He's played something like four games now, and hasn't had a goal (I think he's had some assists, though, which are just as good). Is he not getting the ball enough, why isn't this man scoring? Granted no one could score against Hartman, and the Metros game was just plain boring, is he not taking chances, not finishing them? I just want to know where my McHead goals are.
Can we keep subjects related to Brian's personal life off the boards? Whether or not his wife is servicing him is strictly a personal matter, to be settled between he and his wife.
Zak, that is exactly what I thought too when I read the title! Maybe UncleSam### has a good point... if Bakes' teammates started to give him a little lovin, he might score more often!
If this is the case then I have to ask why we don't fire the Crewzers? Seriously, I belive that McBride has little confidence in the rest of the team. I see him all over the field trying to make up for the rest of the team. I rarely see him working to get in place for a good run. This is how he scores goals well - smart run, good one-time kick. He did that well for Everton. But, with the Crew, I've seen him fall back too much. Granted they have some more experienced playmakers, but our guys won't have the chance to improve if Brian isn't making runs. He doesn't even seem to even get in the right place for corner kicks. Isn't he supposed to be the master of the header? If I hear how strong he is in the air one more time... I honestly think he has an ego problem and it effects how he plays the game.
bite your tongue. mcbride is probably one of the most humble players in MLS, why the frick do you think he's still here? the reason he's not scoring like he was in everton is simply because the guy does 60% of the work on both sides of the field. whereas in everton, most of the players are quality, so nobody really has to be responsible for anyone else's position. there ARE players who can service bmb on the crew, but his role is totally different here in MLS. every player in this league knows how he plays and plays him accordingly. so when guys are covering him (which they usually are) it obviously gives space for buddle and cunningham to score. the guy stopped being an out and out striker after 2000. and he now has a more total game, which suits the MNT just fine.
The service must have been better in 1996. Then again, he wasn't married then so that might explain it.
well and age is catching up to him, he probably doesn't have the looks and or stamina to get decent service anymore.
For whose of you whining about service.... ...you forget McBride's wife will be giving birth soon. Otherwise, it's the same old story. McBride is double-teamed, plus he never really has gotten the proper service from the midfield. and this is the reason why Jeffy has to end his habit of 1 v 3. Defenders know he won't pass the ball, or force his way into situations that he can't get out of, so they continue to double-team McBride. As many goals as Jeffy scores, if he was a little more wise on his options in a 1 v 3, 1 v 2, the Crew would be much more dangerous.
Not really. The 1 v 3 is my chief complaint with him. As I have said previously, the Crew would be much more dangerous offensively if defenders were kept guessing on what Jeffy was going to do.
Heard all the time: McBride has to be the total player for the Crew, supporting other players as opposed to "just" playing striker. Bullcrap. If McBride could score a goal a game that's all they'd want out of them. The Crew has midfielders. McBride is not getting the support/service he needs You mean sitters like he got in the World Cup? We'd all like those. Or do you mean the service he got at Everton? I recall him pulling an overstruck cross out of the air with his toe. In MLS he's often at the back post hoping that cross makes it over his (lone) defender's head. No, we've all seen McBride blow more than his fair share of quality service; in that regard, he's no Twellman or Ruiz. McBride is always double teamed. Simply Not The Case. Just watch the games for proof; he is respected but not a feared player in this league. For good reason. You wouldn't double team a guy for seven years because he had a double digit season in 1996. Video tape, quotes and common sense indicate that MLS defenders are more concerned with Cunningham, Buddle and increasingly Martino. For good reason. Cunningham is always taking on defenders "1v3." Hmm... what happened to all those guys Mcbride was drawing off the ball?
Fact is, McBride has never really been a top scorer. McBride has good hustle and great athletic ability which allows him to rise to the occasion in big games as well as his time in Everton. However, he doesn't have great skills which would allow him to be a consistent scorer.
In the nationally-televised match a couple of weeks back, I noticed a few times where McB made intelligent runs or passes for which his teammates simply were not prepared. These were not highlight footage material, rather: the passes were deft touches into an open/opening space, but the teammate broke off a run or ran into a defender; and the runs off the ball were not rewarded, often with a pass going to a less dangerous player in the opposite direction. IMHO, this suggests either that, in that match, he was playing at a level not yet reached by his teammates; or that he was playing a style at odds with his teammates. After reading the other posts here, I wonder if he is changing his style of play out of frustration or because he (or the coach) decided a different style would let him help the team more. Also, after reading the posts, I was reminded that his coach at Everton commented that MLS did not know how to best use McB. Certainly would be one answer to the question that started the thread.
Ever since a certain Crew fan turned Earthquakes fan left town, I understand it's been hard for a lot of guys to get serviced.
You got to love the "McBride the god" worshipers, they always find new and interesting ways to describe why he's a Forward that doesn't score. This one, however, should win a reward for creativity. Not only does it attempt an explanation at why he doesn't score in MLS, it also puts all the blame on Cunningham. It's quite the masterpiece. I suspect the same people would be saying the same things about Stern John if he were still here, in relation to McBride. Brooklyn_Crew got it right(everything except the ego part that is) Who is Cunningham going to pass the ball to when he gets the ball at the top of the box and McBride is all the way back at the midfield stripe(overstated for effect)? Cunningham just is not the kind of player to hold the ball and wait. Is that a problem? Certainly, Cunningham needs to learn the fine art of "back pass," but it's also a problem because another forward should be up there to give him another option then a back pass or 1 v 2.
McBride is the best player in the world. I don't understand why we don't just have 10 people stand on the goal line and let McBride take care of everything. There is nothing wrong with Brian McBride and there never will be. Anyone who says differently is wrong just because they are. All problems on this team have to do with Jeff Cunningham, even when he is not playing. Auto-bot complete. 18.22.02 pm : 04.17.2003
Funny, he doesn't seem to have that problem with the Nats and didn't with Everton. It's not creative, it's fact. The same thing was happening with Shearer at Newcastle, and has happened with Owen at Liverpool. When a strike partner stepped up, such as Bellamy or Heskey, then that freed Shearer/Owen to do their thing. I'm not saying McBride is in this class, but things would be easier for him. No, each would be dangerous in his own right and would not be double-teamed. Yes. All one had to do was watch ManUre against Newcastle to see that even Van Noodlehead would wait up if the situation called for it and pass the ball. This is true when the midfielders are providing service. However, McBride has followed Shearer in a role of moving out and becoming a setup man in situations to draw the defense out, enabling the other forward (Bellamy/Cunningham) to either finish or pass. Bellamy has shown he can fire from a distance or dribble through people when the situation calls for it. Bottom line: Jeffy has to make better decisions, which will help McBride, Buddle, etc., as well as help himself in the long run.
Just keep repeating it. I'm sure it will become fact if you do. Oh, I also like how you manipulated my post to make it seem like I don't think Cunningham not holding the ball instead of making a back pass or going 1 v 2 isn't a problem. Very good use of the quote tool.