www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php?mode=news&id=000288 Nice to see Robbie coming in, and something a lot of BS posters were hoping for.
Cool. I can finally get a chance to see this guy play. it would be nice if this guy is as decent as I've heard. that would certainly be one problem down the drain.
Think of this backline Boca---Gibbs---Gooch---Russell I think that backline would be bigger than the Germans'.
it'll be nice to see him play .... i never knew what he looked like until a few minutes ago. he's on the front page of the team website. curious to see if all the hype is worth it.
depending upon how you look at it. I assume that you are putting boca on the left and russel on the right.
He probably didn't know you existed either. No big deal. Check the Yanks Abroad forum once in a while? Go Blue Devils. Now to get Cila, Heaps, Whitfield, and Kreis call-ups. Pull Curtis and Dodd out of retirement. Almost a full squad! (Please now I'm just kidding)
cl - he was drafted by the Galaxy in 2001, I believe. Tim Luce was pretty high on Robbie at the time, but Robbie was very interested in pursuing Europe and didn't sign with the G's. IIRC, that's why he was drafted lower than he should have been.
Really? He's been talked about a lot on these Yanks Abroad threads. He's been playing in the Champions League this season. Man, now our backline is going to be huge and fast.
Well, this answers teh experimental vs. regular roster question. Now it's jsut a question of how experimental and at what point in the game. I would love to see what we have in Russell, for better or for worse. We know what we're getting from Frankie, and that's good and bad.
If Arena's callups of other players are any indication (EJ, Gooch), Russell may not actually get a cap, but Bruce will see in practice whether and/or how Russell can help the team. But I wouldn't mind Russell in there (probably late in the game a la Gooch).
I'm sick of Arena calling up all these new guys! I can't even pronounce these names. Gooch? WTF? Where's that dude with the red goatee? What about Cobi Jones? I thought we want to win? Last month all I read was how great BS was because he only played the old-timers, now this?! FIRE BRUCE!!!!!
Russell has been to a camp before (last Dec.?) before the Denmark match, so it's not unreasonable to think he might get some PT here.
It's very exciting to see Arena call up Russell. Obviously thats an area where we could use a little bit of strengthening. If Russell works out, he will bring a tremendous amount of depth to the position, as well as a very physical presence. He's not particularly tall, but he can bang with the best of them. Cherundolo, Russell, and Hejduk are nice options to have.
If he's calling in Russell, I won't be surprised to see him call in the other Americans playing in Norway, West (7 caps) and Barrett (1 cap), neither of whom have been in camp since 2002 but both of whom are reportedly playing well for Fredrikstad.
I think Russell will play and I can't wait to see him. This is different than Gooch's and EJ's situation because this game isn't as pressure packed as our earlier qualifiers. I think Russell has a lot to offer the backline and with Spector and Simek on the horizon, the defense for the US team looks promising.
West is not quality enough to get close to the NT anymore, and really never was. Barrett might be worth another look, but I doubt it.
I never thought West was either, but the accounts of his games in Norway seem to paint a different picture. He had many obvious shortcomings as a MLS player, but he seems to have improved. His finishing and crossing especially. At any rate, with his speed he's worth another look.
I think it's the january camp and which young players get called into it which is significant.... if you don't get called there, then I doubt you see pt in the hex... as to spector and simek....with pope and gibbs and berhalter and bocanegra and onyewu in the mix centrally....and you throw russell into the mix at RB, there's a huge list number wise and getting noticed will require exceptional play.... and russel has done it.... speaking centrally....robin fraser could even be in the mix before someone like spector....... imagine top 4 usa central defenders are injured...fraser has experience and has played well in mls.....arena would trust him more than a talented kid to go into azteca...and we'd here all the cries about it
If Spector gets a look it will probably be at left back. Guys like Dunivant, Burciaga, and Wingert might be in the mix as well. Simek has no chance in the middle for the US. Outside of the obvious choices in Pope, Boca, Gibbs, Berhalter, Onyewu, and Sanneh you have guys like Marshall and Conrad who would be next in line.