most people are forgetting that Chris Klein had an inside position for a WC spot til he got injured. He is a damn good soccer player. He destroyed the Revs 2 weeks ago. He also looked good for the USA in his limited time.
Thats what I am saying. DCU is not on TV as much these days but I remember watching him last year and some this year and he was usually pretty damn dangerous coming out of the midfield. Like he can create on his own, when he is a striker he is dependant on his service. Same reason you don't want Landon all the way on top.
But what I like most about Santino at Right Mid-fielder is that he has the size, agility, and fiesty atitude to play some hard-nosed D. The reason Sanneh kept on having to come up huge in thw World Cup was cuz that whole side of the midfield was a seive. To the point that Arena was forced to move reyna over there. A good, 2-way right winger (like a healthy Olsen, or Quaranta if he learns) can suffacate alot of attacks. Neither Landon nor Earnie stewart could provide that. But my question to those of you in the know, can John Thorrington provide that? To me, he seems like a displaced forward.
In his rookie season (last year, when he was 16), Santino played right midfield two games, as I recall. In both matches, his defensive naivete was glaring. He was an absolute liability for the team at that position. He plays a lot of good positional, pressing defense as a forward. But that is night and day different from wing midfield defense...take my word on that one. Could he develop defensive tenacity like Olsen? Possibly. But no wing that I have ever seen on the US Nats combines offensive creativity and defensive grit like Olsen. He's a lightning rod issue on these boards, but that's just my opinion and I'm an admitted DC United fan. Note: Olsen is back and he will be as fast and feisty as ever...may take a month or two of solid matches, but he'll be back to 1999/2000 form sooner than later. Tim
Cweed, What? When Moreno and Quaranta are both healthy, they are the first choice combo up front. I'm not sure which team you've been watching this season. Quaranta played midfield (a couple of times) last year because we had no one else available. His workrate is acceptable for a forward, but I don't see him being a factor on the wing. He is also one of the few players I have seen who can turn defender with ease, he has good size, a cannon shot, and has shown a finishing touch. TEConnor - spot on.
I've been impresses with Chris Klein (sp?) the few times I've seen him play. He seems like a relentless runner with the skill to do some damage on offense. How's his defending? I presume it's pretty good since KC seems to have built itself as a defensive team.
Olsen is probably done.... Few players come back at 100% from the kind of injury which Olsen had, let alone the number of complications and the extreme amount of time he missed. I think the USMNT should plan for him to not be an option for the future. As to who is next? I personally am not overly impressed by any of the options. Quaranta would be my pick, but he would need to play there for DC, and it doesn't look like that will happen with Olsen back in the mix. Quaranta and Beasley would give us at least 2 more solid WCs at the wings. How about DC moves Quaranta to the Fire for, say, Craig Capano, Jesse Marsh, and a draft pick....we could watch Quaranta and Beasley grow together on the wings....well at least for a few months until they would move onto Europe Other options? I can't say I've seen Klein much but what I have seen wasn't impressive....but hey, give him a chance, why not. Thorrington is an unknown, he is moving up to First Division ball in England, that certainly should tell us more about his talent level. His play at the Second Division level would appear to have earned him a cap or two but if he impresses this year he would probably be the favorite if Quaranta stays at forward.
I agree that Chris Klein could be our next Tony Sanneh as a Right Back. I also am a minority of one who thinks that Ian Russell could develop into the same role.
Jeff Cunningham looked uncomfortable playing the wing spot but I think he might develope into a solid supersub if he keeps getting chances. Considering a future log jam @ the target fwd spot w/ Coner, Wolff & Twellamn, I think that BA(or his replacement) should begin to convert one or more of these into right middies. Barring a miraculous Olsen comeback & Senneh's appearant reigns being given to an overrated Suarez, I would think Klein is a solid 2way player w/ the physique & spd to give opponents fits. He has the passing vision, creativity & footwork of smaller players but(as I saw in person) can muscle anyone off the ball. I am excited aboout future contributions from the current U-17's in college, but I would prefer established vets over inexperienced potential.
I'm wondering if Klein could be converted to right back, like Sanneh was. I just don't see him being effective at mid at the international level, but athletically, he would be imposing on the back line - big, reasonably fast, can pose problems for the other team when he comes charging forward. I just think his ball skills are a tad short to play mid. Granted, I don't see him play often enough to be absolutely sure.
Damn, where does he find the time to play soccer when he's not making classics like American Pie and Rollerball? We should line up Jason Biggs at defensive mid, too.
What about Dema Kovalenko? I know that he doesn't have US citizenship (yet?), but anyone know his plans? He'd be a nice addition to the talent pool ... I also agree with an earlier poster than Ian Russell could also be one for the future, as he has lightening speed (or at least before his latest injury) and a good touch, as well as a bit of "bite" on the pitch. Bottom line: depth is finally starting to make an impact on US football. Great to have 10-12 serious contenders for each position!
Haha, you're funny. Not much of an impact?? As soon as he stepped on the field, he saved a shot on the goal line from Ecuador. If not for his "impact", the USA would have lost 1-0. Thorrington was one of the brightest stars for the '99 U-20 team. Who was the leading scorer of that squad? Taylor Twellman. Who provided the majority of the assists to Taylor? Why none other then John Thorrington. If Johnny boy was in the MLS, he'd be talked about with the same gushing prose that Twellman is.......
Quaranta and Eddie Johnson were the starting forwards for the U17 USNT. Quaranta did play out on the right occasionally, but he was for the most part a forward. Actually, IIRC, the U17's played almost a Dutch 4-3-3. Hudson brought in Villegas from New Jersey to play rightwing. This was so Quaranta could continue at forward. Mark Lisi also has played on the right (before going to NJ). Alegria has played on the right. Hudson also waived the first team forward (Conteh) from last that was paired with Moreno. Quaranta is a forward that can play on the right as a winger, but not as a wingback! Why would you want a gifted attacker defending (same applies to Olsen who is not suited to play wingback) in 3-5-2? I could see him playing as a winger in 4-4-2. I could see him playing in front of two holding mids/d-mids and behind two forwards in 3-5-2. But a wingback, unless the USNT start playing like Brazil (Roberto Carlos/Cafu), no way.
Actually they wouldn't have. There was a foul called during the play that made Thorrington's goal line clearance irrelevant. Anyway, I think he only got about 10 minutes during that game, but I still thought he was impressive. I think that Thorrington and Olsen are going to battle it out for the right-mid position for 2006. Quaranta is simply not a midfielder. He is a forward plain and simple and it is quite clear that's where his future lies.