Michael Bradley is good - sorry ditractors

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by DempC, Sep 10, 2007.

  1. DempC

    DempC Member

    Jul 31, 2007
    The cries of nepotism are wrong.

    The kid's the real deal.
     
  2. DutchFootballRulez

    Jul 15, 2003
    Baltimore, MD
    Club:
    FC Barcelona
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    I think most people knew that I think the problem is that they don't feel other midfielders have been given enough of a chance to compete with Bradley in the center.
     
  3. Borrachin

    Borrachin Member+

    Feb 28, 2006
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Are you related to him? Is it you Bob?
     
  4. Digs

    Digs Member

    Sep 9, 2007
    I was at the game yesterday. Since I am somewhat of a soccer novice I can't comment about his overall play/ positioning, etc. I will say Bradley looked like the slowest guy on the field by far. Easily the most uncoordinated as well. Every time he successfully controlled the ball you felt it was at least 50% luck. He looked totally over matched, IMO. The only other player I felt was a detriment (for totally different reasons) was Convey.
     
  5. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Trust me DempC, if Mike Bradley scored a hat trick, he surely will have not done it with enough grace, his celebration would be a little too long, and he would have only done it because the other team knew that it was Bob Bradley's son :rolleyes:
     
  6. Kevin8833

    Kevin8833 Member

    Jun 18, 2007
    Estero, FL
    No offense but I think you have a lot to learn, which is good don't take it the wrong way. We all do, I have been watching and following soccer for 10 years now and I still learn more about the game every day which is what makes the game so great, and things always change and improve the game so you can never know everything in soccer. He is not that slow but his stamina is amazing, he is far from awkward and is a regular starter in the Holland Premier ,leagues at 20 years old.
     
  7. mike4066

    mike4066 Member+

    Jun 30, 2007
    Chula Vista, CA
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As a d-mid I liked what I saw against Brazil. He looked better than the Sweden game.

    I like him better as a pure D-Mid than Clark but Clark can be paired with Bradley if Benny is unavailable.
     
  8. eric_appleby

    eric_appleby Member+

    Jun 11, 1999
    Down East
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The thing about Mike Bradley is that he is far from a finished product.
    Sure, he was hanging on by his fingernails against the greatest players in the world. But I view it as an investment. He's 20 years old. In another 3-6 years, he could be world class.
     
  9. Moishe

    Moishe Moderator
    Staff Member

    Boca Juniors
    Argentina
    Mar 6, 2005
    Here there and everywhere.
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Aside from the nepotism argument, I've never really seen any reason for him not to play. At 20 he's not that far behind where Javier Mascherano was at the same age. In fact I'd argue that Bradley is a better offensive player at this age than Javier. He's box to box non stop and fearless, aside from experience, what's he missing?
     
  10. Kyonn

    Kyonn New Member

    Dec 24, 2004
    This is exactly the point I was trying to male in another thread on this subject. The guy is only 20 and still getting better. When was the last time the US prduced a big strong 6'2" central midfielder capable of starting for a Uefa cup team at 20? He gets so much crap on this board for no reason at all.
     
  11. ant0n

    ant0n Member+

    Jun 12, 2007
    San Jose, Ca
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    the reason why he gets a lot of crap on here is because he's the coach's son and is being started every ********ing game for 90 minutes. benny is being subbed out of the game while bradley is keeping his son in for the whole game after playing a decent game. i thought he played well yesterday until that stupid penalty he commited. i had a feeling that bradley's performance was gonna go into shamble's when i saw that he wasn't subbed out. you cannot tell me that he is can start ahead of adu and altidore so that feilhaber can move into bradley's position and LD in the middle. come on bradley is young and inexperienced why are u gonna put him in to play the entire game against brazil. thats favoritism. i want bradley to bring in the long over due call ups of adu and altidore so that bradley can be challenged to win a spot. right now he isn't even challenged.
     
  12. MLSNHTOWN

    MLSNHTOWN Member+

    Oct 27, 1999
    Houston, TX
    No one is saying that Bradley is not good.

    The argument is just that he is starting and playing every single game, leaving no starts for other players. I don't disagree that he is a good, young player and I like his effort and hustle. However, I still believe that right now, Ricardo Clark is a better central midfielder. The stupid penalty and the reckless fouls are a problem with Bradley that he needs to work on. In Central America attempting to qualify arms grow out of the heads of US defenders for penalties, so Bradley really needs to clean up his game if we are going to trust him down there.

    On the flip side, to see if Bradley is actually better than the other options, we would actually need to see the other options. And we haven't really seen too much of them....
     
  13. ant0n

    ant0n Member+

    Jun 12, 2007
    San Jose, Ca
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    well the other option is clark but i think feilhaber can play there as well. he played there against ecuador and played well.
     
  14. zico82

    zico82 New Member

    May 27, 2006
    Certainly didn't show it yesterday. Saw him getting out-run and faked out of his jock a lot, while throwing his forearm into the backs of Brazilians. Still, he's young....has potential...etc.
    If the guy isn't Bradley's son, there's no way he's on the MNT, let alone starting in central mid.
     
  15. zico82

    zico82 New Member

    May 27, 2006
    Agree 100%.
     
  16. tomwilhelm

    tomwilhelm Member+

    Dec 14, 2005
    Boston, MA, USA
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Until the Hex starts, we have to get Bradley, Feilhaber, and Clark out on the field as much as possible. Having the three of them develop together while fighting for 2 starting spots is simply the best thing possible for the US right now. Some might say Clark hasn't seen enough playing time, but I think he's had a good share of opportunities.

    There's still plenty of time this cycle to get the looks needed to make a decision.

    Relax, people. We're still almost 3 years out from the next World Cup...
     
  17. ant0n

    ant0n Member+

    Jun 12, 2007
    San Jose, Ca
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i think he should be called up but he should by no means start. if bradley keeps starting his son i think he should be fired. his decison to start bradley has caused us the brazil game, the canada game and we played really well without him vs mexico so what earned him the right to reclaim his starting spot?
     
  18. DempC

    DempC Member

    Jul 31, 2007
    lol.
     
  19. DempC

    DempC Member

    Jul 31, 2007
    Just a neutral observer my friend
     
  20. ant0n

    ant0n Member+

    Jun 12, 2007
    San Jose, Ca
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    no i think it's u bob. please your son aint that good. please take him off.
     
  21. tomwilhelm

    tomwilhelm Member+

    Dec 14, 2005
    Boston, MA, USA
    Club:
    Fulham FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    And that would make you Clark's mom, right? :p
     
  22. BarefootWonder11

    BarefootWonder11 New Member

    Sep 10, 2007
    Tennessee
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Michael Bradley may be a very good player but i do believe it is because of his dad that he got his chance to prove himself with the full nats on a regular basis he is nowhere near as good as Ricado Clark. Now with that said he never should have recieved his call up before Altidore and Adu who have honestly earned theirs. If i was Adu i would possibly play for Ghana they actually have quality players. it is unexcusable how he hasnt been called in for a Senior Cap since his u20 showing. Of course i want him to play for the United States because i realize the amazing potential he has like most other people and the bright future he could have with the national team. But if he doesnt have an American call up coming soon why wait? He has admitted Ghana have contacted him recently and if he truely isnt cap tied that is a serious problem in the making. But to end this right i have to say i was impressed with Michaels showing against Brazil besides that stupid PK.
     
  23. DempC

    DempC Member

    Jul 31, 2007
    To those saying that it was never about his talent, you are wrong. The guy has been slagged off immensely about his supposed lack of talent. Now that he's proving you all wrong, it appears that a bit of a shift in argument has occurred.

    I will agree that Bob makes other coaching mistakes, but I do not see it in playing Bradley 90 min. Clark has domestic commitments. True, so does Landon, but given the relative positions of their teams in the rankings, Clark has more pressing issues for his club. You'll note also that this was mostly a Euro squad b/c the euro leagues are aligned with the Fifa schedule. MLS is not. I imagine Clark has scheduling issues.

    Otherwise, I wouldn't play anyone else in the midfield besides maybe Adu. I think something else is up w/ that b/c Adu overall seems to have a bit of tension with the USMNT. Be that as it may, Benny and Michael are the best pair we have at the moment in the midfield and there really aren't many others besides clark competing for the spot. That's a pretty weak call of nepotism.

    Bradley's poor calls I believe are more in the back and formation choices. Demerit deserves far more starts and playing time. Altidore needs to play up top. And perhaps add another midfielder with Dempsey.
     
  24. DempC

    DempC Member

    Jul 31, 2007
    Maybe you were at a different game.

    Bradley has perhaps some of the most composure on the ball of any US player. The guy has so much confidence on the ball and stayed toe to toe with some of the best players in the world. He was constantly stripping Ronoldhino and Kaka off the ball and is never intimidated. He's also willing to strike from distance, something new for American players.
     
  25. ant0n

    ant0n Member+

    Jun 12, 2007
    San Jose, Ca
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    bradley is an idiot for not calling up freddy. he's our best player. calling his son up ahead of freddy is retarded. what has he done? utter bollocks. if he doesnt get called up and not start ahead of his son bradley should p**s off!!! we don't need this favoritism at a time where are getting some good raw talent in freddy, jozzy and benny.
     

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