EJ & Adu: AEK vs Aris (Superleague) 2/21 16:45 Greek/ 9:45 ET

Right, he would have done better playing for the Potomac Cougars and Winston Churchill High School? Or are you saying that any player developed in the US can't have the requisite tactical understanding.

 

Posted this in the other thread as well

Adu is still learning the left wing position, he's always been a natural A-mid. The more experience he gets, the more he'll know what to do with the ball in that position. The fact that he has two goals and two assists already from that position shows he has the potential to continue doing really well. It's not about the age he started playing pro.

I just hope he remains as a starter, if he suddenly stops playing after an incredibly promising start and one bad game, well, it would be just like his other European outings....

 

"can't"? No. But, given the huge disparity in the number of quality players most European nations have and the number we have despite our larger population of athletic people, you have to conclude one of 2 things:

1. The Europeans have a genetic predisposition for Soccer
2. There is something in their environment which prepares them better to play soccer

I'm gonna lean a bit towards number 2 here And I'm even gonna go out on a limb and claim boldly, it is *not* something in the water. That's leaves us with culture and organized soccer development. Since there are plenty of soccer-crazy countries which have only a handful of soccer greats, and a relatively small number of soccer-crazy countries who produce good to great players with regularity, I think it's fair to say it's down to organized professional development.

Of course this is someone's cue to cry "Eurosnob", but it is what it is.

 

Leaving aside the meaningless BS (I don't mean Big Soccer) here:

I assume you are answering the second part of my question whether all American players who don't go to Europe at 14 can't gain the requisite tactical understanding. Since I see plenty of Americans playing in Europe with tactical understanding, I don't agree and don't think this alleged short-coming of Adu has anything to do with the fact that he played under Polish International Peter Novak at DCU.

You may be making the point that going to Europe would provide a better tactical understanding for Adu and all the other American players who were developed in the US. My answer is simple: Depends on the player and where exactly he is going in Europe. But it sheds very little light on Adu's current state of development.

 

my question for aris fan .. Adu will start the next game in the lineup??? ... i think the answer is obviusly yes...

 

Nothing sure. Next days we will know.
There are 4 players for 2 possitions. Meriem(he is ready now i think) can play in both wings, Javito right only, Calvo both wings, Adu left wing.

So maybe we will see
Adu-Calvo or
Meriem-Calvo or
Calvo-Javito

 

Call me crazy but is there a chance that much of this is slight overreaction?

I mean what is the standard for players and why is Adu's so much higher?

Last 4 games, 2 goals & 1 assist, team looses 1-0 and now we have failure talk?

Wasn't there 10 other players on the field here many who played 90 minutes? I find it hard to believe the guy who came off at 45 with the game tied 0-0 is the first place to start pointing fingers. I'll just add this last thought, if Adu had missed either of those early shots (or the roller across the goal mouth in the 2nd half), BS would be calling for his tar and feathering right now.

Take a chill, things are neither as good or bad as the moment makes it feel.

 

Adu can play right wing, he prefers it actually. He's even better centrally.

 

He can play also as second attacker(actually he prefers it, in his interview said that he likes to play in the position of Koke) but Cuper use him only as left wing.
So far.....

 

It isnt just this, Adu still is pretty new, and even though he started off strong, he has strong competition in Meriem who also had a good start to his time at Aris, but broke his nose which kept him out of any playing time lately. I am sure Cuper is eager to see what he can do, and seems t obe played on the wings more so then in the middle, which is pretty competitive as it is, Prittas, Nacho Garcia, Fernandez, Nafti.

He seems like a good, experienced player, so its on Adu to show why he is the starter, and the last game didnt really help his causse. So basically Meriem will get the chance if he isnt performing well, just like adu got the chance cause their options for the left wing werent good.

 

Also it's been standard practice for Adu to start exceptionally, have one bad game and never/rarely see the field again.

So people are cautious.

With Belenenses, he played two great games as a sub, started the third, played poorly and was subbed out at the half, and that was that.

 

You may be right. But another interpretation is that he simply doesn't do "it" quickly enough. "It" may be a pass or a run with the ball or a shot. My take has been, from USMNT games, that he fails to create opportunities by forcing errors by the opponent or by instantly facilitating the attack. Rather, he hold the ball and either gets tackled or loses opportunity because spaces or potential ball recipients are closed down. Unfortunately, I don't think "rustiness" has anything to do with this particular issue.

 

First I don't want to critisize Meriem as he is a solid player who I actually like but here is exactly what I mean, define "started off strong". If you mean some excellent dead ball striking then I would agree but other than that there is absolutely no comparison between the two when it comes to strong starts. If Adu didn't help his cause last game (which I happen to agree), how did Meriem help his in the same position and equal or worse outcomes?

 

I am just taking out my love for Adu and putting myself in a Aris fan standpoint. I'd say to counter that, we havent seen enough of Meriem to say 'well adu and meriem had a bad game, adu gets the starting spot'. Since meriem has had less a chance to shine, he has to match Adus number of matches under his belt to make a fair comparison.


Like i said before about adu, every player has a bad game, and at a time like this with meriem as his comptition its more then enough reason to give him a start to see what he can do over adu.

Not to say this is the beginning of the end for adu WHICH ITS NOT, its just a chance for someone else to maybe get playing time in his position and healthy competition.

 

^^^ this is fair.

i don't believe ADU had proved he is a significant UPGRAGE over Meriem at this point to be locked into a starting position.

I would not be suprise to see Meriem starts here and there. the two of them probably need to duke it out to lock-in that LM spot.

but at the moment, Adu seems to have a slight advantage.

 

That would be a unique way of looking at the production of a player. You have a guy scoring but need to take him out so the other guy can get equal games so you can see if he "might" score more?

I just don't see it as Adu has doubled Meriem's 2009 scoring output of (1) goals in 24 starts last year and matched his 2008 scoring output of (2) goals in 24 games the previous season.

Meriem- 47 starts, 3 goals, 5 assist in the last 2 years

Unless of course you believe the Greek league is so inferior to the French league those numbers are going to drastically change I don't understand the logic.

Edit: This isn't to bash Meriem, I like him as a player, he can play every midfield position, works hard, strikes dead balls extremely well but he is not some offensive weapon, it's just not his game.

 

Last few games:

With Adu playing: +5 goal differential
With Adu on the bench: -3 goal differential

When Meriem came in for Adu both times, the opponent scored right away within 2 minutes of Adu coming off.

Probably a coinsidence, but it shows what Adu is bringing to Aris.

 

People talk like this is the only thing that happens. He also beats players to create a lot of space, and creates fantastic chances for his teammates. Actually the problem is not that he "doesn't know what to do" or he "does it too slowly." The problem is that he is trying to do too much. He's looking for the killer dribble or the killer pass, and he's always looking for it. It's a high risk, low consistency game.

Other players who are more experienced or have less vision or ability are not looking for the things Adu is looking for, so their options are less and they quickly play the simple thing. Adu needs to learn to play simply and then do what he can do when it's on.

Unfortunately the pressure on him, the limited time to prove what he's capable of, maybe trying to answer his critics or his doubters, and just the way he likes to play all encourage him to try to impress too much. That's a maturity thing, there aren't many 20 year old midfielders making good decisions all the time.

 

adu 3 starts 2 goal meriem 47 starts 3 goals....adu MUST play on the right or in the center behind the lines... he can play like dinho if the coach make him in his natural position

 

Funny, its showing Adu becoming a team player.................over his "wonder-play".

Could it be the kid is tired?. I Never have seen Adu hustle as much in a 4 game span. Hasent played in over 2 years. I would not be suprised if Cuper rest him next game and uses him as a Sub, if its a poor oppenent.

 

Nick we haven't heard from you about the game, what were your thoughts?

 

Where are you going freddy without your lucky gloves?

(from the game with ergotelis, we won 2-1)