Just based on the current striker pool alone, he has much to offer in my eyes. I was at the Hondurus game, it was my first time watching Casey, and I wasn't that impressed. Someone else on the boards described him as lumbering when he runs, I think that's accurate. He's still learning which is fine. You can't discount Clint's veteran status. He's played on the biggest stage and in some high pressure games and come through (qualifying....s. korea). Experience and poise at that level can sometimes have a much greater impact than speed, size or youth when it counts.
Anticipation is in abundance for revealed Esquire musings. Dictionary Thesaurus are in vicinity. Enlightenment yet not enter building.
Did Mathis and Wolff play together in college? They went to the same school.....but clint seems a bit older...
I'm not sure what translator he's using, but multiparous means a woman who has had more than one delivery of a baby. In the words of the infamous Inigo Montoya, "I do not think that word means what you think it means."
Mathis and Wolff played at South Carolina, Clint was an a-mid/free kick taker, with Wolff in front of him at forward. They were very, very good, though as we all should know, that doesn't mean anything now. Hester
I think it's already been thoroughly discussed that he played the season at amid/withdrawn striker. Although he was originally brought in to replace Simak who is in fact a striker. I know lots of people on here have an insane obsession with being right, but how many times can we discuss this? The thread has moved on.
It seems like the US' central midfield formation for the forseeable future will either be Reyna and Armas or Mathis and Reyna. I see Donovan at RM by default, where he has the space to make runs at defenses in essentially Earnie Stewart's old role. At the same time, I also think that this is where Donovan is most useful and effective for the Nats. For the match against Poland, Mathis and Reyna were paired together and I'm not sure why, but I remember being under the impression that Reyna seemed to avoid acknowledging Mathis' presence. It's definitely an intriguing pairing if Mathis could work together with Reyna as well as Armas does.
Any news about his recovery from the heel ingury? Bundesliga 04-05 season opens on Aug 6, first game for Mathis and Dolo is Hannover96 VS. Leverkusen on Aug 7th.
The heel feels good, so we're lining up a keg party for the 4th. Then we got a road trip to New Orleans, that should take us up to mid-July. Then he's gotta do some wash to get ready to go back to Germany for a keg party in the Black Forest.
Someone more familar with Hannover may know this: how will they react to the demands of leave needed for concacaf quals? I know they have to let them go, but they don't have to keep them in the team. Getting and keeping a place in the first 11 will probably have more to do with his(and dolo's) availability than the heel. Also, as everyone who watched him this spring knows, he has not lost it. He only had a few goals, but they were very high quality. the cutback goal, from the left top edge of the box, two steps in and like a scimitar into the far upper 90 _ against good defense _ was stunning, really a goal out of nowhere. And that's why the US needs him, he's the guy who creates that moment out of nothing. IMO, we don't necessarily need him against teams we can dominate, but when we're on even footing, he's a must. Also, on the positioning, remember that by the end of the season _ when hannover was gathering points to avoid the drop and not trying to entertain _ he was a very withdrawn attacking mid _ being asked to play a much more controlled, defensive game, the style more suited to Reyna. I'd like to see the two paired in a central midfield, bookended by beas and LD, behind wolff and McB, and in front of a backline with Boca, Pope, Mas or Sannah or gibbs and with dolo or Russell on the right. The lazy tag should die, btw. The pace of the 1 Bund is significantly higher than the quals, and he hung in there.
I was there, I was in Germany in Feb and saw 3 Hannover96 games, 2 home games and 1 away game. He played as attacking midfielder or withdraw striker. All the Hannover96 match book/magazines shows Mathis as midfielder ( mittelfeld). By the way, he looked very fit and sharp.
But I'm not arguing that he played the whole season at striker. He did play part of the season at withdrawn striker as numerous people have confirmed here. I saw two or three matches. Whatever I can get on FSW, if you must know, I was very busy watching the premiership and Le Championnat. Other than that I just watched the highlight shows. This is exactly what I mean... Some people are so caught up in saying exactly the right thing on here, that they don't end up reading what everyone else is saying.
You are correct, he suffered a bruised heel. I'm not sure of the recovery time on something like this.
It sounds like an excuse to give him some time off - or for Bruce to give some other guys a chance. It's not like an achilles injury or anything, is it?
gotta disagree.He rarely plays there for the US.he is most effective in the niddle where he is our most creative guy and the best attacking passer.
Gotta disagree. I like him on the right, gets mathis (when he's well again) in the lineup, and I think he needs to be in the middle for us. I don't think Mathis can handle the right as well.
Bruised Heel I have suffered that injury. It was for me absolutely incapacitating. I could not run or walk in soccer boots without significant pain. It is the kind of injury that can force you into an unnatural stride and the concomittant risk of injury. Of course, his heel may not have been really bruised.
move Donovan to a less optimal position to make room for Clint- I don't think so.You never move your best players to less influential positions. In the middle is where you would like your most creative players to be.If not, then the opposition can run a strong left wing and make Landon play and chase D all day long. You give your opponent the chance to determine where Landon will be spending his afternoon.
Mathis has too much talent to ignore. The only thing he's missing right now is explosive speed. He was never blinding fast but he was quick enough to take people on 1v1. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to watch him @ Hannover, but IMHO, he is still one of the most, if not the most talented american player. He has great vision and touch. Melding the parts is Bruce's job. Cletus is too talented not to be part of the mix.