Barring injury, Freddy will participate in his first WC in 2006. However, where will he play? And in what formation? It's probably a little too soon to say that he's going to be a starter, but beyond 2006? ----Adu--Casey--Donovan ---Beas--Convey--Mapp --Df----Df----Df-----Df -------Adu---Donovan Beas---BC--JOB---Mapp Df-----DF---DF---DF
either adu or donovan might have to be in the midfield. size is not everything, but i personally like at least one forward who can punish the defenders everytime a flighted ball comes anywhere near the area. i'm thinking: --------------- howard --------------- --- ? --- onyewu ---- boca --- gibbs -- --- ? ---------- o'brien ------ dmb ---- --------------- adu ----------------- -------- casey --------- donovan ----- have no idea who we'll have for right back and or right mid. i don't want dolo at right back. he's too short. maybe right mid, but not right back in the world cup.
Depending how much training Adu get's he should make it to Germany as a substitute at the left wing mid position. At the very least, but you never really know.
by 2010, there are several options, something like ------------Howard Spector------Boca-------Whitbred --------Szetela-----Clark ---Gaven------------------Adu ---------------Convey ---------LD-----------EJ/Cooper/Casey/Buddle or -------------Howard Spector-------Boca-------Whitbred -------Szetela-------Clark ---LD ----------------------DMB -------------Convey -------Adu-----------EJ/MKC/CC/EB or ------------Howard Spector------Boca--------Whitbred -------Szetela------Convey --Gaven---------------------DMB ----------------Adu ---------LD-----------EJ/MKC/CC/EB FOr 2006, I think he's more likely a swingman bench player, inserted to give the team some spark.
I'm thinking that Adu will be more of an attacking midfielder than a pure striker. He holds the ball much to well to keep him infront of the goal for 90 minutes. No idea the formation though. IMHO our players are versatile enough that a formation won't really matter too much
With you on that Appoo... Adu is a holding midfielder in the mold of Zidane. But in 2006, don't think so. Arena will not bring the kid unless he tears the MLS a new one in 2004.
From a quote from Freddy, this is where he prefers to play. Behind two strikers. You don't always get what you want though.
Indeed-- and from what we've witnessed from Freddy so far, he can run at defences from anywhere and pick out teammates just as easily. Long-term, being the attacking mid may be his best position that suits a team concept, as he does his best damage from the middle of the park.
I simply refuse to focus too much on that distant a future..even Adu's...But I must admit, I reeeeely can't wait for next season to start...
Waiting with baited breath, indeed. What he does for D.C. United against MLS competition won't be the be-all and end-all of where his true and eventual abilities lie-- but it should give us some sort of an idea as to what the future holds.
Sort of off topic...(and call me a hypocrite)... But there's this kid named Cristian Jimenez in residency right now that I'm really high on.... There are several other players that could also make an impact in the intervening time...
I agree, Adu is better suited to play as an attacking midfielder because he can hold the ball, have speed, and the ability to run at defences, but those are also abilities of a forward. Just have to wait how he plays in MLS.
well, there is a difference, because as a forward, there is more of a premium placed at the timing and frequency of darting runs on through balls, and there is a little more physicality with the larger defenders. Adu prefers a-mid for that reason, and he's probably right in his thoughts. I just don't see him (especially EARLY in his career), doing as well at forward. The thing about Adu is that I love his passing so much, that i hope he does end up as an a-mid so that he can help the team in that aspect and also with holding the ball in midfield. I'm one of the people in a small minority who believe that the USNat's biggest problem against quality competition is that we can't hold the ball in midfield. As a result, they end up under constant pressure from needless turnovers. That's one of the reasons I was sooooooo shocked when Rongen took out BOTH Adu and Mapp, up 1-0, against Argentina in the WYC. The play immediately changed, and we all saw the result.
Hey, I'm all about being a tactical geek, but man, posting a thread about our post-2006 tactics...that's taking it to the extreme. Let's see how Freddy's game develops.
He hasn't even played professionally yet. Let's see how he does with some bigger guys in the MLS, before we jump the gun to the World Cup level. I can't help but think that there has been a bit too much hype about him. Yeah, he will probably become a MNT regular, but give it some time. I say give him a few MLS seasons to develop, to truely see how he stands in the big time.
anybody who knows anything about Soccer and US soccer knows that this is our biggest problem. So don't worry about being all alone