Re: Re: MLS Cup Update As a defender, Cullen's been buried on the bench for the last couple of years (except when he played by necessaity of injury/WC callups). He resurrected his career in the midfield this year. Maybe he has what it takes to be an international defender, but I'm not very optimistic.
Re: Re: MLS Cup Update I agree that we shouldn't put too much emphasis on the stats. However, Cobi does match Ralston statistically. Ralston had 5 goals, 19 assists in 27 starts; Cobi had 3 goals and 13 assists in 18 starts. Cobi missed a few games on National Team duty, but he put up nearly identical per-game numbers. Still, I think it is important to look at post-season stats. Many top scorers suffer a significant drop-off as the competition intensifies ... Jason Kreis is a textbook example. Yet there are a few players whose stats actually improve in the play-offs, guys like Donovan and McBride. Arguably, the wheat is being separated from the chaff. This year's tally: Cobi had 3 goals and 4 assists in 6 play-off games, Ralston had 1 goal and 0 assists in 7.
Sasha Victorine intrigues me right now. Lots of raw material if Arena wants to spend the time. We'll see.
Although I think Victorine has a great work ethic and makes his presense felt on the pitch, he's just a younger version of Ted Eck and not suited 4 the Nats.
I really like victorine's solid consistent, not very flashy play.He seems to get the job done and that what really matters. Actually Jim Curtin of the Fire really reminds me of Ted Eck.
Jemal Johnson. He just moved up to the u19's, and the match reports I've read he isn't starting. But he does seem to score whenever he comes off the bench. edit - I just checked some of the more recent results and it seems he's gained a starting job for the u19's.
Califf Danny Califf, early in the year when LA was playing a flat back four did not play well, made too many mistakes, collected too many cautions, and fell out of the first eleven. When Sigi changed to the 3-5-2 with Lalas as sweeper, Califf looked like a different player, with much better discipline. Maybe he grew up. Maybe he is better suited to be a marking back than to play in Arena's zonal system.
Re: Re: Re: Players you are watching for 2006 hey Fire homer, Hart is 25. Big difference eh? and Broome is faster. And for you out there that don't remember Jordan Stone...from MLSnet: Jordan Stone: National Team Highlights Began his U.S. Under-20 career by joining the team for its recent January training camp in California … Started the team's first international of the year, a 1-0 win against Canada … Finished his under-17 career with 72 starts in 86 appearances … Missed only two international matches with the U.S. Under-17's during the last two years, starting in 23 of the team's 25 games … Was one of only three players to play every minute of competition at the 2001 FIFA World Championship and CONCACAF Qualifying Tournaments … Tallied his first goal with the Under-17s in a 6-1 win against Gold Coast FC on Jan. 19 … Played in 53 matches in 2000, third most on the team … Began play at the national team level with the under-14s in 1998 and continued on to the under-16's in 1999 …" deep midfield.
Eck and Digweed(shasha )were originally fowards when they were drafted. As far as the blackburn U19 or Arsenal U20, or the others floating around europe because the looked great in a couple of practices in front of the scouts, why haven't they managed to get regular USOC appearances? I don't put a lot of credence into those guys since the USOC doesn't thnik much of them. BTW, someone mentioned Neslon Akwari. He reminded me of a faster Mini-ABMOD(dolo) after seeing him v DC a month ago.
This argument certainly has a bit of appeal right now. A few years ago, Gus Kartes signed a flashy contract in Europe, while Taylor Twellman was developing more quietly as a starting forward in the US Junior National Team program. We all know how that one played out. Kartes was the kind of player that wtb describes -- he got his contract after a single great tryout. By contrast, the current kids in England have more solid resumes. Whitbread (Liverpool '84) has been a standout at the U-17 and U-19 levels there. Simek (Arsenal '84) has trained there most summers since he was a small boy. Others like Johnson (Blackburn), Sam (Charlton), and Denny (Crewe?) joined youth programs while being raised in England. Have any of the last three attended a US Team tryout or training camp?