Jimmy Conrad exposes Michael Bradley

I thought Chris Armas did a very respectable job for the USMNT.

Klinsmann brought Beckerman back into the USMNT loop. Beckerman fit into Klinsmann's scheme. My assessment of Beckerman: a solid MLS player but a step too slow for the international game.

I was a big Jermaine Jones fan and absolutely remember his obvious frustration over what he viewed as an unfairly "Bradley-based" midfield.

But we're in the here and now. Berhalter is not the coach I would have picked, but U.S. soccer didn't ask me. Having been given the keys to sports car, it is his scheme that is going to succeed or fail. He sees Bradley as his best option in a specific role. I haven't seen anything yet that tells me he's wrong.

I'll be updating my assessment with each match - like after mañana.

 

its funny how many people are in here bashing bradley and use jimmy boys comments to do so.

probably dont remember his issue with bradley is that he was too alpha male and now people say they the usmnt is desperate for a leader lol.

 

Yeah, I don't get it. Only in US soccer would be considered an 'alpha male' be a bad thing. You need to be an alpha male to succeed at the highest level.

The less soy boys the better. I know a lot of the fans fall under this category but it is not good to fall under this as a high level player. I believe it is part of the reason why many of our players can't succeed internationally at bigger clubs.

 

so the point of the entire thread is that jimmy conrad 'exposed' michael bradley for being an 'alpha male' when he said us soccer doesn't need those types anymore.

I said that is dumb and now jimmy conrad has been exposed...you are now disagreeing with me and then repeating what I said? lol strange thread

 

I was agreeing with you! Sheesh

 

Beckerman played that position beautifully. Wish we had a younger version of him available.

 

I'd have to agree about JJ and loved him during his too brief time with the USMNT. As for the MB, he's done an excellent job-- at times-- of finding the killer 40 yard switch. He can do that as well as anyone we have even still. He's lost a step and some agility, he gets bypassed too easily at times, but he's done a decent job of clogging up lanes and coming up with big tackles. He's done a great job at finding killer passes 2/3 times a game. I don't watch games with an agenda for any one player, I watch them with a critical eye of who helps and who hurts. MB has absolutely helped more than hurt during his minutes this tournament.

 

The concern for Bradley is that his defensive frailties will be exposed tonight by Mexico. Let’s hope not.

 

The problem is that he can only do that now when a team sits off him and allows him time and space to tee it up. In the quick flow he cannot, game after game cannot. So if we're playing a team that decides to not press him, then as you said 2 to 3 times a match he can actually make a forward pass that has some purpose to it. And if he is pressed, as with Curacao, he cannot. This is the lowest of low bars asked of him, offensively. "Can you do ok against teams that leave you alone?".
As for his defense...... when the team has to have players dedicated to covering up his inadequacies in defense, and he plays a role whose primary purpose is defensive, then the player is a failure in that role.

Not a single game in this cup has been transformed, or even sustained, by Mikey. And we have faced very weak opposition so far.
If General Egg decided to dedicate this particular GC to Mikey as reward to influential friends and figures in the USSF then time has only been relatively briefly wasted. As a famous figure once scornfully said: "What difference does it make"? But if we still see the General trying to shoehorn in Mikey as we enter into WCQ, then not even the scorn of famous figures can give our Philosopher Manager cover for the damage he will be doing to the USMNT.

 

Read where he thinks he fits in well with CP and McKennie. And that's because opposing teams don't give the lion the time of day given there are 2 legit footballers to focus on. He can jog in space now and lob a couple good passes a game. What a luxury for a team that's not real good.

 

I'm not mad at MB90. He's trying his best. I'm mad at the coaches that set him up to fail time and time again. You don't play a defensive midfielder who cannot turn his hips anymore. Klinsmann was a lot of things but he was smart enough to give Beckerman a shot.

Adams is a perfect DM candidate but he would be a RB in Egg's system. Don't tell me about no damn RB/CM big think hybrid role. Adams needs to be the dedicated DM of this team when healthy and available.

 

With Adams hurt, I didn’t have a problem with MB starting. He’s picked it up the last few and has a great record against Mexico.

But man, did he shit the bed tonight. We lost the game between him and McKennie.

 

Bottom line there was one good opponent in the GC lineup and for that game, Beerholder's roster finally bit him in the ass. Jozy plays solid setup and hold game and that's cool when he has 2 wings who can score but he had Arriola and Morris, the brick brothers who play fool's gold with solid runs so they can give the ball away deep.

Going 'all out' to win and laying an egg (sic) is going to be the beerholder's signature I fear. Don't see him learning much from this.