As we are getting ready as fans to embrace the U.S. Men's National Team for the upcoming World Cup, I can already see the writing on the wall. We NEED TONY SANNEH--or at least a player that plays like he did in WC2002. Currently, looking at our defenders, we have NO ONE who can mark the world's top players--such as Ronaldo, Ronaldninho, Ballack, Zidane, or any other of the greats that are out there as Sanneh did 4 years ago. We also don't have a defender who can come up into the play like Tony did and make the BEST CROSSES U.S. Fans have ever seen! Tony did that and doesn't get credit for it. He setup Donovan against Mexico in WC2002(IIRC) and knows how to set the table for our guys in front of the net like McBride for example. Oh, didn't Sanneh setup McBride against Portugal as well? Ok, so Tony isn't his younger self. I still want us to win the Cup this year, but I don't see our team as having a defender who can move up into play and get our guys the ball in the middle---with the exception of our midfielders of course like Eddie Lewis or DMB--but they are midfielders as noted. Guys on defense like Bocanegra (too slow, gets schooled often in the EPL and on the NATS), Cherundolo(too timid), Gibbs (stay at home defender), and Pope (may or may not be there--doesn't play the outside) are not the guys who can move up into play and make crosses to our guys in front of the net(McBride, Donovan, Johnson, and Wolff). So you may ask "Why do we need that type of player?" I would answer "Without Sanneh or a player like him, we cannot mount quick outside attacks like we did in the previous WC." With defenses having to take a Tony Sanneh into account, more openings in the middle were possible and thus, more opportunities to score. Therefore, our game will lag and we won't have many chances to take shots on goal against good defenses. This makes it even more important for us that we have a HEALTHY MIDFIELD with Reyna and O'Brien running the show, one thing we are WELL AWARE of it seems. My hope is that Tony could get back into form and make the team, but most on this site feel that isn't possible. He certainly won't have the speed he did 4 years ago. Yet, it is MORE LIKELY that SANNEH can do it rather than MATHIS getting back into form and making the team. So go figure. In any case, I challenge anyone out there to name one U.S. defender who can even do anything close to what Sanneh has done for us in the past? Oh, guess what--you can't! We may still make it out of our group with good defense(not great), solid midfield play, and a few spectacular plays (EJ or DMB or McBride) but we will not beat the Brazil's and Argentina's of the world without more offensive weapons in our arsenal--Sanneh was certainly one such type of weapon. I'm anxious, like everyone, to see the final roster for Germany in May or early June!! BEFORE---BEFORE you make your comments, just watch the OUR WAY DVD and you will see what I am talking about.
This is a joke right? That was four years ago. Watch all his play from the last 4 years, then comment.
Obviously, I don't expect a Revolution fan to read everything I wrote. Yes, that was four years ago! However, I said if not Tony, then a player who plays like he did in 2002. OR AT LEAST A PLAYER THAT PLAYS LIKE HE DID IN 2002---Maybe I should have put it in CAPS. The fact is we have guys who can play defense, but can't be expected to do much more than that--UNLESS we are on a set play in the other team's zone of course.
Ooh, witty comment, but your point has nothing to do with the statement I made. Now try reading what I wrote again and think before you write!
For my money Cherundolo IS that type of player. He IS NOT too timid to get forward. And you said TONY SANNEH OR AT LEAST A PLAYER THAT PLAYS LIKE HE DID IN 2002. In other words if we can't find someone else take him. Where did I misread? And then you compare him to two center backs in Gibbs and Bocanegra? And when you mention Lewis is a midfielder what about the fact he's likely to be our starting left back in the WC?
I like Cherundolo, but he doesnt have the speed Tony had. If you watch Tony against Germany, he sprints up the right side so fast the Germans are almost spellbound like they didn't know he could do that when they had ample time to evaluate him when he was in Nuremberg (sp maybe). Then he makes a cross to Donovan I think and the header goes wide. Dolo doesn't have that so far as I have seen and I do watch the Bundesliga on FSC to keep up with him. Maybe Dolo isn't timid, but he can't pull that off. No, I am not saying if we cannot find someone else then take Tony. Only take Tony if he is able to get back to 2002 form. Otherwise, Arena will have to do the best he can. I am really saying that we need a player who plays like Tony did in 2002. I don't see such a player in our depth chart. Thus, we are without a weapon we got very comfortable with in 2002. As far as Gibbs and Boca, I was comparing Sanneh with our current list of defenders who will likely start in Germany. Lewis is a left-mid, not a left-back. Now if Arena changes that, then I will down a brew and toast your prediction! I was not writing this to be negative on our team, but more to see if someone would pull out a name of someone who could fill Tony's shoes. Now that I think about it, maybe Oneywu could do it. I haven't seen him move up into the play in the games he has been in--like against Mexico and playing in the center certainly may limit him from doing so. But, maybe Bruce will work on that. I hope so!
i have to agree to the extent that 1) sanneh's performance in the '02 cup was one of the best ever by a player wearing a usa jersey. 2) sanneh circa '02 is better than anyone else that we have on defense right now. in particular, heydude and cherundolo. 3) it wouldn't hurt to have arena consider him. having said that, i don't know if he is really a legit contributor. he hasn't played a lot of international games lately? whats the story on his health and conditioning? i think that more than anything, his health will be key. i don't think bruce can afford to take any players not at 100%...
Mr and Mrs. Sanneh, welcome to Big Soccer! to get serious for a second, i think your original post makes one oversight that negates the doom n gloom tone of your post, and it is this: You almost seem to assume that the rest of the team is at the same skill level it was in 2002. In reality, this team is improved drastically in several departments, as well as in depth. 4 years ago, we were rarely spoiled for choice in positions. now we actually have options. We have formation options as well, but this time its out of ability and not out of necessity. Factor in the fact that more of our players play and train in better leagues, get considerable playing time in those leagues and that the quality of MLS has increased as well, not to mention that players like McB, LD, Beasley, Boca have experienced several years of professional growth as well. In short, i think we're doing alot better comparatively than some of us realize. Do we have weaknesses? Sure. But so do England who are most people's second ranked team. they have issues on the left, and still are trying to discover the best way to make Gerrard and Lampard work effectively in the middle. (yes, i wish we had that problem). Brazil is wondering how to shore up its central defense. Czechs are wondering how to counter conditioning and speed problems on defense. Everyone has an Overall, i think what we have now is far superior to what we had in 02.
I don't know, I've always thought of Cherundolo as faster than Tony, and a considerably better crosser. Granted, he will never have the size or strength Tony does. I think what happened is Sanneh simply played out of his mind for 2 weeks. If you had said to most US fans before WC2002 that we need Tony Sanneh because of his unique ability amongst US players to mark Figo and Ballack out of the game, and hit great crosses, they would have laughed in your face. Maybe someone will step up like Tony did in 2002, maybe someone won't. That's why they play the games. But to assume Tony can all of a sudden get back to a level he hasn't played at since before his back troubles started, or that US soccer simply create this said player type out of thin air in the next 4 months is kind of ridiculous IMO.
IIRC, Sanneh played really well in the run-up to the WC as well. He played especially well in our final tune-up friendly against the Netherlands (in a 2-0 loss where Regis got burned on the other side), defending well and moving into the attack at times. He also played very well in the Cup, no doubt. Also, he made a very nice cross to McBride against Portugal. However, it was Eddie Lewis who crossed the ball (from the left flank) to Donovan against Mexico. Against Germany, Sanneh WAS outjumped by Ballack on Germany's goal, and Sanneh directed a great cross from Mathis wide of goal. Mathis put the cross exactly where it had to be, and Tony should've equalized; he just flubbed it. That criticism aside, if Bruce knew that Sanneh would play in 2006 like he did four years ago, he'd take him in a heartbeat. More recent memories, however, are of Sanneh in the Gold Cup, where he played very poorly against generally inferior competition. Granted, Sanneh was working his way back from injury, but I'd have to say that at this point, Cherundolo has shored up our right back position well enough to earn the starting nod, regardless of Sanneh's form. 'Dolo has improved by leaps and bounds over the last WC cycle, while Sanneh's now on the decline. As for marking in the air, I think we'll take our chances with Gooch at CB. Bottom line: Tony's not going to Germany, but we won't miss the '06 version that much anyway.
The two plays that stand out in my mind re: Tony was the fact that he was beaten in the air, by a smaller Ballack, for the winning goal and secondly, he missed an absolute gimmie of a header in the waining mintues from Mathis in the same game.
good point. we also have more depth than ever before. hopefully someone else will step up the way tony did.
Hey guy let's get back to reality please. T.Sanneh was a mediocre international talent who simply had a great 4-5 games. I agree he raised his game to just an unbelievable level then he went back to his usual ways. He overall was not overly skilled, he was big and strong but more of a lumbering speed not quick. We have players such as Onyewu, Cherundolo, Gibbs, Pearce who in fact has much more innate skill than Sanneh ever had. This doesn't guarantee they'll play to such the level that Sanneh did in WC2002, but odds are we will have someone who will based on their base skills. Who that is and if that results in wins at WC2006 is with the Soccer gods.
Thank you! A very good post and what I was looking to see in part. I agree we are a more experienced and possibly more talented team this WC coming up.
I think it very likely that Sanneh will never pull on a Nats jersey ever again and certainly not for the WC. We're talking about a guy who will be 35 when the WC starts and played a total of 12 or so games for the basement Columbus Crew in 05 due to back troubles. I don't know if he hasn't even retired altogether. The point is that reminiscing about the past will do us zero favors in Germany. The issues I find more worrisome are about the Nats ability to create genuine goalscoring chances or about their disturbing tendency to rarely attack the goal directly and force it out wide for a cross instead of taking a shot. As for the question of wingbacks, Dolo and Pearce both have better speed and dolo certainly has better crossing ability though I've seen little of Pearce. I think all we can do is hope that the pressure of the world's biggest stage will bring out the US team we saw 4 years ago in Korea and not the rather toothless and middling one that has taken its place since. What happened to the speed and crispness that dispatched Portugal and dominated Germany for a good portion of the game? I think there are more pressing issues than nostalgia for a rather mundane defender who's shining moment has come and gone, not to belittle any of the great moments he certainly had in 02.
I agree that Tony had a monster tournament but if you look at the defense as a whole, I think that we are much stronger across the board than we were in 2002. You figure Agoos, Heydude, Sanneh, Pope and Berhaulter were the defenders that played the most. You look at now, Dolo, Gooch, Gibbs or Pope, and JOB or Lewis and we are in pretty good shape if everyone is healthy. Gibbs is a great man-marker, maybe better than Sanneh was, when healthy. Of course healthy being the key there. Dolo is an upgrade in my opinion and we did not have a top physical presence such as Gooch in the middle. The only question would be the left side and Agoos made some huge blunders and we still ended up getting through to the quarters. JOB or Lewis or maybe even Pearce would be fine in my opinion and not a downgrade from Agoos. Point being, I would rather not worry about one shut down defender and more concerned with the defense as a whole, which is better across the board in my opinion.
I think Hejduk has had more and more impact on the offense, sending quite a few nice crosses in over the past year or so for the MNT, plus being very fast and steady in defense of the right side. I think between Hejduk and Gooch (nice size and pretty solid defender and a good target on corners) they'll be able to cover for Sanneh's absence, while Pope and/or the others should manage well enough on the left. Yes, we'll certainly miss Sanneh if he's not with us, but I think we'll manage. I think our defense has been rather solid over the years. I think it's the right midfield/striker combination that is going to make the difference. I'm very interested in evaluating all the possible midfield/forward candidates over the course of the next few friendlies to see who emerges from the newbies to the camp such as Rolfe (really liked him in his first cap), Adu, Johnson, etc. Wolff has been a personal favorite of mine since Summer Olympics of 2000, and Mathis was until his lackluster season with Real Salt Lake. I still like Wolff on the left and McBride on the right, but I'd like to see Johnson and Ching in there as well, depending on the opponent. Our midfield as always been our weakest link probably, but I think they're coming into their own as well, especially if Reyna can stay healthy. And did you see Ben Olsen's performance in this last WCQ? He (along with Rolfe) made a great impression on me that game - came out with fire. I want him in as a defensive midfielder for sure - maybe trading off with O'brien - perhaps next to Reyna where Armas used to play. Donovan, of course. Beasley I love for his speed and smart one-two work with Donovan. I don't know....I'm feeling really good about our team, especially with Brazil not being as strong lately as they have in the past - Italy will be tough of course - and the Czech republic just because they're so well-matched against us position for position. But I'm optimistic overall. Sanneh was a great asset to us in '02, but I think we've filled his shoes nicely - others have stepped up and will continue to step up. One thing we've gained a lot of is confidence, and that will help against the big names for sure. Sorry for rambling on. Go USA!
BEFORE---BEFORE you started this thread, you should have watched him with the Fire in '05. He is not the player you saw in the WC anymore. And he wasn't that great in the WC anyhow. We have a better defense than we did in '02. He also got beaten at least twice in the box by the Poland forwards. Wasn't he also the one that fouled to give 'em the PK? Sanneh had some great moments in the WC, but some bad ones too. If we wouldn't have qualified from the group, BS posters would've been much more critical of his bad performance in the Poland game. And if we would've expected the US to beat Germany like England always expects to win, Sanneh would've been criticized endlessly for the terrible lack of concentration on the Ballack goal. Ballack outjumped him? C'mon, Sanneh didn't even try to head the ball away!