bentley
Footballguy
By "not getting Findley on the pitch" I assume that you mean "letting him wear the national jersey at all."
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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (16 Viewers)
- Thread starter jpeace121
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By "not getting Findley on the pitch" I assume that you mean "letting him wear the national jersey at all."
El Floppo
Footballguy
I'm confused too.I thought LHUCKS was the pro-Buddle/anti-Findley guy? And yeah- Findley clearly didn't do the job at the WC and Buddle should've gotten more minutes... easy to see from hindsight and without knowing what was going on in training.By "not getting Findley on the pitch" I assume that you mean "letting him wear the national jersey at all."
scoobygang
Footballguy
I think it's clear the LHUCKS was confusing Buddle with Findley.
I will offer my own, idiosyncratic take. Jozy Altidore was our best dynamic, off-ball striker. Bradley decided to play him as a hold-up target man. The Altidore/Davies partnership worked because both were decent hold-up players and able to shift roles. Findley, however, was just a speed guy. Which is a much more limited role than Davies actually played.
The player who showed the best at the forward position in the friendlies leading up to the World Cup was Brian Ching. He was also the one who had the most international experience and success. I would have taken Ching to the World Cup and played him as the target forward. Brian Ching has weaknesses, to be sure. But it's not as if Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley, and Herc Gomez are platonic well-rounded strikers. Both Ching and Altidore could also have played a lone striker role, allowing us to get Holden on the field more often.
I will offer my own, idiosyncratic take. Jozy Altidore was our best dynamic, off-ball striker. Bradley decided to play him as a hold-up target man. The Altidore/Davies partnership worked because both were decent hold-up players and able to shift roles. Findley, however, was just a speed guy. Which is a much more limited role than Davies actually played.
The player who showed the best at the forward position in the friendlies leading up to the World Cup was Brian Ching. He was also the one who had the most international experience and success. I would have taken Ching to the World Cup and played him as the target forward. Brian Ching has weaknesses, to be sure. But it's not as if Edson Buddle, Robbie Findley, and Herc Gomez are platonic well-rounded strikers. Both Ching and Altidore could also have played a lone striker role, allowing us to get Holden on the field more often.
El Floppo
Footballguy
excellently
Ching's skill-set and experience was sorely missing on the field at the WC.That said- Ching didn't see a lot of time with the Nats in the late build-up to the WC, other than that last-ditch call-up when it seemed Bradley was going to pick his final forwards. And even though Ching nailed that game- IIRC, he played only a half and was the best player on the field- it seemed pretty clear that Bradley was never thinking about taking him (if that last performance wasn't enough to get him on the final squad).
IMO (and it seems you agree), Bradley saw Ching as playing the same role as Jozy and opted not to double up with player selection, with Jozy clearly providing more upside along with a proven level of experience.
But I think we all agree Jozy isn't really a target forward- he seems to be more of powerful, skillful slasher who can play off his team-mates on quick, short passes and runs or find the space diagonally and hold-up or take his man on. Davies allowed Jozy to be that kind of player by being a similar type of player himself- granted with a bit more pace and ability to get behind defenders. I think Davies was a better true hold-up player than Jozy, but lacked some of the ability to understand and anticipate the runs of his team-mates that Jozy has.
So... I dunno what I'm saying here- Jozy didn't really fit the bill of the type of player Bradley seemed to want him to be at the WC. And Findley was pretty bad, ultimately even though I appreciate a lot of the work he did running off Jozy- which is pretty clearly why he was picked to partner with him (obviously wasn't his finishing skills).
It's too bad Buddle didn't get more of a run to see if he could've been that Davies type of counterpart to Jozy. I have to think that something was up in training that rubbed Bradley the wrong way about him, most likely his movement off the ball. But at the very least, Buddle was in the middle of a solid run of form and scoring goals, and dammit- we needed goals.
He's still wrong.
scoobygang
Footballguy
The soccer thread is a wonderful place. A place where I don't even hate Christo. But even here, LHUCKS is LHUCKS. Et in arcadia ego . . .
The Z Machine
Footballguy
Oh, indeed!
El Floppo
Footballguy
yeah- no doubt. it kinda reminds me of what my youth club team used to do when we played against weak opposition...coach would switch us all around to not run up the score and to let us try new/different positions.
SmoovySmoov
The Way of the Samurai
I think Liverpool 2.0 seems to be flowing pretty well, in the half of the half that I saw.
El Floppo
Footballguy
yeah, I guess. Every time I"ve seen them play this year they have a decent flow to them. They just haven't been getting results (poor defending and anemic scoring)
Eephus
Footballguy
fixed
The Gator
Footballguy
The Z Machine
Footballguy
Ungood. Time to pay the change fee bro.Just noticed I booked a flight on the afternoon of 2/16....also the day of Barca v. Arsenal
Major
Footballguy
great signing...teh guy is just coming into his prime....even though he looks like a little donkey I respect his game.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Some news and rumor tidbits
* Reports out of Honduras are that Andy Najar has chosen to play for Honduras. Ives tweated that it would not be the first time a bogus report come out of Honduras about Najar
* One Honduran item that is confirmed is that former Red Bull and Fire coach Juan Carlos Osario has been named the head coach of the Honduran National Team
* Houston will unveil the final stadium renderings tomorrow and ground breaking will be on Saturday
* Reports out of Honduras are that Andy Najar has chosen to play for Honduras. Ives tweated that it would not be the first time a bogus report come out of Honduras about Najar
* One Honduran item that is confirmed is that former Red Bull and Fire coach Juan Carlos Osario has been named the head coach of the Honduran National Team
* Houston will unveil the final stadium renderings tomorrow and ground breaking will be on Saturday
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
If this winter is not enough to convince people that MLS can't go to a traditional schedule, then nothing will change their minds.
Eephus
Footballguy
It's all speculation until he appears in the Gold Cup
Eephus
Footballguy
Major is not a #1 Fan of Ghana Soccer alias
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
I think the initial reports have to do with the Honduran U20 side which would not cap tie him. The Gold Cup though obviously will. Even if he is not ready for the Honduran senior side yet, they would be nuts not to throw him in for 5 minutes to cover themselves for the future if he wants to represent them.
QuizGuy66
Footballguy
-QG
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
he is years away(I think) from the citizenship (which is the issue). If it was just months like Mwanga then I think the US would be a heavy favorite. But I am not sure he is going to want to wait so many years and even then it may not be a certainty with all the new rules.If we can get by the Gold Cup this summer I will feel better.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
he is years away(I think) from the citizenship (which is the issue). If it was just months like Mwanga then I think the US would be a heavy favorite. But I am not sure he is going to want to wait so many years and even then it may not be a certainty with all the new rules.If we can get by the Gold Cup this summer I will feel better.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
This is the report that is causing all the commotion on twitter
http://www.diez.hn/Secciones/Legionarios/J...ra-con-Honduras
The important part from another site states:
"Najar is quoted in Diez, a Honduran publication, as saying, "The shirt I'll defend is the place of my birth." He's also pictured wearing a Honduras national team jersey with a Honduras flag draped around him. It doesn't say whether or not this is just for the Under-20 call-up, which itself is now in question, but this seems to be a pretty strong indication of where his heart is."
http://www.diez.hn/Secciones/Legionarios/J...ra-con-Honduras
The important part from another site states:
"Najar is quoted in Diez, a Honduran publication, as saying, "The shirt I'll defend is the place of my birth." He's also pictured wearing a Honduras national team jersey with a Honduras flag draped around him. It doesn't say whether or not this is just for the Under-20 call-up, which itself is now in question, but this seems to be a pretty strong indication of where his heart is."
SmoovySmoov
The Way of the Samurai
Never been a fan. Wish they had offloaded him in the window.
bentley
Footballguy
They are falling all over themselves to anoint this guy the face of the team over at RAWK. He's a decent enough player, but I don't get it.
GoFishTN
Footballguy
Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was just posturing to appease FIFA.I think the awarding of World Cup '22 to Qatar is enough to convince me.-QG
prefontaine
Footballguy
I don't get your point. Are you saying because they'd have to cancel a few games it's untenable? Just about every league around the world cancels games for weather. MLS certainly wouldn't be special in that regard. I get that many don't want to move the schedule (and your past comments I think put you on this list) but the reasoning that weather would make it impossible seems like a pretty weak argument.ETA: and for the record, I don't really care one way or the other. Soccer is perfectly capable in this country year round IMO
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El Floppo
Footballguy
I think this guy and Skrtl are part and parcel of Liverpool's defensive issues. Lucas is a starter for a lower table team, not a contender for Europe.
SmoovySmoov
The Way of the Samurai
Saw him yesterday with 4 guys around the box, just turn and drive it into a defender. The rebound shot out of the area, and Liverpool lost the advantage. He's just dreadful.
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
a few games? It would have been SIGNIFICANTLY more than a few games. And its not just the canceling of games that would the issue. It would be the enormous drop in attendance at the games that could be played coupled with the incredible drop in quality that would come from playing on pitches that were frozen. MLS attendance drops on warm weather rainy summer nights much less expecting fans to go out to games in these conditions. It is almost a total non-starter from a business perspective. Any one who follows the business side of the league realizes this.
If MLS was playing this winter, it would have lost so much money that the league may have placed itself in jeopardy.
If you followed the business side of the league closer, you would know that a significant amount of the leagues revenue comes from game day attendance. If you followed the business side even a smidgen, you would realize that in the vast majority of the cities, the majority of MLS attendance is made up of single game ticket sales. The league does not yet have the season ticket base to help support the serious revenue issues that consistent inclement weather would bring.
I personally would LOVE MLS to be a fall spring schedule so you are 100% wrong about that. But I have educated myself on the topic over the past 16 years of the league and realize that the league, for many different reasons, it not yet ready to support a fall spring schedule.
I get the feeling from many of your MLS comments that you really don't follow the business side of the league too closely. You also don't seem to appreciate that MLS would likely not be covered any where near as much on ESPN if it was a fall/spring schedule which would cost the league some important visibility and revenue.
You can throw around the term "weak argument" all you want but I will stand by my knowledge of the leagues business side.
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NewlyRetired
Footballguy
El Floppo
Footballguy
ugh.Remember that I wasn't for them getting Henry (as an older, down-side of his career guy)- but at least Henry's heart has always seemed to be in the right place. Anelka is a decent player, but seems to be in a state permanent gloom, pout and complaint, which is not what the team or league needs.
scoobygang
Footballguy
Gotta think Anelka has a lot more options that NYRB.
I might break my string of not watching DC United games if the Charlie Davies trial works out.
I might break my string of not watching DC United games if the Charlie Davies trial works out.
Yeah, it's probably not the best thing to take a lazy player and put him amongst a group of lesser talented players.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
"all he does is score goals"
Eephus
Footballguy
Nick Le Sulk
QuizGuy66
Footballguy
Cuz they like backing a losing side?!?-QGI'm watching some highlights of Blackpool and West Ham from Wednesday.Why in the world does someone in the stands have a confederate flag?
NewlyRetired
Footballguy
Bradley has been cleared to play against Fulham.
Tremendous Upside
Footballguy
The US needs to adopt some sort of fast track to citizenship for stellar athletes
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