real shame. Diego Milito scored 24 goals last year in 31 games. I guess all of the defenders in Serie A are absolute crap, because Milito scored on all of them. Sometimes you have to tip your hat, say damn what a nice play, and move on. I've learned that whenever a USMNT player gets burned by some world class talent, said American defender is all of a sudden absolute garbage that will never make it in this world. I remember Jay DeMerit getting absolutely tortured by Thierry Henry a few years back, and you would have thought the sky was falling in the YA threads. If you have a USMNT player getting playing time at an elite club like Milan, he's going to come across some of the best players in the world. And that means that at times he's going to get beaten. Even with Vidic and Ferdinand, Man United give up goals. Gooch has been playing in Belgium for 5 years and this is a big step up. He's got a lot to learn, but I have confidence that he can.
actually i did watch both matches. and with defending in soccer, highlights do make a difference. big mistakes cost games and are completely unacceptable as a defender... especially in the center. it doesn't matter if he was solid throughout the entire game with the exception of a 30 second period... if he makes a mistake chances are a goal will be scored against. it's that simple. top quality central defenders don't make mistakes.
ferdinand does not make mistakes like the one against club america. no way that happens had that been ferdinand. not a chance in hell. and for the record... jay demerit is crap. there's a reason he's at watford.
I agree with your whole post although I do think it is a bit unfortunate as to how Milan seemed to get scored on every time Gooch was on the field. I really dont blame him for the ball over his head in the first game. On the other hand that goal against inter he got torched. I am sorry but am i wrong for thinking a language barrier has no effect on a 1v1 situation? The goalie should have saved it but Gooch really should have done better.
interesting how that worked out huh? is that a coincidence? gooch was too slow an flat footed on the 1v1. he was out of position severely on the club america goal....which granted may be due to some communication... but come on man. you have to know where you are on the field.
The first goal is on the keeper......he should've come out and picked off that lob. The 2nd, you're right. so with that being said....here is a list of defenders who I've seen get beat for goals: John Terry Rio Ferdinand Gooch Gonzalo Rodriguez Sol Campbell Samuel Kuffuor Robert Kovac Christian Chivu Walter Samuel Sami Hyypia Lillian Thuram Carles Puyol Paolo Maldini Fabio Cannavaro Lucio There are more, but I think you get the point?
the first goal was his fault. he kept the guy onside as he was the last man... and then lost track of him when the ball was in the air. he got caught in a bad spot because he was not paying attention to what was going on around him. it was absolutely, positively his fault... more so in fact than the second one. the second one was not a mistake... he simply just got physically outplayed. i can forgive getting torched on occasion by a good attacker, especially in that position, but not paying attention is unforgivable. and that is the difference between gooch and the defenders you have on your list. they pay attention. there is no way rio ferdinand keeps some mexican league bozo onside and then loses track of him when the ball is in the air. not a chance in hell.
1. none of these teams were club america. 2. i don't think i saw any in which he was caught out of position... some bad bounces yes... but nothing where he was flat out, out of position. 3. and in the ten or however many years he's been with man u... that's the worst they have on him... he's doing pretty good. gooch made two in two games. 4. we'll see who ends up playing more games for their club... rio or the gooch? and then we'll also compare how well their club does in league play... k?
1. Fair enough, it is factual. But I question rather Portsmouth or Fulham could beat Club America. 2. Did you fast forward through the first clip? 3. It's two pre-season games. Not to mention Gooch can't even communicate with his teammates...it's probably an early inconvinience. 4. So to be clear here, you've tried to exempt Rio from making any mistakes ever. You were given a few instances where indeed he made major mistakes and you've turned this into which team is better. Rio is a world class defender, nobody would question that. Just don't be "that guy" and discount him from making any mistakes. I've included a list of central defenders who have made mistakes in their careers, and that's that.
Unfortunately he is going to be playing in a league not known for slinging it into the box.... I wish him the best.
How the game is being reported in Italy according to Scotty in the YA forums: Diego Milito’s first two goals in an Inter jersey – and two Zeljko Kalac howlers – secured a 2-0 Milan derby victory in Boston. The San Siro sides had lost both their World Football Challenge games thus far, so concluded with a rare derby played on American soil. Lucio made his debut for the Nerazzurri, while it was Coach Leonardo’s first edition of a Derby della Madonnina. Alexandre Pato forced Julio Cesar into an early save, but Inter took the lead thanks to a howler from Zeljko Kalac. Diego Milito got to the by-line and twisted past Oguchi Onyewu to fire in between the ‘keeper and the near post. http://www.channel4.com/sport/footba...ia/jul26v.html (The link isn't working any more for me)
The ball is not drilled at Kalac's feet. It is shot at hip level, a comfortable level for any goalkeeper when the shot is near post. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP83zA12gpg"]YouTube - Ac Milan-Inter Milan 0-2 Full Highlights Studio Sport 27.07.09 HQ HIGH QUALITY![/ame] From that angle, you can clearly see the ball lift off the ground and Kalac attempt to make the save at hip level. He gets two hands on the ball (even more of a sign that he should have stopped it) and it still goes in. That goal was 85% on Kalac, and 15% on Gooch, who did the right thing to give up near post if he had to give up something.
This thread is such a rediculous overreaction. Gooch got burned on the 1st goal he let in, on the cross. The goal last night was a bit on Gooch, but I've seen some of the best defenders in the world get beat like that, plus as many others have said, that should have been an easy stop for Kalac. The guy has played 3 games, in the preseason. Writing him off is absolutely ludacris. The entire Milan team has looked horrible, so to single out Gooch is pretty head scratching. As for calling him out for letting in a goal against Club America, remember Club America beat Inter as well...I guess Inter's entire back line sucks? Harrynipples is entitled to his opinion...but that doesn't make it a good one.
What a crock. Top quality defenders don't make mistakes. This might take the cake as the most assinine statement on this forum. I think you may have lost any credibility you may have had with that statement right there.
I remember getting up very early out on the west coast to watch Bocanegra get torched at Fulham his first year. He was horrible. The difference was it was Fulham. They were mid table at best. and the only people who complained were Fulham fans. Gooch is at Milan where the whole world is watching. Friendly or not it was against Inter. The Milan faithful don't want to hear that Milito is great. They want results period. There are 15 clubs in the world where they don't wait around for you develop. and he just sign on with one of them.