If EJ can keep this up, and show good team work with his team and start scoring again, screw a conor casey.
I would be shocked if Eddie tried to nutmeg the keeper there. To get a touch on the ball hes got to track it through the air he cant even see the keeper for most of the flight, and when he looked, honestly there was no time to pick a spot. If I were hazarding a guess, id say he actually lost track of it when he looked at the keeper, mistouched it as a result, but the ball fortunately went through the keepers legs.
just finished analyzing the youtube replay... I must say seeing it again from a different angle makes me change my mind. He didn't mean to pass the ball behind the gkeepers legs. He wanted to play the ball on the side, but lost control. If you look at his effort for a fraction he is ready to quit but when he sees the ball passing through the keeper he uses his great first pace and acceleration to be the first to find the ball. His finishing was calm and I liked that. Good job indeed. One more note since I know Greek league more than you do. Players that have great physical skills (especially combined speed and power) have big advantage. Usually defenders are either tall, strong but slow or swift, agile, clever and quick. Only a few combine both attributes and most usually they move abroad if they do.
Honestly, who cares. EJ saw the goalie come out and just put his foot on it in a foward motion hoping it would go in- whether to the corner of th net or between the legs. nothing wrong with that......since he Scored.
You guys crack me up with over analysis of EJ's goal. Who cares if he meant to put it through the keeper's legs?! I could careless how[\I] he scored. . I care that he did score!! Scoring goals puts him back into the WC fold. I couldn't be happier for EJ. He and Aris are looking like a good fit. I think his confidence will grow and the goals will come. Perfecting timing if you ask me.
My bold. This is the key with our GAM: confidence. Sure, he has limitations, ones that will probably always mark his profile as a player (although those might be tempered some by good coaching), but if this guy THINKS he can score... well, he might just well do it, even cutting past John Terry.
I agree about the over analysis. But equally ridiculous is the extrapolations based on one goal. If one goal in the Greek League puts you in the World cup picture, we must have a pretty poor team.
We don't have a poor team but our forward pool is in dire need at the moment. I hope for continued sucess for EJ.
Extremely clear the assist was meant to be exactly what it was. You can see Adu positioning and lining up his body so his follow through would put the ball exactly where it did. Johnson on the other hand, completely mishit his first touch (which was a 9 on a difficulty scale), he was trying to round the keeper in my opinion, but the result was the same.
I'm tempted to make this a sig line. Looking at the replay, I'm pretty sure Adu's near-equalizer was intended to be a cross. He was looking across the goal. Also, I usually play as a forward myself, and I definitely wouldn't shoot in that situation. Freddy didn't have an angle to shoot with his left, and if he cut back to his right a defender would have closed off the shot.
Or pretty poor forwards. And that's not really far from the truth. He's battling Brian Ching, Conor Casey, Jeff Cunningham and Robbie Findley. We're not exactly Argentina at striker, particularly with Davies out.
LOL Yea, im pretty sure it was a cross, but you never know, I know I can remember times playing in adu's position, me getting the ball, putting my head down, and putting too much curve in my shot lol and it coming off as a cross more so then a shot, with a forward finishing it. People are like 'great cross' and i just agree with them, when deep down inside it was just a botched shot! lol I dont tell them that part though.
Both of these players had been in the mix at some point this cycle, and if they can establish themselves as regulars for the next three months in Greece, they will certainly be in the mix again. Let's just hope that they do.
Beautiful pass by Freddy (we all know he's capable of it and now to see it!) and solid, professional finish by Eddie. It's great enough just seeing these guys on the field in Europe, and then they're on the field TOGETHER, and then they're combining to score a lovely goal. Thrilling stuff. Hopefully a harbinger of many more good things to come. We can sure hope.
Hopefully they help each other out, with the understanding between the two, Eddie will finally get good service, and will be in a league that isnt as 'physical' (EPL) which suits him better to zip by defenses, and to take baby steps. EPL might have been to hard of a jump for him, greece is more pass oriented and on the ground' style of play, which i think for now suits him better. Both will benefit from this move, and hopefully put them back on the US NAT team radar. Already better then Gracian and Abreu
Is the game online yet? Also did Adu have any other highlights aside from the dribble and no goal at the end, good touches and such?
http://www.arismania.com/index.php?page=torrent-details&id=1cd8a32ab136dae177d7b389ca592f0bfd1d27c6 http://www.arismania.com/index.php?page=torrent-details&id=eb0adb99973de9d179f371a188442539871ec4cf You need invitation so send your email to ARIS-SALONICA
Johnson at Greek newspaper Translation: Aris was loosing 2-0 at 1st half playing without passion and with the assistant referees making huge mistakes. Johnson opeed his goal account, Adu was good. The positive view at Aris loss was the 2 Americans. Their cooperation brought the goal to Aris and together with Aravidis gave a better look to the team at second half.
guys where i can download the compleate match of Aris Xhanti??? for edit an Adu and Johnson's hightlights???
Another bad game for Aris yesterday. Unfortunatelly we didn't play nearly as good as expected. The first 15min of the second half, the team tried to play with a rational formation, which did improve drastically after EJ and Freddy's entrance. They both gave alot of possitive energy to the team and together with Aravidis, were the best players on the field, if only the rest of our players(besides Prittas who was ok) believed so, we could make a comeback... So, among all the negatives that this game had for our team, there were some positives not to be taken lightly. Adu showed great vision, alot of technique in a BAD field and some nice crosses(especially since he hasn't palyed for such a VERY long time). EJ showed anticipation (yes he has some footy IQ) and quick thinking when he scored the goal, he was at the ball after Adu's pass (which was 1000% intentional), while the oposition defenders didn't take a step. And he (EJ) also looks very tripping for a tall CF. just my two cents...
I'd rather over-analyze the goal than his failures to make runs or get into proper position like we have for the past 2-3 years. As one of those in the "he meant to do that" crowd, I have to say I was wrong after looking at the HD highlights. I could get used to cheering for Aris.