WTH? I come back to this thread after a month or so and barely a whisper about Adu? People, get back on track already. Sheesh.
I think Freddy is at the beginning of a very steep upward ascent in his career, and that Klinsmann will feature him prominently in his lineups going forward.
I would love to see the following lineup. I think we would have our best possible attack + possession game with this: xxxxxxxx Altidore-Agudelo xxxxxxx xxxxxx Dempsey-Adu- Donovan Shea-xxxxxxxx- Holden xxxxxxxxxxxxx Chandler xxxxxxxxxxx Gooch- Boca xxxxxxxxx Holden and Adu together might be amazing. We could play fast, one-touch soccer thru the middle, and release Chandler and Shea to go hard at defenses. Shea and Chandler would alternate in attack with the other falling back in a 3 man line (with Holden lying deep plugging up the middle). As we slow our opponent's attack, we could have 5 man defense, with Holden as forward sweeper. As a forward sweeper in between Gooch and Boca...Holden's role to snuff out anything looking like an attack. Holden's job would be to transition ball in offensive 1/3 to Adu without losing possession. Freddy would run show in final 1/3. Dempsey and Donovan would have free creative reign to wrap their game around the offense as it develops. If teams would try to take Freddy out of the game by denying him the ball, Holden could run the offense from deeper and play directly to Altidore, Agudelo, Dempsey, and Donovan- who should have more space if other team are intent on denying Freddy. In this scenario, you would depend on Shea and Chandler running their ar$h off, but in mostly straight lines. Dempsey, Donovan would move all over pitch. The reason I like this (to try it, at least) is that it puts Holden in the key spot of hosting possession in his 1/3, where he is the best in our side, and he was recognized last December as the best tackler in the EPL. He reads the game extremely well, and can play fast out of the back + supports the play. Freddy is going to make more mistakes, but that's ok- because you will trade mistakes in the final 1/3 for an AM that can make the killer pass or beating a guy 1 v 1 in the final 1/3 which Adu can do. Freddy has proven over many years that he can create offense. In this role, his new found capability of hustling and harrassing on defense is properly used...since likely will never been strong enough as a complete 2 way player defensively, but utilizing him in the attacking end primarily will unleash his full talents + provide a respectable level of defense. In this scenario, Landon and Dempsey would be asked to harrass in opponent's half as well. The 2nd goal in Mexico in Gold Cup showed what having technically talented players like Dempsey, Adu, and Donovan side-by-side can do. Unique permutations, creative soccer, 1 touch- stuff that you normally don't see with US nats. What needs to happen now (as improvement) is (1) an upgrade in decision-making, possession and tackling in the DM slot AND (2) more attacking options, which Shea and Chandler would provide in being the wingbacks that fly forward when the space is there. This would be our most technically sound lineup. I think we could terrorize sides in our regions, and scare the beejebees out of the most talented sides in the world with smart countering and better possession (than past years).
I think Bradley Jr. is a good player. I happen to think Bradley Jr. is not our best attacking midfielder (which is Adu and maybe Holden) nor is he our best defensive midfielder (which would be Jones or Holden). He is close, but not better than either. Bradley Jr. is a tick slower in decisionmaking and definitely does not have the footskills of those 3. Holden is a better, cleaner tackler than Bradley. Adu definitely has the 'it' factor that creative geniuses have in the final 1/3. We no longer needs a hustle-n-bustle, workrate type running on CM. We need technique, and JK is going to demand that all the players are more fit. For this reason, I think Bradley becomes a valuable sub, but a 2nd choice in either the AM or DM role
Do you guys really think Bradley will automatically be relegated to the bench?? I understand you guys wanting a more technical type of midfielder but Bradley has shown his usefulness and when he is on, he is easily one of our best players on the field. To think that JK will not easily overlook Bradley's experience with the rest of the first team as well. Anyways, here is what i would like to see (if and when Holden gets healthy): ----------------------------JOZY-------------- --------------LANDON-------------------DEMPSEY--JONES---------------------------------------HOLDEN ---------------------------BRADLEY/EDU--------------------------- SHEA?-----------------EDU/GONZALEZ---------BOCA------CHANDLER
People, stop calling for Shea at left back. His best position is left mid and only played left back for a few games at the beginning of the year. The only MLS Left back I would consider for the nats atm is Todd Dunivant who has been arguably the best left back in the league. It isnt saying much but I would also say he has been one of the best fullbacks in general. Shea is someone we want to groom as a Dempsey replacement not ruin by putting him at left back.
Jozy is not capable of playing a point forward. That has been proven over and over. Agudelo neither. It is not enough in attack to keep the backline of team honest and they will crowd our midfield. In terms of Shea, he would not be a pure left back, but be forward a lot. The core of the defensive structure would be stay at home Gooch and Boca, with Holden filling the gap in the middle between them (and slightly advanced). Chandler and Shea need to come back but have limited defensive responsibilities positionally. Landon and Dempsey would come back deep as well. Defensively, it is really: xxxx Dempsey- Donovan xxxx Shea xxxx Holden xxxxx Chandler xxxx Gooch- Holden- Boca xxxx I don't know how better to portray the toggle role of Holden Adu would be on the point of Dempsey and Donovan and provide them + Holden with triangles to transition back from defense to attack.
I agree with this. Although this whole discussion has been an interesting tangent for a Freddy Adu thread.
I literally spent 20 minutes trying to come up with someone feasible for leftback. We either go with the reliable Boca who is very prone to be beaten by a speedy winger and is limited offensively, or we try an unproven LB and see what we get. Lichaj has proven that he has potential, although he gets himself in bad positions at times and cannot cross with his left if his life depended on it. Perhaps Dolo? Or maybe Dunivant. As a Galaxy fan I see Dunivant regularly play and he has always impressed me with his workrate, his consistency, and his reliable crosses into the box. The only thing that may prevent him from getting a call is that he is inexperienced at the international level. I however, would not mind seeing either Dunivant or Convey getting a call for the LB position.
After seeing the one on one interview with Klinsmann on US soccer website, i'm pretty sure that Freddy was one of the players he has already talked to. Klinsmann says that when he talks to a player for the first time the discussion is more personal than professional. I think a personal talk with a legend like Jürgen would move a player, thus leading to Freddy's short and simple "blessed" tweet last night.
That's insane to correlate those two. I highly doubt that literally a day after he was appointed, Jurgen was like I must call freddy adu. Adu has posted those kind of tweets on twitter plenty of times. I think Adu should focus on his club situation before he goes and plays an international game.
It could have been a church or religious tweet, but since he only said "blessed" it appears to me that he didn't want to say too much. Just like Klinsmann didn't name the players he talked to. The truth is that Klinsmann wants a more attack oriented team and Freddy was considered by most to be the best player in the Gold Cup Final. IMO that is enough for a coach to want to speak to that player.
No. Like I honestly have no clue how you can seriously take such a leap in belief there. Just because Freddy tweets #blessed doesn't mean anything. Maybe freddy got laid and felt lucky. Or maybe Freddy's check came in the mail and he felt blessed that he doesn't even play for the club that pays him his millions. There is just no way you can take that tweet and even come close to thinking that means Jurgen called him and invited him. Also, I would say Landon Donovan was the MOTM for the Mexico game. Freddy was pretty good but I thought it was funny that he essentially stole Bedoya's spot when Adu couldn't get any balls, so Bedoya became invisible.
Your use of the word cater is simply wrong here. It's about the end result, and as Mexico game demonstrated (which this shocked me, quite frankly), Freddy still has an amazing sense of the moment and ability to produce offensively in ways no one else can on our side. Equally as amazingly was to watch Freddy actually play defense, and hustle, and it even- at times- looked natural. Never thought I'd see that. Speaking of catering- Argentina National Team have done a terrible job 'catering' (your word) to Messi, and it appears ineffecutal in so many of their matches. What you call catering, is really just good coaching- finding formations in which the most talented players can succeed. Let be real: soccer is like life in that there are certain individuals who are more talented and can produce more than others. Freddy Adu in the right setup can be a dangerous, even lethal weapon. Of course, you don't want to detract from other players producing, but if you were ever going to tinker a design around a US player to maximize their impact- that player could easily be Adu. He's that good/unusual/effective against top teams.
He said he talked to some players without a club...the only one I would talk to is Adu. Straight from the mans mouth folks.
This is a good way to put it. I remember him sprinting across the field and lunging into a hard slide tackle at Belem. I remember him hustling after Cuper seemed ready to bench him. So he has done these things before. But - forgetting consistency for the time being - he never, to me anyway, looked all that natural doing them. It just sometimes had this odd look about it, like it wasn't instinctive. Hopefully this newfound (at least it seems that way to me) fluidity is permanent. Yeah, that's what makes the optimistic interpretation of the 'blessed' tweet something other than insane. I sure don't want to jump to the conclusion that he was referring to a conversation w/ JK. But odds are pretty strong that he *did* recently talk to JK (yes, per JK's own mouth). This, combined w/ JK's comments in the past about the U.S. needing more players that had touch on the ball, and about him wanting to employ a game that emphasized passing on the ground, makes one hopeful that Freddy may thrive under JK. Given his track record at winning over managers at the club level, I'm cautious to say the least. He seemed to finally be making inroads w/ a coach - Bradley - and now there's a new coach. So while things, on the surface, seem opportunistic w/ regard to what the new coach may want and Freddy's own skill set...I'm going to wait and see him do well before I count those chickens. Still, given JK's own words, it's hard to believe he didn't call Freddy. Whether that's what led to the 'blessed' tweet or not, who the heck knows. It's possible. A leaped to conclusion, sure, but certainly possible. (Btw, if you click on the word 'blessed', does it lead to a church or something? So maybe it's got nothing to do w/ soccer at all?)
Even when he gets his club situation under control(meaning he leaves Benfica for good) you'll find another reason to talk shit on him, look the one person I noticed you never ever mention about when it comes to that topic is MB and yet you complain about Freddy Adu who by the way was in way better form then MB in the GC yet MB started every game in the tournament while Adu only played two games the simifinal and the final. Seriously your complaints about him is getting old already get over it and move on already.
Okay so you quote me and say I am talking shit. Well clearly you just randomly took what I said and quoted it because it's pretty obvious you didn't read it at all. Please read my posts before you make your ignorant accusations. MB is a much better player than Adu so that is why he played. Plus MB played very well most of the tournament so he deserved to continue playing. Adu made a very poor case for starting any games because he played in the turkish 2nd division while other players were starting for the good clubs.