I happen to agree that Adu will be playing RM in Germany. -----Johnson-----Twellman -DMB--------LD-----------Adu ------JOB---------Spector --Boca------Gooch-----Cherundolo --------------?
Adu's a lefty, so I doubt you will ever see him starting on the right. I think Freddie's future is more as a central attacking midfielder. Gaven and Mapp are more effective wing players than Adu at this point.
I was more optimistic about Adu making the WC '06 squad before I saw him play. He has the footskills and athleticism, yes. More than yes. But he's deficient in several key attributes that distinguish international from MLS competition -- work rate, speed of play, team orientation. In MLS, he's fairly effective at being a human highlights show. Doesn't need to play defense, doesn't need to pay much attention to the teammates, just picks his spots and is brilliant 2/3 times per game - a task made easier by the fact that he's usually coming off the bench fresh against tired opposition. I think that he's a long ways off from being able to get the job done internationally.
No. He won't. He's not there yet, and he'll embarrass himself. And he most certainly will not be playing on the right. Sheesh. He MIGHT be called to the team. MAYBE. But he'll see little playing time. He's just not that good yet.
I always find it ammusing that everyone blindly assumes O'Brien will be starting in Germany much less on the roster. I also like how you made him a rightback. As for Adu..we better hope he isn't the best RM by the time 06 rolls around.
give the man his prize. also, I think it's cute how some people still think twellman has a future with the national team. it makes me giggle.
Freddy needs to step up a couple of notches before he can be considered for the US national team. He has a year and a half to grow at least two inches and score 16 goals next year in the MLS and lead the scoring in MLS in 2006 to be considered.
One thing to keep in mind with younger players is they normally get pushed around a lot when playing with older players and also don't tend to show the work rate, speed of play, and team orientation attributes required when playing at a higher level. Adu's team orientation has improved drastically over his first year as has his ability to not get pushed off the ball nearly so easy (still to flimsy for me, but he'll get there with time), but his work rate and speed of play have not. I would hope those pick up next season, as he gets more used to playing at this level (much faster game than high school soccer and even U-16). If his growth is exponential next season in his second year in the league, and it certainly could be, then he MIGHT make the team. I certainly wouldn't count him out, but he has a long way to go to be at a level to help the nat's.
Picking the strikers this far out is a crapshoot but he impresses me more right now than any other striker that isn't a Grown Ass Man.
Based on what? He wasnt one of the top 2 American strikers in MLS this year... he didnt do anything outside of one assist for the USMNT this year...
Barring disaster, I would expect that he will at least get the '94 Ronaldo and '02 Kaka treatment. It's impossible to tell right now if he will be able to contribute on the largest of all stages a mere 19 months from now. But (if things continue on their current trajectory) I think it would be a serious mistake not to prepare some bench space for him. Immerse him in the atmosphere. Let him feel it. Let it humble him. Let him be angry about not playing. Then release the kraken on the rest of the world in 2010.
I agree, if you watched him with DCU this season he was most successful in the middle, given freedom to run. His game is not suited for wing play. Plus, the right foot is relatively unproven on crosses.
freddy showed some major league improvement this year, much like gaven showed the year b4 (i think he took a step back this year). Granted it was in limited minutes, but by the end of the season he was having an *influence* on games he played in, which is the mark of a great player. I think if he continues to improve at the rate he has (which is not certain), then he'll get a callup to a camp and maybe a cap sometime next year (like gaven did this year). We'll see from there how he handles the change of pace/pressure. I dont see any need to rush him along as US soccer is doing fine right now without him. But you can never have too many *game-changing* players on the field at one time. Right now I think LD is the only US player that fits that description. EJ is starting to show he can do that too, but needs to find some consistency. Beasley is kinda there, but i think a notch or two below. Just looking at "potential", what a powerhouse of offense could the US be with a midfield of beasley - adu - donovan behind EJ? Just speed alone would let them run by any defense in CONCACAF, and probably most defenses worldwide