Stu Holden clearly looked overwhelmed in the early going, but once again, he provided dangerous service (Davies needed to put that one home) and worked hard all night. I think Bradley has some serious thinking to do about what to do with Dempsey when he returns...thoughts?
Holden was hold-up a bit with Bradley's system, when the rest midfield need to step-up, then Holden start it pick-up the pace.
I think its hard to evaluate this game since almost everyone saw the game on less than quality video....the cross to Davies was beautiful and should have been converted. Tommy Smith from ESPN for what its worth, was complementing Holden for a nice game. I know the handball is always flukey but it did go off his hand. Donovan is still the only guy on the whole team who looks dangerous everytime he touches the ball.
I thought he did well for his first major start. He's a great addition to our midfield. I'd like to see him with some more pace and when it comes, I think he'd be very effective in a 5 man middle alongside Dempsey, and Donovan, supported by a Clark and Feilhaber. Maybe... Dempsey---Clark---Donovan---Feilhaber---Holden
Holden is a quality player who will only improve. The GCup was to see if Marshall, Holden or RR could step up. Holden has, which I expected, and am glad to see BB sees it also. Props to BB. RR has work to do. Marshall can stop gap and will get better for next cycle. Holdens' crossing and quick mind on the field is to good to ignore IMO. It's what I have been harping on all summer when folks campaign for their favs/unseen pets/grass is always greener candidates. Play consistnetly, play well, take your chance and force the coaches hand. Exhibit 1A - Stewie. Take note BS cheerleaders/dreamers.
Holden had the game I expected him to have. At least one brilliant cross to charlie davies. Made some defensive mistakes, but had the wheels to recover. Effective going forward with space. Effective in possession when we already had possession and numbers, but not creating possession against odds.
The guy is the best player ever. *Warning. This post may have a slight hint of Dynamo homerism attached.
Dempsey was not missed in the middle. That's not to say Holden had a blinder. He had his moments. Overall his performance was okay. But for this being his first start in a big game I think he'll get better.
It wasn't all that fair to Holden that his first start be in this game. In the same way that Guzan's first prem action shouldn't have had to be a PK. I really like him and Spector on the right, both with deadly service. Though I'm not advocating the use of Ching and Casey simultaneously, if we could get that sort of service from backs and midfielders on both sides, that would be an entertaining team to watch.
Holden looked decent, provided energy and his cross to Davies was beautiful. He'll likely start again on Wednesday. If he does step up, I'd expect Dempsey to be moved up to forward and partnered with Davies/Altidore. The other would come off the bench.
I agree. For this being his first start Holden did well. His skill set is more beneficial for the team than Dempsey's on the right. If he loses the ball which ain't often he'll get his ass back. If there is a FK we actually have someone unlike Dempsey that is a threat from a FK whether it be for his service or his shots. And then when he's on the wing his crosses are impeccable. He offers us too much for him to sit. He's basically our version of Beckham. I've never liked Beckham but I can see why he is beneficial for England.
This is correct. The player he is most comparable to is Beckham. Obviously as widely-discussed and usually overrated as Beckham is as a player, he is still top-class and has his own unique game. Now, Holden doesn't have the best cross in the world like Beckham, but he's a very similar player at a different level.
Yeah and with Holden on the field he does give you a reason to have someone like Ching, Casey or Cooper. Before Holden all these 3 were used for was someone to thump the ball to so they could knock it down for others to run on to. Now these guys can actually become useful. Blessing in disguise this Dempsey injury. We'll see Wednesday if Dempsey automatically wins his place back.
This is a very good post that clearly states why the emergence of Stu, and hopefull improvement (which I expect), is very important for our team. Remember how not so long ago we were not only bemoaning forwards, left back, but also right mid. He offers some serious options we just didn't have before in this cycle. Big overall addition. I also never thought that Becks was a WClass player but his crossing and free kicks, and the danger they present, speak for themselves. His emergence is big. We have more froward options now also. It's very possible we could be peaking at the right time this cycle - at the cup. I always thought that this would be when this team would mature and qualifying would be hazardous. It's going to form so far. Hope it continues.
If you were able to notice from the feed, Holden tracked back to support the D, he got stuck in at every opportunity, his crosses were spot on and his ability to hold the ball and put his foot on it with Benny and Landon towards the end of the game to kill the clock was great showing from a guy starting his first WCQ IN FREAKIN' HONDURAS no less! Dempsey doesn't like to have to labor for his outside back, he'll do it for his Fulham role, but the extra running at the International level he doesn't track back like Holden does. Dempsey to striker, keep him hungry for Nats playing time and Holden can now start from here on. He just adds so much from what we need at right mid. With Donovan on the left it is great to have such technical players on our flanks.
Holden will be a nice late sub for Dempsey while Dempsey continues his current form. Holden is young, but he also "soft" IMO. He will do well vs against small teams because of his superb service on set pieces. I am not sure that will carry over in more physical matches. He should get more chances to demonstrate.
Honduras is not a ''small'' team. If you watched the game you should've seen that. I hope that you aren't just stereotyping Central Americans as such to ''prove'' your point. And, Holden looked pretty good out there, too.
This was always going to be the make-or-break aspect of this team. People forget or don't understand how unusually young this team is. I've done the numbers a few times over the last couple of years, and every time the average age of the top teams in the world is always at or around 27-28 years, with Spain being the obvious outlier and Germany has gotten a bit younger. The US has hung around 25 years this entire cycle. Now that Holden, Davies, Marshall, and Spector have locked down spots on the roster, they have gotten even younger once again. The potential is there for the team to get younger even more with the chances of Adu, Cooper, and Castillo getting into the mix.
Holden should be on the pitch often IMO. He's an incredible talent, who will continue to get better and wiser with more Caps. I spent half of the match trying to find working feeds, so I'm not really able to comment on his play vs. Honduras but I feel like he's a guy that's going to be a bit part of the future of the team. What I did see was a guy busting his ass on every play and some solid, smart touches.
This is what I have always liked about the kid, and have always hoped would translate to Nat level. I wouldn't call him an incredible talent, but I will say a smart and productive player, with some skills we need (crossing/long distance shooting) who fights. He will be a solid/reliable contributor from here on out IMO. I write this after spending some down time at an airport watching why Freddy Adu is not going to SA, and understand why he shouldn't. I take Stu every time and move Dempsey up. His emergence, with the health of Benny and Edu, and hopefully JJ spells the end of Freddy 2010 for the most part...unless some Freddy epiphany happens, or many injuries. It won't, but boy will his supporters try and create one.
Most Ching supporters I have read base their reasons on what we didn't have up front, and what Ching has done. Those arguements will dissappear, except for the most over the top as we move towards the WC. At least Ching has a history...of something at club/Nat level. Freddy? Where's the beef? I'm not happy about it, but I ain't runnin from reality. You don't get far by doing that. It's getting harder and harder to make a case for Freddy. Is there a case at this point? Not sure there even is one quite honestly.
When you're right you're right. Somethings got to give in his career and I don't see it happening between now and SA. I love what he can bring to a team, hopefully he'll find a home by 2014 and earn a spot on the roster.
Some teams play their most dangerous attacking players as 'outside midfielders' Look at where Kaka and Ronaldo line up for Real Madrid. Ronaldo is certainly not there for his service. And while Kaka can serve, he is not there for that either. Messi plays an outside wing for Barca as well. Now if you look at the best center forwards in the world: Drogba, Torres, Rooney, and (in the past) Van Nistelroy, these guys play up top. They have less freedom to roam. Our two most dangerous attacking players are Donovan and Dempsey. Donovan has finally figured out that forward he is not. He will never have a the strength and power like Torres, Drogba, or Rooney Dempsey can play up top, but also brings an under appreciated facility for possession in tight spaces and under pressure. Plus, he likes to have someone in front of him as an option to play off of. Altidore is a true center forward. One of the criticisms people pile on Dempsey is that he doesn't play enough defense (even when digital tracking of his game indicates that he does). Wonder if fans of Real and Barca complain that Messi, Kaka, and Ronaldo don't play enough D. Now I am only making a relative comparison: Landon and Dempsey are our most creative/attacking players. Should we really focus on Dempsey's ability to play D? Or is the issue elsewhere on the team (outside backs and center mids)? Stu Holden provides the option of service. So Bradley has tactical choices he can make. Honestly, the weakness is in the back and the center mids. If out outside backs and DM were of higher quality, you would not need to ask your outside Mids to play as much D. And you could go with: -----Forward------------ Forward - ---------------Dempsey---------------- - Donovan---------------------- Stu Holden - ---------------------DM----------------------- - ---D------------D--------D--------------D
The issue with Demps IMO is not that he doesn't play D, but his giveaways can come in very poor areas (Ex - home versus Honduras). Creative guys will give the ball away, but really good ones know when to play smart and when to play loosey/goosey. That's the Dempsey issue. I think we saw how much the physical/ground covering presence of Edu could have helped in this Hex. The Edu I saw with Rangers at the end of last season would have been great away in the Hex IMO. Yes, we still have limitations in the middle but it's not dire. Limiting, but not dire. WC ball is played much differently than qualies. It's less hectic (like the ConfedCup) and will help us there. We will also be able to play more conservative, fast strike ball in all likelihood at the WC. This will help reduce our limitations. At back? Is what it is. Whomever is in form should get to play. We will see come next summer. Along time away. The door just keeps getting opened wider for the SurferDude. Let's face it, the guy has always done well on the big stage. He just has it in him. I wouldn't be happy he is there, but he has proven he can play in the cup time and again...and do his job. No, we aren't playing possession ball out of the back any time soon, but we have time to tighten the bolts. Let's see whose up for it.