Anyone hear anything about line-ups, last minute injuries, starters? I know with the Draft yesterday there hasn't been a lot of discussion, but SOMEONE has to know SOMETHING... "Discuss." Found a preview: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/us/news/2003/01/17/uscanada_preview_st/ Apparently Convey to Left Back is an ongoing Arena project... kind of like a "U.S. Roberto Carlos" but for the left side.
Yeah, what a great project. There's a ready made left back in MLS that he hasn't even looked at--Broome. So let's take a promising central midfielder and make him a left back. Good one Bruce.
actually da bruces biggest blunder is his insistence on giving cunningham yet ANOTHER opportunity to prove that he can't singlehandedly defeat any opposing team by himself. he's starting. yuck
Maybe BA likes outside backs with skill as opposed to fast guys? Or are you going to tell me that Broome is as skilled as Convey?
I hear you, Martin, but give me a true defender. To convert a Sanneh or a Kline is one thing. But Convey? We don't need a Cherundolo on the left side, too.
Sanneh is really skilled? Right, I forgot that to many bigsoccer posters whipping in a cross that actually gets within a 10 yard radius of it's intended destination is skilled. On a serious note, it appears that Bruce is changing his tune about player selection, if that's the case.
No, Sanneh played most of his career at forward and in the midfield because he lacked basic skills. Crossing is not the only "skill" that matters, and I seem to recall Sanneh hitting an accurate cross that lead to a goal in some big USMNT match. Try to recall this. Once again, the Bigsoccer posters wrong? Say it ain't so! P.S. BA has always tried to use guys who are capable of playing in midfield at outside back. Chowder, it may not be your philosophy and BA has not always been able to do so because of player limitations, but it seems to be something he keeps trying IMHO.
Sanneh didn't make it to the Bundesliga because of his 'very good' skill set---he made it there because he's physical and can take the pounding IMHO. Correction, BA has almost always tried to take guys who play defensive midfield and make them outside backs. Convey plays left wing or drifts centrally for DCU----he has limited defensive value. Since you're so high on Sanneh's past--Broome played left forward and left midfield before being converted to a left back. Unless there's more to it than meets the eye, this is an oversight on Bruce's part. C'mon, there were 27 players called in just for a look-see, where was Broome? Yet guys like Quill and McCarty get called in?
Convey Playing left back can be very good for Convey right now. If he can develop good defending skills, he increases his versatility, and improves his play as a wide player in a 3-5-2 where he can demonstrate defending/midfield and attacking play. I really like this idea of developing well rounded players who have the potential. Can you imagine the potency of a team of JOBs, Reynas, Donovans, DMBs and Conveys. Add a couple role players and that would be very exciting. I don't want to say it ......... TOTAL........
Richie FREAKING Cumningham......... dammit! What's wrong, the circus let out early so the midget had nothing to do besides beg Bruce for a start?
Re: Convey I can imagine a TOTAL football U.S., of course. IMHO, the national team isn't a time to develop players. It looks like the Bruce is talking about using Convey as a left back in a 4-4-2, and I think that does little to develop Convey's game for the center of the park, where his skills will be most needed IMHO.
I think left back in very likely the best chance Convey has of getting a decent amount of minutes in 2006. He's not going to move ahead of guys like Donovan, O'Brien, Pablo, Mathis and others that can play in the middle before then. He's not going to supplant Beasley on the left side of midfield before then. Convey's a good player, but not as good as other options we have in the near future and there's no telling if he'll become better in the distant future. I know there are a ton of Convey fans out there, and I do think he's a good young player who will get better. However, internationally, he faces a ton of competition and if he hasn't solidified a position in the center of midfield on the last place MLS team, I don't see how he can claim a spot there for the US. He would usually have a good shot at the left side due to his skill and youth, but with Beasley tying that spot up for years to come, he's looking like a back-up at best in the midfield until some more guys drop off. At left back, if he can handle the D, his skill and speed puts him at the top of the list real fast. And the height thing is a non-issue for an outside back, especially in a 442. You put your size in the middle of defense. There just isn't a whole lot of danger from guys winning headers as they rush down the wings.
Then somebody should let Bundesliga scouts know about the NFL. I agree, Sanneh's passing can occasionally be frustrating to witness, but your assessment seems a bit harsh. IMO, Tony had a solid World Cup, and as a Yank fan, that's the most I could ask for.
Starting 11: Howard, Califf, Boca, DMB, Mathis, Donovan, Victorine. Convey, Klein, Cunningham, Mastroeni. Bench of Rimando, Mulrooney, Twellmann, Olsen, Garcia, Ralston, Vagenas.
Hey guys what time is the game comes on. I got TWDC and nothing as yet. It is 7:40 pm. I checked the Pay per View no soccer.
canada.... Lars Hirschfeld M 2 Tam Naliwa D 3 Carl Fletcher D 4 Tony Menezes D 5 Richard Hastings M 6 Chris Pozniak M 7 Atiba Hutchinson M 8 Daniel Imhof F 9 Sita-Tany Matondo F 10 Davide Xausa M 11 Maycoll Canizalez subs G 22 Pat Onstad D 12 Kevin Harnse D 13 Marco Reda M 14 Winston Marshall M 15 Chris Williams F 16 Rob Friend