To be non-stupid, you'd have to read the post in its entirety JK rarely used Wiliams as a box-to-box mid. Non-polemical sources to contrary would be appreciated.
Feel free to take your pick. Right Mid, Right Fullback, #6, #8, #10. Unless you are arguing that Williams is equally capable of playing all of these positions, the fact remains that he was consistently played out of position. I think most people would say Williams is best suited in a box to box role, which he pretty much never played under Klinsmann. But you keep on clinging to your belief that Klinsmann never played anyone out of position.
I'll agree that JK often played guys in roles different from their primary club roles. But to be fair, Danny Williams started his Bundesliga career as more of a RB and CB fill-in, plus some DM. He really didn't start to shine as a true box-to-box #8 until joining Reading in the 2013-14 season. http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/44496/Analysis/ And the move to the Championship seems to have also reduced his number of call-ups under JK. Guys like Ream and Lichaj were also not really able to convince JK that play in the Championship should yield many USMNT opportunities. That coincided with Williams' growth as a box-to-box CM. So it's hardly a surprise that initially he was viewed more as a DM for the US, both by JK and by the fans. The box-to-box stuff is more recent, while at Reading.
I haven't seen him play in the past 9 months. He was always in my mind a 6 because of his strength and ability to defend, his speed is above average, he possesses an incredibly hard shot from distance. His weakness was his forward passing, he is a going forward thinker so he hardly does his back passing like Beckerman.
Extremely fair assessment, and if HoustonHoya had come up with it, I'd respect it. But he/she tends to just argue that Klinsmann has never played anyone out of position and calls people stupid who say otherwise.
Just following up on my assessment of his style of play: Today, rather than play his deep-press and counter game, Acosta had to compete for the ball. He got straight whooped. He was no match for the physicality, athleticism, and skill of Panama's central mids. Was it simply a bad game? Or did the match highlight the limits of his game?
Another thing I've come to realize is that, for all the praise he gets for his dead-ball delivery, he's still wildly inconsistent in that department. Yes, he scored from a set piece against Ghana, but about half of them he took in that game didn't even come close to what he was intending. We also saw that today, unfortunately; recall that the first corner he took (outswinger) went out of bounds as soon as it left his foot.
I agree with others that while FCD has been good for Acosta, playing weekly at a higher tempo with less time on the ball is clearly the next step he has to take in his personal development. Those are his weaknesses and they don't get exploited at Dallas where there's far more time on the ball. You don't get those casual 15ft pockets of space to whip balls around at the higher levels.
I agree. I saw in Acosta the ability to play out of pressure with a quick first step. He just needs to be put in that situation more frequently. He also needs to add about 15 lbs.
Dax flat out can't do that and Bradley rarely can. As the game went on he lost his quickness, definitely due to the heat and also probably a lost of confidence as the bad plays started to pile up.
Very good post/point. It is also basically what Donovan said at the beginning of the game. he said something about how Arena needs to decide what is more important, winning the tournament or learning about the players. I personally believe that learning about the players is more important. He needs to learn about the limitations and strengths of his players. that will help define how or if he can trust them later on. that being said, this game was disappointing. In addition to some players (Acosta being one of them) having subpar games, there were also issues with communication and organization...something that has not been a weakness to this point. Is it a one off, a lack of familiarity, a lack of on field leadership or something else?
All Acosta needs to do is watch some tape of this game and figure out what he needs to do to be a better footballer (well, and yes, add about 15 lbs). But I get tired of this idea that if a player isn't achieving, it's because he's not pushed enough by his environment or used properly by his coach. That's a cop out. Acosta is not a prospect; his career is in his own hands. If he wants to play at a tempo high enough to achieve at the intl level, then he has to push himself to see the game faster, be stronger etc.. Then he will earn a spot in a faster league. Players move to better leagues when they show they're already playing at a high tempo by dominating their current league. It's on Acosta to become that player.
Judging by Acosta's comments on his play on his own twitter after the game, I'd say he's gonna do just that.
My bias is in favor of Acosta because he has performed well in partnership with MBradley and with a good performance by his partner, Dax, against Ghana. I prefer to think that with a competent midfield partner, Acosta will do well at all levels. Dax was pretty darn horrible, IMHO. That does not bode well for the US in the rest of the tour nament unless Acosta shows better independence and becomes a leader in the midfield.That would create room for Dax to show better.
I think it is quite simple. Teams press high and hard in the international game and Acosta and Dax obviously weren't ready and comfortable with that. You don't get that at most clubs (outside of Bayern etc.) Acosta is just not good at crossing the ball. Let's just try someone else for set pieces because we are wasting corners and set pieces opportunities. Also, I am not sold that Acosta is that good at defending.
Acosta was poor yesterday, and he has admitted as much. But some of the judgments passed on this thread are too soon. He's been good in all of his other USMNT appearances and should not be written off so quickly. He was disappointing, for sure, but let's see his totality of performances in this tournament before we decide he's not USMNT A-team material. I'll say that I personally believe he will be starting in midfield in Russia next to Michael Bradley, but I can be convinced otherwise obviously if he continues to play as he did against Panama.
I can't say I share that opinion. Danny Williams deserves another look. But Acosta is one for the future.
I like that Acosta is being given opportunities to play through mistakes, and I like the fact that he is reciprocating this faith with accountability and leadership. Crap performance..Has to be better.. Thanks for the support as always!— Kellyn Acosta (@KellynAcosta) July 8, 2017 Lots of work to do... but better days ahead. Big game on Wednesday!— Kellyn Acosta (@KellynAcosta) July 8, 2017
On the 15lbs thing, won't that just hurt his fitness and make him less active and more injury prone like Jozy and Lletget??? His mistake on the goal was he stopped closing down a loose ball in the back and tried to shield and wait for him. I think it was indicative of his entire performance, waiting for things to come to him instead of going after it.
It's perfectly ok to express such confidence in a young player. I've seen too much to write off a guy who is 21 yrs old. Having said that, should he be learning at the expense of the USMNT in an important tourney - the last tourney - leading up to the wc in Russia ? No. I'd add that Acosta will be 22 on July 24. The sun is about to fall below the horizon on this one. I don't rate Acosta, it is well known. I think his play is responsible for making corona and dax look stupid and probably Besler and gonzo as well. They need to step up and demand better of Bruce who really needs to tell the suits to take a hike. The alternative here is Roldan who is certainly better than Acosta, tho limited by the way he is used in Seattle. One way of getting Roldan forward more would be to play 3 cb's plus Dax and Roldan. I would add Zardes in mid for offense as the third mid.