This isn't a blast Jeff Cunningham post, but its a serious question. Does anyone think he'll ever do anything at the international level? I've been consistently disappointed by his performances. Granted, Bruce never gives him much time in the games. But the end of games is when his speed should help. If he only learned not to take people on one-on-one all the time and passed instead sometimes.
He almost set up Twellman with a very nice backheel and he created space for himself at least twice at the 30 yard box. His problem, in my opinion, is that he tries to do too much with his limited time. I think he has potential to play a role going forward, but he needs to relax a bit and knock off the 1 v. 3 attempts.
Why Cunningham? Because after Bocanegra missed his header, the US looked dead in the water. Cunningham's substitution injected some life into our team. They've seen what he can do and they kept giving him the rock. If Convey hadn't stuttered we might've tied the game because Jeff BRILLIANTLY took on two defenders and ingeniously split those defenders with a backheel, setting up Bobby with a good chance. Cunningham detractors gotta admit - that was a perfect, beautiful, unselfish PASS. Remember Bruce saying that Jeff's out there because "he can do things other guys just can't do"? It's time to give him some credit, he almost changed the game in his little time on the field. And of all the US players you could question for EFFORT in this game, Jeff wasn't one of them.
I agree with your post, but that was Twellman who had the shot. Cunningham does lose the ball sometimes, but so do all great dribblers. But he also wins those 1 v 2's, which creates a ton of space for the rest of the team. As soon as he learns to use that space, and we saw flashes of him doing that in the Argentina game, he will be a very effective forward.
Does anyone who watches the Crew a lot see him doing this kind of stuff a lot. Winning a 1 v 2 or 1 v 1 only to get himself right back into another 1 v 2 or 1 v 1. I agree that he did create one good chance when he backheeled the ball to twellman. I'm pretty sure twellman was surprised because it was a such a good pass, and because its so rare for cunningham to pass off the ball in traffic. Maybe once he learns to pass after he wins his first 1 v whoever he'll be a good player. He certainly has speed and dribbling ability. As far as work-rate goes he's never impressed me, although for a forward i'd say he does okay. I would also like to see him get a couple of games starting up top. I just would also really hope to see twellman and some other guys get time up top too. It seems like there are a lot of pretty good forwards with McBride, Donovan, and Mathis a little ahead of the game. It just seems like playing time will be at a premium, which is the whole reason I brought this up in the first place. What about Razov, Wolff, Connor Casey, Alecko maybe in a couple of years. There are probably a few i'm leaving off too.
I like jeff for a lot of reasons. No doubt, he has his flaws. His upside is huge if Bruce can teach him. He has awesome speed, a good dribbler, occasionally makes a fantastic pass. He needs to fit in with the "team" game. Sometimes he should make the easy pass. From what I have seen, he can be offsides too often. If Bruce can coach this guy, he could be a tremendous player. I wouldn't mind seeing him as a late game sub in qualifying. If we are protecting a lead, he could cause some damage given open space as opposing teams push forward. For a few friendlies, I say give him a start and let him screw it up before we right him off.
Didn't he start the Canada game? That was a turkey-shoot and he still didn't score. I was a huge fan of his pre-WC2002, but now I just think he's fallen off the radar a bit. Hopefully he'll turn it around.
He is a great dribbler. He is just a bad judge on what to do with his dribbling ability. At this point, he's not ready to play for the U.S., but he has the potential.
His major fault is when he received a throw-in from sideline, Convey is making a run into the field. If he made that easy pass, Convey will come through one-vs-one with goalie. But instead he choose to dribble away from the goal and lost the ball. The reason? His head is down. Also in another case, Califf is drawn the goalkeeper out of the area with his head down. Finally, he saw Donovan and passed the ball, but the goalie is cutting the angle down, so Donovan tried a dribble with a cross that was blocked by a defender. If Califf has his head up and passed the ball to Donova 3 seconds earlier, Landon may lob the ball into the empty net.
Technically, I didn't "see" that one, so my original point stands. Though it is a bit disconcerting that he couldn't put it in the net against those guys...
I think Cunningham is quite a good player. I see loads of potential. Give him some more playing time.
Does anyone who watches the Crew a lot see him doing this kind of stuff a lot. Winning a 1 v 2 or 1 v 1 only to get himself right back into another 1 v 2 or 1 v 1. While I'd normally take the home fans word for it, some of 'em on big soccer are very down on the most productive Crew player ever, and say things like they'd rather have Dante Washington on the field than Jeff Cunningham. They also say things like: I'm pretty sure twellman was surprised because it was a such a good pass, and because its so rare for cunningham to pass off the ball in traffic. Insert McBride for Twellman and we've heard it on the Crew boards. I would call that borderline moronic. Twellman has gotten his handful of clear chances and blown them badly. (But I'm not writing him off.) Don't take evidence to the contrary and try to make your case with it. Cunningham created a goal that wasn't finished with a great dribble and a sublime PASS. If Claudio made that play, most bigsoccer heads would be spanking all over their keyboards today. He made a play like that against Canada, and Donovan choked on the sitter. Don't blame Jeff, give credit where due.
P.S. If Mathis receives Jeff's pass instead of Twellman: 1. We tie Argentina 2. Mathis escapes a crappy performance with another big goal. I agree that Cunningham is not one of our first choice strikers if we had to play a qualifier at Azteca tomorrow. But I think he could be there in the top two or three - forcing some interesting lineup decisions - soon.
Having been at the game it seemed that Jeff really did change the tone of things with his limited minutes. He had defenders on their heels, set up who I thought at the time was Convey on an absolutely beautiful back heel after a great run past two or three defenders. And overall looked more dangerous than our forwards had all day. I am with those who feel he needs a couple more starts before we form absolute opinions about him.
I agree, he hasn't had enough time to show what he can do, but my initial opinion is that he "looks dangerous" a lot more times than he "is dangerous". Also, I don't think my comment about his pass surprising Twellman is totally off base. If a guy never passes or never passes well people will stop playing hard and making good runs when he has the ball. Witness what happens in some basketball games when one guy is doing all the dribbling and taking all the shots. Yes, professionals like Twellman should be beyond that, but that doesn't mean that they are. He's learning too. I wouldn't blame these guys for standing and watching when Cunningham gets the ball. He really needs to improve his passing/decision-making over a long period of time, not just once or twice in a game situation if he ever wants to see serious playing time. I'll certainly watch him more closely on Soccer Saturday games so I can see what he can really do in a 90 minute game with someone like McBride. It seems like they'd be an ideal pair if he can take people on and then cross to a good finisher like McBride. I'd sure love to see one more guy with his kind of speed coming off the bench once he figures out how to pass and finish on the international level.
I don't see any point in breaking down a player like Jeff's game. He is always going to make easily pointed out mistakes during the course of a game, but you hope that he will make a play that no other player would have created. That's the way it is with highly individualistic players. Either you accept him as he is or you don't. He is what he is. Having said that, I have to admit the kid is growing on me. He really did provide a spark. Also, Noah has a point. The effort is always there with Jeff. I think that he will be an interesting player to watch. Not every player develops in the same way.
that is pretty much what i would say... as a crew fan he sometimes frustrates the hell out of you to the point you are wondering what the hell he is doing in the game, and then he pulls one of those amazing dribbling clinics that leaves the defenders in the dust and creates a chance for himself or a another player on the team...is it frustrating to watch him? sure, it is at times, but other times you watch and you wonder why he isnt in england, germany making big bucks...consistancy is what i want out of him. prime example. the playoffs this past year with the crew. in the first round series with san jose he literally tore apart the san jose defense and tormented them in both games, without jeff we would not have made it past the earthquakes and he was easily the best player in those 2 matches. then, against new england he go his lunch handed to him and looked like crap. played horrendous and the crew lost... that is what you get with jeff, love it or hate it.
Not to be contrary highlander, but to set the record straight... I would not say effort is a hallmark of Jeff Cunningham's play. But it was there Saturday, and since he has been so often criticized for disinterest and lack of effort, I forgave him for tripping over the ball when trying to force the clock-killing Argentines to hurry their throw-in. I wish more of our players showed that urgency to reverse the result. I highlight the effort, vision, success, unselfishness and passing ability Cunningham showed on Sunday because those are things his detractors say are not part of his game. I'm willing to admit His Mathisty (my hero) had a poor game. I hope others give Cunningham credit when its due and are happy when Cunningham shows those supposedly missing qualities.
I give him credit for some great dribbling against good defenders, 1 good pass, and good effort, but not for vision, unselfishness, or success. He had none of those in my opinion. I would be VERY happy if he showed some vision and passed the ball off a lot more often after he wins a 1 v 2. I agree that Mathis had a poor game.
The basketball expression "Human Highlight Film" seems to fit. Seems to be able to hold the ball and beat people 1 v 1 but when he goes into his act, everyone stops running and watches. Have seen it a million times at all levels. People know that these people aren't going to dish off so they stop and watch the show. When he flicked to Twellman, TnT was so surprised he was a little slow to react. Just enough time for the defense to close. If he doesn't change his game, he'll have no place with the NATs
How long was Cunningham on the field? How many chances is he supposed to get or create in that time? That one play showed vision and unselfishness and he was successful in single-handedly breaking down the defense and setting up Twellman to score. Twellman blew it AGAIN "RevsRule." If he's gonna make the most of HIS game time, he better be ready for the ball when he's on the top of the damn box, and he better put a couple away. He hasn't even managed to put a meaningful shot on goal in his three games.
The problem is that that play was in the final minutes of the game, when Argentina was in defense/time-wasting mode. Jeff's play doesn't tell much about what he'd do in a meaningful span of time versus an opponent that wasn't packing it in. Jury's still out.