Cooper Named to Gold Cup Squad

Re: Mini-run for Brek?

I'd start Brek. Tough to say what SH will do... I think Brek has a fair chance to start, but tend to agree with you that it might be more likely to see Cunningham start. Worst case he'll still be an early sub on.

 

Re: Mini-run for Brek?

Who knows what SH will do. But this team is not equipped to be w/out KC for 3+ weeks and our lack of management foresight is about to take all the wind out of this teams sails at a critical juncture. We do not have ONE OTHER semi-proven forward, that was known going into the season. It was also known there was a high probability Cooper would get called for the Gold Cup. It could be a full month if they make it to the GC Final. Our next leading scorer is Moor, a defender.

If SH insist on starting with the same formation I put Brek up top, leave Cunny on the right, and bring Avi on as a starter, that gets another creative MF on the field.

Knowing SH, first game w/out Cooper will see the same starting lineup as last night, but Saragosa will be up top in place of Cooper..............

 

Cooper Named to Gold Cup Squad
June 25th, 2009 . 10:09 am . By: Buzz Carrick
http://www.3rddegree.net/

 

Mods feel free to merge this is there is a better place.

 

I think this is a win / win. Despite his current form, KC has long deserved a shot at NT, but has been unfairly snubbed in the past. So, KC has patiently waited his turn and has done all the right things over the past couple of years.

Lately, I even think KC would be the first to admit he is in a major slump. So bad of a slump, I don't think he is currently even our best option at forward. (By far he is our best forward, but he is simply not currently playing at that potential.) Rather than have him suffer the indignity of sitting or a reduced role, he can get that change of routine that will hopefully shake him out of his current funk.

I also think we will get to see whether or not Shea has what it takes to be the man. FCD has been planning for KC to be sold at the end of the summer anyway. So, what is the second part of the plan? We will now get to see what it is. Will we see a surprise signing? This would be about the time you would expect to hear something.

But, other than some well struck PK's, we won't be missing much if KC continues to play the way he has for the first half of the season. Win -win.

 

What a crock of shit.

The guy is 3rd in MLS in goals on an indifferent team. He is played out of position time and time again and does so without complaint. Target striker is NOT his best position and neither is wide right m/f (played both in yesterdays draw) Shellas is just too stubbon to play Shea up top and Cooper in the "free" role (sorts like Rooney for England) where he cannot be so easily marked and double teamed (as he was on FCD's goal last night) and where he can drag defenders all over the park if they choose to follow him. He's the fittest player out there.

SH is gonna do his own thing and woe betide ANY player who has the cojones to challenge him. Until he realises he is not the be all and end all of the coaching profession, realises that yes, even he can learn something new every day and quits playing favorites regardless of their evident lack of production this may well continue to be the season it has started out being.

Avila needs to start, Shea needs a run of games, the back 4 is starting to jell, play Cooper where he is most effective and this season could yet be saved.

 

Just curious . . . are you still as hopeful about SH and this season? I might have a bad memory, but I was thinking that it was you and Theo that have been telling us to be patient.

 

I 2nd what england66 said re: Cooper. Him being alone up top in a 4-5-1 (or 4-1-4-1, whatever) is not is best role. Especially as he does not stay central but roams all over the place using a lot of energy, he is always running hard. With the other 10 players on our team you could put Torres or Anelka up there and it wouldn't make much difference. What I really don't get is that we often deploy him on the field as a target striker, but don't ask him to play like one (i.e. stay central) and too often HE is the one out wide serving the ball in or the attack breaks down as the ball gets brought forward and he is not in or near the box as he has previously made a run backwards or laterally.

Also, if we are going to play that formation you desperately need good attacking MFs that are a threat to score and are dribble-penetrators, not crossers like VDB or Rocha. The best 2 players like this for FCD are Ferreira and Avila. I swear Dax would not shoot the ball if he and an orange cone were on the field together alone he'd pass it to the cone. This is where Avi comes in, he should be starting, I guess at the expense of Rocha, but I think Rocha could be the defensive holding MF, the other "1" in the 4-1-4-1.

I just watch SH team and have no idea what they are trying to do.

 

And to further Mike's point, Cooper has recorded either a goal or an assist in four of the last five matches.

 

KC is one of my favorites in MLS and FCD. I'm not wanting to get sucked into defending my opinions by denigrating a guy of which I think very highly. In fact, it is because I know that he is such a talent, that I am dissapointed with his current form.

But, the stats are available. MLSnet credits KC with 1 assist this season. KC has 3 goals due to set piece plays, (2 PK's 1 free kick) and of the 4 goals in the run of play, few are inside the 18. Think back to all of the balls served into the box, and KC has only managed to put 2 of those in for goals. This is far below his high standard. KC is in a role that most on this board clamored for him to assume. (no not E66 who as has stated numerous times wishes for him to be a field drifter like Tevez or Rooney, I get it.) But, the thought was that a target guy like Ruiz was holding KC back. Not just financially, but by gobbling up all the balls that would otherwise be played to KC.

This is the same KC who's people crave for him to be a USNT fixture and a Euro star earning the big $$'s. I think it is all doable. However, he is going to have to develop a different aspect to his game. If he is satisfied by being a second forward, (in pay and pecking order), he doesn't need to change a thing. He can drift all about the field in minor leagues like MLS. But, even in MLS his size and foot quickness is a liability. He will never be Tevez or Rooney, not even close. But, on the other hand, those players can never be KC. If KC learns how to time his runs into the box and the angle of approach that would be huge for his game.

During the Telemundo broadcast the broadcasters were talking about KC. One asked the other whether Bradley would select KC for the WC. He said, no he is not ready. Asked what he felt KC lacked to play at that level or at the highest levels in Euroland, he responded "not much, he simply needs to learn to finish w/ his head in the area and he needs to lift his head to spot the wide open team mates."

I'd say that the biggest reason FCD is not winning, is because of tons of balls that no one can finish. KC is a big part of that at the moment, especially when FCD is playing a very Euro styled 1 striker system. I have faith that he will improve in these little areas of game. And, when it happens, he will be a USNT fixture and a big star in Europe. But, to say that he is in great form right now? Come on.

 

Just who the fcuk on these boards has said he's "in great form right now"...??

You are the one denigrating a player who is 3rd in MLS in scoring on a so far bad team...

P.S. checked how many pk's Landon Donovan has scored lately..?? he basically won the scoring title last season by scoring more pk's than Cooper did.

 

You are about to get your wish.....if he gets on the final 23 for the Gold Cup.....

 

If? I thought today's announcement was the official final squad for Gold Cup?

 

E66, I don't think I will convince you that we are on the same side when it comes to KC, but I assure you we are. (Yes, you are on the inside, and I am well on the outside.) We obviously see the game differently in terms of player characteristics. But, we both agree that KC is a talent, albeit a raw talent. As for the PK's, yes your point about LD is true, and thank God he did sink all of those PK's, the set piece goal, and the 50 yd strike with masterful technique. We all see and know that.

But, I'm going to tell you that I see more in him than do you. Just use your imagination for a minute a pretend that by the end of this year KC becomes a master of timing and angle his runs into the box as well as finishing those type of services with consistency? He could name his team, league, and price. A hard working, tough, big man finisher with the ball skills of a midfielder. Wow.

This season, I do credit him for staying more central. But the timing, angle, and accuracy of his approach has not come around yet. You couldn't ask for a better situation for him to develop this part of his game. He is getting loads of terrific serves from some pretty quality players.

In sport or business, a little competition forces you to get better and address things about yourself that you might prefer to ignore. And there is Brek Shea. A big guy who makes crazy runs into the box dying to get to the ball of red meat. If KC added that urgency to the last couple of steps in the box to get that separation from the defense, it would add a lot. And, conversely if Shea improved his touch and angle, he too might become something special.

I am out of this conversation, but let me reiterate just how much I like KC, and how much potential I see left in him. I don't think he is even scratching the surface of what he can become.

 

I guess I see things different than you then, because I see a hard working, long range scorer, who isn't as tough as he can be and thinks he has better ball skills than he does. I think Cooper is a good forward for MLS, but his size should make him a much bigger force, but instead the kid goes down trying to draw fouls too much, and as you say, often finds himself too far from the goal box. He has nice foot skills, but to be honest, the next time I see him beat someone with his patented step over will be the first. I would like to see him leave Dallas and go to environment where it's sink or swim, and he gets stronger on the ball and in the box, and then becomes Jozy's running mate with the Nats. But if he stays here in MLS, hello Twellman career.

 

Bringing the conversation back to FCD, it really chaps me that we went into this season knowing full well about the Confed. Cup and Gold Cup and knew there would a high liklehood of Cooper being gone for the Gold Cup, and we did NOTHING to prepare for it or bolster the attack. Even w/out him being gone we need more than 1 proven/semi-proven forward on the roster. This could be an absolute disaster. Right when FCD is actually on a decent run of games over the last 6 or 7, it’s all about to come to an end.

Meanwhile in Houston, an organization that knows what the hell they are doing, anticipating the loss of Ching, they go and get both Oduro and Weaver recently. You know, Weaver with the brace at PHP, last one set up nicely by Oduro.

I remain very unimpressed with SH and the FO in both their micro and macro level management of the team, roster, etc. both on a forwarding looking and day to day basis.

I can only assume that at some point FCD will make a move, trade or new signing.

 

JP, I think that is what confused me about the drafting of Peri as well. Knowing Cooper was gonna be out, and that you already have Shea who is your project forward, why pick another project forward? Why not go for someone like Pontius who is older and can play mid or forward? It's easy to say this now that Pontius is playing so well, but even when it happened the pick didn't make much sense to me. On the plus side, I like Cooper leaving opening up a nice run for Shea, but I am postive he cant handle the task alone, he will need JC with him.

 

According to Schellas... they rated Marosevic over Pontius. So they were actually drafting the better player in their eyes.

Which to me is nuts. Pontius was clearly the best forward at the combine. Marosevic was clearly way behind and raw.

 

More evidence of Hyndman's talent evaluation ability (or lack thereof).

 

Don't count out Ellinger's ability. Sure that weighed in as well.

 

Geebus! This is just like so many NBA GM's who pick these guys who are young and have "endless" potential instead of picking someone who can help immediately. I just don't get when you have a clear need, why you would take someone is young and hope they reach their potential over a player who has reached some of their potential, and you can hope they continue to grow. To me it makes no sense at all, and is another sign that this team is in trouble for awhile.

 

to be fare I think this one was all Schellas.

but so was George John.

 

If you slam him for Peri over Pontius, you have to give him credit for Kyle Davies and George John.