Chad Marshall is another guy I would like to see get a run out based on this year's form. As is Jose Burciaga. Heck, even Jeremiah White deserves a look based on precedent (Zizzo). However, since MLS refuses to take this international weekends off, any U.S. coach is going to have to deal with not wanting to stomp all over teams with loaded match schedules. Just sucks that Brazil has essentially no limitations in that regard, yet we have to work around all of these limitations.
It looks like they weren't going to be able to get they're class players anyway... Still think it's good to get these guys playing on foreign soil, regardless. sucks
The US team is has become a defensive shell. They're just not a pleasant sight to watch. OK, on paper it all adds up. We've got some young talent coming up that could make things interesting. Right now, I'm taking speed to stay awake during this dramafest. I really hope he proves me wrong but WTF is Eddie Johnson doing in the first team? By Bradley not calling up Altidore, to at least sit on the bench and maybe get a 2nd half nod, it shows me just how fragile things are on the front line.
I watched the game as well, and apart from a nice flick on at the end (credit where it's due) from a throw in, he was beaten in the air like a pinata.
You think Capello is so well versed on the intricacies of the U.S. national team that he brought up the oversight of Heath Pearce's selection?
could have sworn that was Deuce going right over the Spurs defender to pound the first goal in. Apart from that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?
You know, I think the Arnaud call-up is a reach, but sadly, he is a more effective player than Adu is right now. It's a man's game.
The truth is he is very poor in the air with his back to goal, ala McBride, which was the point. I'll ignore your juvenile tone, par for the course in most of your posts.
well, claiming the Deuce was beaten like a pintata was beyond juvenile. It is inaccurate. He was MOM. Back to goal is just one way to play soccer.
I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but Davy was either called OR was going to get the call for the January friendlies, but he was getting married.
He was beaten in the air, repeatedly, with his back to goal, trying to lay off to teammates. The commentators even mentioned it once I believe. That is a fact. This was merely anecdotal to the overall point that he is not good in the air in this role. I made no mention of his play otherwise in that game and agree that he was massively influential. He is very good with the ball on the deck, but Bradley has been playing him as a target man, something he is poorly equipped to deal with. Simply being over six feet tall with good strength does not automatically equate to success in the position. You clearly are a fan of his and you overreacted given the context of the argument. The point wasn't to disparage Dempsey (who has many admirable qualities as a player) but to call out Bradley for trying to force a square peg into a round hole.
no, I was reacting to what you wrote, as I am not privy to what you are thinking. He is an excellent player and as far as i am concerned, playing without a "target" forward is all to the good for the USA.
You reacted to my response to another poster who had cited the Spurs game to counteract my original post, which was that Dempsey is poor as a target forward. (See Sweden game for further evidence- did he win a ball in the air that game?) Thus, I did in fact write the point above, now repeatedly. Being a prolific poster does not excuse you from being respectful.
Johnson's about as good as we've got right now. He's tied for the league lead in goals in MLS with Juan Pablo Angel, and Angel didn't leave for the Gold Cup and Copa America. He HAS to be in the squad. If you want Jozy in there that's fine, he's scored 8 to Johnson's 14. I want to see Jozy too. But its the Josh Wolff's of the world that Jozy should replace. A frontline of Jozy and Eddie would be interesting.
I'd rather see anyone else - Dempsey, Donovan, and Jozy myself. Aside from his MLS goals EJ has done squat for the USMNT in the past two years.
My lineup, based on the roster, that I think would give us the best chance, though it really doesn't matter, because this will not happen. ...................Howard.................... Spector...Gooch......Boca........Pearce ...................Feilhaber.................. ..Wolff..........Donovan...........Beasley ...................Dempsey................... ...................Johnson.....................
I'm sure you've watched alot of Fulham matches, and I have also. McBride did very well up front for Fulham. I'll go as far to say as a TARGET man. I think Dempsey can have similiar success, but I stress, at Fulham. Cookie and Lawrie are FAR BETTER oragnizers and all around coaches then Bradley. Bradley reminds me of City's old coach Pearce, he may know some tactics but he has no clue how to get the 11 to see these tatical strategies to fruition. Sweden is a very good team and I can see many a decent player having a hard time playing a target man against them. With this being said I have confidence in Dempsey doing pretty much anything for USMNT, so long as the rest of the team is on the same page. Which, from what I gather, they are not....Also If you look at ALL THREE goals against Tottenham... Also Dempsey recieved the ball then either scored or did everything to set up the goal that was subsequintly scored. That's three times against a top teir team that needed a win. If he can do it against Tottenham he can do it against most of the Countries we play against.
who cares how often someone posts? You brought that up, I could not care less. You talked about how poor he was in the air in a game when he was playing withdrawn forward, and accounted for 2 goals with his head, one on a REAL aggressive header.
several of you need group therapy with the nepotism thing. You are projecting from your kids coaches. Please list the Yank players 20 or under who are/were starters in one of the top 10 leagues in the world. I will wait for your response.