EJ & Adu: Aris vs Paok (Superleague) 3/14 19:00 Greek/ 1:00pm ET

Apologies to the Aris faithful who post here, don't take this personally. But it's another frustrating chapter in the Adu fan book, made worse by the great performances Fred gave prior to his one bad half that has kept him off the field for 4 games now.

 

That would be far preferable to 30 pages of whining because BS posters were deprived of vicarious thrills due to Adu's inability to earn playing time.

 

Is there another reason to watch sports? I suppose you watch sports for the intellectual enrichment? Or is it because you think it will bring world peace?

It's so bizarre how some people on BS, who also watch sports (essentially the satisfaction of a primitive urge in mankind for e.g. competition) for pleasure, actually act like they're above it all. Get off your high horse, man. You're just another sports fan. If not - wtf are you doing *here*?

 

I agree 100%. The thread is called "Yanks Abroad". Not "Games Of Strange Euro Teams We Have Never Heard Of".

 

Is Meriem a loan or a buy?

The other view is that Aris got Freddy on loan to cover a spot on the field, and then Meriem arrived. So now they don't need Freddy anymore. Except maybe on the practice squad to push Meriem.

They were playing Freddy so that he could get into game shape -- how many weeks has it been since Freddy has played a minute now? Teams don't throw players who haven't played a minute into important games -- we saw that yesterday. The next game is important too. And the one after that.

In theory, having someone to push Freddy to perform is a fine idea. Is there a level playing field? One's a loaner. One's 'inexperienced' and apparently going to stay that way.

 

Meriem was a free transfer. Yes we got Adu to cover an spot on the wings, and then Meriem arrived. So that makes it two options on the wing. But I can't see how we don't need Adu anymore. He'll just have to compete with Meriem, and Calvo perhaps, for this spot on the starting eleven. He's not the only 20 year old player in the universe that has to compete for a spot in the starting eleven.

Don't get me wrong, but it was a big mistake to become professional at the age of 14. Now he's 20, he's got all the attention surrounding him, and everyone's thinking that he should play like a player who's been professional for 6 years. I hope that Adu is smart and patient enough, he can be a decent player.

 

Absolutely! Kids that age belong in academies.

But it's not too late, he's young and if he continue to work hard and willing to learn, he might just turn out to be a fine player.

 

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xckykg_%E1%F1%E7%F3-%F0%E1%EF%EA-2-0-14-3-10_sport

 

Absolutely not true. I do respect these leagues, and I've really enjoyed the Aris supporters who come on here and talk about the team they love. I think MLS fans can learn something from them.

If you had a crystal ball the day before Freddy was transferred to Benfica and could see everything that was going to happen to him up to this past weekend, would you have come on here and said "gee whiz, this is going to be great for his career, he should do this move" or "oh sh!t, this isn't going to work out as well as Freddy and the rest of us were hoping for".

Be honest. Do you think this is working out as well as Freddy had hoped the day he signed with Benfica? Do you think this is working out as well as us fans had hoped on the day he signed for Benfica? And to help inform your question, I remind you that Damarcus Beasely and Landon Donovan had hugely successful world cups in 2002 at age 21. And we were told that Freddy Adu was better than both.

 

Well I'm glad to see that things don't change much around here, you're still not making any sense. Yes, I don't think he should have come back to MLS this past December or this summer for that matter. And yes, I think that today he would be better off if he had not gone to Europe when he did and he was playing every game in MLS. Those are not contradictory statements, as you seem to be suggesting.

 

This is absolutely true. And you should have seen, Kalamaria, the hoopla that greeted Adu when DC United traveled from stadium to stadium in America and the crowds that gathered when he was 14. The unearned accolades he received from the fans at the games and from the fans on big soccer 6 years ago (some of whom are still on here pretending to be the voice of reason about his young career) has hurt Freddy and frankly, hurt the development of the game here.

With all the money the league made off the boy wonder last time around from american fans, some of them undoubtedly on this thread, I'm afraid MLS will try to do the same thing next time a talented 13 year old boy emerges.

 

What are we doing watching soccer other than getting vicarious thrills? orcrist has the post of the thread so far.

 

Freddy has missed 3 games now, after playing in 4 or 5 in a row I believe, with a busy stretch coming up.

I wouldn't say Freddy isn't needed, they have him on loan for another 15 months (with an option to buy) and Meriem is 30 years old.

The 18 month loan was important...it shows Aris has an interest in Adu's development.

 

Saying, this could have been better, is one thing, which you could say about literally everyone, including Donovan at Everton (imagine if he had two more goals against Man Utd and Tottenham). But you described it as getting worse and worse for Freddy, with the last three games being the bottom. I'd say never seeing the field for Belenonsense was the bottom. He's at a better team with better fans, better teammates, a better coach, more playing time, and goals and an assist. This is a good situation for him. Maybe he needs to spend this 18 months being brought along slowly by Kuper.

You pooh poohed Calvo as a disappointing outcome for Freddy. Actually Calvo is somewhat similar to Freddy in his early promise. He didn't get the hype because he wasn't American, but he was raised in the Barcelona youth system and was aiming to be Xavi or Iniesta. He played for Spanish youth national teams. Barcelona websites are still publishing his goals as a former Barca player in the same headline as Cesc, Saviola, and Arteta. Anybody know who the "Hen" is?
It's kind of hard for him to get a call-up for a national team midfield that has been using Fabregas off the bench. Arteta is four years older and he could never get in. I'm sure we could use Arteta in our NT.

As for Beasley and Donovan being 21 and doing well at the WC, it's just a matter of timing. If Freddy goes to Aris a year earlier, he does well in this WC also.

 

What an awful team...but I just checked, and they actually won this weekend -- scoring 3 goals! They had scored 10 all year.

 

really? You have a crystal ball?

 

With games under his belt, it's the probable thing.

 

Two very very good posts.

Fact is, people just want to shit on Freddy any chance they get. If he isnt getting playing time at Aris its time to start to shit on the Greek Super League, and how if he cant cut it there, whats a matter with his career? Time to talk shit about Aris, etc.

People need to stop just following his threads (you know who you are, the know it alls that really don't know shit!), and start watching games, and learning more about the teams! Aris is a GREAT team. They are on the level of the top south american sides. The level of play of greece is more or less equal to mexico, who is offensively waaaaay better then MLS, as seen how they tear our clubs in half. Aris is a club on par with the best in mexico, and for the most part in south america. You guys need to stop assuming things about greece, tehir soccer, and about Aris the club, and start doing your own research in watching games and doing educated guesses based on that.

Meriem also is a good player, and it isnt the end of the world that freddy got knocked off by a player of his pedigree. If anything, if he can start starting over Meriem in time it will be a great accomplishment for Freddy.

 

we're just upset because we've seen this happen to freeedy so many times in europe before.


(I just thought this thread needed that statement to be made one more time.)

 

Understandable, but if you put in your work as a fan, and learn more about the players that play on Aris, where they came frmo, what NT's they represent, where they started, you'd see there is TONS of talent at Aris. Its a good side, a healthy one with a incredible coach. It isnt like any clubs he was at before which were BAD fits. This has been the best start Freddy has had at any club besides Benfica. He needs to be paitent, and even if he isnt playing, he is still being coached by one of the best in the world. Its not even close to the end of his loan spell yet, he has alot of time left before we cna throw in the towel.

 

As long as Adu is in the 18, that means he is progressing in practice and at least somewhat in Cuper's plans, which is a lot better than at some previous stops. At belenenses he was working out in the city park or something, right?

its past time to stop thinking about Adu as the great hope of American soccer and think that he is just another American trying to find his way in Europe. If it was another player who had not been as hyped, we would think it quite promising that the player was getting occasional playing time at this age.

 

It's just strange...he's scored half as manygoals in two games as belenese has in 2/3 of a season. He's scored more than fielhaber, Torres, beasley, and a host of others...not complaining about his club situation, but it's obvious how much better Aris is than a typical MLS side, and BB not accounting for this--USA will be a far weaker threat without Adu. Hell USA could have stood to have Adu at the LAST wc...he may have made the wrong choice. This would be his second Wc if he chose Ghana...

This is from someone who hated Adu for the cash he made over some of us...but speaking now as a patriot, the hate we had for Adu the profit commercial guy must be put aside for the sake of our countey's soccer success.

I think I speak for many MLS players --we wanted him to "feel the pain" of maybe playing for 10% of his salary--but none of us imagined for a minute he wouldn't be the face of USA soccer, taking us to new heights internationally. I haven't spoken to that many ex teammAtes, but seems to me he's being made to prove himself 100000x more than the current coaches son. I am calling for, and emailing my fellow players and staff that the Freddy hate has to stop for the good of USA soccer.

 

You also sign to create (quality) depth and competition at all positions.

Chill out folks. Freddy's on an 18 month loan. He'll be there all next year, too.

Whether he goes to the WC or not, he will be with ARIS during their pre-season and all of next year. I would prefer that he do well now, and go with the US team to SA, but there is no good point in stressing over it if it doesn't happen.

As another poster said earlier, if ARIS keeps up the good work, they will have at least 6 more matches to play in the Europa League. If neither Eddie nor Freddy get much (or any) playing time, then we can be concerned.