Camacho again on adu and di maria: Translation: Adu and Di Maria have to know that they are growing, that they have quality, and that the future can be their's, but not yet. About Adu's game saving goals: He's doing very well in the final minutes, but the other players are working hard 80 minutes so he can take advantage. There are other games, there's a long way until the end of the season, but if keeps working hard, he'll have more oportunities. But soccer is about roles, some players do 1 thing, others do another. Adu is starting and what he's doing, he's doing well. http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=762991&idCanal=11 Also on record.pt, there's pole where 80,1% voted that he should get more minutes. Porto up 3-0 with 5 min to go... damn!
I'm pretty sure he's going to be a prominent figure on the US team from here on out. We clearly lack creative quality in the midfield/forward. Clint is doing the best he can in his new role be he needs some help. I really would like to see a 4-3-2-1 with Altidore up top with Clint and Adu playing support strikers/AMs right behind. Then we can deploy the Edu - Bradley - Feilhaber midfield Bradley used in the Swiss matchup. I really hope he and Altidore get called up to the SA match (if NYRB get knocked out of the playoffs). It's time to start developing our 2010 team, especially with the chance to play in South Africa. Adu and Altidore had a great repore on the field in Canada this Summer, and Clint seemed a bit better once Adu came on the field.
This post startled me a little bit. It is very strange for me to such a reasoned, logical, and well thought out post as this.
Hard to argue with that. This is going to be an interesting season watching how he handles both of his young talents. He seems to be making the right moves so far.
Amen bruthuh! I think that most people here in DC — who are season ticket holders and watch all/most of the games — felt that Freddy showed incredible promise and had flashes of brilliance why he was here. The "MLS failure" label seems to come from the people who didn't really see him play, game in and game out, or who got to see him in Salt Lake. He had a bunch of spectacular goals for United and many of them came with very limited minutes, just as is the case at Benfica. He is weak in the air and weak on defense, which may slow down his chances at getting a starting role. But hopefully he can continue to work on those aspects of his game and maybe beefo up a bit.
http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=players&id=102 Last 5 games (or it might be his only games) 110 minutes and 3 goals.
I saw that Burch interview, too, and it was bad on several levels, even allowing for the guys egging him on and playing it for laughs. On general principle, former/current/future teammates should avoid bad-mouthing each other. In this case, I'm sure much of what Burch (thinks he) 'knows' about Adu is second- or third-hand info, as Burch really didn't play (many? any?) MLS games with Adu. I doubt very much that they hung out together. I'm sure Adu was immature at times - he was a kid, he's still just 18! - but you have to wonder how much the older players really reached out to him. Jealousy on their part would be natural, and the age difference would certainly have affected the manner of their socializing. He couldn't legally drink; he had to be driven around; he was making 10+ times the money many of them made. The example that comes to my mind is that of a precocious child who is ready for college academically but not physically and emotionally. Adu had the skills but not the complete package. He still doesn't, but he seems to be heading in the right direction. Most encouraging is that his Benfica teammates seem to have genuinely welcomed him into the team.