let me start by saying that i don't expect adu to be on the world cup roster, although i'd be excited if it happened. but when i thought about adu specifically compared to a few other guys, the idea started to seem less crazy. who is more likely to score a goal, get an assist, or get fouled in a dangerous position...in the world cup adu (version 2006) or casey adu or wolff adu or ching adu or twellman
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) All those guys, maybe save Casey are more dangerous than Freddy. Do you get MLS in London? All the guys you listed are faster than Freddy too.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) Please, lets give the kid a chance to grow up and mature a bit before asking him to carry the USA to the Cup. Lets revisit this topic four years from now.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) I hope you're joking. Freddy could run circles around Conor Casey and Brian Ching is no speed demon, either. I'm skeptical that Twellman is any faster than Adu. In any event, Freddy is already a better dribbler, passer and set-piece taker than all three.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) I actually agree with you that adu would be more likely to score or get an assist or get fouled in a dangerous position but i believe he is also more likely to fade in and out of a game. Its that immaturity that keeps him in and out of the starting lineup with dc
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) For Adu being so young, his vision of the game is still better then Ching and Casey IMO, he gives better service, but they are physical more matured and would be more effective then Adu at the full international level. I think Ching is the best of all the players listed. On a break away the most likely to score - 1-Ching, 2-Adu, 3-Wolff, 4-Casey.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) Yeah, i don't get that either. He's clearly faster than everyone on that list besides Wolff.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) Freddy's skills are amazing, but I don't know where everybody got the idea that Freddy had speed. I think people either just judge his speed based on his body type or mistake quickness and athleticism for speed. The main thing holding him back right now is his lack of speed. Have you ever seen him outrun somebody? If he had any speed he'd be running defenders ragged, because he is able to get them off balance every time. The problem now is that they always recover easily after getting beat. The kid is slow right now.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) The question isn't whether Freddy is blazing fast. The question is whether he is faster than the guys you have mentioned. Casey and Ching are glacier slow. They are guys who pound away near the goal. Twellman probably has slightly more speed, but not a whole lot more. Freddy, although not a speed demon, was still according to DC United article last year, the 2nd fastest man on the team .......... next to Josh Gros. He's faster than those 3 players you listed. period.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) In the U 19 World Cup two years ago he outran the entire Argentine national team before serving up the pass that Bobby Convey drove home to put the US up 1-0.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) i wouldn't expect Freddy to "lead us to the cup", i'd expect him to come on late-ish in the game and make something happen. i don't know that bruce would use a roster spot just for a super sub. the later it gets in the game, the more risky it would be for the opposition to take a cheap foul just to intimidate Freddy. as a starter, he might get fouled/intimidated out of the game early. from that list, who's more likely to serve a perfect cross to the head of Dempsey/Donovan/Johnson? i'd say Adu. who's more likely to get fouled near or in the box because he's got the quickness and skills to get half a step on a tired defender? probably Adu. who's more likely to score a bunch of goals over a B2 or MLS season? Twellman, Ching, Casey...but that's not what we're talking about. a lot of people would pick Twellman over Mcbride if you're talking MLS, but few would choose Twellman over Mcbride for the world cup. i'm thinking about a handful of plays that might make the difference between progressing and not. Bruce will probably bring another big guy in addition to Mcbride, so that's 3 forwards (GAM, Mcbride, maybe Ching). he'll probably bring one more striker, although it wouldn't be entirely necessary because we have several hybrid attackers. i think Freddy brings the good things of Wolff, only with more skill, but less experience.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) I'll agree with that. Last year, he was quite slow. This year he has improved, but is still no speed demon (about average for an MLS attcker, would be slow for the NT). Indeed. He has great foot speed, which gives him top notch good quickness. Well, it's natural to a certain extent to be slower running with the ball than without it, but I agree with the tone of your post. If Freddy had above average speed, his ball moves would work much more often. Freddy himself has said, "I need to get stronger and faster." He worked out hard in the offseason just to get where he is now, and he apparently intends to repeat that this offseason.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) Lightning quick is his main advantage, but he's no slouch speed wise. He's certainly fast enough so that defenders keep an eye on him. He made some great runs off the ball this week to pull defenders out and open up space for Gomez and Moreno.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) Adu is nowhere ready for the senior nats. hopefully, he will be before 2006 but only time will tell. He hasn't impressed in any international competition since he was in the U-16s. Give him time. He has potential but that doesn't mean he will ever be a superstar.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) Wonder if that Mainz team knows that one of their forwards is glacier slow. Sorry man, but slow as you say and bundesliga/intl forward means 'not slow'. The effect you got by exaggerating is that you sound like an idiot. Comedy, pure comedy.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) despite his inexperience, Freddy still has one thing going for him .... it's a skill he always maintains, even when he's playing poorly: his ability to win penalty kicks. how many PKs has this kid earned in WYC matches? and despite all the naysaying, part of me just has to wonder if he couldn't pull something like that out of his sleeve if we brought him in in like the 85th minute against someone like Ukraine or Netherlands (or anyone I guess) in the WC. now is he likely to get calls?? of course not. not at all. but there is that possibility that he beats some tired Eastern Bloc defender so bad that the ref HAS to call it. i haven't made a decision either way, but I wonder if Adu could have a very special use as a late, late sub .......
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) I agree. I think Freddy would be more useful than the fourth forward we'd bring along, especially considering Donovan and Beasely can play forward too. I'd like to see him in the role Cobi had at the last World Cup. Adu would excel in that role and he can make things happen. Conor Casey can't make things happen against Cuba. I think there's a good chance Adu could create or score a goal if he came in the last 10-15 of games. Not to mention, there would be a lot more media coverage on the U.S. team. The U.S. World Cup team would be all over sportscenter, just like Wie would be if she qualified for and then made the Masters. I don't think Bruce would bring him, but I don't see any better option, and I only see positives out of bringing him. He's going to be a star for years to come and the World Cup would be invaluable experience for the good man.
Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank) It's called exaggeration. Casey is extremely slow and whoever said Adu wasn't faster than Ching or Casey is simply wrong. Twellman has an argument, but no one knows until they run a sprint against each other. If Adu takes a big leap towards the end of the season I would like to see him get a call-up early next year.