wasn't necessarily because the other team neutralized him effectively. We certainly didn't last night; he spent a lot of time controlling midfield play that we left him time and space to do, but his read on attacking runs was completely off for Toronto. It's like he spent more time saying "I don't wanna come up with something, YOU come up with something" and passing it elsewhere. He did the same thing in USMNT games, and when you're given the responsibility to do that in the international matches, especially during qualifying.... So, while I'm usually not fine with the boos for USMNT players, I'm OK in this instance, especially when being combined with bein' Cheatin' Bob's son. Tradition, you know.
I'm happy when opposing players are booed no matter what the reason. The booing for Bradley has filled a void we DCU fans have had since Donovan retired.
Props to NDL, he kept the ball in the field of play all game. His understanding of the game has really grown since he was a rookie; unfortunately his technical skills have not. I thought Stieber had a good game. He didn't give the ball away, tracked back on defense (winning the ball back a couple of times), and earned the free kick that Rooney converted. All while playing out of position - he should really be on the left. Apparently it was his birthday - his picture was up on the big screen briefly. His GF, Kinga, is hot. Toronto GK was so impressed by the free kick, he watched on the big screen twice, lol. No idea what Bradley did to get booed.
Yes, and Donovan loved to be booed at RFK, because it just made him play better. He absolutely killed us more than once.
Boos are fine for opposing players. As for why on Bradley, it all dates back to Bob getting the NATS job instead of JK. Certain fans hated that and have never let Bob or Michael forget that. You can find the BS history and see the fanss who hated Bob Bradley being hired for NATs coach are largely also the same ones who always have and still do bash Michael Bradley. Bradley doesn't have the motor he had that was so valuable before. That said, he still sees the field and finds passing lanes better than anybody else out there on Toronto last night. As for why he left Roma... $$$ and playing time. He was a role player in Roma on a decent salary. he received a huge pay raise $$$ with Toronto and was a key player. It also came at a time when he likely wanted to maximize his financial situation. if he played out his contract with Roma, it was not like a 30 year gets a maximized contract. Fans tend to forget this is a livelihood for players and with that move MB more than doubled his income at a time where his future contracts would likely have diminishing returns, Now back to DC United.
That was the 2nd best free kick I've ever seen, with Roberto Carlos' bomb against France being the best ever. Show me a video of something better than that one last night.
Not. At. All. It has EVERYTHING to do with his performance and terrible leadership as captain of the national team. P.s. I did not boo but i have no problem with it Pps, his dad is the highest qualified American coach ever (at present time) but i did not agree with his tactics on most occasions. I think he may do better now, but that's irrelevant because it will be Berhalter.
I think Philly plays NYCFC? If Philly wins, they have 53, and they get us on wins. If NYCFC wins or ties, they have 54 and they get us on points, so 3rd is out. 4th is still in play.
You know how far away Rooney was from the goal. I wouldn't expect this from you but I think shammy's weed has warped your perception. Strike that. I know you have family from near the border. They brought you a little gift didn't they?
Great night, although not a great performance by DCU. Way too many careless giveaways and too many opportunities at/near goal mouth given away. Our utter and complete inability to seal the deal with a second goal was puzzling and disappointing. I really thought we were much the better team with so much more to play for, and yet we left them in it... Will need to play better if we have higher ambitions (that might begin with p). Agree on comments re: Steiber + Asad -- the former isn't doing enough given what I believe is a really high level of skill, and the latter is trying to do too much/be too cutesy. Less highlight reel and more get things done Yamil, por favor. The Rooney bomb is not what you expect, but what you hope for. A thing of beauty. If Rooney isn't my MOTM, certainly can make the case for Canouse, but I'm going to put in my vote for Nick. He came back from a big injury and a long time out. And he played well last night -- covered a lot of ground, made a lot of good passes and some key defensive stops. When we saw him at the BB party at Finns early this year when he was injured I thought "well, his career may be over". Now, down the stretch when we need him, he's really showing up. Kudos. Last, re: Dave Johnson. NOBODY, and I mean no living human, should have to endure what he did as the voice of the stinking pile that was our team over the last few years. I often thought "so how can you do the post game show after this debacle"? Dave was there with a bucket to raise funds for Big Rob. He was there as MC of the DC SCORES event. He shows up for the fans and is a pretty reasonable announcer to boot. The Sun is a rag. Dave is a saint. And "its in the net" is, well, just fine.
Agreed. For kicks (pun), dial-up on YouTube the announcers' calls after the famous Aguero title-winning, injury time goal for Man City a few years ago. You have a choice of: a) Aguero! . . . Aguero! b) Staggering! . . . Just staggering! Were either of those "cringeworthy"? No. They were the result of the announcer being caught-up in the moment-- kinda like Dave Johnson and the rest of us last night at the 18-minute mark.
Interesting, during that historic, milestone all- female broadcast of a match recently one of the broadcast team tried in a spectacularly terrible manner to channel Andres Cantor. Should have tried a Dave Johnson impersonation, he makes bad sound normal
They could have announced that hire months ago. I think it'll be someone from within MLS. All the smoke seems to be coming out of Columbus. (Unless Berhalter takes the LA job.)