central mid depth

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by jmeissen0, Oct 29, 2002.

  1. jmeissen0

    jmeissen0 New Member

    Mar 31, 2001
    page 1078
    what with reyna going down... i thought this an apt topic for discussion

    here is my list, in best to worst...


    reyna
    job
    landon
    mathis
    convey
    martino



    personally, i would prefer to keep landon and mathis out of this role... i believe most would agree... but i think most would also agree that neither convey or martino are anywhere near being ready and far from being known to be able to do the job

    JOB, on the other hand would be a very capable replacement... he can do it, and i think would thrive there for us (not that he wouldnt' thrive elsewhere)


    but this is also clearly a role that we could use some more help in

    capano, saveedra (sp?) and any other youth players that play this... get your hineys to the pro levels and start advancing your abilities
     
  2. iansfavouritecopilot

    Jun 21, 2002
    Hartlepool, UK
    Good point.

    Rich Mulrooney is coming off a good season, I'd like to throw his name onto the list.

    Wouldnt Chris Armas + Pablo Mastroeni come under the central mid category, or is that defensive mid? Your list seemed attack-orientated.

    *Ian*
     
  3. BenReilly

    BenReilly New Member

    Apr 8, 2002
    job
    mathis (when fit)
    landon
    martino
    reyna
    convey
     
  4. prk166

    prk166 BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 8, 2000
    Med City
    I would say so. They should be in that list. The same with Brian Maisonneuve. And what about Mark Chung and Chris Klien?
     
  5. Detective40oz

    Detective40oz Member

    Jun 16, 2000
    Fairfax, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Re: central mid depth

    Klein and Chung are wingers...I believe he was talking more about attacking central mids.
     
  6. ursula

    ursula Member

    Feb 21, 1999
    Republic of Cascadia
    I could imagine that if in two years we have our first game or two in central America and Reyna and/or JOB are injured I could well imagine Arena calling in Earnie Stewart. He could fill the role that Ramos filled in the first round of the WCQs last time.
     
  7. soccergirlkd15

    soccergirlkd15 New Member

    Jun 13, 2002
    Two words for you...Daniel Hernandez...have you read his college stats when he was given a chance to play that position...29 goals and just about as many assists...I'd like to see what he can do there.
     
  8. Matrim55

    Matrim55 Member+

    Aug 14, 2000
    Berkeley
    Club:
    Connecticut
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Wow... college soccer stats as proof of international competence. I'm absolutely floored at the moment.

    I wouldn't worry too much about our central midfield depth, as at this point it's now more a case of pairings and formation than talent, i.e. we've got enough players of considerable and diverse skills to line up in a 4-4-2, 3-5-2, 4-3-3, 4-5-1, and make a go of it. But to list, for example, Reyna and Donovan under the same heading positionally is folly as no matter where the stat sheet says they're going line up, the way they play is going to be completely different.

    And for those who don't think Convey is ready, well... ready for what? To run a team like Zidane? No, definitely not. But is he ready to contribute significantly to the national team as a whole within the system Arena's devised? I'd wager 2/3 of all I own the answer to that question is "yes".
     
  9. slacker

    slacker Member

    Nov 20, 2001
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Convey

    The debate over Convey is an interesting one. We should get to see him in central midfield soon with the U20 team. Ray Hudson, however, doesn't believe that this is where Convey belongs - he acknowledges that Convey can play in the middle, but believes that he will have a greater impact as a winger. Hudson also claims that other English coaches / scouts agree with him.

    Check out this link - scroll down to the last paragraph.

    http://unitedmania.mlsfansites.com/...10&PHPSESSID=afb8a28371e652149bdb910899f8bba1
     
  10. todda74

    todda74 New Member

    Nov 4, 2001
    Annapolis
    Convey hasn't played in the center mid position for United because of Etchevery and Alegria. They are both better players than Convey is right now. Maybe next season Convey will be moved to the middle if Marco does not come back, then we will see if that is the right position for him.
     
  11. K.P.

    K.P. Member

    Mar 18, 2001
    Philly
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Interesting link Slacker. But you didn't mention that Hudson also said this bit:

    "I think he’s a player as well, not in Marco’s position per se, but behind that player, behind the playmaker. He’s able to really release himself with some of those runs. That might be a compromise between the two. But I don’t really see bobby being the player in the hole, as I call it.”

    So he sees a third option for Convey as well.
     
  12. Matrim55

    Matrim55 Member+

    Aug 14, 2000
    Berkeley
    Club:
    Connecticut
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    For the last four or five games of the season Convey was in the middle for United, which was one of the impetuses... erm, impeti... erm, defining factors of their late-season run.

    As Hudson said, he's not a purely "in-the-hole" player, but really, he shouldn't be asked to masquerade as one. See Reyna, Claudio
     
  13. diablodelsol

    diablodelsol Member+

    Jan 10, 2001
    New Jersey
    Martino is better than Convey.
     
  14. DC Forever

    DC Forever New Member

    Mar 26, 2001
    Rockville, MD
    Aren't we forgetting the obvious here?

    Freddy Adu's got that spot locked up until at least World Cup 2018 (co-hosted by democratic Iraq and its neighbor and close ally Kurdistan).
     
  15. cyberthoth

    cyberthoth Member+

    Nashville SC
    Aug 7, 2000
    Nashville, TN
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    i really think if we learned anything this year about mathis it's that he IS a great forward not a central mid. he can play there...but much like stewart he's at best a below average central mid on the national-team level.

    donovan on the other hand could someday be a star there.

    my list

    o'brien (for now...left back in 2006)
    donovan (starter in 2006)
    convey (understudy in 2006)
    martino (understudy in 2006)
    mais
    mathis
     
  16. entropy

    entropy Member

    Aug 31, 2000
    People's Republic of Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Hahahahahahaha...
     
  17. etcheverrito

    etcheverrito New Member

    Jun 12, 2001
    the heartland of NOV
    Re: Re: central mid depth

    Well,
    Maissonneuve is over 30 I think...so that's not ideal, so is Chung, while Klein is in his mid 20s and is a better winger...Mastro and JOB in the mid worked very well but all this depends when Armas gets back in the flow of things...gotta see how he fits in...besides, he'd be about 32 come 06...and I think Arena is running away from that.

    Who's the bald headed white man with a bad heart!


    DICK CHENEY!!!
     
  18. entropy

    entropy Member

    Aug 31, 2000
    People's Republic of Alexandria, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Re: Re: Re: central mid depth

    You got it right. I liked Armas, but he's been upgraded by El Maestro.

    You know it, bro'. This probably has everyone else scratching their heads...or just ignoring it. :)
     
  19. I don't know if we will ever have a true #10... At this point we have no one to really build the team around. Donovan certainly won't cut it, and Stewart is too old. JOB would do a good job in there, I think, and he is realistically probably our best overall player. Convey is a great passer, but isn't physical enough yet. Martino is a good player, as is Kelly Gray. Capano is still real young, and so is Jordan Stone. Then there is Freddy Adu. The guy I would really like to see is Danny Hernandez, because he is the most physical presence, and the most mature. I would put our depth, at pure central midfielder right now, like this:

    Tab Ramos!!! (not an option, but have to give props)
    Reyna
    JOB
    Stewart
    (Mastroeini)
    (Hernandez)
    Martino
    Mulrooney (no respect from Bruce)
    Convey (not fast enough for wing)
    Gray (plays wing mostly but is good in the middle)
    (Armas)
    Capano
    Stone
    *Adu* (obviously speculation)

    Hernandez and Maestro (and Armas) are more likely d-mids only at this point, but I would love to see them both in there, Maestro at d-mid, Danny at a-mid.
     
  20. B McBones

    B McBones New Member

    Oct 22, 2002
    NW ohio
    mais? in a nats jersey in the future? hahahahahahahahahaha

    god, i hope not, hes not even the best central middie with The Crew, Kyle Martino is, and i hope that he gets a shot for 2006
     
  21. Martin Fischer

    Martin Fischer Member+

    Feb 23, 1999
    Kampala. Uganda
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    For an attacking central midfield role, with Reyna down, the USMNT's best players are:

    1. Donovan
    2. JOB
    3. Mathis
    4. Stewart (but focus on someone else with longer term potential)
    5. Martino
    6. Convey
    7. Daniel Hernandez
     
  22. Eliezar

    Eliezar Member+

    Jan 27, 2002
    Houston
    Club:
    12 de Octubre
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm surprised that so many people think Donovan is the maestro of our midfield for the future. I just can't see that happening.

    Landon is just not that good in the defensive half of the field on the ball or on the defensive side.

    JOB seems to work the middle of the field better than anybody else we have. He can make precision passes to forwards, switches play well, holds the ball wall, and seems to be the only US player to understand how to change the tempo of the game. At this position Reyna is actually a little better than JOB at holding the ball and defensive duties but Reyna plays slow when you need fast and almost never plays aggresively.

    The only way I can see Donovan playing Amid when the games start counting is in a 3-5-2 and that's only because he'll be paired with 2 strong defensive players and one that is a middle third director.

    For 2006

    JOB
    Reyna
    Donovan
     
  23. GoHawks4

    GoHawks4 Member

    Apr 24, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Re: central mid depth

    Mathis is best at forward. It's a waste to put him in the midfield.
     
  24. cyberthoth

    cyberthoth Member+

    Nashville SC
    Aug 7, 2000
    Nashville, TN
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    what's all this laughter about mais..

    granted he's not who i want in central mid either but he's better than hernandez...and since we're talking about central attacking mid here you can't bring up def mid or wingers...that means klein, mastroni, mulrooney, ect.

    mais could be a spot duty central mid...certainly better than stewart or mathis at this point....and a hell of a lot better than capano

    one other name that may bring even more laughter but probably should be high on this list...kirvoski.
    he's gotten some time in the premiership playing attacking mid if memory serves me right...honestly...shouldn't he be third or fourth on this list.
     
  25. Eliezar

    Eliezar Member+

    Jan 27, 2002
    Houston
    Club:
    12 de Octubre
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Kirovski and Mathis are 4th in my list depending on other factors. Its too bad Jovan was injured to start the year or he might have had a starting spot, but if he doesn't start getting more playing time I think we should just finally write him off.
     

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