Per another posters suggestion... we'll see how much talk this gets. Couple of interesting tidbits about Twellman in France so far. The first one being from a Carlos Bocanegra (sp) diary from France. Said that Twellman and some of the othe rguys were busy catipulting fruit and vegitables from the buffet at other guys on the team. If you haven't read any of the diaries yet, you should definately check them out. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54769 They're hillarious. Mark Connelly also mentioned in his recent column that some of the US coaches have "quietly wondered if the international game is too fast for TT." I think that TT should have himself on a mission to prove that creeping suspiscion absolutely wrong. I hope that he can at least. My question is, with Mathis trying to regain his form and standing with the national team, and JK apparently hanging around due to his recent performances, how much playing time do you see him getting in France. I know that McBride was left off the team partially as a means of getting TT a shot at developing into a target forward for the team, but assuming Mathis and JK get a lot of time at the forward positions, where does this leave TT. I'd hope to see him start at least one game, and suspect that he'd used as a 65th minute type sub. Ideally, JK would be taking a back seat so that TT could play of of the more creative Mathis who's shown that he can do a nice job of stringing balls to other people. However, if you're a Mathis fan you don't really want to see him passing up chances at the goal too much. Your thoughts, please.
Well with 3 games in 5 days I'm sure he'll see plenty of time. He got some today vs. Turkey ... but I won't comment on how he did since there is no [R] in the title and the game has yet to be broadcast on TV. As much as I love Taylor at the club level I'm having serious doubts that he'll ever really break through to the iternational level. I think he's just too one-dimensional.
Virtually every time I've seen Twellman play I've wondered the same. Look at him. Save for his dirty blond nugget, his physical stature is hardly impressive [He looks like a living, breathing bobblehead doll]. And, while he's got good burst and quickness, he's not likely to run away from most MLS defenders, much less the Frankie Hejduks of the world. How does he do what he does, though? He's fearless, almost to a fault often risking life, limb and an occasional cheapshot to the coconut [Yeah, you, CJ Brown]. He's tough [Remember the stud-topped hematoma he was gifted by Brian Dunseth last season?]. As far as I can tell he's an ultra-competitive prick on the pitch. Most importantly, he's a polished finisher - and, that goes a long way. Knowing Connolly, he's probably done his research on this topic. If he wrote it, someone of status said it. Knowing Twellman, he'll take it as a personal challenge and use it to his advantage. French Lesson by Marc Connolly - Tuesday, June 17, 2003 http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=269968&cc=5901 "Twellman is a player that the U.S. coaching staff likes, yet has quietly wondered whether the game is too fast for him at the international level. For someone like the 23-year-old Revolution striker that works for his strike partner and can finish when set up, it's important that he see time with creative players like Donovan and Mathis in order to truly evaluate his game at this level. With three games in five days, every striker will be counted on, so Twellman will have his chance to shine." P.S. Maxim-1: Interesting thread - keep bringing stuff like this to the table and you won't wear out your welcome.
http://www.ussoccer.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=37803 Twellman saw a little action yesterday when he came in for Berhalter [79']. Did anyone catch this match? If so, how did TnT do?
The Eurosport announcers hardly mentioned Twellman's name during the 11 or so minutes he played. I could only get it on audio, so I can't say for sure how he fared.
The U.S. didn't have much success getting the ball into the middle of the field near the penalty area while Twellman was on. And that goes equally for Donovan and Mathis. Stewart and Vanney both had disappointing giveaways on (or hopeless crosses from) the wings in the last third during that time -- I really though it was the wing and back play during this time, more than anything else, that let the team down. The two things I saw Twellman do were the sequence where he tried to knock the ball into the middle from the end line and another where he carried the ball for twenty or thirty yards out of the back (laid off from Howard, I think) and then handed off to someone in the middle.
I think what goes for Taylor could be said about the Nats generally. They are, at present, a step and touch slow for top level international play. That doesn't preclude their picking their game up a notch. In fact, that is what this tournament is about. I suspect they will do better v. Brasil and better yet v. Cameroon, although I also think we will emerge 0-3 from the experience. All the MLS teams in the CCC fared better in the second leg. It is as if the players took a look at what is required against non-MLS teams, sucked it up and improved. The same may well be the case for the USMNT and certainly for Taylor. There is no question in my mind that he is a better player now than he was a year ago at league level. While he may not be able to cope with the Samuel, Ferdinand, Maldini level of defenders he certainly will get better by playing. And that is what this tournament is all about, for all of them. Of course we are going to plummet down the charts from our #10 position but that isn't really the point if Twellman and his generation just keep learning and, hopefully, improving. JIM DOW
Twellman's a guy you love to root for. On the other hand, I don't know if he will cut it at the International level. It's not that he's not good enough, it's more a function of how the US plays as a team. Twellman's a pure finisher. He needs balls bouncing around in the box that he can latch onto. With our current skill level internationally, we don't generate many of those kind of chances. We have to score on half chances or a very special play or set piece. This is why Mathis, Donovan and McBride have more success then someone like Twellman. When we get to the point where we can generate sustained pressure inside our opponent's box, then Taylor will be successful at that level.
1. It's way too premature to conclude Twellman will or won't make it internationally. Internationally (at the senior level anyway), he's practically a virgin. 2. I bet he starts against Brazil. I think he came in against Turkey late to provide fresh legs but also get him out on the field, run off some nerves. Then he starts and probably plays 90 against Brazil, paired with Mathis and I'd bet Donovan at A-mid (but since LD went 90 against Turkey, then maybe Convey or Stewart is a replacement around minute 70 or 80 for LD).
In the 84th minute of the Brazil game and Twellman hasn't seen a minute. Armas, Califf, and Vanney play substantial (and woefully unimpressive) minutes. Taylor gets 10 minutes in a game being salted away and maybe a few in the consolation game against Cameroon. The enigma of the All-Knowing Bruce.
Great, now he'll get to see minutes with the Nats and Mathis and Donovan probably won't be on the field. And when Cameroon shuts down Convey and Martino and Twellman gets no chances, there will be more people saying he can't cut it Internationally. All I ask is he gets one game with Donovan playing together up top. Not that one game will tell us everything, but it's better than none
Twellman was supposed to start today against Brazil. He has the flu and was hospitalized for IV fluid yesterday. I'm surprised he played at all. If he's better, I think we will see more of him Monday.
Hospitalized? Was it overnight or was he an outpatient? IV? How out of it was he? Jeezus - that can't be good. Did he develop the flu while in France or did he go over with it? That being the case, is it wise that he even plays in this tournament?
Twellman just came up short on a good run that was spotted by Donovan. At the start of the run, I thought he was going to have a chance to do something good with it, but the ball stayed just out of reach and he wasn't able to keep the attempted cross in-bounds.
Ridge Mahoney reports today that TnT has a virus and a sinus infection and won't be available. "Taylor Twellman has been suffering from a virus and a sinus infection and isn't available." SoccerAmericaDaily e-mail newlsletter, June 22,2003
Who the heck knows for sure but I would think this means its almost a lock (since Twellman didn't get a chance for much of a trial in the Confed Cup) that he gets invited to the Gold Cup team. While it would be good for him to be part of that camp, that would mean the Revs would lose him for much of July. That also means (I think) that if McBride gets called into camp, while Twellman would get substantial practice time and acclimation time, it still wouldn't mean major minutes. No slam against Twellman, it's just that McBride is probably a better international forward than he is a club one (at least in terms of how the US team functions). At anyrate, while it is good for Twellman to get a better trial with the national team, it would seem to me to otherwise be the worst of both worlds: he is missing from his club but doesn't get a chance to start every or even most games b/c of McBride's presence.
It wasn't bad for a 7 minute showing by a sick guy in a game where his team was getting dominated. Who knows, had he been healthy, he might have gotten to that Donovan pass and put in a dangerous cross. On the other hand, I doubt I am the only Revs fan who will be just as happy if Twellman doesn't became a Nats regular while he's with the Revs. We need him too much.
More on Twellman's illness: http://www.mlsnet.com/content/03/us0622twellman.html On meds so he won't play today.
even though McB is my favorite player (ask any of my friends), i think this may be his last hurrah for the national team. he is 30, and i know the Bruce is looking for younger talent to bring up. If BA is looking for immediate results for winning, he will probably do what you said, but if he wants long term results, i would think we see Taylor a lot more to deveop him into international material.
And, the prospect of playing with a (hopefully) returning Reyna can only help TnT. The lack of any USA central Mid, and the service they should provide, has hurt the US GOAL SCORING and specifically TnT. Every game he plays and doesn't score makes his path to success more difficult. Reyna is the one guy who can and will deliver the ball to a hard working guy like TnT.
Yeah, the only thing he can do is score goals That reminds me of this guy who used to play basketball for Towson State. We used to say that Ralph Biggs would never be a star because the only thing he could do was dunk in traffic. I guess we were right.
this is from Gus Martins article today some of this has been mentioned in the Revs vs. Rapids pre-game thread but i figured that i'd put the full bit on his sickness in france here. not good news those types of things can be very serious. also disapointing to see him not starting this weekend.