Our Lips are Tealed!: Let's unbury the Bunbury conversation and talk Teal

Bunbury...promising athlete. Limited soccer skill.

Is Sapong already better? I have my suspicions.

 

I think Teal can still turn into a damn good forward. I think the ability and potential are there but he needs to put the work in. He also needs to find some consistency. He faded for a large part of last year and then had some great games.

I think Sapong is already better but he also needs to put a lot of work in. He already had down some of the things Teal struggled with. I just hope he doesnt allow early success to go to his head and think he doesnt need to work as hard. I think we will learn a lot more about the kind of player Sapong is going to be in this upcoming MLS season.

 

Sapong is already MILES better than Bunbury. He does everything you want from a No. 9 - is tough with his back to goal, flicks it into space, throws his body at everything in the box, makes the tough, unselfish near-post run, and can even turn and dribble a guy.

The one thing he doesn't do particularly well is finish. But neither did Brian McBride when he was 22, either.

Point is, Sapong is a "McBride" kind of player. Bunbury, on the other hand, is a poor man's Roy Lassiter.

 

Sapong is 2 years older than Bunbury.

He really did not get into the game yesterday. So, I will not comment on Sapong's play.

Bunbury showed some good hold up. But it is obvious that he is not used to playing as a lone striker.

Hardly any American forward is (except for Jozy).

I think that may be a problem for JK's tactics in the future.

All of our forwards seem to be taught to play in a 442. And they play that way with their clubs. A couple of camps is not enough to get these guys ready to play in that formation.

 

I haven't seen him enough to be sure but I was not impressed last night. I don't think he helped his case at all.

However don't feel bad because I also don't think Jozy is all that either. The USA doesn't currently have anybody except Dempsey that I like as forward. In fact, as Clint starts to score more in England, I'm starting to think maybe he should be playing up front

 

I would like to see Sapong as the target man against Paname with Shea left and Wondo right. Teal does not impose himself enough to lead the line, but he could do well as a super sub.

 

Teal for being A Big kid he sure is weak with his air game.

 

Agreed, at this point not international caliber,

 

What has Bunbury done to deserve your bias? Here is a kid that that 18 goals in all competion. Does it really matter how he scores? By the way, did he not beat his defender before craking that left shot just over the bar?

Additionally, you posted that won't be Olympic, yet he started on for the senior team. Go figure?

 

If it's going to be a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1, Sapong probably has the better international future. He really has the ideal physical tools you want from a center forward.

for all the "sophomore slump" talk about Teal (and he was invisible from early April until the end of July) he was awfully good down the stretch. He scored more goals from late July through October (plus another two in the playoffs) than he did his rookie year (more than Sapong did all year as well).

you also can't ignore the fact that while Teal has a year of experience on C. J. he is also two years younger. Sapong is nearly a year older than Jozy.

 

This is not bias. This is factual analysis.

My issue with Bunbury is that he's a one-trick pony, as the highlights show and as full match viewings confirm.

Yes, absolutely. Good international teams aren't exactly known for giving the type of space to run in behind that is the ONLY way Bunbury has consistently found the net in MLS.

Yes, that was a nice move. Hopefully he can build on it.

Also... he had three looks at goal last night and didn't force the keeper into a single save.

I don't know what you're trying to say here.

 

I don't think he's a good enough finisher, or adds enough to the team for him to be considered for the full nats. Maybe he can develop, but right now he doesn't add much.

 

Hmm, There is a guy playing for Man U scoring goals just like that.

I bet they can't wait to get a real striker.

 

Gotta say most of the time our striker pool doesn't even have a shot. Not that this proves anything, just interesting to see the bias.

 

I'm still glad he chose the US over Canada as he is still a forward prospect with some appreciable talent, and it's not like we have a bunch of those. I like that he is competent with both feet and I think he has good finishing instincts. He's just not at all good in tight spaces. He needs to get better at first touch consistency, hold up play, off the ball movement, and passing, or the best he can be for the national team is a sub option. A troubling thing for Teal is that, as already mentioned, C. J. Sapong is better at the number 9 role and plays for the same team. Bunbury is going to be playing more often as a wide forward in the 4-3-3 for SKC than as a number 9 because of Sapong. Yet for the Olympic team, especially for qualifying, there is no better option to play center forward in Porter's 4-3-3 system. One would think that Porter as Bunbury's former coach understands his strengths and weaknesses, so it will be interesting to see what Porter does with him.

 

You're out of your mind. What makes Chicharito spectacular is that he scores goals in every conceivable way.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxtN_fgOIBM"]Javier Chicharito Hernandez?Skills Goals?2012 - YouTube[/ame]

Near post run, far post run, head, left foot, right foot, throughball, quick build-up, turnovers, set pieces, etc etc etc.

He couldn't be more dissimilar to Bunbury.

I mean, for the love of god, Bunbury is 6-foot-2, 190 and has NEVER scored off a cross. Now look at any highlight video of Chicharito - 5-foot-9, 160 and he scores half his goals off crosses.

It's simple, fundamental soccer. One guy gets it and the other does not.

 

What is your factual analysis? When someone post an analysis shortly after a game, I consider them "emotional posters." One should watch the game two/three times before giving critical analysis of the game, especially of player performances.

Bunbury did a lot of good things in this game that went unnoticed. The near miss by Jones was aided by his hold up play. He did a really good job of being the first line of defense by pressuring the back four. You will notice his positive play if you re-watch the game critically.

Last point! In a way, it was a good thing that he didn't score on the Wondo set-up. If he did, most of us would ignore the flaws and annoit him. I agree that he has to improve his finishing, but this kid is for real. If one was to check the stats, he was in the top five in goals per minute/game in the MLS.

 

Most of the forward-thinking thought around attacking and soccer today centers around opportunities created. And there is strong correlation between creating opportunities and whether a player receives and completes passes in the final third, and even moreso in the penalty area. Guys who do those two things well are the Moneyball soccer players.

I'd bet yesterday's Moneyball player was Wondo. And if you want to understand what's missing in Bunbury's game, check how often he receives and completes passes deep in the opponent's half.

 

Video of his goals. It doesn't get more factual than looking at how a goalscorer actually puts the ball in the net.

Bunbury does not, and perhaps can not, score off of crosses or headers, and only rarely on rebounds. He rarely scores with his left foot. He is a one-trick pony. Period.

 

I think Bunbury needs to be scoring many more goals in the MLS before he gets another call-up. I know we don't have too many options up top, but we should be using Altidore, Dempsey, Buddle, and Donovan as our strikers and maybe Wondolowski because those guys score goals for club and/or country frequently. I understand the need to bring in new faces and get them accustomed to the national team but if they aren't producing, then they shouldn't be in the roster.

 

I'm talking about Welbeck.

Chicharito has lost his spot to him.

 

Wrong again! Bunbury has scored at least 3 goals with his left-foot last season. Again, the kid is in the top 5 in goals per minute in the MLS.

Additionally, he had the best shooting percentage on goal as a rookie. That's factual. It's okay if y ou don't like his game, but those are the facts.

I do agree with you re: goals off crosses. However, he did score a crucial goal against the Red Bulls off a cross that led them to the playoffs.

 

Welbeck is infinitely more skilled. He's a pretty crafty dribbler and passer.

 

Wasn't he on the pitch when SKC played against Man U and Sir Alex said that Bunbury was a handful for his back line?

 

Also, Wondo is just a very experienced striker. No money ball stuff there.

I don't see why we are in such a rush to write guys off.