Bedoya had a very good game vs. Honduras and IMO was one of our best midfielders. He certainly was involved and was very efficient in his running. Before the game, when players were asked in camp about players that were standing out, Bedoya's name -- surprisingly -- was mentioned often. After the game, it makes sense to me. So ... the players realize it ... his display on the field warrants it ... so why isn't Bedoya in this Feburary camp? Is he back in Sweden? Is he injured? If not, he DEFINITELY should be in camp. Does Bob not see the value-added that Alejandro presents?
He isn't available. Period. The Honduras and El Salvador matches aren't on FIFA dates.......hence none of the Euro/Mexico players are available.
Any chance he gets called up for the Netherlands? Also, what's the skinny on his club situation? I know only what wikipedia tells me.
Boy, when you decide to go on a quest for a player or against something then WATCH OUT! It would have been pretty easy to find out he wasn't avaialable without starting a thread you know. Man, there's fire in those posts!
Perhaps he'll get called in for the Netherlands. We also will have Donovan, Beasley, and Adu available to play the same position. Not to mention guys like Holden, Feilhaber, and Torres who can also play on the left if needed. (Although maybe Benny won't be available). When you think about it..........Bradley has plenty of options other than Bedoya for the wide midfield area. If he does get called up for the Netherlands match, I don't think he'll be anything more than bench fodder. I'd much rather see what Adu can do with extended playing time in that game than Bedoya.
i can see adu getting 45 minutes as a sub versus the dutch.. bedoya, if called in, maybe 10-15 minutes, if he's lucky
If given the chance to play up front he can score alot. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WVOSaavv3wI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WVOSaavv3wI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Him in training plus an interview <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2SPJEXL0OVM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2SPJEXL0OVM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> A recent game with him scoring 2 goals at this link http://www.svenskafans.com/fantv/default.asp?clip=9125 Looks like a goal scorer to me
If he's at his club, fair enough. I did search for that information, but did not find it. And that actually makes me happier knowing that he was not excluded when he was available. My original question was that -- in a camp and game where Bradley mentioned that "The starting point for the game in January is always assessing players" -- we didn't hear any feed back about someone having a very good showing in his debut with the USMNT -- or many of the players for that matter. http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Mens-National-Team/2010/01/US-Men-Fall-To-Honduras-3-1.aspx Maybe the reporters didn't ask the right questions to get those answers, but it sure would have been nice to hear the coach's assessment and compare it to mine so I could get a sense of what skills are being valued, and what they saw that I didn't and vice versa. Does anyone else have any links to quotes from the coaching staff about players' performances in this game? The reason I am excited about Bedoya's play is that his first touch is very, very good, his passes were well weighted, he was very composed, and he was very efficient on the field. As the ball was played around the field, he moved very well and didn't have to sprint all out to close players down (like many of the other players) because he anticipated well and moved very effectively. (I don't see him as a wide player like many suggest, but as a central player.) That gives me hope because not many of our players do that well. Many times they are reactive and not proactive enough. Too many times our players dive in after having sprinted, only to be treated like a bull by a matador. Too often our players are 10 yards from the ball when their mark receives it, and that gives them too much time to pick our team apart. For the first part of the first half of the Honduras game, I was impressed with Rogers for his anticipation as well. I want the best team possible and I could care less whether any one specific player makes the team. I don't think anyone is "owed" anything, but too often our coaches "reward" players for play that is not current. That bit us at the last World Cup when Arena brought too many players on their last legs. (Reyna, Pope, McBride, Olsen -- although Ben had a good accounting of himself.) Bring the best players period. The "supporting cast" are being evaluated right now. Give them a fair shot at impressing. Right now, I have to say that just in 30 minutes, I rank Bedoya higher than Kljestan and Beckerman. Who knows about next time out, but Alejandro sure warrants another look. Kljestan is still at camp and he hasn't done anything more than "club level" average in a year. He should be on the bench for the El Salvador game, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him start -- at the expense of someone like Cameron or Pontius, who should get a look instead. Beckerman has been too erratic and is slipping down the depth chart IMO. I'd rather see McCarty again instead. We're not quick enough to pull the plug on non-performing players. Too many players dictate how long they will be on the National Team, and IMO, that's wrong. We should follow Denmark's example of integrating youth in the team. We've still got too many aging players in the mix -- Dolo, Bocanegra, Mastro (although I don't think he's an option anymore), Conrad, Ching. Next cycle, with our NEW head coach, ... we should clean house early and integrate the young players. Unless he's exceptional (e.g. Donovan), no field players over 30 in 2014 should be on the team.
Unless the player was MOTM or one of your stars, a coach is not going to say anything 30 minutes after a match. Even then, the quotes to the press will be very vanilla. Enough with the revisionist history here that the '06 team was bad because Arena would only take 'his old guys.' Around here the BS community picked 22 out of 23 players on that squad. Even in the first 23 there was a significant drop-off in talent. Those on the outside included Pat Noonan, Steve Ralston and Greg Berhalter (he was named after Gibbs injury). There was very little int'l talent depth in 2006. How was McBride on his last legs? He had his best season at Fulham during 2006-07. It is never a fair comparison to compare a player who starts and has to run their ass off when short a player for 70 minutes to a player who will come on for a 30 minute run at a point with zero expectations for them in a lost cause. It's like watching a 4th string quarterback in the first exhibition game lead two touchdown drives in the 4th quarter. It's nice, but you are not going to replace the starter just yet. I am neither a Sasha or Beckerman fan, but their jobs in the match changed drastically when we went down to 10 and Bradley tried to continue the game plan without plugging in another CB that night. Why even throw out Mastro's name? Bradley hasn't called him in in ages. The only player who you can claim has taken on a more significant roll in the last four years is Boca. The rest have decreasing or non-existent rolls. Young players HAVE been intergrated into the team. They may not be the ones that you call for, but you are blind to say it hasn't occurred. We actually have a very good base of young players who will hopefully hit their peak in 3 years.
Why not? Are the coaches not able to make an analysis? Surely a player making his debut (or anyone else for that matter) deserves a synopsis of play -- especially when it is good! I really like McBride. He is a gentleman and a stellar professional. However, he offered very little in the 2006 World Cup. Yeah, Bradley made a huge mistake not plugging in another CB that night -- makes no sense at all to go almost 30 minutes like that at that point in the game. And my point about Sasha and Beckerman is that their performances have not been very good or consistent for the last year in Klejstan's case, and 6 months or so in Beckerman's (he's been way too inconsistent.) True, he HAS integrated young players into the team INCLUDING ones I have called for. However, he doesn't have the confidence in them to give them significant roles in big games. You HAVE to do that in order to build up the team -- and also spark some competition for spots. Some of the youngsters have stepped up well, but when the rubber hits the road, it's always the "veterans" that end up starting on the field. We actually have a very good base of young players who will hopefully hit their peak in 3 years.[/QUOTE]
They are, they just won't do it through the press. They will do it on the training grounds and locker room behind closed doors. It wasn't a mistake. He did it on purpose. Had that been a meaningful match, he would have subbed on a centerback immediately. In an evaluation friendly, he wanted to see the two forwards play, not sacrifice one of them to play a close match. He was using the match as an player evaluation tool, not trying to get a result.
I agree with not chastising a player in public -- no problem with that. But in this game, it would not have been too much to say, "Conrad had a lapse in judgement and it cost us significantly." or "Bedoya had a very good game and I think we need to take another look at him -- perhaps even for this World Cup." What is the harm in providing some feedback? The first comment was obvious and makes me wonder why the 800 pound gorilla in the room wasn't talked about. Did Bradley not think the play not bad enough to warrant a comment? Is Conrad one of the "untouchables"? ARE there untouchables? It can only serve as a lesson going forward. And critiquing is not the same as criticizing. When the kids I'm coaching do something well, I tell them. When they mess up on a play or two, I tell them -- gently -- but good or bad ... tell it like it is. Sometimes it's the only way for them to recognize their mistakes and correct them going forward. My second comment would be a tremendous motivator not only for Bedoya, but others as well. Can you imagine the adrenaline rush of hearing your coach state publicly that you had a good game and there IS a chance of your making the team? That move alone would pay dividends across the board for a lot of players ... BUT ... only if it's true and you praise specific players for specific plays and effectiveness. If you praise everyone, then you praise no one. It is entirely possible that he did it on purpose, but I'm not sure what he was trying to see. Again, if he had stated after the game that, "I wanted to see how our 2nd string would perform a man down and make the appropriate adjustments to provide cover." But then again, why would you try something so risky in this game that you wouldn't do in a "meaningful match"? In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a team -- in a meaningful match or not -- lose a central defender and not replace him quickly. With no information forthcoming, once again, it makes you wonder what's going on. More information is better. A thesis isn't required, but let us in on what you're thinking to some degree. Then we can debate the merits of Bob having done A (because he said he did) vs. doing B (what we think he should have done) ... but at least we're getting somewhere. Because if you don't ... speculation is all we're left with.
Maybe, Bradley didn't think Bedoya played as well as you think he did and therefore withheld comment. 3 weeks of work was undone in 19 minutes by Conrad. He wasn't going to change what they were trying to accomplish because of that. It's really that simple. The winter friendlies are nothing more than glorified scrimmages.
Then that tells me a WHOLE lot. So ... you let it all go down the tubes?! Part of my critique of Bradley deal with his adjustments (or lack of) -- which I don't think he makes very well. When some event changes the game significantly ... you HAVE to make adjustments! That's one of the main duties of a coach. In this particular game, it bit us again by halftime. And then we were chasing it the whole rest of the game! If Bradley had inserted Goodson and taken off a forward by the 23rd minute, it might have been just 0:1 at halftime. As it was, Honduras scored another in the 37th and we were down by 2 at the half. That is a mile especially when we are not playing well -- and we weren't. By not making that adjustment early, basically it cost us the game. We can ... and should ... do better than that!
I guarantee you that if it had been a meaningful game, like say a WC match, Bradley would have subbed in another defender immediately. But like others have said, the point of this match wasn't to win - it was to evaluate players. If anything, the sending-off showed the players' abilities to cope. Like Bornstein, for instance, who slotted into more of a CB role for a while, and looked pretty solid. Knowing little things like that are more important than winning some B-team friendly.
I'm still curious why you would act differently in preparing for the World Cup than you would at the actual World Cup. Then the players and coaching staff actually would have been through the exercise to making the adjustment. If this same thing happens in the World Cup, then you know exactly which adjustment to make. You play like you practice! The 2-5 minutes in getting Goodson in there is plenty of time to see how someone like Bornstein would cope ... but I sure hope there's no plan to play him in there at the World Cup! And at this point -- 6 months before the World Cup -- we need to have the mindset that it is important to win EVERY game. You're creating an expectation that EVERY touch ... EVERY play ... EVERY challenge ... EVERY game needs to be won -- no matter who the opponent is, or who our players on the field are. We need to get rid of this notion that some games aren't worth our time to play right and some players aren't worth our time to correct. We need to BUILD UP the program ... not just accept the status quo and make excuses about why we're not getting anywhere ... (not a 'meaningful' game; not our 'starters'; etc.) It's time to get serious about our National Team program and stop accepting mediocrity ... by all those involved.
I think you are the one looking for the adrenaline rush of hearing praise for a player you like. It seems to me that your beef in this case is that Bradley is not letting you in on exactly how he feels/thinks about a player.* I generally try to stay out of these Bradley sucks/is a fine coach debates but I do want to point out that none of us know what feedback Bradley gave any of the players privately. I don't think I'm going out on a limb to assume that Bradley did give feedback. He may have told Conrad to suck eggs for life after the red card. He may have told Bedoya to keep the summer free of obligations. Or not. Regardless, airing such things in public -- even in toned down statements -- is poor player management in my book. If a player needs to hear his name in the media to find motivation to play hard and make the MNT, that's a player I don't want on my team. You ask what harm is there in providing public "feedback" (by which you mean criticize or praise a fringe player in the media).This entire cycle, Bradley and the team have worked toward building a tight group mentality of "Us" vs "outsiders." The entire process has been one of having things stay inside the group. To change that now would pretty much trash all that previous work. And be even poorer player management than what Bradley's critics feel he already does. *And in the case of wanting to hear Bradley say "Conrad f-d up" why does he have to do that when it is already crystal clear to everyone. Conrad and Bradley were on the outs once, right, and they seemed to have buried the hatchet. Why stab a guy when he's down? A better message to players is to stand by the guy rather than crap on him in public.
Do you say the same thing when the MLS All-Stars beat Chelsea? Or when AC Milan plays poorly in a friendly vs. the Galaxy during their pre-seasons? Teams go out with goals and expectations for exhibition matches. Playing 70 minutes for a 1-1 tie vs Honduras, a team we beat four times last year, really doesn't do much.