Who gains and who loses from Arena's promulgation delay???

When Bruce watches an MLS game you just don't know what he sees. When Edson Buddle scored 4 goals for the Crew against the Metros, who do you think he called up right after that game? He called up Jonny Walker, the goalkeeper who was victimized for the 4 goals and not Edson Buddle.

 

While I pray for Clark to get a chance I can't help but think BA is happy with Benny.

That thought makes me sad, but for some reason I can't help but think it.

 

Who else besides me had to look up promulgation?

 

I really only think the forwards have hurt themselves. Namely Twellman and Ching. How many invisible performances can you have?

 

Man, there are so many punch lines to that statement.

Just to sad to think about.

 

That really was one of the most fascinating footnotes in the Arena tenure. I was certain Buddle would get his foot in the door after that game, but I was wrong.

 

ditto...i was shocked

 

Granted this is pure speculation but in situations like this, wouldn't you say that there must be some really, really bad word of mouth about his attitude and work habits from coaches, teammates and opponents around the league?

I'd add Hejduk and Albright to the list. Albright looked solid in the attack but both looked pretty out of sorts during that game.

To be honest I think he imagines it doesn't hurt to hold back the announcement and with none of the forwards, or midfielders or right and left backs in MLS really making strong inroads beyond the regulars, maybe he wants more time to evaluate the guys he didnt call in to winter camp?

 

For the MLS players, I think it's wide open again...

My, oh my, are the games going to be fun to watch the next three weeks...

As far as foreign based players...

Heath Pierce comes to mind, along with Spector...anybody else?

 

I think BA is now thinking he wasted time, minutes, and games on the guys who against Germany and Jamaica looked out of place.

I think we only have 19 players who can touch the field and not hurt us against the likes of top competition (our group) at the World Cup. I think BA knows this and we will only see 19 players. There are a number of players we have not seen much of since BA had confidence in the 20 - 28 players.

Players that may lose:
Wolff, Ching, KZ, Ralston, Olsen, Klein, Heydude, Albright, Beerholder etc...

Players that may win:
Pierce, Clark, Buddle, Spector, Marshall, Rolfe, Jacqua, Cooper and other young guys BA has not played or not played much due to the players above.

 

Cooper anyone...???


Bet anything Mooch will be at the Colorado-FC Dallas game saturday...

 

I hope so.

 

I've got to give you props on this one, he's showing well so far and with 3 more great performances maybe he does shock everyone and make it.

Spector has to be another he needs to see, or more likely Arena needs to see that Hejduk doesn't have it.

 

The young guys gain, Spector, Cooper, Adu, maybe even Rossi. These old dudes can not cut it at WC level, IMHO.

 

To be honest, I wouldn't have trouble dumping Ching and Wolf entirely from the equation and bringing in Cooper. How does it hurt? Wolf has one goal from the run of play in 21 games. These games against mostly horse manure teams. He's suddenly gonna become productive against the Italian Defense, against the Czechs? Forget it. I'll grant that he makes nice runs that open up defenses, but so what, if he can't finish to save his life, and he can't at this point, he's a liability at Forward.

I'd dump Ching over Twellman, because although both have looked horrible for the most part, Ching has looked horrible these past few months as well as with most of the first choice XI in qualifyers. Meanwhile Twellman has never started with a first choice or close to first choice XI in terms of the midfield, and Twellman is definitely a different player when he gets better support from the midfield, so I'd give Twellman a break where I wouldn't give Ching one though I wouldn't cry for the exclusion of either. Neither have earned their way on.

At this point, I just don't see the problem in bringing in a Cooper or a Buddle because it's very, very, very hard to imagine Ching ever offering anything of consequence, it's impossible to see Wolf scoring period, and Twellman's not had the chances of Ching but he hasn't earned his way on either. I don't see anything any of these guys have done to justify an inclusion over a potentially hot Cooper or Buddle beyond Wolf, and what Wolf was doing was accomplished a substantially long time ago when he had much better knees and was playing with much more confidence. The look of utter self-disgust last night after he finally finished but was offsideds reinforced that.

 

Fitness check for JOB.

Form check for Hejduk.

Looking again at Noonan Woolf,Twellman,Ching(with much headshaking).

Seeing if Olsen is the real deal now at d-mid.

Cooper?Maybe...

Also convinced he must look across the pond at Spector.

 

That would be my guess.

 

I was too lazy to grab for the dictionary......I'll read further to see if somebody else did this for me! Love new words!

 

I've thought for quite a while that our biggest achilles heel is the lack of a competent fourth forward. I have lots of faith in McBride, Johnson, and Twellman (although I realize not everyone thinks Twellman is worthy). But even assuming those three are capable, I don't see how we do well in the World Cup with 25% less firepower than everyone else. It's time for Buddle, Cooper, Adu or someone to turn it on. I give the edge to Cooper because he has size, no negative history, and he seems hot, but there's still a part of me that thinks a healthy and in form Buddle would make a bigger difference than any other player currently on the bubble.

 

well, BA just made the next 3 weeks of MLS a lot more interesting than usual and for that, i thank him...

BUt while i do agree this is the right decision considering the circumstances, it also shows the preparation process (which falls mostly on HIS shoulders) has been far less than optimal...Not that he'd ever admit as much...tehn again, stranger things have happened and we might yet kick butt come WC time...(something which as a fan i'd love to see)

I just do not see the so- called "desired balance" in the midfield and forward lines....and the Bruce has had some time to address those "ills"

 

Don't forget that BA has said that you don't necessarily take the 23 best players. 18 or 19 will see the bulk of the playing time so the last 4 or so picked will be because they bring something to the locker room. Without being in the locker room, it's hard for us to say who contributes the most in that way. I can see this as the back door through which Hejduk and maybe Ching could still be in the running.

Also count me as one of those pulling for Ricardo Clark, but I think it's a long shot for Bruce to bring in an almost completely unknown quantity w/the nats at this point.

 

this very might well be the first time in BS history that word has been used in a thread title

 

1. Yes he has. Yeah, DK!

2. Excellent post. This does fall on his shoulders. He has shown weakness over this whole cycle when it comes to old farts, general player selection, and taking way too long to find out about younger guys when there wasn't that much risk in COCACRAP to give one or two more additional players crunch minutes. Against that comp it wouldn't have hurt. He has shown that he likes boring to a fault. A fault. I will never champion a loser like Mathis, but his general scheme is one of boring, reliable, known and not to spicy for his tastes.

3, There isn't.

BTW - Of course this is just to point out BA's weak points (just like players)and not call him uselss, should be fired now, dumb, etc. He is a very good coach (but he is human), and he fears yth/talent a little too much for my liking. Doesn't like the risks and lack of control (inexperience, but some of that is on him for waiting so long and limiting certain players in the pool) that can come with it IMO. Like most dictators, even benevolant ones like him.