Adu vs. (fill in the blank) {R}

Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank)

uhh .. okay, i'll say it again for him: Conor Casey is sloooooooooooooowwwwwwwwww.

just because he plays in the Bundesliga does not mean he's fast. no one's insulting Conor's footballing skills or, worse, his personality. we're just saying he's slow. because he is.

Sheesh. some people take things so personally.

 

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More comedy.

I actually write out in my post that there is exaggeration in a post, some yahoo quotes my post and tells me "it's called exaggeration".

Thanks man, must have missed thatpart.

 

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i watched the U-20 matches recently, i think if he's lucky he will be in the WC-2018.

 

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Adu. So far so ... nothing. Good media and good publicity though.
But those don't make a good players, no matter who hard you try.
Maybe one day.. but so far... so nothing

 

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1) When Freddy was at Bradenton, John Ellinger stated that Freddy was "probably the fastest player" in residency.

2) The spectacular goal for Korea in the U17 Worlds appeared to confirm the impression.

I got all over Freddy for being outsprinted to a ball by a 35 year old Mexican in the 2nd DCU/Pumas game. Said he was dogging it. Maybe I was being unfair. I hope not, because I'd like to think he's quick enough to beat a 35 year old in a 15 yard footrace.

 

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I don't know if anyone saw the DC/KC game 2 weeks ago on ESPN but Freddy was blowing by the guy who was garding him everytime. He looks to be very fast. The problem with this thread is that all the guys you list Freddy against play the target forward spot, Freddy is an attacking midfielder or withdrawn forward. He is in competiton more with DMB and Donovan than those other guys.

 

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Adu himself has said that he wants to work on improving his explosiveness and power as a runner. Personally, I think we should cap him soon and end what is already an anticlimax in the waiting. If he plays well against CONCACAF competition, it's no surprise. If he plays poorly against European competition, it's no surprise. The Gold Cup has already revealed how poor the region is becoming in terms of quality. And Pelle and Messi at the U-20 WC have already shown what European prodigies can do. I think Adu can fit fairly comfortably in a CONCACAF pool. And at least he's smart enough to know what he wants to improve. He's got a plan for his game, and that's pretty special thinking from a teenager. His intelligence may put him past quite a few players eventually.

 

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Freddy Adu is an amazing talent. And he's improved tremendously this year. But he's not anywhere ready to be on the USMNT, even as a designated role player.

Here's what he's got going for him (besides tremendous potential).
1. He's an instinctive finisher and may ultimately prove to be a great goal scorer. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up as the USMNT all-time scoring leader.
2. He's got exceptionally quick feet. Regardless of quickness and speed, his feet are quick.
3. He has great technique and just hits some beautifully weighted balls. Some of his passes are just things of beauty to see.
4. He's capable of really unbalancing a defender.
5. He's very willing to take defenders on off of the dribble and is an aggressive attacker.
6. He's an unselfish kid who is willing to play a team game and is exceptionally mature for a 16 year old.

Here's what he's got going against him.
1. He's 16. He still goes through mood swings, tends to take things personally, is still immature for a pro player, and like all young players, some days his game doesn't show up.
2. He's easily ridden off of the ball. Don't get me wrong--he's much improved over last year. But in tight space or on 50-50 balls he's usually dispossessed right now. He's gotten tougher at this and will get even better, but right now he tends to get pushed off of balls.
3. He goes down too easily---to the extent that he has not gotten some legitimate penalty calls b/c I think some refs and players were starting to see him as a diver.
4. Physical play throws his game off. Again, not as badly as it did last year--he's improved a lot. But put a body on him, do some cheap off-the-ball stuff and he gets distracted, starts complaining to the referee and lifting his arms in the "why me?" routine.
5. Picks up cheap cards. Again, not as bad as last year. But he still will go after people who cheap shot him and isn't experienced enough to hide it.
6. Isn't real strong off the ball. This last match against San Jose might have been the best match he's ever played in terms of moving off the ball. But generally speaking, his off-the-ball movement is poor. It's improved gigantically since last year. And he's working and it, knows he needs to get better, and at some point this might even be a strong point. But for now he's really weak at this part of his game.
7. Generally doesn't get separation from defenders off the ball. What he's sometimes guilty of is going back to midfield to get the ball. He hasn't learned how to use small runs while defenders are distracted so he can show for the ball yet still be in dangerous space.
8. Isn't a particularly good ball winner. Not that you expect your forwards or A-mids to be this player but he'd be pretty weak.
9. Isn't good defensively. He's improved immensely at this part of his game. But he still doesn't track back consistently, doesn't have good defensive positioning, doesn't mark well, doesn't tackle well, doesn't play passing lanes well. Again, not critical for a forward or A-mid. And he's gotten so much better at all of these things but he's still got a long way sto go.
10. While A-mid is probably going to be his best position, right now the mental aspects of A-mid are big weaknesses for him. He doesn't recognize what the opposition is doing and adjust. He will try to dribble through some defenders when he should dish it off. Doesn't decide well when to push forward or when to hold up and wait for help. Doesn't manage the pace of the game well. I think all of these are just about getting a couple more years of experience--people aren't born with game management skills. But right now, he's a weak A-mid. He has a lot of the technical ability you want in an A-mid and he actually has good vision of the field but he tends to make a lot of poor decisions. He's much improved and ultimately he'll be great at this role. But right now, as a fulltime A-mid, it's unfair to expect him to have the savvy of a 25 or 28 year old. As a forward at the internationally level, he'd have tremendous issues to deal with, including all of the abuse he'd take (that he doesn't deal well with). Again, he's improved a lot at all of these areas but they're still big holes in his game.

As for pure speed and quickness, we'll see. I think we're all speculating on those areas. At times he's looked very fast, at times very slow. If we break the speed thing into 3 areas (speed of thought, speed of execution, speed in terms of running), he's weak at the first, strong at the second and we're guessing at the third. And that's actually pretty impressive for a 16 year old player.

This thread assumes that if you put Adu out there in the last 10 minutes, he'll win penalties. I think that assumption is wrong. Last year, Nowak wisely simplified the game for Adu. He used him in late game situations against tired defenders. Adu was told to run at people--take them on. He usually had a lot of space, didn't face bunkering defenders and didn't have to run a whole attack (usually just 2-3 teammates surging forward with him).

This year he's improved tremendously in so many ways. But Nowak has raised the bar on Adu. He's no longer expected to be just a late game sub who comes in to take on heavy-legged defenders. Now he's being asked to take on more A-mid responsibilities and show more of a complete game (at least for an attacker: wiser decisions with the ball, better movement off the ball, creating space, showing for the ball, setting up teammates) and he's been inconsistent. Great some games (at Columbus at RFK and SJ at RFK) and terrible at others (NE at Gillette) to name just the 3 most obvious examples.

B/c of his obvious talents yet very large holes in his game, I'm convinced Sigi didn't quite know what to do with him on the U-20 team. I personally think Adu will be one of the great ones but it would be unfair to him and whomever's roster slot he took to put him on the USMNT now (or next year--unless he makes some huge strides). Plus, it wouldn't help the team. He's not going to win PKs when he's so easily ridden off of the ball now. That's just wildly unrealistic to expect a 16 year-old who isn't even that physically imposing to NOT be physically overmatched by almost EVERY defender he'll face internationally. At the international level, the game is faster, there is less space, any holes in your game are mercilessly exposed until you find a way to minimize them (look at how teams beat on Donovan and Mathis in 2001 b/c the rep was both lost their cool to physical defending).

If it's about winning PKs, we're more likely to do that with DMB than anyone else on the roster or near-roster.

 

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Concerning his speed, I have a friend who was with freddy at a u-15 national camp a few years ago and said that he could have been a track star. I don't know if his speed has changed or if that was just relative to people around his age but that's what he said.

 

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It might also matter that Adu chose to put on that muscle weight for this season. It must be sort of a push-me-pull-you proposition when you muscle up to play against men and then are not the speedy teenager you once were. That problem will fade as he ages and naturally fills out in both the legs and upper body.

 

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Adu is not ready and it might be his coaches fault that he is not ready.

If he would have made it to Germany it would have been at the left wing mid position and not as a starter, but as a sub which would have been within his time table, but not with the training he has already have had.

Then turn him into a striker later in years a head.

 

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Adu Vs Giovanni Dos Santos (both Young And Talented)

 

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I think you'll find most top athletes are faster at age 35 than at 16.

Freddy is clearly getting faster. In fact, over the course of half a season compared to a full season last year, it's quite easy to spot the speed difference.

The fact that he has been among the fastest players on youth NTs gives us hope that he could get a lot faster. I personally don't imagine he'll ever be one of the fastest players on the senior NT, but I'm ready to concede it's possible.

-- And it won't matter that much one way or the other if he gets to -above-average-for-NT speed and uses his quickness advantage properly.

 

Re: Adu vs. (fill in the blank)

He worked on his lower body as much or more than the upper body this offseason. The combined effect has been to get faster.

 

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In theory that's a great idea. In reality it failed. Nowak announced from the beginning that Adu would begin as an outside midfielder and that is where he tried to fit him in. But there were several problems with this:
--Adu didn't have the workrate you want from an outside midfielder. Not that he needed to go for 90. But he'd go for 2 minutes and then coast. He couldn't stay with other outside mids at a pro level for 45 minutes.
--He couldn't defend. He's gotten better. But he used to be a real liability, getting cheap cards, getting frustrated at attempts to win balls back.
--His off the ball movement at outside mid is very weak. Earlier this year he had some minutes at right outside mid and he was clueless out there. Compare that to his movement as an A-mid and even though that's not a strength for him, it's night and day difference.
--He was beaten out. Adu was basically handed an outside left mid position last year. But two things happened: it became clear it wasn't a good fit for him. And Josh Gros (4th round pick--so he wasn't handed the position, he earned it) was just a heck of a lot better (even though Gros hadn't previously played outside mid).

Look, I too assumed at the start of camp last year that Adu would be brought along like DMB. Put him at outside mid where he'd play alot but have little responsibility. But he wasn't that good at it. Adu has said a number of times his best position is A-mid. He's willing to help the team and play outside mid or forward, but right now and for the next couple of years, he's an A-mid.

 

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There are a lot he can't do at the flank position no one has thought him if they did he would look a hell of a lot better on the flank

 

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the same Mainz team for whom said player has been lighting up the back of the net? I wonder if they knew he wouldn't be able to score, either. But of course, simply being on their team is proof that he is fast, right? Oy vey.

 

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I left a lot off this. I left off how not to disappear for long periods of time playing a flank. Also how to create space for others and yourself while playing the flank. When to play defensive as a wing mid when your team is attacking. Then the wing to wing pass which leads to goals that you don't see much. You can also make the wing to back pass same thing it also leads to goals no one does it. It takes movement by the 2 strikers to set it up.

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The rest starts off with a question for me.

"How would your functional training session go for the wing mid in a 4-4-2?"

First you explain the wing mid roll in general with the team.

That roll on attack is to be a short pass option ball side for every player on the field. (Even to the striker at times, but that is rare. It becomes less rare when wing is playing off the ball coming in from the far side.)

That is not an immediate concern and is worked on after he has a good understanding of what to do ball side when he does not have the ball, and when he does have the ball.You can use other players to help him, but first you can act as those players and work just with him.Then you work with him when he has the ball. What kind of movement you like him to make.

Taking on the first defender. Then bring in a back for him to take on and beat or just play with. By that I mean changing directions on the first defender. The wing body position when taking on a back while dribbling is different from most other positions. It is not so much being in a position that faces the forward position. It is more of a side ways position facing the inside of the field.From that sideways position you can move forward or back or inside the field.

On crossing there are a number of crosses the wing can make.

A long cross across the field forward cross to a far side up player, that is in your defensive third or your middle third. Easy cross because your less likely to have a first defender on you just need the leg to do it.

A cross out side the area on the ground or in the air that leads the opposing teams defense. Done after you pass midfield until just before the area. Leads the opponents first defender and the all or most of the other defenders. Best cross a wing mid can make in my view. Because it is a blind side cross that is behind the opposing teams backs even when they are retreating back they can't see the ball. It is a cross that can beat them all. Even one receiver can beat 4 backs because he can see the pass coming they cannot.

Then you have the cross at the byline. That requires a lot of practice. Do this cross unpressured just takes practice, and be calm. With a defender on you takes a lot of practice. You need moves and changes of speed and change of directions so you can lose that back that first defender. Not only that you need patience to lose the back at the right time. What's the right time? When a receiver gets open. Then you need to be calm, skillful and accurate.This all takes a lot of time for the winger to do well. So HC it is not as easy to do as you may think even if the player can make a cross.

Then you have the cut back pass. That even a little guy can do (meaning a young player)Then what about the second defender. Is the wings vision and quickness good enough to beat that second defender. If the match up is a good one for the wing sure take him on as well. That clears the middle of opposing defenders.If he is a great defender and has good support positioning. You might want to lose him by moving inside of him. How do you know? Take him on once or twice, and see what happens. If you lose the ball, or you get knocked on your ass and hurt. Go inside.

Wait, lets say the first defender your facing is great, and your great. That is a good match up for them not you. Make some long diagonal runs, and test out the other wing back. Get a good match up stay there and eat him for breakfast.

On the inside move look to shoot. If that foot is weak again make the long diagonal run. And make an inside move and shoot from that side of the field when you find yourself there.

I also like to practice on a half field, but that is for group play. Not so much to work with the wing because the wing does a lot more things before he gets into the attacking half.
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On defense he gets behind the ball where ever the ball is on the field. Especially from an off ball position because he helps the backs. You can work on all these things and choices as a team during shadow play and with the use of freeze play. Moving up and down the field.A dangerous wing can ideally also one time a ball from the flank on goal.
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Then you have the movement off the ball. Get in to that some other time and in future practices.So you don't make a good wing over night in one practice or even in 5 practices. These things takes time. Part of what I meant when I said I cannot build a good team in a short amount of time.

 

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Here is a bit of hard fact Neuroscience that might put a little light on the above statement.

The Frontal Lobes do not fully develope until approx age 24. For this reason, judgement, ability make to good decisions and a lot more "adult skills" are not yet fully developed. The physical body may be mature and quite powerful in some 16-21 year olds but the mind will be behind the curve till they are a bit older.

 

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Really? I don't think so ... the 20th best 15/16 year old time in Junior Olympics competition for 2004 was 10.83, while for 17/18 year olds it was 10.51. Not a huge difference there. For men, there is an enormous gain in speed from ages 12 to 16, which for most males represents the years that they enter, endure, and complete puberty. After that, the gains are modest, while the decline that starts in the 30s hits pretty hard.

Which makes sense. Why is it that there are so few 35 year old professional soccer players? Lose their skills? Get stupid? No - while some succumb to injury, for most it is the very simple problem that they become too slow.

Could be that Pumas guy was the exception, though. At the least, he was exception enough to still be playing.

So yes, Freddy should still be getting faster for a couple of more years, but I don't see him ever blowing by guys like Arjen Robben does. His game will need to be -- and in fact is -- a bit different. More passing/trickery, less running at defenders with speed.

 

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I have no idea whether people are faster at 16 or 35, but the difference between 10.83 and 10.51 is MASSIVE.

 

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When did anyone start talking about goals scored or if Conor Casey is even any good? Is that a red herring or a straw man? I get my BS terms confused.

Anyway, show me where I said he was fast.


Oh yeah, I didn't. He's not slow is what I said. Compared to Damarcus or Arjen Robben sure. As a professional first division soccer player, he's just plain and simply not 'slow'. And he's especially not glacier slow.

 

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Dude, you consistently underrate Adu. You don this on many threads.

Although he needs to improve in areas, he's very close to closing any gap in most of those areas. You also must overrate what we currently have (Wolff, etc.), for it is not that great. Looking at a WC a year from now, it is entirely possible that Fred will have closed most all gaps (+ he's just flat out better now- and will continue to be in some important areas, like beating 1v1 near goal- drawing penalties)...

You need to look at production (Freddy is VERY productive, and will get only more so) w/minutes in MLS AND the fact that Moreno has held back in 'playing with Fred' and is only now giving him the ball some. Moreno has not rewarded Fred's runs in the past...that would peeve any player.