Re: Update I am a Rev fan and see Franchino all the time. He has been playing absolutely superbly this season. He has always had good skill, speed and fight, but he has learned to calm down and play with his head more. He is now the Rev captain. I would say he is the best left back playing in MLS right now, by a wide margin. In addition to his very tough D, he takes many of the free-kicks by the Revs and is an excellent passer out of the back. He is a no-brainer to get serious consideration at a weak position for the USA.
as for the other Revs, Adin Brown has finally become the player he was expected to become. Definitely on the short list for 06. He looks like the young Brad Freidel. He is exceptionally fast for a guy that HUGE. Hernandez.... I am not sure. He may be a bit slow for the international game. Worth a look but not as clear a possibility as Franchino and Brown. I would also throw Jay Heaps onto this list. Have you guys seen him lately. He has improved ALOT!! Finally, his brain is matching his always good athleticism.
The Adin Brown I saw play against the Fire in the playoffs was VASTLY different than the Brown that played early in the year, when I wondered if Adin even had a future in the game, let alone prospects for a national team callup. But there's no doubt his improvement over the course of the year has been nothing short of remarkable. Still, he has a ways to go. He's a terrific athlete, with lightning reflexes, and imposing physical presence. He will make great saves. Yet, when it comes to the technical/mental requirements of his positon -- footwork, coming out, decision making on when to touch the ball (via catch or parry), general field sense -- it is clear he is still somewhat lacking and very much a young keeper. I don't know about his mental makeup or level of intelligence, but if he has some brains to go along with that huge and agile body of his, the upside could be significant. He's definitely worth watching, though his time may be in eight years, not four.
Re: Re: Players you are watching for 2006 "And Beckham saw Sullivan off his line . . OH! That is absolutely phenomenal! What an astonishing goal." Beckham's chip from the half was against Sullivan. Not that that makes him bad but that's what I think of when I think of him. And to be honest, I think the USA has better keepers than the English do.
My list: (None of it in any specific order) Goalkeeper: Tim Howard Nick Rimando Adin Brown Zach Thorton Kasey Keller Brad Friedel D.J. Countess Defender: Carlos Bocanegra Kelly Gray (mid or def) Danny Califf Eddie Pope Wade Barrett Jim Curtin Ryan Suarez Paul Broome Nelson Akwari Onyewu Steve Cherundolo And all the other yanks abroad I don't feel like naming Midfield: Kyle Martino Pablo Mastroeni Richard Muhlrooney Brian West Brad Davis Bobby Convey Ben Olsen John O'brien DMB Justin Mapp Craig Capano Peter Vagenas Forward: Conor Casey Edson Buddle Eddie Johnson Clint Mathis Jost Wolff Taylor Twellman Landon Donovan Devin Barclay Chris Carrieri My list is of people I will watch. I'm not expecting them all to be in the national team picture. Capano and Mapp may seem to be on the outside quite a bit but if you think about the way Donovan started getting regular first team action a year before the cup, think about the experience they'll get with playing several years before. One of them or both could break through.
Re: Re: Re: Update I don't disagree, I think Barrett is good. And he is from my alma mater so that gets extra points!!
Re: Re: Re: Re: Update That's cool. I live in Newport News and I saw William & Mary beat UVA a few weeks back. There were some good players out there.
I've heard the name and remember reading something about him a few years ago in soccer digest. What club or college or youth national team is he on now?
Re: Update Thank you. Nick had a stellar freshman season, helping the Wiz win the cup. 2001 was a bit of a sophomore slump for him, at which point he dropped off the screen of many national team watchers. His play this season, however, was a vast improvement, and should he continue perfecting his game, he could be a fierce contender for one of the defender positions. Not mentioned yet: Chris Klein- he had a few caps for the nats before an injury during a merconorte match put him out of the picture for the 2002 campaign. Now recovered, he had a great season with the Wizards, and has been named MLS Comback Player of the Year.
did someone mention John Thorrington yet? I would love to see this guy get more looks from Bruce. Isn't there a yank playing for blackburns u19 team? I read that the kid is a scoring machine.
MLS Cup Update Here's an update on the players in our thread who particpated in MLS Cup, and maybe some that didn't make this thread - yet: Keepers Brown - I took some flack at the beginning of this thread, but today was the perfect example of why I think Brown might edge Howard as the #3. His reflexes are simply brilliant. His stop on Ruiz from 12 yards out would have been made by two other keepers for the US - Keller and Friedel. He commands his box, IMO, even better than Friedel, and his ability to get high and low is as good as it gets. Even on Ruiz's winner, Brown nearly made a spectacular save. Given four more years of (hopefully) healthy professional experience, Brown's upside is unbelievable. Midfielders Hernandez - I thought Hernandez turned in an average performance today. Nothing outstanding, but he seemed to be following along the Rev's stand of don't make any mistakes, and let's see what happens. His role is pretty restricted with the Revs, and it will be interesting to see how he responds if he gets to play for Arena. Martino - I just wanted to mention that Kyle's ROY award should be congratulated. It is also one step further in the right direction, but I still think he is a year away from the MNT. Cullen - not mentioned in this thread. I thought Cullen really disappeared today, and when he was on the ball, he was nervous and hesitant, leading to a couple of turnovers. He has certainly had better games than the one he turned in at MLS Cup. I'm interested to see how Bruce might play Leo on the MNT. Ralston - The guy can put in a mean cross. I also think people around here underestimate his defense. One problem I think Ralston had today was that it was strategically easy for the Galaxy to focus their attention on Steve and take him out of the game, knowing that a threat up the middle from Hernandez and Cullen wasn't likely. Even still, Ralston showed flashes of why there is so much discussion surrounding him and his "fair" shot on the MNT. Vagenas - Here is a guy I've been watching for a while. He plays the defensive midfield position a bit differently than either Mastroeni or Armas, in that his focus is on shape and support, and doesn't chase the ball like a Chris Armas typically does. He isn't as physical as either Mastroeni or Armas, either. His upside, though, is his willingness and ability to shift into the attack. Right after he entered the game, he sends a through-ball from in front of his 18 to Ruiz. Ruiz was held by Franchino, who should have been carded out of the game. In overtime, Vagenas steps up to just outside the box, megs a defender on a pass to Ruiz, whose shot is stopped only on a remarkable save by Brown. From the second Vagenas stepped into the game, the Galaxy midfield took control and it was a one-sided affair. If Pete can get and stay healthy, I am curious to what, if any, plans Arena might have for him. Victorine - Reportedly called in by Arena, I really am not sure where he would fit in Bruce's system. Maybe that is because Sasha is about the most versatile player in MLS. He played a decent, but not a great game in the MLS Cup. Forwards Twellman - I really hope that part of Twellman's performance today, or lack thereof, was due to his injured knee. He really didn't impress. Defenders Franchino - This guy is tough, but let's cut the crap. He makes some questionable fouls, gets caught in bad positions, and was victimized by Cobi and Ruiz all day. He should have been carded out of the Cup. Califf - If a measure of a defender was the result of a one on one matchup against the league's top point getter, Califf is a giant. He shut Twellman down completely, and also had a great goal-line save, showing suprisingly quick reflexes. Unfortunately for Danny, a question remains. Did he dominate the league's most dangerous man, or a walking wounded? Lalas - I mention Alexi for fun. Great performance, great year, and my sincere congrats. I always loved him on the nats, if not for his skill, then for his willingness to mix things up.
Re: MLS Cup Update After watching a match played of critical importance, does anyone still want Franchino on the Nats? He easily could've rcvd 3 yellows a)professional foul on Cobi atop the box because he was beaten to the ball b)late and dangerous challenge on Cobi, though he prob didn't see him c) the a fore mentioned tug on el Pescalido. Nutmeg, I'd rather see cullen playing his natural position of center back or right back. In the Olympics, he the added shape and veteran leadership that Calif was lacking. They truly played more cohesive w/ him and since Pope doesn't seem to have an adequate sub(CJ Brown being a tad slow), I'd like to see him capped again.
On Vagenas, I just don't see how a player of his capabilities or skill set is going to find a position on the national team. He's neither fish nor fowl, neither d-mid nor c-mid nor even a hybrid. It always puzzled me why he was such a key guy for on the Olympic team, and LD was not, but then some of Clive Charles' decisions were always pretty mysterious. Meanwhile, the fact that Vagenas comes off the bench for this team in the most important game in franchise history is telling, I think. Cienfuegos comes off only because he is old. I thought Twellman had an off game, too, but once again I am VERY impressed with the hard-working attitude he brings to every game he plays, hustling on both sides of the ball, willing to do the little noticed, oft unappreciated duties (defending, checking, holding the ball, making combinations in the midfield) that completes the job description for a national team forward. That he scored as much as he did this season without a true schemer in central midfield, relying largely on re-directed Ralston crosses, I think speaks volumes. Imagine him combining instead with a cunning Reyna, O'Brien, or Landon Donovan?
Nutmeg, A player I really liked in the Cup was Victorine, playing a left midfield withdrawn to the point of being a left back in the second half. I was doing a pbp over on the LA forum, and at some point in the second half, I wrote "Victorine and Ralston are having a war over on the right flank." And I think that Sasha got the better of him in the second half, erally shutting down Ralston's opportunities. Can clearly come forward. You mention his versatility. Is he the answer at left back, which is basically what he was playing in the second half. ?
Re: MLS Cup Update I think this is a great idea. Got to agree. I think he has an outside shot as a two way mid, though I kind of like Vaegnas better. I think he is a year away, and I still think Convey will suceed better than him. I don't see it. To me, this game is a great example of why Ralston was not really in the mix last time. His game is really pedestrian. If you want to cross in the box, he is your guy. Otherwise, forget about it. Cobi is so much more creative, it is hardly worth talking about. Statistics be dammed! \ That was a great pass by Vaegnas and I think he has a real shot, though he has lots of competition. I really don't think Sasha will make much of an impression at the international level. I thought Twellman suffered from one thing only in my view -- a complete lack of midfield service. I think he looked fine given this huge handicapp. Not impressed either. His physical presence and the fact that he is a consistent starter on the league's clear best team, ought to make him a serious candidate. Talking about Alexi for what he is doing on the soccer field in a positive manner is fun.
Ghost, as we are so desperate right now for ANY answer, Victorine just might get a look there. There are a couple of players who could potentially get a look, but they are all serious question marks. Apparently Bruce has called him in for November camp, so we'll see. Martin, I only mention Cullen because he's reportedly been called in by Arena. Like you, I don't see where he fits in Arena's system. And like you, I see lots of competition for Vagenas, but if he can return to full health, coming off a season of injuries, I think he has an outside shot. It depends on what role Arena sees him playing.
I'm also a bit of a Vagenas fan. He's not at all spectacular, but he takes very, very good care of the ball. He keeps thing simple, makes good passes, positions himself well and gives nothing away. He looks to be an ideal role player in the midfield. He's the kind of guy who is just not going to hurt you out there. And, his taking penalties in the Olympics speaks well of his nerve and mental strength. His problem internationally is that we have guys like O'Brien and Reyna that can do what he does, plus they add a bit more to the mix. Other guys like Pablo add more defensive qualities. He can't really attack the wings like Beasley and Olsen when healthy. I think he's a fine all-around midfielder who unfortunately plays a role we already have covered quite well. Still, I expect he'll get some shots and could be a solid fill-in when injury or availability limits our midfield options. I wouldn't be surprised to see him make the final squad as a backup. Oh, and is anybody really calling for Franchino? I like tough defenders, but the guy was nothing but a hack out there. If he plays like that all the time, I'm surprised he stays on the field with any regularity.