Webster: Armas will make his Mark

No disrespect to Chris, because I'm sure his knee injury was crushing emotionally, but from a competitive standpoint, I was happy he was unavailable last year for the World Cup. I wish he would drift into the distance as far as national team duty goes. He is a hard worker and effective as a "destroyer," but he is incompetent as a soccer player. His skills on the ball are atrocious. We are beyond the point where we need such a one-dimensional, limited player in the middle. Just one man's opinion.

 

I think Armas' passing is underrated, actually. But it definitely isn't spectacular.

I wonder why people playing the D-mid role come in for so much heat (maybe more than others?) I think it's because it's one of those positions that drop off the radar when played well.

I think the best thing you can say about Armas is that he doesn't complicate things-- he's not Roy Keane in his prime (a disruptive and creative force all over the field), but he does handle his business in the middle and go forward when there's an obvious opportunity. I think that sadly makes him more like a Roy Keane from this year, but that's still nothing to sneeze at...

 

while i don't think armas is that bad, i do think bruce needs to find and groom a different/better player for that position....

there should be no debt to armas b/c he tore his acl just prior to japorea.... yes he contributed, yes we all feel bad, but lets face it, pablo did a better job then armas could have, and i'm not sure pablo is the answer....

bruce let agoos play too long, i hope he doesn't do the same for armas....this automatic place for him as soon as he's healthy is ridiculous....we have better players than armas now....

 

I disagree. Pablo did a fine job filling in, but I don't think it was better than Armas would have played. Go back and look at the WC games, Pablo certainly gave away his fair share of balls, and was not exactly Valderrama. I have never come on here and criticized him and that is not my intention now. I am only pointing out that there is a role to be played in Bruce's system and no one has done it better than Armas.

He will be getting older in 06, but you keep him in the mix with several others through qualifying. If he deserves to play in Germany, he will. I think Bruce would admit that he learned a lot from this last WC as well. I don't think he was rewarding Agoos for years of service, but I do think he felt like his experience was necessary.

What he found is that speed kills and Agoos couldn't keep up.

I would agree with the comment that we need to develop a Roy Keane type player. While we are at it, I think we should develop a Roberto Carlos, a Zinadine Zidane and a Ruud van Nistlerooy

 

Someone get him a Goose Island.

 

i am rooting so hard for armas to make it back. on a personal level he's a great guy who has earned a second chance after this injury. as a player I'll take him over mastro any day of the week. mastro disappears over parts of a game or the entire game on occassion. you always know where armas is. he's always involved.
and armas is an underrated passer, too. he's not el pibe out there but he's not a liability by any stretch of the imagination.
and the most important part .... arena's always been an armas fan. if chris is healthy bruce puts him in there. can't wait.

 

If Chris is healthy and the US makes it to Germany, Chris may play a 'Jens Jeremies' kind of role this WC past. The guy to come in 15-20 minutes from time to protect a scant lead. I would like him to start, but that may be pushing it a bit.