What Is Stewart's Role?

I get the impression that his role is "do something but don't trip over Marco"

4 midfielders playing one game, MAE playing a completely different one

 

What ever his role is, I wish it was more prominent.

In the last two games, it seems like Stewart receives very few touches. He does fairly well with what he's given, but I think he should play a bigger role.

Another thing I noticed is when he gets the ball he often just touches it back. I know DC likes to keep possession, but sometimes I wish he would just turn and take the defender on.

Anyway that's my two cents FWIW.

 

I agree with JR. The disappearance of Earnie Stewart is troubling. We bring in a world class player - but he gets stuck into an amorphous midfield situation where we have 4 attacking mids and Dema.

I don't see any planning from training, if there has been any, making it's way onto the field, there seems to be very little connection between the players in their passing and runs to open spaces. This guy has performed as if he had the last name "Cooks" on his back - he's seeing the ball less than any other member of the midfield.

Oh, and if you read his quotes, he seems to be less enamored with the game here than he was.

Free Earnie Stewart - that's what we are paying for.

 

... Moderator's Note ...

Just edited the link above in accordance with the DCU FAQ.

 

Earnie

I never saw Earnie play for NAC, but there has been more than one occasion where Mr. Stewart has won the "Invisible Man of the Match Award" for the Nats.

I hope he steps it up, or once the line up is healthy Earnie is better positioned, or the team gels further along in the season, but I for one am not surprised that he has not had much impact yet.

 

I wish we could see him out on the wing more. I think Earnie really does great when he gets some space, can run onto the ball and use his speed.

I guess the problem is that Olsen tends to fill this role on the squad.

With Rays current scheme it seem like he's playing with the goal to his back all the time . I'm not an expert so please correct me, but I don't think that plays to Earnies strengths.

 

whatever his role is they need to get him the ball more. I think he touched it maybe 5 times all game. It doesn't matter where on the field he is, just get him the ball.
It's a bad thing when the player that gets the most touches is Dema. That needs to change.

 

Re: Earnie

Bingo..


Why is everyone or anyone suprised that Stewart drifts in and out of matches? He's been doing that for the Nats for years...

That is what we get with Stewart.. He's not a Donovan type of talent that stands out alone, he is more into the team dynamic and in the end you will see his value..

This season is two games old and people are questioning roles.. That is ridiculous with all due respect.. It takes time to find out what type of player Earnie is and how he can integrate into the squad..

Patience people.........

 

Re: Re: Earnie

What bothers me more is that Earnie is questioning his role. He was brought in to help our offense, and he's not going to do much in that regard if he doesn't see the ball. Put Q2 in the midfield, and get Earnie up front where he can get more involved.

 

Re: Re: Earnie

Yeah, but I think it's a legitimate question whether Stewart's style of play can ever really mesh with Marco's.

I personally don't see how our offense can work with Marco distributing the ball unless there is a large target forward ready to receive long passes.

Stewart didn't "disappear" from the match IMHO, it's just that his style, like that of Convey, and perhaps even Olsen, does not jive with Marco's offensive abilities IMHO. Stewart likes to make quick one touch give-and-go passes. Marco likes to hold the ball, fend off a defender, and then make a long cross (or a safe pass that can be returned to him... so that the whole process can start again).

In short, Stewart, like Convey, is a player with an explosive offensive style (i.e., quick fast-moving attack)... which requires players moving into space looking for quick passing combinations. Marco is a player that looks for a slow built-up attack... which requires a target forward to win the ball. I'm not convinced Earnie and Marco will ever bring the best out in each other's game.

I'm willing to be patient though. Hope I'm wrong.

 

I asked Earnie about his role with the team at the meet the coaches night and he said the same thing about not knowing exactly what his role is or would be.
More importantly, the followup question about is he worried at all about the lack of a defined expectation was an emphatic "no".
He said he's played on plenty of rebuilding teams and it always takes a while to shake out who does what. He said specifically that he was on a rebuilding team once that lost every pre-season game and nobody expected the team to ever come together, yet they just kept working and started to click, then finished third in the league by the end of the season.
Anyway, I'm not so sure his comment about not knowing his role yet is as important as Bushman's article makes it out to be.
Just a thought.

 

Earnie Stewart, to my knowledge, has never before played as a defensive midfielder, yet that is exactly what he is doing right now. It does not make sense...And his relegation to that role is only due to the fact that Ray believes we need an out and out #10 to win. By benching Marco, and moving Quintanilla back to midfield, because he is awful as a forward, then perhaps there would be a little more balance in the team. This would also move Bobby to the midfield diamond with Earnie and Dema, allowing each to pick and choose when and where to attack, as opposed to channeling everything through Marco. This would also allow for Stoichkov or Esky to play up top. Will it happen? What do you think?

 

Re: Re: Re: Earnie

While I agree with this sentiment, United historically has never really used target players.. RDA is about as close as one can get to being a target but that was in the early days of leaky defenses in MLS.. A.J. Wood was legitimately a target forward but he was a sub at best on this team..

To me, Marco is most effective in putting that incisive pass through the defense.. While he is very good at hitting long balls over the top, this team has always been a station to station attacking team that depends on that killer pass from Marco.. In such a case, a target player is almost a moot point..

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Earnie

Out of idle curiosity ... how would you classify Lassiter?

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Earnie

I agree, but I'm not sure Marco still has the physical skills to play that role effectively, which is why he now relies more on the long (and generally inefective) pass from a deeper position (along with short back-passes). The fact is that his speed, stamina and shooting velocity (to keep defenders honest) are not what they were 4 years ago, and he no longer can get the ball close enough to the penalty area to use his short-passing ability in a dangerous manner. He's still a great short passer... but the deterioration of his other skills make it generally irrelevant.

In 1999, DCU could build a slow attack that culminated in Marco threading the needle to set up goals. But I don't see that approach working anymore at this point in his career because he generally can't get possession close enough to the goal. We're more likely to score through quick counter-attacks and give-and-go combinations than slow build-up attacks where the defense is set. I fear more results like Saturday if we continue to take that approach.

 

I think this is a very astute observation. Earnie is best when he is moving forward and has space to maneuver. He has speed and is very good at knowing how to use it to best effect with cutbacks, accelerations, misdirections, etc.

As crazy as it seems, I wonder how we'd do with Convey in the center and Stewart on left wing? Convey is very good at playing the ball into space, and he loves to play the quick passes, so he would be a great compliment to Stewart. Ironically, it would probably provide Stewart more touches than in the center because central midfield is just too clogged up to afford Stewart any space. Plus, Convey would naturally fade to the left clearing space to drop the ball off for Stewart to move into the middle with the ball running at goal. That's how Earnie scores most of his goals anyway.

Another thing that I've noticed, is that Convey and Stewart seem to be man-marked out of midfield. Ray has them making vertical runs, where their mark can stay in his lane. If they made more diagonal runs, then they could draw one defender out of the middle and create space centrally for one another. IMHO, that's what would be best for both Stewart and Convey, regardless of where their initially lined up. Once Ivanov returns, Dema can contribute as well.

-Digital

 

Stewart has played wide left for Bruce, but not since Lewis and Beasly joined the USMNT. He looked good, too. He needs to be facing the goal to be effective. Yes, diagonal runs would be more dangerous than "trolley track" soccer, where the runner are heading strictly north/south. Convey would be effective with these, but he would have to come from the middle or even the right side so he could shoot with his left foot.

 

There's no question that Stewart has the skills IMO. At NAC he usually played pretty good.

Of course, he is also getting older. But he is someone with skills, speed and good insight. And players like that should always be able to fit in, but in the end it's the coach that decides where and how someone plays.

Haven't seen him for DCU, so I can't really say much (ehh... anything ) about his performance in the US so far.

 

I think you all are making something from nothing about Stewart's role (or perceived lack thereof).

Kind of like the questions about "why on earth didn't DC United counter attack against Chicago (a bunkered team with 9 to 10 men behind the ball?"

Ask yourselves this question: had Earnie put away that chance in the first half, would this conversation had started? All this controversy over two matches with key players out injured or suspended and other players filling in duty positions???

This is the definition of Mountain out of Molehill.

Tim

 

Thank you...4 midfielders playing 1 game, MAE playing another. Anyone else notice that with Chino and Q2 on the field (3 players up front who like to play a very 'traditional' latin style) the attack looked a lot more coherent.

I think the model for success in MLS the last few years has favored a more direct style (LA & San Jose), while in their heyday, DC United played with a very latin flair (RDA, Jaime, MAE, Gori or Sonora, Llamosa...is it any wonder) but the team now has split personalities.

 

Stewart belongs up top; he complements the other foward, and cannot be relied on as a match winner.

I have no idea why he is being mis-used as a midfielder. Look at also Kovalenko, what the hell is he doing as a defensive midfielder ? Move Kovalenko into attacking midfielder to support the fowards.

Stewart will never take on defenders straight on and beat them, unless they fall down. If Stewart
goes up top, he'll be out-and-out striker and I'd pair him up with Curtis, who will take on defenders, and beat them 1 on 1.

 

I think Stewart's preferred role is not to lead the line but rather trail the front two as a withdrawn striker. Arena has used Stewart brilliantly as roving attacker who drifts from flank to center and back as the game dictates. For better or worse that is the role that Marco fills for Hudson at the moment.