I can't speak for anyone else, but in some cases I could make an educated guess. I'll agree that I'm an idiot. I hope you're being well paid for your time. I know this will sound ridiculous, but for me this long, drawn out 'idiotic' thread is about more than MB. As you may remember, the birth of the MB argument was my wishful thinking that MB's arrival did in fact mean something. Until I posted, saying in effect, I don't know MB but I hope his arrival in camp means something, the steady refrain was 'no, it doesn't mean anything.' Once I made clear that I was not happy with BA's 23, the whole thread devolved into name-calling and unsupported (and unsupportable) arguments. Much ado about nothing, really. And speaking of Adu, boy do I wish he had made the roster. The Czechs would be freaking out right now, wondering how BA would use him. I've learned that BS regulars would be freaking out even more. Your head might explode, and we wouldn't want that. I'll take a break from MB posting until Monday, when we'll have a little more info to work with. How does that sound? And if MB does play, and he scores a goal or two, one at least on a 30-yard absolute screamer, please don't let your head explode. We're coming down the stretch and we need you. [I would also like to see SideNetting's analysis of our formation v. Venezuela & Latvia and how that translates into more than nominal MB playing time.]
Absolutely...I almost took you up on your offer for me to share the lineups I made for Friday and Sunday and then realized we'd likely end up disagreeing on 2nd half subs for Sunday and the like! It comes down to this...all they guys want to play. I'm sure all of them (even O'Brien) would go 90 on Friday and Sunday if BA wanted them to. But I still can't figure why these three games weren't spread out over 11 days, like in Germany.
FYI, the point is debatable: "Up to a maximum of three substitutes may be used in any match played in an official competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, the confederations or the member associations. The rules of the competition must state how many substitutes may be nominated, from three up to a maximum of seven." My understanding, per these general FIFA rules, is that the competition (eg, WC, Club Championship) chooses an amount of nominated subs per team per game, up to 7. Thus, you effectively suit at most a total of 18 each game, even if players 19-23 get to put on a uniform and tell themselves they are suited up. While Dallas Cup or USA Cup are not exactly the World Cup, these international tourneys, in which I participated, went by those rules. Having seen friends who were on my team left off the subs list for a given game, I know the rule exists and I know it's not fun to deal with. You're present for the game, expected to be "good" (or professional, as it were) about it, but know you will not play. Now, at the same time, the 2006 WC regulations seem to indicate 23 people go on the list each game, including 12 subs. That would apparently govern, which I guess makes you right, but I think this is the first time they have done this, and it seems to violate the maximum for nominated subs written into the general rules.
Well, in my opinion, you take a valid point -- "perhaps some of the veterans are past their sell by date and perhaps Bruce should have taken a flier on a game breaker/up and comer like Adu" -- and derail it by focusing on a player you haven't seen and the somewhat irrelevant question about whether the possibility of his call up is 0.0012 or 0.0011. You and I both know that Michael Bradley isn't going to get called up - so who cares if the chance exists? Or even if he does get called up what then? I told you so dance? That isn't your point anyway is it? It seems your argument is that you believe the old guard isn't going to be able to cut it and Bruce has made some poor roster choices. The MB "possibility" debate is just detracting from that. (Maybe it's because outside of "bring Adu", we don't have much specific to talk about.)
Now, now ... take it easy ... you're the one who said we were idiots, and now you're back for round 180+? Why have so many people posted here, and why do people keep coming back? I've made all of those points (above) and more and the MB thread hasn't been such a bad place to do it. For example, here and on other 'youth' threads, many names have been mentioned, analysed and (for the most part) set aside as not yet WC-worthy. But all this back and forth has drawn out many BS posters and exposed their biases to the light of day. I'm extremely disappointed in our roster. Extremely. If that hasn't been made clear already. Others are too, by the way, so don't throw all the weight on me. Where I differ from many other critics, I believe, is that I really believe we could be sending a much better team to Germany. Most of the team's critics think otherwise. They think "yeah, the team isn't so hot, but this is the best we can do, we're not that talented, so let's hope BA works another miracle with his patented 'smoke and mirrors' approach." That's not where I'm at. You guys are selling, and you are selling hard, but I'm not buying. And when MB wanders in off the street, and I'm immediately told it doesn't mean anything, well, frankly, I don't believe it. It has to mean something. And to me it means that we do in fact have a growing reservoir of young talent, talent that in my view did not get BA's full consideration. The site is full of young names, floating around, Nguyen, Mapp, et al - maybe you could do me the favor of compiling a decent list - players I don't know, honestly, because it's not my job to know. It's BA's job, and maybe it's your job, but it's not mine. But I have a brain, I have eyes to see. It's as though you were telling me than women golfers can't compete with men, they can't drive the ball far enough, and the next day I turn on the TV and Michelle Wie is pounding the ball 300 yards straight down the fairway. I have to question if you know what you're talking about or just feeding me the company line. I bet BA is losing sleep right now over Michael Bradley, kicking himself for not capping him sooner and putting him on the roster. No, MB wouldn't start, we've got a solid back nine - and MB's not my goal-scorer - but if he got in a game, he would do us proud. I see so much deadwood on the end of our roster, I just can't believe MB and a couple other young players are not going to Germany. Harder still to believe is that others think this roster is the best we can do. We're a lot more talented than you give us credit for. And Michael Bradley is a perfect example of that.
A bunch of people were right - I was wrong - I thought Bradley would never play in these games. Thanks for nothing Bruce for adding fuel to this thread Bruce.
You need to move the decimal about 3 places to the left. He has the same chance he's always had...all the other central mids get dystentery, or they get hit by a bus, something of that nature.
Great to see Bradley contribute his time and effort in camp; and he's getting quite a bit in return. But anyone that thinks that if there's an injury to Pablo or Olsen that Zavagnin, Armas, and Mulrooney are all going to sit at home while Bradley takes a trip to Germany is not paying attention to the past 8 years. Anyone remember ABMOD taking up roster spots all of those years? Please try to apply a little history to what you might think will happen in the future. (and not just in your soccer life, people!)
I thought MB might get more time than he did last night as I didn't think LD would see the field. I want LD to go strong on Sunday, he certainly still can with his limited minutes, but I didn't think Bruce would play him 2x in 3 days.
I agree that Berhalter will play, but I would bet against Bradley. Last night was a "thanks, kid" from Bruce. Sunday he won't see the field. Pope and Berhalter in the back, Lewis on the Left, Dolo on the Right.
It sounds like from Bruce's quotes that it wasn't his choice - he would rather have more space as you point out.
I wouldn't be surprised if Bradley were the last sub again for a few minutes. For whomever was cramping/banged/tired to come off.
Yeah. They couldn't start playing until Monday and already planned to fly out next Thursday. Add in the need to give th eguys a couple of days at home to get ready to go and the desire of the Fed to use two weekend windows for broadcasts and you have the schedule.
Quick question and sorry of this has been asked before but will Bradley be on the bench (as a guest, much like Heyduk was lastnight) in Germany to soak up the atmosphere, get a feel for the games, tactics, ect? I would think it could be very beneficial towards his development. From the mentions of the guys in camp, Bradley has impressed and seems to be on the fast track towards success. Not to mention he started the most imprtant games of the season for Heerenveen, the UEFA Cup playoff games in Holland and helf his own.
Interesting...but in the future I would tell the Fed to politely shove it about the broadcasting schedule...the whole send off series should never have three games in two days. That compromises the value to the team too much, in my opinion. If they wanted two weekend windows for broadcast, they should do Sat / Wed / Sun or something like that. But seeing that we have this schedule, I am happy to cross a couple folks off the playing roster for Sunday...Gooch and Convey to be specific. They've seen enough minutes already and let's get them to Germany unscathed. Suffice to say MB better have his boots on. As the game Sunday draws late, there will be people Bruce will likely want to get off the field.
I'm sorry if this disappoints you, but it doesnot matter for Heerenveen that he is or is not in the WC team. The only thing that counts is the judgement by the coach on his performance with Heerenveen and for the time being he's tactically weak and has to learn alot on that part as was demonstrated in the four matches he played.
Don't know the answer, but I hope it is "no." The appropriate question is not whether it would be beneficial for Bradley to sit on the bench; it's whether it would be beneficial to the USMNT to have Bradley sit on the bench. Since he's not on the team, I don't see how his presence helps. Avoid distractions and concentrate on the prize--winning now!
Feyenoordsoccerfan, can you give us some examples of his tactical weaknesses? The nattering nabobs of negativism here must have been shocked that miniBradley played a decent 10 minutes vs Latvia.
If the team is getting ready to play in the world cup and bradley isn't named as one of the 23 on the squad to go to germany, unless i missed that tidbit of news, then he shouldn't be playing. Those on the squad should be on the pitch playing and preparing for the world cup.