Why in the world are folks comparing Adu with Ching? They play totally different roles, and neither one is at all suited to handle the other's role. It's just like all the moaning that Adu wasn't starting games but Pearce was. Well, if Adu was a left back, I guarantee you he'd get a serious chance to start for the US, because the US has a serious hole at that role. And if Adu were 6'1" and 180 lbs, I bet he'd be starting as the physical, work-horse target striker over Ching more often, too. Adu's "problem" relative to the other US players, is that prior to the recent T&T game, Adu had to beat Donovan out of the second striker role, the only role that currently suits Adu. THAT simply wasn't going to happen; Adu isn't going to push the best all-time US attacking player to the bench. And, based on that recent T&T game, Altidore is now also ahead of Adu in the role of mobile, free-floating striker. And if push-comes-to-shove, I bet Dempsey also starts ahead of Adu as the free second striker. Adu is competing against several of the US's most gifted players for the second striker role. It's really quite simple. There is no conspiracy. The coaches don't hate the kid. Indeed, this 19 year old club bench player is being promoted and played by the US far more than any similar teenage bench player in the world -- 14 appearances as a Senior or U23 player in 2008, the most of any player in the US system. Lashing out at players who fill totally different roles than Adu is a waste of time.
But why does Adu have to beat out Donovan for the SS spot. First, i clealy see Donovan as our LM form here on out. Second why not have Altidore and Adu up top together. I feel the system Bradley plays is doomed for any chance next year against the worlds best teams. Adu took control of our offense agianst one of the best teams in the world.......while he was in front of the empty bucket....and that was without a Ching type player next to him who could "hold the ball up" for him, so thus i doubt we even need that robotic role of "hold the ball up well and backpass"........Altidore can hold the ball up plenty. Almost every game Adu plays you can clearly see he is our playmaker/gamechanger and makes this team better, why sacrifice that or players for a system of fitting square pegs into round holes?
Easy... I'm not saying the qualities of Ching are near the highest but he has the characteristics to be a target forward and in that way, is "complete". Ching isn't out there to score goals for the US as much as he is to bring the midfielders and other forward into play. Right now I believe he performs a serviceable function by banging around with defenders and wearing them down. Then bring Jozy on with 20 minutes or so in the game to give them a different look. Adu has looked good in the "youth" matches and friendlies. That is a long way from sr matches that actually mean something.
The top 4 attackers now: --------------Ching-----------Altidore---------------- Donovan------------------------------------Dempsey In the future most likely will become: -----------------------Altidore------------------------- Donovan---------------Adu-----------------Dempsey Whether you or me or anyone like it or not, it will be Adu and Ching competing for one starting position up top when the time comes.
I have said this many times and I will say this again. Playing friendlies and youth WC games against international/world class teams and players will tell you a lot more about yourself than playing meaningful games against the minnows of CONCACAF. We have always done well against CONCACAF and what did it do for us when we play in serious international tournaments?
I don't have any problem with either your characterization of NOW and your perspective on what things could look like down the road. Your future perspective is exactly what US coaches Rongen and Nowak did with Adu at the U20 Cup and the U23/Olympic team. EXACTLY. And Nowak works for Bob Bradley, so you can bet BB was closely involved in how Adu was deployed under Nowak. This is indeed a very likely future deployment, based on all the clues available from past US use of Adu. But right now, in early 2009, with qualification unassured and physical road matches pending, BB will behave exactly like 99% of professional coaches on the planet and he will not turn over the keys to the Senior National team offense to TWO teenagers who are reserve bench players for their clubs. It looks like he's about to roll the dice with one (Altidore), but both is simply not viable at this time. All the Adu moaning about NOW is misguided and misplaced; the US coaches clearly love the kid. Patience grasshopper.
And when has Ching looked good outside of Barbados,Cuba, and Sweden "C" team. You Get the drift....... Do you expect Ching to do anything against the defenders in the World Cup....they will dominate him........he will disappear like he usually does once we play teams above the caliber of CONCACAF minnows. Unless you think Barbados,Cuba, Greneda are going to be in the World Cup, then i guess you are correct...... The guys wheels are starting to fall off, I woudlent mind having a 2005-2007 Ching out there, but this 2009....i think thats what people forget. He disappeared and lost possesion many times vs a Mexico "B" team in C-Bus in February, just how bad would it have been if it was a Mexico "A" team?. "Right now i believe he provides a servicable function by banging around with defenders and wearing them down".................do you relize defenders dont get weared down from just being banged around, they get weared down from......... pace,skills,off-the ball movement and being banged around....the 4 together. It seems like you feel comfortable with fielding a line-up of robots who are one-dimesional and follow orders well.
He should be praised for doing exactly what Bob Bradley has been asking him to do: Hold the ball up and set up other players. Bradley hasn't been depending on him for goals, he's asking his midfielders to do that and it's a damn good thing too because if our striker depth doesn't improve quickly then goals are going to HAVE to come from the midfield next year in SA.
You tell us. Although I'm sure your opinion is that he simply isn't good enough there ARE other reasons why a player wouldn't want to move to another country...
This is false. It wasn't until recently that we became a power in CONCACAF and even now it's still difficult for us to get results on the road (as it is for any team in any conference anywhere in the world).
On the flip side Ching fights for every ball and wins almost every physical battle whereas Adu is constantly on the ground yelling at the ref to call a foul. The reality is that Adu is not going to get those calls in CONCACAF. As far as following orders: It's called a game plan and if a player isn't on the same page as everyone else and doesn't stick to said plan then the odds on losing increase dramatically (regardless of whether or not the plan is a bad one!). Look, I'm just as excited as everyone about the young talent in our setup and I think that both Altidore and Adu can be very VERY good players, but it seems pointless to $hit on Ching while pimping Adu when BOTH players have holes in their game.
lol...........you just proved how fishy BB's gameplan is.......................Fowards are supposed to score goals............not just midfielders. Midfielder's main job is to support and create for the fowards......not Fowards supporting midfilders when attacking towards goal.
i dont like the generalizations of whether ching plays well or not (basing solely on goals).... its not so black and white with ching... he adds more to the US then just goal scoring... and as a target forward, goal scoring is not his ONLY job.... lets do a comparison shall we?? Brian McBride- 96 games for the US and 30 goals.... 31% Brian Ching- 36 games for the US and 9 goals..... 25% while there is a difference, my point is that the target forwards in our system have never been massive goal scorers.... IF ching keeps the 25% he'll notch 24 goals in 96 games... of course i dont think Ching will ever get to 96 games, but to bash him for his scoring rate seems strange as he's not too far off of some of our fan favorites to answer your question, ching has done ALOT for the USMN in these qualifying games... while it hasnt necessarily been scoring goals, as i pointed out, the target forwards in our system have never been massive goal scorers....
i dont like your flat way of thinking... it is not this way or that, football is fluid.... forwards do more then scoring... midfielders do more then create and support... defenders do more then defend.... your post was incredibly weak
players follow the plan presented by the coach... agree or disagree its gotten results.... whether or not its the answer for WC10, we wont know till 2010....BB has done well to incorporate youth into a vet filled squad...
If you think Mexico brought their 2nd-tier players to play against us in Columbus in February... There's really no point in going further. I mean, how can one argue with that statement?
Heck, Ching didn't even want to move to Houston from San Jose when that franchise got relocated, if you'll remember...
In order for this team to have any sucess against top teams goals will have to come from a TEAM effort. We do not have a world class striker and our overall striker dpeth is very thin. Bob cannot rely on his strikers alone scoring goals against top teams.
That's what you always fall back on. You don't even take time to think about my post. To say that Adu is more of a team player than Ching at this point I think is false. Because the U.S. has no world class talent this team's sucess against a quality side will depend on how well they can work as a unit. It seems as though Altidore is beginning to realize what kind of effort and teamwork is required at the full National level. I have yet to see an indication of the same from Adu.
No, I am comfortable fielding a line-up of players that have the physical attributes required for international play and can be counted on to make good decisions on-the-ball and off-the-ball. Players who understand their role within the team and take the responsibility to attack and defend within that role. Players who understand the impact of their actions on the team and channel those actions accordingly. You can't do the above as a robot as you have to be aware of the situation, your teammates' positioning and the defenses' positioning at all times and make good decisions based on the inputs. That isn't being a robot nor is it following orders. That is being a football player. Also, while I like Ching, I am concerned about him for SA mainly due to his pace. I hope Jozy's game matures substantially in the next year. It is a lot to ask for a 19 - 20 yr old striker. There is no way that two 20 yr olds will play up top for us at SA.