The next US Right Midfielder

Too many questions right now. Is Olsen really healthy? Or is this one of those false recoveries we've seen before?

Are we actually going to use midfield wings or stick to a more box-like midfield?

My opinion is that if Olsen stays healthy his future lies as left or right wingback. I have no doubt in my mind that had Olsen been uninjured this year, he would have started as our left wingback where we saw Frankie Hedjuk play.

 

IMHO there are three solid choices for the foreseeable future.

Ben Olsen (provided he makes a full recovery and stays healthy) & Bobby Convey (provided he adds some 15 or 20 pounds over the next couple of years) are the most logical options, based on their skills, talent & potential.

How about John Thorrington, who plays in the English First Division??? I believe he's a RM & his post-match reviews are outstanding, 90% of the time. Think he deserves a cap, ASAP.

As far as Quaranta, isn't he, strictly, a forward?? Play him where he's most effective.

Olsen, Convey & Thorrington are capable of "running" the RM position for the next decade IMHO.

 

Convey is already taller and heavier than Beasley, so I don't see how he needs to add any more weight. He's also left footed, so I don't see him as the best choice on the right.

Quaranta can play wing, but his future should be at forward.

Thorrington has been playing 2nd Division ball - not 1st (I can't remember if they got promoted), so the jury is still out on how effective he'll be at the highest levels.

 

As of right now, I think it'll come down to Reyna, Olsen, Quaranta or Beasley. If Brad Davis continues to develop at his quick rate, he may well be ready to start by '06, and if that's the case, I see Beasley as the player more likely to be able to play on the other side of the field. Honestly, just based on gut instinct, I think our team will look more like a 3-5-2 for '06. We are short on good defense, so I'd like to see a 3-5-2 with Pope, Mastroeni and maybe Bocanegra in the back, with JOB and Reyna as twin d-mids, Beasley and Davis(or Olsen) on the wings and Donovan at A-mid. Mathis and Wolff up front.

JMac

PS: Yes, I realize that making predictions like this are totally pointless, but that's half the fun.

 

Tino does play as a forward for United. He and Jaime Moreno are our first choice pairing. I believe he has played at right mid for us just a couple of times though he has played the position for the youth teams from time to time.

 

I could see Carrieri getting a shot with the nat's possibly in the midfield. He's a hard worker, and he has the speed to get up and down the flanks. As for 'tino Q, I want him up front every time. I think we'll see one of our usual forwards getting pushed back into the midfield, since we have a plethora of attackers. Maybe even Wolfe on the outside? Somebody who doesn't usually play there, anyway.

 

Olsen played 30 minutes or so at forward for DC Saturday night. Looked healthy though he ran out of gas after about 15 minutes. Just missed on 2 shots and was very lively, like the Ben of old. I have not seen if he will play tomorrow night on the turf at Naperville or if they will hold him out until after the AS Break.

 

Olsen as a sub

We have all waited a long time for his return and hope that he will be fit in a short time. When healthy Beninho has always been a spark for the offense. At the international level, however, I can remember pretty ineffective play from him (as a sub), for example, The Gold Cup match vs. Colombia some years ago in Miami, which we lost on penalty kicks.

Just what is his track record internationally?

 

Re: Olsen as a sub

He was pretty bad that whole Gold Cup but played pretty well in other appearences with the Nats. I am not sure his stats but he was a key player on the U23 team taht placed 4th in the Olympics and had played a role in the Senior Nats before the injuries.

 

June 2001 - US-Equador. The same match that Mathis blew out his knee in training.

Got about 30 minutes and didn't really have that much of an impact.

 

Is Ralston completely out of the picture? From a distance in the past I didn't really notice how well he plays, his work rate at both ends of the field and especially his service into the box. Now that I get to see him everygame I am convinced that he should at least be in the picture and get some consideration. It has been amazing to watch him work with Twellman this season. Maybe I'm just a biased REVs fan but I think he at least deserves another chance.

 

*If Olsen stays healthy, he's the front-runner, period. Don't worry about his fitness, as it will come back. He has a huge set of lungs and pre injury he could run all day.

*I don't think Ralston should be written off. I'm not saying he's gonna be our David Beckham but he's playing too well, and too consistently, in MLS to be forgotten and he's only gonna be 32 in the World Cup. While not young, it's not too old to be effective.

And now, 3 names for the future.

*Marcus Storey, a rising sophomore at North Carolina, where he was ACC Rookie of the Year last fall. Think a right-footed version of DaMarcus Beasley. He's not quite as good as Beasley but he's just as fast and a little bigger. Currently plays a lot of forward but has played some wide mid. Besides his skills, the kid's a winner, having won USYSA titles this summer and last sandwiched around an NCAA title last fall. He'll be 23 in June, 06.

*Adolfo Gregorio, a rising junior at UCLA. Not nearly the athlete Storey is but a technically sound player who is a very good crosser. He's an alum of the original Bradenton group and was on the U17 team that came in 4th in NZ in 99 and is currently in the U23 pool. He'll also be 23 in June, 06.

*John DiRaimando, the starting right mid for the current U17 team. Guillermo Gonzalez has gotten more hype but DiRaimando is supposedly the better player. He is supposed to be a trememdous crosser (I say "supposed" because I've never actually seen him play and am going on what people have told me) and has good pace and also has a nose for the goal. He'll be 20 in June, 06, the same age Beasley and Donovan were in Korea.

 

Ha, Ha, Ha...You're funny! At first, I thought you were serious. Then, I realized that you must be a DC United fan who is remembering the glorious days of yester-year...

Reality Check: Ben had/may have the potential to be better than Earnie, but he has never shown it at the USMNT level. I remember him as a 'rag doll' who get up and down the field for 90 minutes, but he wasn't much of a scoring threat and could be taken out of his game by physical play. His cross was OK to weak.

I hope Ben recovers in the next year or two and becomes an option at right-mids...

 

And Ben Olsen has done even less in the past year and a half.

 

touche

 

I don't think it is simply bias. He was here in Denver the other night and looked very good. I don't think he has Olsen's speed ( of course maybe even Ben doesn't have Olsen's speed anymore, if you know what I mean) but he is a solid option on the flank.

 

Sorry, if you are a fan of US Soccer, who scored the most goals in WC '02 qualifing games for the US?

Stewart Bio:
2001: Had a banner year for the USA, contributing key goals and leadership … Honored as the Chevrolet 2001 Male Athlete of the Year … One of two players to play in every match of final round qualifying … Scored five goals in 10 matches … Took a Josh Wolff backpass and slotted home the insurance goal in the USA’s 2-0 win against Mexico on Feb. 28 … Unleashed a bending 35-yard rocket to open the scoring against Honduras on March 28, a match the U.S. would win 2-1 in San Pedro Sula … Scored two goals in the 3-2 return leg loss to Honduras at RFK Stadium on Sept. 1 … Sported the captain’s armband five times …

Stewart, who started 15 of the USA’s 16 qualifying matches in the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign, recorded one of the USA’s most memorable goals when he scored the game winner against Colombia in the 1994 World Cup. Stewart is the all-time leader for the U.S. in World Cup qualifying appearances (27) and goals (9).

 

All true, but Stewart's USMNT career is over and I thought the title of this thread was "The next US right midfielder". That would rule out Stewart, so lets stay on the topic here - if Benny is healthy, he will surely be in the mix. But he has alot of catching up to do. My bet would go to J. Thorington who is about to explode in England, and I am sure some EPL team will find him at a bargin rate.

 

Stewart scored most of his goals when playing as a forward, or playing in central midfield.

When Stewart played on the right wing, or left, he looked mediocre.

When Olsen played right wing for the USNT prior to being injured he looked much better than Stewart has looked out wide for the Nats.

My right wingers for the future...

1. Chris Klein - Was injured the end of last year, had surgery in December IIRC. He would have been in the USNT pool in early 2002. Having a great MLS season so far. 30 in 2006.

2. Ben Olsen - Based on past play he should be #1. If he recovers fully he will only need to prove it on the field. He looked really good on Saturday vs. New England. 29 in 2006.

3. Brian West - Poor first touch and average cross, but can get better. He will end up better than cobijones. Arena likes him, which is a benefit. Alternate for 2002 World Cup squad. 28 in 2006.

4. John Thorrington - If he was healthy in 2000, he was the starting right winger at the Oly's (Olsen was on the left). He is quick and very good on the ball. Contrary to Ian Bishop's opinion, the English 2nd Division (3rd level) is not = to MLS, but more like mid-to-bottom table A-League. 27 in 2006.

5. Devin Barclay - Good speed, better touch than West. Only needs more experience. Could be heard from in 2004-05. Would Arena move him out here from forward? 23 in 2006.

All the other U23, U20, U18, and U17 players need to turn pro or get more pro experience before being mentioned - at this point - for the Senior team. I'm not saying one of them can't or won't get the shot in two years time, but they better get a move on because it will be harder and harder for the youngins to crack the pool.

Santino Quaranta should be kept in the center of the park as a forward - where he playes for Washington DC. Can you say Ruud Gullit or Marco van Basten?

Steve Ralston should be mentioned, he could be playing the best ball in MLS at the moment. But he will be 32 in 2006 as a 10 1/2 year MLS vet with 275 games. Some very good experience. I don't like to put to much emphasis on age, but it is reality. I mean who cares what age you are if you can get the job done. I'm just afraid that he and Jason Kreis are in the same boat - very good pros, just not US Nat material in Arena's eyes.

 

I'm not so sure about that..

He grew up playing the right sided midfield for the U-17's and has mostly played forward for United out of necessity (being that Moreno is always injured and there simply is no one else to play the position effectively for United)..

With his size, skill and tremendous workrate (he runs all over the field and plays very good defense) he would be tailormade to play the outside right midfielder in a 3-5-2 formation..