Spaghetti Weston: McKennie at Juventus

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by hokeydokey, Jul 7, 2016.

  1. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    McKennie subbed in early in the 2nd half.

    Douglas Luiz gave up a PK with a clumsy tackle. That and some late drama over a Conceicao red card resulted in a 1-1 final.

    Juventus misfiring on multiple chances to get a second goal proved costly.
     
  2. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    Douglas Luiz really struggling to adjust.
     
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  3. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
  4. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Vibes are underrated in footie.

    I think the lesson is clear. Start Wes or give up points.
     
  5. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    You can say that again... oh wait!

    It does remind you that not everyone moves teams or leagues with equal ease. Some set-ups/situations are just better for a player and you can't be sure the new shoe will fit as well.
     
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  6. lmorin

    lmorin Member+

    Mar 29, 2000
    New Hampshire
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Musah's has deteriorated, IMHO, and I am really sorry about that!
     
  7. FC Tallavana

    FC Tallavana Member+

    Jul 1, 2004
    La Quinta
    Stats don't back that up. He's just always been a dribbler rather than a passer. His actual passing percentages a just fine. He's just gotta learn to move the ball that way more often.
     
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  8. Mt Stone@

    Mt Stone@ Member+

    Apr 30, 2016
    USA
    Club:
    Tottenham Hotspur FC
    For that reason I think Musah should play wider. He should maybe go back to being a wide midfielder.
     
  9. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    He's having the Italian career I had hoped Michael Bradley would have had a decade ago.
     
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  10. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I think Wes is a more skilled player. He has the work ethic and physical intensity of Bradley, but Wes' ball skills and tactical recognition are better. He's maybe (maybe) missing Bradley's "passion" off the field
     
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  11. felloveranddidanadu

    Plymouth Argyle FC
    Dec 12, 2009
    Club:
    San Jose Frogs
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Prime Bradley was a very good player. His ankle sprain during a usmnt warmup was the beginning of the end of his European career. Wes has probably eclipsed Bradley at this point but he was known as MB90 for a reason...
     
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  12. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    Interesting - hadn't thought much of them as a comparison, but I think of Wes as a more dynamic player but also more inconsistent. Wonder what the underlying stats say.
     
  13. russ

    russ Member+

    Feb 26, 1999
    Canton,NY
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Their passions lie in different directions.Mike gets in people's faces to defend the family honor.Wes gets his face into some manicotti to stay strong and powerful.
     
  14. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    I'm not hating on Bradley, I was hoping it would come off more as a compliment. I actually think Bradley was, unfortunately, a little ahead of his time... the "luxury no. 10" and the "destroyer no. 6" were just starting to be phased out in favor of the hard-working AND creative 8/10 hybrids of today when he moved to MLS (ex - De Bruyne was juuuust starting to really grab people's attention at Bremen when Bradley left Europe). If Bradley was like, 6 or 7 years younger, I think he would've been in higher demand.
     
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  15. dark knight

    dark knight Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Dec 15, 1999
    Club:
    Leicester City FC
    Is that what he means by Man Up?
     
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  16. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'd agree in some areas.

    But Bradley could hit pinpoint 75 yard switch of play crosses. Arguably better than any American ever. He was also pretty adept on the turn and during his prime could set the tempo as a fulcrum. Also has the edge as a goal threat off his feet.

    Wes is superior on the dribble, quick combo play and vertical passes/vision in the attacking 3rd.

    Frankly they're pretty different and Wes has much more Jermaine Jones in his game. Theoretically Wes next to a Bradley would be a great pairing with Bradley the deeper of the two.
     
  17. falvo

    falvo Member+

    Mar 27, 2005
    San Jose & Florence
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Michael Bradley did ok at Chievo but when he went to Roma, he was kind of doomed.

    By going to Roma though, he landed the huge DP contract at TFC.

    If he had not had gone there, he may not have gotten that great offer.
     
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  18. An Unpaved Road

    An Unpaved Road Member+

    Mar 22, 2006
    Club:
    --other--
    Bradley did well enough. Especially at that time being able to contribute to Roma for a while and starting for a smaller Serie A club was something of an achievement for an American abroad. The overall bar has been raised and that’s great but a Bradley level career is something most guys would take in a second.
     
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  19. felloveranddidanadu

    Plymouth Argyle FC
    Dec 12, 2009
    Club:
    San Jose Frogs
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This take nails it. And also Bradley (up until his injury), like Wes, rose his game at nearly every stop. His peak was basically a Europa level, while Wes is proving he's Champion's League. Funny that now Europa level feels a bit quaint.
     
  20. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Not to further the derail, but Bradley and WC has bad timing (in terms of a Roma career - not necessarily MB's life itself, which seemed to have been pretty fine in Toronto from outward appearances.) Stroopwaffle, the Dutchie they brought in to "replace" MB blew a tire in Feb/March, I think it was, and had MB stuck around he would likely have been Roma's starter for the last dozen games or so, but, of course, you can't predict stuff like that - but luck (good or bad) plays a big role in a lot of players fortunes in the short term. But in 12/13 MB was pretty much Roma's lock starter going 90 in at least 2/3 of the team's games if I remember. I was in Rome just after he left and local spoke fondly of him for the most part. Wes is for sure having a better Italian adventure, but by not by leaps and bounds (yet).
     
  21. schrutebuck

    schrutebuck Member+

    Jul 26, 2007
    Through the summer of 2023, I actually thought that Bradley and McKennie have had oddly parallel careers in Italy. Both had 2.5 seasons mixed with some strong play, some okay play, untimely injuries, and a failed loan to England.

    Both played for clubs that competed in the cup, McKennie won the Coppa Italia, Bradley lost in the final. McKennie's Juventus has perpetually fallen short in the title race, while Bradley left (despite having been getting on the field) a Roma team that was 1st or 2nd the entire season.
     
  22. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Agreed! I'd also add that they both arrived in Italy coming from North Rhine-Westphalia ;)

    I will note that Bradley was only at Roma for 2 seasons (and, really, more like 1.5). His most productive (12/13) saw Roma finish in 6th. The next season (13/14), Roma finished 2nd, but Bradley only played 550'. By comparison, Wes' most productive season (23/24) saw them finish 3rd, which is the best finish the club has had since Wes arrived.

    But club success isn't a great way of comparing 2 individual players, and both of them were/are top-tier Yanks abroad. My personal and highly subjective opinion is that Wes has become a more skilled player than Bradley, but I don't think this should take away from Bradley's career. I'll also say that I don't think we've gotten the best of Wes in a US jersey, unlike Bradley who had some of his best career performances for the national team. But that discussion is for a different forum :cool:.
     
  23. zlatan_but_a_car

    Botswana Meat Commission FC
    United States
    Oct 16, 2017
    Most of this is subjective, and I'm not gonna quibble, but I disagree with the Jones comparison. I probably made that comparison earlier in Wes' career, but I think he's evolved into a very tactically intelligent and disciplined player at Juve, which was something Jones was missing. I agree that Wes is unable to dictate tempo like Bradley did, but I think their skill sets have more in common than Wes and JJ.
     
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  24. ebbro

    ebbro Member+

    Jun 10, 2005
    The way I remember it, it wasn't for being a good player (which he was), at least when it was first used. People accused his dad of nepotism and were mad that he started virtually every game and was never subbed out, hence MB90.
     
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  25. NorcalHockeyhooligan

    Feb 25, 2012
    Club:
    Everton FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yep, that’s how I remember it as well. MB90 was not a nickname meant as a compliment.
     

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