I have to think he is pissed as hell right now. He knows he's the best player on the field but he's been playing out of position for so long with DC. After halftime Hudson finally figures out that he belongs in the middle and he scores two goals. That first goal, he hit the ball so hard. There had to be some anger in that. I didn't see the second because I put the hockey on. It was far more exciting.
Nice game by Convey. Maybe Ray will finally understand why he needs to run the show in the center of the field. He seemed like the only player out there who actually cared.....
Bobby was interviewed at the half and made it clear he was pissed off at the sorry-ass effort by his "teammates." Good to see they picked up, but we need 90 minutes from everyone.
Rongen kept saying all night that someone needed to step up and perform. Its good to see that Convey did. Now if we could just get Stewart or Olsen or anybody else to do so, we might have a shot.
What was up with Rongen saying that his "natural" position was on the left? He plays in the middle for Rongen's team for chrissakes!
Yea, I don't see a tremendous amount of DCU games, but I think Convey's on his way to becoming a bona-fide star. I wasn't as shocked as many at Connolly's article a month ago which quoted a few soccer people as saying his chances of European success were slim, simply because of the reasons stated above, like not being in his natural position. I think he'll force his way into the full Nats starting XI in the next threee years.
Bruce Arena was comfortable playing him in the middle against Wales. Of course, he had Eddie Lewis and DCU doesn't!
I couldn't believe Rongen's statement about Convey 's natural position on the left. Convey was right in front of him playing extremely well in the middle. What more does it take? He almost had a couple of other goals. Right before the 2nd goal, he had a great shot that was tipped by the keeper against the post (and Eskandarian almost reached the rebound.) If Convey isn't #2 behind Etcheverry in the middle, then he needs to go to a team that will develop hiim there, because that's where he belongs.
When Convey got injured in the second half I saw Hudson motioning to the trainer asking if he had a groin injury. I have been wondering if Convey was injured several games ago. At that time he hurt the upper leg (the right I think) or groin but continued in the game. Since then I have noticed that at times he seems to limp and then continues to play. Then tonight he would squat down during stops in play as though he was trying to relieve some injury. Has anyone heard that he has had a problem or is my paranoia acting up again (thinking back to last year).
Bobby Convey = Central Midfielder. Any Questions? As bad as the rest of the team was, Bobby put in a bad-a$$ed performance. And I agree uniteo -- Etch is no longer capable of the performance that Bobby put in today. Then again, what players in MLS are? Donovan, Mathis? I hope to hell Ray wakes up and decides to structure the team around Bobby. He wants to be the man. He has the skills to be the men. Take him off the wing and let him be the man!
Maybe I heard wrong but I thought Rongen said Bobby's natural position for 'this team' (DC) was on the left.
Rongen seemed to be saying that Convey should be on the left wing for the time being, but eventually would end up in the center. Still doesn't make sense, though - what is Ray waiting for?
About the injury, i noticed in DC's last game he seemed to have some problems with his thigh. But the injury this game i think was his ankle. He hurt it in the 1st half and then got worse after he got tackled. but i'm not too sure.
This is from the box score on MLSNet: TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Bobby Convey 8); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Bobby Convey 4) Where was the rest of the team?? I wish I had heard the halftime interview others are talking about.
That interview was the last thing I saw. Convey was openly critical of his teammates saying that "no one wants the ball". He was obviously mad and apparently came out and played that way in the 2nd half.
Convey needs to play mad more often. I think he'll get the chance to playing with a team like this.....
If he keeps playing like last night, calling out his teammates and nearly getting a result by himself, then he should be wearing the armband.
I particularly liked the play where he picked up a lazy Dallas pass at midfield and went charging straight down the gut toward the goal, nearly beating 2 or 3 defenders in the process. The explosiveness, the attacking instinct in that play were a joy to watch.
I particularly liked his spot-on imitation of Marco Etcheverry. Right down to drilling another player with the ball. First,Quaranta follows in Marco's footsteps with his lazy "I don't have to get back onsides" saunters back into play. Then we get The Mad Hungarian. A separated-at-birth Eastern European clone. I'm not so sure #10 is the guy everyone should be imitatin'. Thx, Jay!
Yes, even though i hate your team, i am a Convey fan... followed the kid ever since the U-17... It's good to see the 1999 U-17 doing well... Beas and Convey with two goals each this week... representing!
Don't forget how close he was to getting 3, as a shot inbetween his goals deflected off Countess and hit the post.
No one is a bigger Convey fan than me, so please do not take any of my comments negatively. But just to point out a few things. Vaca was extremely effective on the left wing regardless of whether Convey or Stewart marked him. Convey was somewhat lucky to score the second goal as Countess blocked it into the crossbar and it bounced in. That being said, Convey has been unlucky more than lucky this season regarding goal scoring, so this isn't really a negative. Convey's finishing remains sub-par. I believe it will continue to improve, but if he was a good finisher he'd be a white-hot property. United has not won a game that Convey has started in central midfield. At the end of the day it's all about how the team does, not simply who is the best player in each position. I think Ray should develop the chemistry with Convey in the middle, but this has to be considered. Rongen made the comment about left midfield (and he even mentioned left back) being Bobby's "natural position" for two reasons: 1) Hudson has Etch, and Kovalenko isn't as good of a winger as Convey, so Rongen didn't want to criticize his friend's coaching tactics too loudly, and 2) Rongen may be thinking about Convey's chances to make the US World Cup Team for 2006, and may not think that Convey is ready to run the show at that level by then, so wants him to get experience in positions (including left back) at which he may make the roster. OK, enough of the negative, next post is the positive. -Digital