I don't know what you guys are talking about. He is a decent passer but he has no burst. Concacaf defenders will figure him out. He is a decent player but definitely not someone to get all wet over. He doesn't have a shot on him either, either that or he is gun shy. If he is the future of the USA, the team will struggle to qualify to the next worldcup. That kid from El Salvador is 10 times better than him and noone would call him world class.
Zelaya if he can leave ES can be really good. Adu for his AM position proved to be just as good because he can keep possession really well even when running at defenders. Did you see the way Freddy beat 3 Mexicans in the first half? I don't know if he was fouled after but not even Zelaya can do that. Zelaya I'd argue can start for this team as well as Mexico for Barrera.
Adu can dribble a little bit and I understand that USA fans are not used to seeing that but he doesn't have the burst to create space against elite defenders or the speed to stay away from a defender if he gets them to take a wrong step. I like his long passes but I don't see this amazing vision to tread passes in traffic that you guys are talking about. He has been a bench warmer all his career for a reason.
Say what you want, but tonight he was the main reason we had two goals in the stats sheet, if our midfield didn't decide to take the wrong night off, he could have had an even better night.
You have not watched enough of Adu if you think he can only "dribble a bit", actually this proves a previous posters remark that people just repeat memes. He has exquisite control over the ball and can get by any defender at any time. He's also a dead ball specialist. A great passer. Vision. Do you really think he only dribbled a bit this last game??? Take your hater glasses off and see the talent that he really is and can become. His biggest problem has never been on the field it's been off the field with his attitude and entitled behavior. If he gets his head on straight it changes our team completely. With Holden back and Altidore, and if we can add Chandler, we will be a very dangerous team. Valderamma had no "burst" either by the way, which is the kind of player Adu could potentially emulate.
Freddy definitely looks ready to contribute on a regular basis for this team. I'm really excited how he combines with Donovan and Dempsey. And I'm sure Altidore when he gets well. And Holden as well. Attack looks pretty good. Defense, not so much.
IMHO it was a coaching problem that went unsolved. When you are up 2 goals, a different tactics should have been used from the on. Why keep going forward when you need to keep your energy level under control? Freddy should have been position in the middle so he could make those pinpoint passes he does so well, with Landon and the Duce in the front keeping Mexico worried in the back, while playing a la Mourinho's Inter against Barcelona, 7 in defense, a poor win but a win is a win. BB wanted to outclass Mexico, thump them with style, but the timing and players are not there yet, right now you needed a win.
you're giving bob way too much credit. He's just too tactically retarded to make any changes in the first half. Or second half for that matter. princeton educated? maybe in stuborness and idiocy 101
He's the best dribbler we have. Mexico immediately double and triple teamed him when he got the ball and he still was able to do things. They did not to that with Dempsey or Donovan because neither of them is as dangerous. I've never been a huge fan but after this tourney Im wondering why it took 2 years to give him another look? And why didnt BB use him earlier in the tourney. To me these are valid questions that make me question BBs judgement and ability eo evaluate players
Adu's straight line, 40 yard-dash speed isn't great but his first-step and 5-10 yard quickness is exceptional. And very crafty at the same time. There's a subtleness in his movement and passing that you don't see from any other U.S. player with the exception of perhaps Feilhaber. A big problem yesterday was a complete lack of movement off the ball by the other midfielders and forwards to get into position for some combination play with Adu. He'd take the ball down the right flank and there'd be no one within 20 yards of him. Ridiculous. Mexican players were constantly making runs off the ball. Fun to watch.
Yep. My thoughts exactly, going back a number of years. Too bad guys like Adu and Feilhaber - over the years - haven't been afforded the same level of patience that a guy like Michael Bradley has been granted. A real waste.
Thump them with style is nice. I like that but the last two championships is 9-2 goal count (Look on wiki for concacaf gold cup for stats USA was close to Mexico in goals for -10 and goal differences -20 not counting this tournament. Mexico blew the doors off for a reason and that was for the championship. USA fails to nullify much of anything others do most of the time. Its a rather large concern). USA was so on and Mexico wasn't far off. All of a sudden, Mexico takes the match in minutes. USA just didn't take care of there shot attempts well enough. I remember back in the round robin and Mr. Donovan opt not not take a chip shot from bottom of midfield circle or so. Well Mexico scores on a chip shot. Albit it was a lot closer but virtually the samething. Mexico had all the goal differnces and counter alot of attempts. USA chose to counter hit the post after Mexico did that dang near 10 times. USA chose not to counter any Mexico goals with similar attempts and if so the shots were so weak or non threatening. It just made Mexico look that much better. I will say this, if Mexico can bring that style and gameplan to the Confed. Cup, team could equal or out do alot of teams.
2-0 and you need to try to slow the game down with possession and not send as many players forward. This is basic stuff. The problem is, the US lacks possession players. The few skilled players we have are put the head down and rush forward types. Our center mids do not have good possession skills, Donovan and Dempsey are more about attacking, Adu was isolated too often. Our more skilled players really need to learn when to attack and when to spread out and just try to maintain possession. They also need to learn how to support each other and offer each other options to just keep the ball instead of only offering themselves as an option going forward. One of our big possession problems is too much forward and back and not enough side to side.
Adu was abusing Salcido in the first half, but once they put the other LB Adu was MIA from the game. The difference was that the other guy has more speed and got physical with Adu. I think he should start for the national team but he still has a long way to go. He is a piece of the puzzle but will never be someone you build your team around. If you stick him with Holden and Jones in the middle I think the USA can improve their possession game.
He was not MIA for the rest of the game, and we know that the thug came in to foul Adu whenever he touched the ball, like at the top of the 18 when he was basically smashed from both sides after he was by the defenders. ( why no yeloow card on such a cynical foul?) The two reasons in the second half he didn't see the ball as much, Mexico tried to deny him the ball and Adu was fatigued at about the 75 minute. After Salcido left the game, Adu was still effective and dangerous. Mexico just resorted to fouling him whenever he touched the ball. The ref didn't punish Mexico for it either.
I am sorry to tell you but that is what soccer is all about, the USA should had done the same with Dos Santos and Barrera. If there is a midget running around the field you are supposed to get physical with them. Put your body on them every chance you get and tire them out, you don't just keep backpedaling like the USA defenders kept doing.
Gio and Barerra can run right past people. More importantly, unlike us they had their teammate making runs and showing for the ball, giving them space and passing lanes. After the first two goals We started going iso with the Adu; put him on the right wing and expect him to beat two defenders every time and deliver in a good cross. No one showed for the ball or made runs within 20 feet of Adu the few precious times we got the ball to Adu's feet in the second half. It shocked me that guys like Dempsey and Donovan seemed to put the game in Adu's hands so quickly. Eh, I blame Bob. Demmpsey and Donovan are better than that.
I don't think LD is a big game performer and never have. Dempsey just seen a superior talent and stop playing his game and started watching like the Cavs used to do with Lebron. You kind of see why coaches want Adu to be very good as a playmaker or they don't play him. He does so many things at a high rate that the players start to depend on him for everything and stop doing what they normally do without him. They just watch at times when Adu had the ball. Dolo was really the only person making true runs plus 1-2 with Adu. Lichaj tried but he just isn't that good yet. When you play with a playmaker, you always have to be on guard or you end up like Bradley and Jones, botching up opportunities because you weren't ready for the ball. Adu has to improve as a player, no question about it but he's has so much talent and if you can play him go through some of the growing pains, you will get greatly rewarded. He could make us a top team in the world if we could sharping up our defense.
Yes. Very noticeable. A couple of times I thought you could see that Adu wanted to distribute the ball to certain spots... but US players just weren't making runs to open space. I actually thought that played a part in the turnover Adu had off the volley in the previous game... Looked to me like as the ball was in the air, Adu (facing his own net) read an open gap to his left... saw Bradley in front of him... figured Bradley would move through the gap and Adu would hit him with the volley pass... Instead, Bradley more or less stopped flat-footed and watched as Adu made the pass to Bradley's right.... right to Panama. Could've just been a mishit by Adu - but I think more was going on.
This tournament after been a blessing for Adu, after being ignored by the coach fo most it, he got the opportunity and made the most out of it. Bradley really hurt himself for not playing him earlier in the tournament , worst for not even letting him making the bench. I doubt that Adu was really ready the last two matches. The team Chemistry could have been better had he played in the previous matches.