Adu: Transfer and club play discussion/updates.

Keirrison is a striker (and he's even less proven in Europe than Adu). I'm talking about attacking midfielders. If Banega is a holding midfielder like Xavi, I think that counts. If he's playing a defensive role like Yaya Toure, that's different, but I seem to remember him being a bit of an offensive terror in the U-20s.

My point is, not only is Adu better known than any of them, but even their careers are not exactly outshining his yet when it comes to on the field accomplishments, except Anderson, who as I mentioned has scored zero goals in 76 games.

 

You continue to say Anderson has never scored when he has scored goals for Gremio and Porto. Unless you mean for United then he hasn't scored but he has not made 76 appearances for them. He has 8 goals in 76 appearances in his professional career.

 

Anderson is almost an unfair comparison. He has accomplishments and has done well at Manchester United. He's won titles, champions league, and filled in the role that Ferguson has wanted him to fill in. But he has been IMO playing out of position, which is something that's stifled his chances when it comes to playing for Brasil. Sometimes you get the flashes of the player he wanted to be. Owen Hargreaves being out hasn't helped, and as Paul Scholes slows to a snails pace, hopefully that will mean that Anderson can push up more into an attacking role and then he'll start putting in goals like he did when he was younger or at Porto. There's a reason why he was so touted when he was younger.

Compared to some of the young talent in Brasil at the same age is also dificult because remember, a lot of the big clubs in Brasil like Santos, Sao Paulo, Internacional, Corinthians - they have academies that they're brought along in or when they're loaned to lower clubs it's still within' their own country, but maybe a different state. I'm convinced that some of his moving around has held him back as it seems he could never really get into a rhythm. Hopefully when he does move, which I'm certain will happen eventually, it'll be to a club that wants and needs to use him straight away.

 

He is better know to YOU.

 

No, not just me. Look at the Danes at OB. He's a big name to them. They're excited about him. And it's not just them, either.

 

I'm talking about Anderson at United, and I'm seeing 0 goals in 76 total appearances for them (not just league), 38 for each of the last two seasons. Obviously he's been converted to something other than the attacking midfielder that he used to be.

 

Is this a Freddy Adu thread?

 

Yes, for those who say Freddy's career is crashing and burning, I'm asking, compared to who at the same age?

 

Look I've been one of Freddy's biggest champions on this thread but I can assure that the scouting communities think more highly of the players that I listed than Adu. Just because they aren't well known to us doesnt mean their careers are faltering. If an attacking midfielder is the same as a holding mid then I think a striker is more comparable to a attacking midfielder. There are more similarities in those roles than b/w attacking and holding mids IMO.

Again I only mentioned a handful that came off the top of my head, I'm sure there are tons more that I'm not listing.

 

Di Maria

 

Yes, but their knowing who Freddy is doesn't mean that they don't know who the others are, or that they wouldn't prefer those other guys if they were gettable.

 

I don't know if you were reading their board, but a certain percentage were crapping their pants in excitement. Saying they couldn't sleep, etc. Joking about erecting a statue of the guy who brought him there. And I don't blame them. I wish Freddy would come to my local stadium for a year.

 

Well, actually, no. If that was the case he would agree to forfeit the 3.6 million Benfica owe him in return for releasing him. Then he could go play in Vietnam, or wherever. Adu's in a poker game with Benfica. With the possibility that both sides lose.

 

Well, since your talking about Brazilians, then Odense were offered the 21-yo Brazilian forward Bruno Mezenga by Flamengo for a $250k loan-fee with an option to buy for an additional $550k... The player was in Odense to sign the deal, when it seemed that the club suddenly got the offer to get Adu ... so suddenly nothing seemed to happen in the Mezenga deal and Flamengo got angry at the Odense director of Sport, who said that they had not quite made up their mind..

To me it seems that Odense have made offers to 3 different Clubs/players and are now just waiting for either Adu/Benfica or or the other deal to be signed... if this does not happen within a week or so, they will probably sign the deal with Flamengo and Bruno Mezenga.
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People are making some comparisons. No big deal. The question was about attacking midfielders his age and likening their experiences to his.

Anyway, I still can't believe that Adu is as low as Benfica or Monaco seemed to rate him. He just couldn't have been, from the times that I saw him play. Unless there's something there with his attitude that they don't like? Then again, maybe I'd bench guys on Twitter as well...

I honestly believe he should be able to get time at Benfica. It shouldn't be a lose-lose situation. It's kind of a surreal situation.

 

This stuff's still broadly relevant and, dare I say, infinitely preferable to the direction the last thread took.

 

Are the young Brazilian midfielders/attackers being discussed available for loan?

 

yes, because he has been linked to their club and you can find videos of him on youtube. you think they wouldn't be just excited about any of those other guys?

 

No, I don't. Pleasant anticipation, yes. Sleepless, no.

 

Yeah, well, once upon Sierra Mist cut Pele a check to take a picture with him, so I can see why they're flipping out.

It's cool that you love Freddy, but no else one on earth rates him as highly as you seem to.

 

I like Freddy a lot. Spectacular player. But internationally, right now, I don't rate him that highly at all. He's all potential which might be fulfilled, might not.

 

From what I've seen/heard, Di Maria is the guy a lot of Benfica fans have measured Freddy against. Both young starlets, signed by Benfica after standout U20 WC performances. Makes sense to compare them.

Many - most, in fact - seemed to rate Adu's Benfica performances higher than Di Maria's, often expressing the opinion that the €8 paid for Di Maria, vs. a little under €1.5 paid for Freddy, has something to do with their playing time disparities in light of Freddy playing at least as well, if not markedly better. (These are also the fans who seem to often bring up Freddy's goals/minute all the time, btw, and claim that if he was from Argentina or Brazil, he'd be treated better.)

I've also noticed, btw, that those Benfica fans who rate Freddy sometimes tend to *really* rate him, prompting those who don't to seemingly go overboard in the other direction. Not as emotional as the discussion here; still, it's familiar, the tone and the arguments.

 

I wasn't comparing Freddy to anyone else..I'm just looking at the trajectory his career has taken. It is regressing, not progressing. He basically hasn't played regular club football in the last two years. Benfica doesn't want him (regardless of who the coach is, Ricardo or not), Monaco didn't want him. And now it looks like the Danish loan has fallen through.

Maybe our expectations for Freddy were never fair. Actually, I'm sure they weren't. Hell, he is still very young. And maybe the Hindenburg is a bad analogy

Regardless, things are going very, very poorly for Freddy at the moment. A third year without regular minutes would be a real waste, IMO.

 

The U20's three best player awards

1.Sergio Aguero

2.Di Maria

3.Dos Santos

Adu had 1 1/2 good games whereas these guys had a better tournament. Adu's expectations were set too high by fans because of his performance against one of the worst Brazil youth teams in recent memory. He does have some talent but it is the same talent that gets exported in ship loads from South America, good dribbling and passing.

US fans are not used to this skill set on the USMNT and thus the hype. Now Altidore does have the potential skill set that is more in demand in Europe. Big, physical, quick, and a powerful shot. These guys are hard to find. Guys with Adu's skillset are easier to find. If he had a stronger lower body and stronger shot like Dos Santos then he would set himself apart. Dribbling skills and jukes can only get you so far (see Denilson).

 

Freddy actually has a pretty good shot from distance. His passing is very good. You are overplaying your argument here, but you are right about the lower body strength. Adu was better in the U-20 tourney than you say.....Brazil game he was outstanding, no excuses for Brazil needed.