Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Chings goals were scored on the road in difficult field conditions in crucial qualifiers. That being said, I'd prefer three forwards--McBride, EJ, and Rolfe-- only.
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Hmm. Somebody posted a a stat where they looked awfully similar at some point, and I coulda swore it was GPG (or more likely, goals per 90). Maybe they were cherry-picking the minutes.
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? I thought he would have made it based on the numerous times he was called up and was shocked to see him left off the final roster. But with you posting how you wish an injury to another player it actually makes my stomach turn. As much as I can't stand Twellman, I've never wished any sort of injury to him. I am debating whether to give as arse like you the neg rep, but just decided it's pointless because I could spread a red tick on you but it still keeps you an arse. Sad and pathetic arse. I'm not a Ching lover either, but can see his value more than Taylor. Besides now we have a FLYIN HAWAIIAN
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Ching goals were one in Jamaica and one in Foxboro. Sorry, thankfully, Bruce prefers four and Donovan in the midfield.
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Right... and you just proved that you aren't an idiot? That's all it took to get neg-repped? I think I've given out one neg-rep in five years of posting here. And that was to someone who made some pretty homophobic remarks. Try to be a bit more careful with the neg-repping, next time. Jeez, you must think you are pretty powerful. I'd hate to see what you would do if you had some real authority and weren't such a muppet...
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Upside and potential? We're a month away. Size and speed? Since when is that more important than scoring and creating chances for others? Based on your criteria we should've probably selected Randy Moss as our last forward. ................... .. I know, i know GAM translates better to the international game, but on what do you base this presumption? I think the great forwards are great because they do things a little different, a little unexpected. They shoot too early and so the goalie can't react in a standard way; they shoot a little later than normal and the goalie is already down, etc. So much of soccer is anticipation, and at each level the great players are one step ahead. If you watch nistelrooy, ronaldinho, ronaldo, raul, eto'o they surprise you. The audience and the defenders/goalie think they have them sealed off, but instead they do something unanticipated and open up a chance. Now i know TT is nowhere near these players, but at the MLS level, the international level, and the Prem level (MLS-all stars vs fulham) TT can pull off the unexpected. He can nod it down to Pope or hit it a little earlier than the Fulham keeper expected it. EJ is a good player: he's fast and athletic. But, I just haven't seen the unexpected from him. Have you ever taken a shot on goal, hit it cleanly, perfectly to just inside the post and amazingly the keeper snags it? It's because you telegraphed the shot, u did the expected. It's so hard to deny that TT has consistently outscored all the current forwards during their time in the MLS. I'm just sad we are wasting the guy who is one of the best pure scorers we have ever produced in the US. There's a reason why wynalda raves about TT, and it's hard to tell one of the most prolific US forwards ever that he's not an expert in the matter.
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? My post on 2/11/2006: "I am not even convinced that TT is the 2nd ranked target man. Ching and the guy in Germany both have more upside than him if they can get there acts together." I am just glad Bruce gets it!!! Revs fans??? wtf.
He got more chances than he deserved. As a slow-footed poacher with mediocre size and limited linking skills, getting an alternates spot is pretty darn good.
He got as many chances as any marginal player could expect to have... he's really not a player for REAL international competition... his only chance to make this team was if he had managed to score in every game he was given (particularly last year in qualifying)... alas he did not... additionally, one has to wonder how much a player like Twellman impressed in training sessions (you know, those things we don't really get to see)... it's not like there's a lot more to his game besides finishing... perhaps the fact that there wasn't more to his game was brought out a little more in training sessions for Bruce to see...
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? I really don't believe that Twellman was seriously under consideration... his only chance was to score a goal in every game he was given and force Bruce to take him... but he didn't.... we also aren't privy to the bubble that training sessions can be where many of Twellman's limitations may have been exposed (or highlighted) for Bruce... we aren't good enough as a team to take a player whose only (kind of) INTERNATIONAL quality is finishing... we need a lot more from each player... Twellman doesn't have the defensive ability (neither physically nor tactically), the mobility on the field, the sense of positioning (outside of the box), the ability in the air (when not going for goal), or the ability to effectively combine... he is also not going to create his own opportunities in 1v1 situations or run by anyone... I don't necessarily believe that Ching should've been chosen... i believe we should be taking another midfielder (Noonan specifically) and only 3 forwards... but you could see that Bruce trusted Ching much earlier on that he did Twellman given his inclusion (and subsequent goals) in the early qualifying stages... Jamaica and El Salvador are crap teams but it was QUALIFYING and those games are completely different than friendlies where there is nothing really at stake... where the teams don't really bunker for a tie... where teams don't have ANYTHING for which to really play... Bruce trusted Ching in those situations and not Twellman...
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Yeah. Ralston had some much more key game winning goals in qualifying a year or two ago, including the one that clinched it. Didn't get him on the roster...
Smart guy. Hard worker. Not a Grade A athlete, Grade B+. His touch gives away the fact that he played a whole lot of baseball as a kid. I like him better than Ching but Taylor was always a bubble player, for good reasons.
ZERO games with the first team. I wonder if he even knows what Reyna, McBride, Beasley or Donovan even look like.
So he's never played with Donovan for the nats? You're absurd. The guy has gotten more than enough chances. The guy is subpar on the international level, and it showed against the German defenders. In other words, his ability to get his hands on opposing players' shoulders, and then head the ball, does not fly in the international level. anyway, so much for Eric Wynalda's love affair with him.
All better players with more to offer than Twellman... we're not good enough to bring along one-dimensional players...
Re: Taylor Twellman an alternate? Read the USA Today's comments from Arena on each player. The only thing consistant is that nothing is consistant. In other words, he did what ever he wanted and didn't need any standard set of guidelines to make or not make this team. Twellman "just fell short" and yet Ching somehow made it? I would love to know how one was picked over the other? Twellman outplayed Ching every time they played in the same game but "fell short"? O'brien makes it and Arena doesn't even know if he can run right now. He says Johnson has played poorly in MLS but some how he makes it while Twellman "falls short" for the same reason? I used to be an Arena fan but no more, now I hope he gets it shoved you know where. Twellman deserved to go based on qualifiers, MLS over the long run, attitude and work ethic. I really hope something happens and TT gets put on the roster. He earned it and this is totally unfair.
If he could play more then one position he would have made the team. I think he should have made the team any way over ching, but I am not the coach.
The argument in favor of Twelmann has always been limited to the fact that he knocks in a lot of goals in MLS. The fact that he isn't currently, and the guy who he is in direct competition with for a spot is, pretty much dooms him.