the thing about PrimeTime is that he thinks like Bob Bradley and the coaching staff... when he says something like this, he is probably right, even though it isnt right Torres is probably on the bubble right now...
Mediotiempo has an interview with Torres asking him how he felt being in Estadio Azteca with 106, 000 people in green, white, and red ... and he said "I had mixed feelings, being here in this atmosphere is incredible, but am already over here" most of time he'd say ... yes I have mixed feelings, but am already overhere so ...
Why wasnt he given a chance to play in the Gold Cup? Seemed like the perfect event for him to get experience.
This video dispels the misinformation that Adu was a total failure at the Gold Cup. He was good against Grenada, clearly. But he did stink against Honduras. Perhaps it was a fitness issue as much as a sharpness issue. We can all agree that he needs to tune up his game considerably in order to be a real contributor next summer. But, as long as he plays this season, there's every reason to believe he'll get there in time. Heck, if he can manage to only regain his form from last summer, he'll be a huge help in South Africa. Mike Bradley? Nobody's underrating him. He's a promising player, no doubt. Everyone sees that. But he's simply not good enough yet to be a sure-fire starter. Period. He chases the game, too often can't complete the simple passes necessary to maintain possession, and occasionally picks up stupid cards. He was terrible on Wednesday, and it just killed us because he's given so much responsibility right now. And that's not underrating him at all. It's just the truth. Jones will step in in a few weeks and, based on what I've seen of him in Germany, immediately be our top defensive midfielder. He already is what folks here hope Bradley will become. The question then becomes who best pairs with Jones. And it may not be Bradley. Everyone - Edu, Clark, Bradley, Torres, and Feilhaber - should get a look next to Jones. Based on our miserable time keeping possession on Wednesday, I'm particularly interested in testing a Jones-Torres pairing.
Bradley junior's issue is that he is misused but that will not be changed as long as pops is in charge
I may think similarly to Bob, but we do not think identical. For example, I see why Bob started Cherundolo on the 12th against Mexico, but even before kickoff I said I would have started Spector. Anyway, Torres has nice possession play, but so does Feilhaber and Feilhaber provides more defensively. With that said, where does Torres fit exactly? He isn't the type of LM that the system uses and as a CM I'd say all of Bradley, Feilhaber and Jones are better. Yes we haven't seen Jones play, but he plays on a better team in a better league and he starts for them when healthy as opposed to Torres, who contributes to Pachuca but not every week and not always as a starter. Assuming Jones pans out, and assuming everyone remains healthy, Torres is competing with Edu and Clark for the final CM spot(s) for the 2010 World Cup team. If he goes on a tear in the coming months then things will change, but we'll see.
nah, you think just like Bradley... or very close to it... Feilhaber is not really a possession player... no matter how much people say it, its not his game... he is, and always has been an attacking mid... he takes too many chances and turns the ball over a lot... the concern I have tho, is that Bradley thinks he is... Torres is more like this new generation of central mids that are coming out of South America like Denilson, Gago, or Hernanes... they may not be physically strong but they keep possession, get into the right place to intercept passes, and cover a lot of ground and people are not sure what they bring until they are out of the game... I do think Torres is on the bubble, but its more because I dont think Bradley knows how to play him in the squad (ie, Torres either plays LM or Bradley changes to a 433 formation to have him play) and not because of any slight on Torres club level, he is at his best in a 4-3-3/4-5-1... as a link man... his position is actually similar to Torres, altho they are different
Funny, U.S. has typically enjoyed more possession when he has played. Key example: U.S. vs. Mexico in friendly in February 2008.
There are similiar qualities that Benny and Jose share. To me, the difference between the two is that Benny is a creative midfielder that can help with possession and Jose is a possession midfielder that can be creative. Don't know if that makes sense for anyone else. It is the way I see it.
but you dont want to use the Italy or Brazil games where he turned the ball over a lot? or him doing that at Copa America? I honestly wish I could remember his other appearances with the Nats, and I didnt see the Nigeria match at the Olympics and wont use Nowak playing Feilhaber out left in the Holland match against him... I am not having a go at Feilhaber either... but he and Torres are not similar, and Feilhaber isnt really a possession guy, he is a guy who will spring the final ball... then again, you think like Bradley and like I said in my prior post, Bradley probably thinks the two are the same so I wont say much more on this
That's not what I was saying... I didn't call either pefect, I just think Bradley, some posters in here are calling two players similar when they really are not at all the same feilhaber is an attacker, torres is the guy who keeps things moving
Why is this same criteria not applied to Altidore? Exactly what has Jozy done at the club level? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Freddy saw more time on the field for Benfica and Monaco than Jozy did for Villarreal and Xeres (??). I know Freddy's a lighting rod, but it would be nice for some consistency in these 'you-have-to-do-it-for-your-club-first' arguments.
I believe Mikey was playing consistently for the USA prior to him being successful in Europe. I hope Feilhaber and Torres get 30 complete games just like Mikey before being called bust. Whatever, that will never happen!!FIRE BOB!!!!!
I think Torres and Adu are players that are advanced, some that the US have never seen before, or have, like ramos who no matter what back in the day had to be on the field, we werent as deep back then like we are now, and BB rather play guys he feels arent so much of a liability out there, that play his 'american' style of soccer, more so than possession, (you know what i am getting at). With a different coach, familiar with touch and passing style, both of these players would be somehow integrated into the roster we have now, given more chances.
Did I say that? I wouldn't start Jozy either until he starts getting some additional playing time. I have a lot of confidence that he will get PT at Hull this season.........because their other strikers are garbage. Against El Salvador I'd actually start Davies and Donovan up top. PUt Feilhaber on the left wing, which is where he's playing right now in Denmark. And I'd bring on Cooper in the 2nd half. Adu not only isn't getting playing time........he doesn't have a club. He's not even training with Benfica.........but with his personal trainer. He's in complete limbo. I have full confidence that he'll find a club before the end of the month, though. We have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. There must be interested teams.
The difference is that Jozy sits for a better class of clubs (recently) and he produces sometimes for the USMNT in games that matter.
Wow, you're grasping for straws. Xerez? lol Even Villareal doesn't really have anything on Benfica and Monaco, especially Benfica. Also, Benfica has so much more talent than Hull. The good thing is it seems like Jozy gets to stretch his legs now. Hope we see the same for Freddy.
Its not fair to look at it so black and white wtih adu and Altidore comparison wise, yes they are both two very talented players, but different in circumstances. The US nats are full of midfielders that get plenty of playing time and semi-comparable in skill to what adu brings to the table. Our forward situation is different, we don't have many good forwards, look at brian ching for example, hes basically a not as talented mcbride, hes a hard worker but nothing special. He started for us vs. mexico (i didnt catch the game, im on vaca' right now in europe, but ching started right?), that should tell you how thin we are at forward for the NT(davies will change this though) .
I still see Bradley coming from the worker bee mentality. I would love for the players you mention to get time developing into a cohesive unit on the field that play team defense. My judgment is that we lack the tactical acumen on the coaching level to take advantage of our skill players.
Messi? Kaka? Cristiano Ronaldo? You rarely see teams trot out 20 year old in defense or in goal, but 20 year old midfielders who can play will play.