I've been crucified before on here, but Michael Bradley owes us the best 90mins of his life on Thursday, as his play these 180+mins is the reason we don't have 6 points with a +7 goal differential. I'm not saying take him out, as we don't have anything to replace him with, but he has to have been the biggest disappointment (on a singular level) of all 32 matches so far in this World Cup. Holy hell was that a U7 mistake with :30 left to just give it away!
Michael Bradley
- Thread starter fsUTampa
- Start date
I wouldn't go as far as the most disappointing because there's plenty of guys on Spain to take that and technically the best player on the game only has 1 assist.
Still Bradley is much more capable then what's he shown Jermaine Jones has out played him these two games.
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He played a lot better today. Yes, he made a bad mistake at the end but we had three defenders against one when Ronaldo crossed the ball in, how did they not have a better sense of urgency? They knew that game had less than a minute left. I know, maybe they were tired but what was Gonzalez doing?
No kidding. After Gonzalez was subbed in, we had three center backs on the pitch in order to prevent the very thing that happened! Jeff Cameron's been rock solid for us, but what kind of poor angle was that he took on the tying goal?
In the end, we win as a team, lose as a team, and draw as a team. The bottom line is that ESPN's SPI still gives us a 76% chance of advancing out of the group stage. If the U.S. can play as well overall Thursday as it did against Portugal, we should advance.
Cameron and Bradley have been miserable these two games. As mentioned no one to replace them with though
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Yep. If you watch the replay, none of our players attacked the ball. I don't know if they just all assumed someone else was going to do it for them, since there were three players, but Varela just wanted it more. I'm still sick this morning about that goal.
Bradley yes but Cameron no. He's actually his way to be in the World Cup's best XI. Let's be honest, it was just pure luck on that first goal. It happens to the best in the premiere league. Now he should have been closer to his man for the tying goal. Overall the center backs have played well.
Bradley can play a lot better and needs to because he's letting the team. He needs to play his role, come to in the middle third, do some off the ball movement besides jogging, put pressure on the ball when you need to. He wants to command the midfield so command it and get the offense to run through you. Thank goodness Jermaine stepped up and move forward because Bradley wasn't helping the team.
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Originally posted by fsUTampa:
Wait a second. Of the 64 (or so) starting CBs in this tournament, you're saying Cameron is in the top 2? Yeah, ok....
I was surprised as well but ESPNFC has him ranked as one of the top 4 FB so far based on advance metrics.
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All the posts are there...They just continue to accumulate on page 7 for some reason.Originally posted by LesClaypool:
Who keeps breaking the official World Cup thread?!
Then some computer dork's algorithm is wayyyyyy offOriginally posted by rdbarks10:
Originally posted by fsUTampa:
Wait a second. Of the 64 (or so) starting CBs in this tournament, you're saying Cameron is in the top 2? Yeah, ok....
I was surprised as well but ESPNFC has him ranked as one of the top 4 FB so far based on advance metrics.
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To defend Bradley a bit, he's used to being in what I call the #3 spot, but after Altidore's injury and Klinsmann's refusal to replace him with a sub, Dempsey has moved up to the 1 while Bradley has taken Dempsey's usual #2 spot. Even if Jozy isn't back at least to start vs. Belgium, it will be interesting to see if Juergen starts Johanssson or Wondo so M.B. (and Dempsey) can return to their natural positions in the formation. I would think if/when this occurs, Bradley' level of play should return to the level to which we've come accustomed in the last couple of years (hopefully).
Bradley is a #10 - attacking center mid - the play maker.
He has played his natural position in all 3 games even though the formation was different in the 2nd and 3rd game.
Dempsey is usually a #11 (altidore is the #9) but Dempsey has been forced in to playing the 9 role with altidore absent.
The problem with Bradley is that he has been playing the 10 with the attitude of a false 9. 10 suits him well when he plays it properly (Portugal) but he doesn't have the finishing quality to be a false 9.
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He has played his natural position in all 3 games even though the formation was different in the 2nd and 3rd game.
Dempsey is usually a #11 (altidore is the #9) but Dempsey has been forced in to playing the 9 role with altidore absent.
The problem with Bradley is that he has been playing the 10 with the attitude of a false 9. 10 suits him well when he plays it properly (Portugal) but he doesn't have the finishing quality to be a false 9.
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Everyone stay off Bradley's jock. You can safely assume that every team is being told, "disrupt Bradley and you knock the usa off of their game" which is true.
What no one, I think, assumed though, was just how f'ing incredible Jermaine Jones would play in every facet of the game for all 3 games. He's been beyond awesome!
What no one, I think, assumed though, was just how f'ing incredible Jermaine Jones would play in every facet of the game for all 3 games. He's been beyond awesome!
GBR,
Bradley is not a #10 in any playmaking sense, or old school formation wise #10 attacking mid, i can't tell if that was sarcastic. If it wasn't, Bradley rarely scores or assists or runs at defenders, or gets crosses in from the wing. He's literally the opposite of a #10. Amazing work rate, very sound technically but not elite, good steady endurance, not top end speed. Solid in the air, good tackler, Bradley IMHO is born to be what he was for his dad, a holding mid in a 4-4-2 formation with some opportunities to go forward but really play more like the Xavi ALonso Spain role.
In Italy, Bradley made quite a name for himself as that holding/defensive mid for Chievo doing exactly this. Roma wanted him to be more offensive, he couldn't, enter Strootman, hello MLS.
IMHO He doesn't quite have a comfortable position on this 3 holding mid formation, for some reason Jones is thriving at it even though he rarely goes forward for his clubs. Jones is actually trying to be the #10 for this team, odd as that is.
regardless, i'm sure we can agree, Bradley has a big game vs Belgium, none of this matters, and people will forget how poorly he's played so far in the world cup.
Bradley is not a #10 in any playmaking sense, or old school formation wise #10 attacking mid, i can't tell if that was sarcastic. If it wasn't, Bradley rarely scores or assists or runs at defenders, or gets crosses in from the wing. He's literally the opposite of a #10. Amazing work rate, very sound technically but not elite, good steady endurance, not top end speed. Solid in the air, good tackler, Bradley IMHO is born to be what he was for his dad, a holding mid in a 4-4-2 formation with some opportunities to go forward but really play more like the Xavi ALonso Spain role.
In Italy, Bradley made quite a name for himself as that holding/defensive mid for Chievo doing exactly this. Roma wanted him to be more offensive, he couldn't, enter Strootman, hello MLS.
IMHO He doesn't quite have a comfortable position on this 3 holding mid formation, for some reason Jones is thriving at it even though he rarely goes forward for his clubs. Jones is actually trying to be the #10 for this team, odd as that is.
regardless, i'm sure we can agree, Bradley has a big game vs Belgium, none of this matters, and people will forget how poorly he's played so far in the world cup.
Regardless of Bradley's abilities he has been tasked for the US to play a number 10 role. He actually did a fine job of it vs Portugal save the last few seconds.
If you look at the heat maps and actual formations post game for each of the three games the 7 and 8 positions (Zusi and Jones) they are kind of a mess, Zusi being the biggest perpetrator of clogging up and congesting the middle.
Jones work rate has been absolutely fantastic but his first touch and passing completion rate needs to improve as the USA get deeper in to the tournament.
I feel that the USA will beat Belgium.
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If you look at the heat maps and actual formations post game for each of the three games the 7 and 8 positions (Zusi and Jones) they are kind of a mess, Zusi being the biggest perpetrator of clogging up and congesting the middle.
Jones work rate has been absolutely fantastic but his first touch and passing completion rate needs to improve as the USA get deeper in to the tournament.
I feel that the USA will beat Belgium.
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Belgium def beatable but I do worry when a team as talented as them aren't playing great but keep winning in first World Cup. We haven't seen Belgium A game yet so hopefully they wait until 2018.
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