Photo by Godofredo Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports
By SBI SOCCER
The U.S. Men’s National Team may be adding a new MLS weapon to their arsenal after citizenship was granted late Thursday.
Portland Timbers owner and CEO Merritt Paulson announced that Darlington Nagbe had officially become a U.S. citizen after being born in Monrovia, Liberia.
The 25-year-old son of Joe Nagbe, former Liberian international defender, plays as a box-to-box midfielder in MLS and is usually one to take chances on the dribble when pushing forward in attack. He is currently in his fifth season in MLS after being drafted second overall in the MLS SuperDraft in 2011.
His explosiveness and quick decision making has made him a consistent threat in attack. After a career-year in 2013, scoring nine goals and assisting four, Nagbe’s goal-scoring numbers have declined, only scoring once in 2014 and twice so far in 2015.
However, the former Akron Zips midfielder assisted seven times in 2014 and three times this season. Teams in MLS have found that fouling Nagbe may be the best and only way to prevent his dynamism and pace, as he was the third most fouled player in the league during 2014.
While unlikely Nagbe will be called up for the USMNT’s CONCACAF Cup meeting with Mexico on Oct. 10, he may see his name on the roster during the annual January camp.
Here is a video of Nagbe’s Goal of the Year in 2011:
What do you think about Nagbe’s citizenship? Think he can help the USMNT? When will he be called in?
Share your thoughts below.
does Darlington not have the sweetest smile in the entire world of pro sports
This guy is a total talent. The only issue is that he is the Dembele of MLS, because he lacks the goals and assists that one would expect from someone with his skills. But he can still improve in this category, and it would be interesting to see him playing by Bradley.
I like his abilitiy to draw fouls and think he certainly could help us against Concacaf opponents. There are so many hack first defend second teams in MLS though its hard to decide if that translates to the international game. There isn’t really anyone in the midfield that draws fouls for the US and sorry it is a skill. Dempsey is really our best but he doesn’t play midfield anymore. I’m not talking about diving or embellishing, but you can use your body, change of speed, change of direction to draw fouls purposely.
Jraz,
I haven’t seen Nagbe play much.
The most fouled player stat is problematical.
Does he draw fouls because he beats people and they are forced to resort to fouling?
If so does that mean he is great or the guys fouling him are not that competent?
Or does it mean he holds onto the ball too long or too much? That can bog down an attack.
You may recall Keane telling the media that Lletget was doing well but held onto the ball too much and that they would fix that.
If you watch the top teams they keep the ball moving, always moving.
The special players like CR7 and Messi can hold on to the ball every once in a while but I’m not sure Nagbe is in that class. It will be interesting to see him with the USMNT. If he is what everyone hopes he is then the higher standard should make him an even better contributor.
Definitely interested to see what this guy can do at the international level. A bit off topic but related: any new updates on Kekuta Manneh getting citizenship? I know he keeps a home in Washington state for that purpose, and the last I heard, 2016 was the goal. He seems to be having a very good season with the Whitecaps and could help with what many posters are talking about regarding Nagbe: creating chances and bringing pace to the wings.
As long as were on that topic, I wish we could have gotten Diego Fagundez, but that doesn’t look at all possible now. and it was a longshot from the start.
NNNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!! Klinsmann stay away from him. The last thing Darlington needs is a blown hammy.
I haven’t seen him play much, though the couple times I did I remember thinking he looked faster and more skilled than anyone else on the field. Anyone else have more info? What position does he normally play at Portland? If it’s outside mid, can he send in a good cross? Can/Will he defend as necessary at that position? Is he an immediate upgrade for the USNT there?
Get out of pdx and move to Seattle. It’s that simple
If anyone knows their Liberian history, he’s as American as us.
Well he’s lived here since he was 11 so of course he should play for the USMNT.
He’s live here for 14 years.
Which is 3 years less than JK has lived here.
I was referring to the fact that Liberia was founded by African Americans.
Tried to respond earlier but my computer froze. I’m guessing most people don’t know Liberian history and of course slaves weren’t technically citizens, but property. Although they did have limited rights, but were not full fledged citizens even in the north.
Whites in the North generally didn’t see blacks as equal either which was the main reason they tried to ship as many as they could back to Africa to start the Liberian colony. Also, indigenous people still live in Liberia today so Nagbe could be descendant from them.
He has an American-sounding first name.
He’s Americo, at least in part. (The Americo are descendants of freed American slaves, for those who don’t know.)
I would guess that too more on his family background story.
Nagbe sounds African to me.
Not an experft on this, but I do know the following. Yes, it was founded by African Americans and was one of the few African areas never colonized. But, there were people already living there, native Africans, when they established the country. For a long time the Liberians with American heritage made up an elite in the country and controlled the government and economy. So, you had sort of a bifurcated social and political system. I don’t know if it still that way except that the current president was educated in the US, I think at an Ivy League school. English is taught in all the schools. how American Naghbe is may depend on your definition and if he is descended from former slaves or from the native Africans.
“how American Naghbe is may depend on your definition”
No it doesn’t. It’s not your call.
He has a US passport. He is an American.
Hey, I’m the one always arguing against slowleftarm. I know a thing or two about this subject and don’t doubt his citizenship ( my wife is also a naturalized citizen). I was responding to the wording in an above post. You should know I’m not that dumb, nor am I a nativist.
“You should know I’m not that dumb, nor am I a nativist.”
On SBI you are what you write.
And a sudden fear came upon all the associated countries of FIFA when the news broke that Darlington Nagbe is now a US citizen…. Yawn…
damn debbie downer smh….oh, no pun intended!
::applause from the crowd::
I guess I’m left unimpressed. Is he better than Benny or Lee? Doubt it. Besides, JK didnt discover him so he’s not going to get a look
At outside mid? Heck yeah. He’s got something neither of them do, which is pace – something we are badly lacking in at the moment. He’s also a very, very technical player.
Nagbe would add a lot. I wish he was more of a scorer, but his ability to blaze down the flanks gives us a more polished version of Yedlin…which to my mind, allows JK to start transitioning Yedlin back to right back, probably pushes Fabian Johnson over to left back, and starts solidifying a bunch of positions we’re weak at, at the moment.
Is Nagbe as fast as Yedlin, when Yedlin was in MLS nobody compared them in speed. Why now? If anything, I think Nagbe has a better first step.
Yeah, we need to quit avoiding the speed discussion. Like it is a crime to be fast, skill is what matters. Of course skill matters, this isn’t American football, but speed has to be there for the Nat team.
I am going to say Yedlin is faster, but both are fast and Nagbe is so quick.
Necessary but not sufficient.
Yedlin is faster. People dont really understand how fast Yedlin is. Caleb Porter clocked Yedlin, at Akron, various times between a 4.2-4.3 40 which I dont doubt. That would put him in the Top 10 of the NFL Combine. To put that into context, Theo Walcott (when he lost the fastest Arsenal player time to Bellerin) said that he ran a 4.5
I love both of those guys, but yeah, I take him over both. He is a game changer.
Go ahead and tell me where Portland is without him the last few years. They would stink.
The Sporks were fine without Benny, better obviously with him. Revs similar, better obviously.
Its hard to know what Nagbe is. Yes he gets fouled A LOT but so does a lot of guys who still put the ball in the net or get more assists. 3 assists, in a league that counts up to two passes to get credited for an assist, is not very good.
I dont mind him getting called but there will be a transition phase for him. I think he could be great but Im not sure if he really wants it.
Nagbe will help us, a bunch, IMHO. So will Lletget.
We badly, badly need some left and right backs, but Nagbe is a good step…and maybe that guy who can finally bump Yedlin back to right back.
Count me in the group that thinks while Klinsmann is swimming a little, ANY coach would be swimming a little with the state of the USMNT talent pool, which has seen just way too many guys staledate and not enough guys who should be in the primes of their careers step up.
Right now there’s an obvious “bubble” to anybody who cares to take a look of talent in that key 25-32 range. Way too many of our key guys are either older than 33…or younger than 25, and there’s literally a massive 8-years-or so talent gap where there just aren’t many quality Internationals. Again and again and again…dunno WHY that gap is there – although injuries to some key guys like Stuart Holden have played a role – but it is, and the USMNT is going to be in a very tricky phase until that gap works its way through.
We’re square in the middle of that black hole right now. I actually thought that team Klinsmann put on the field against Brazil the other day was pretty technical, at least until it got to the forward spot and Altidore, but in no way did it remotely have the speed or athleticism to match Brazil and they beat us over the head with our athletic shortcomings.
November Qualifiers, at T&T and vs. SVG would be a great time break in a lot of new guys – regardless of the October result.
This is what I was talking about on the page where everyone was fretting about a striker. There are players that will be there, that are better than what we have. That is US soccer now.
Every time he gets the ball, they need to at least double team him. Very dangerous. Very quick.
Him Yedlin and Zardes, will be the speed the US has NEVER had. Add a Jamieson type to the forward spot and boom, all the sudden the US went from a slow team to a very fast, very quick team.
EXACTLY JK’s type of player. Athletic. He will be a God send. Can we now move Bradley back where he belongs? Put Nagbe in attack and not get run over in the center of the midfield like last game.
Lleget should start out left, and zardes come on as a 60′ sub
Why do you need to add Jamieson to that trio. Morris is already playing the senior team. Morris is pretty damn fast and already has a good knack for knowing how to play the position and the runs that need to be made (his cerebral side is advanced for where he is at). Morris turns pro for next season and then he begins to shine in Seattle.
Zardes-Morris-Yedlin/Nagbe (I would like to see Yedlin at RB and Nagbe RM)
Nagbe
Can’t wait to see what he can do at RB.
+1
Portland fans, can he play on the wings?? That’s where we need the most help.
You don’t need to ask a Portland fan, we have all seen him play a gazillion times. He plays on the left too.
Let me guess you’re a salty Sounder fan?
LOL, that is funny.
I do love Nagbe though.
Nice…JK has a new DM or LB to experiment with
also i think he might go to europe now
He has to if he wants any shot at the USMNT
You mean like Besler, Zusi, Zardes, Beckerman, Gonzalez to name a few.
I seriously doubt he will go to Europe. Soccer is not the most important thing in his life. Much like Landon he seems to value happiness and his friends & family more. And for these reasons I have doubts that Klinsmann will want him in the USMNT. He is not a 24/7 soccer guy.
Being an American citizen doesn’t really help him to play in Europe and at 25 not being a superstar in MLS his best options would be Norway or Denmark most likely. He couldn’t get a work permit in England because he doesn’t play regularly for the national team, although not sure if you only need that for EPL, anyone know about that?
I think going to Europe has more to do with the fact that he now leave the US whereas before he couldn’t during the citizenship approval process. HE May not qualify for the UK,, but there are other leagues. I have to watch him some more, but he can definitely early more than the $250k he is here in MLS. He has leverage, pay him or he might go elsewhere (I personally think he can go to Belgium, Portugal or Netherlands) and at least triple his salary.
Nagbe’ the type of chance creator that plays much better with quality around him. Put him with Bradley, Dempsey, Bedoya (not as a defensive midfielder…) etc and Nagbe will deliver chances to them that they will finish. Crazy if JK doesn’t even take a look at him, but who would be surprised if JK thinks others are “ahead of him”.
Which is exactly what he says when his choices are questioned
Even when his choices are not that special
So whose playing defensive midfielder in this line up? You guys all complain about people playing out of position and then throw Dempsey in position he hasn’t played in four years, doesn’t like to play, and doesn’t have the legs to play consistently anymore. Bradley isn’t a defensive midfielder either and to put him their would expose his poor tackling and expose your 2nd or third best player to picking up yellow cards which DM must do from time to time. So its ok for JK haters to put players in positions they don’t play and aren’t particularly good at, but not JK.
wow. easy, tiger; he didn’t list the positions they would be playing, and didn’t even say that they would all be on the field at the same time. seems like you’re a little too excited to call people “haters”.
You are right about both Dempsey and Bradley; Dempsey can’t really play defense anymore and Bradley needs a stay at home DM behind him. Here’s two formations I would like to see (I’m going to include Nagbe since the article is about him)
—Altidore–Dempsey—-
Nagbe————-Bedoya
—Bradley—-Williams—-
Beas–Bes–Cam—-FJ
———-Howard———-
or
———Altidore———-
Nagbe–Benny—Dempsey
—Bradley—Williams—–
Beas—Bes—OG—FJ
In the second formation I would let Dempsey roam and pick his spots. And before you say it is too offensive, under Vermes Benny has started playing defense so it’s not as vulnerable as it might look at first glance.
Altidore stuggles when he’s up there alone I know Clint would drift in and out but I like #1 better. It just leaves so much space in the middle of the park if you drop to DM midfielders, as you might remember from Bunker Bob’s days at the helm.
I like #1 better as well. Ideally it would play in a fashion similar to the way the Galaxy play the 4-4-2 with Bradley sitting in front of Williams and the two wide midfielders in more advanced positions.
I agree with you, but as soon as you move MB in front of the other CM fielder, everyone screams he’s out of position he’s out of position.
JRaz,
SBI fans love pigeonholing players and then locking them into that hole.
Mikey would be better off if he could just play one constant role but the brutal reality is that he is a couple of levels above many of his USMNT teammates and he needs to be placed where the holes are.
This is the curse of being the multi-talented player that Mikey has always tried to be.
Mikey’s favorite player/role model has always been Demetrio Albertini.
Albertini‘s role model/ mentor was Frank Rijkaard.
Look those guys up. They were great players.
If a mid-20’s version of Albertini or Rijkaard was available for the USMNT today, JK would put Mikey at the #6 role permanently and hand Mikey’s “all purpose role” to them and never look back.
Yet, they were players who were labeled “defensive midfielders”.
Of course you have to put that into context, as in who are you playing with?
When the guy next to you is someone like Roberto Donadoni, then yeah, you are the defensive midfielder. That’s what happens when you play for teams like AC Milan or, in Rijkaard’s case, Ajax, Milan and then Barca.
Playing for the USMNT, well Mikey has a different problem than those guys.
The current USMNT player pool is much better than the USMNT player pool of 5, 10 15 years ago but so what? JK’s team is not playing Arena’s team to qualify for the World Cup.
F++k what they were 5, 10 years ago, are the US players better today than the players they will likely have to play to make noise in a tournament like the Confederations Cup, Copa America, World Cup, or even the Gold Cup?
Just look at the Brazil game and tell me how much better the US player pool is than when Arena or BB were around.
And that’s why Mikey keeps getting moved around to put out fires.
Michael Bradley is one of our best midfielders wherever you play him. The problem with MB is that often he tries to do too much to make up for the shortcomings of others (perceived and real). I think sometimes he kind of runs himself out of games as a result. When he plays within himself, no matter where he is positionally, he is fine.
I love the way posters will plug in a player as a starter in the national team even though that player has never played one minute of international play before. And ahead of Zardes, who has shined recently, to boot. At least have Nagbe show up in a camp first before anointing him as a starter. I know you included him because the article is about him, but that doesn’t mean you ignore reality.
Nobody knows until he comes to a camp and practices against other US players. Then you still don’t know until he plays in an international game. Then you may think he is good, but that’s only because he is playing a CONCACAF team, but he is exposed when playing a top 20 team. Playing well in MLS only proves that you play well in MLS. It may translate/transfer into being a good international, it may not. I equate it like going from Double A baseball to the major leagues. Cameron has played regularly for Stoke for 3 years now, but he didn’t look very good against Brazil. It is a whole order of magnitude even from mid-table EPL to top international teams. It is an order of magnitude from MLS to EPL>
hell yeah. cap him coach!
What is quite ironic about Klinsmann’s obsession with playing players out of position and making them uncomfortable is that Klinsmann himself as a player never played anything but a striker. He never played on the wing, withdrawn, or anywhere in the midfield — just one position all his career. Maybe he always wanted to play somewhere else and that has traumatized him for life?
David M
“What is quite ironic about Klinsmann’s obsession with playing players out of position and making them uncomfortable is that Klinsmann himself as a player never played anything but a striker. He never played on the wing, withdrawn, or anywhere in the midfield — just one position all his career. ”
If you followed JK’s career, you would know there is nothing even vaguely ironic about that.
JK played for Germany. He moves players around because he doesn’t have the luxury of the kind of deep talent pool Germany had and still has.
If you want to know about the level of the US player pool just look at the game the other night.
We sub in Mix Diskerud and Brazil subs in Neymar.
That should tell you something. The US does not have one outfield player who would make Brazil’s 23 man roster.
That said Germany has a long history of moving players around, almost always midfielders and defenders. You might notice that Muller, Goetze, and Schurrle shift between striker and midfield all the time. Loew is not afraid to plays defenders, like his captain, Lahm, anywhere in defense or as midfielders and vice versa.
The Germans have shown that they believe if you are a pro midfielder then you should be good enough to both attack and defend at a pro level.
The German team that won the 1990 World Cup, the one that JK was on, had a 5 man back line. 4 of them were centerbacks/defensive midfielders by trade and the left back was Andreas Brehme who was a converted midfielder/left back.
JK was one of the all time great strikers . The US has never had a player who has approached his level of accomplishment as a striker or as a player period. He got there by beating out severe competition and did not get capped until he was 23-24, old by the standards of his time.
When your gift is for scoring, very rare in this game, no one moves you to another position. You won’t see JK move Clint or Jozy to centerback as long as they keep scoring.
The few JK defenders still out there are like the defenders of the Alamo – there aren’t many of them but they will fight their fight to the death.
Really?
There were 200 defenders at the Alamo. I think there are probably more people than that who want to see the USMNT keep moving forward instead of falling back on their old, “punching above their weight, relying on the counter and set pieces” identity that many reactionaries wish to see the team revert to.
In any event the playoff is one month away, an eternity in soccer.
Look at it this way if the US loses then you will be happy. If the US wins then you will be able to whine about how they won.
So either way, it will be a win – win for you.
I think all USMNT fans want the USMNT to move forward but lots of them question whether that’s happening under JK. He’d achieved about the same level of results as BB with arguably a better talent pool until the Gold Cup but the abject performances in that competition plus the pathetic Brazil performance and constant “experimentation” have made a lot of people question whether we want to continue with JK through Russia. That’s obvious from the comments on this board for instance.
I want the US to win next month and every time they take the field. And I actually think they will because Mexico is a mess as well. I also think JK is here through Russia even if they don’t. Whether that’s good for the USMNT is highly debatable however.
well for startes we dont really understand what hppened in the Gold Cup. Fortuntley JK is here and will cryptically explain. For example, Bedoyas problems was that he couldnt find the gme… etc
This is ridiculous. I have been saying for the past 2 years or so that this while the US is deeper, it is deeper with mediocre talent. However, the starting 11 has less talent than the starting 11 of the generation before (think guys 32-37). 32yr old Clint Dempsey should no longer be carrying the offensive load. 33yr Jermaine Jones should not be indispensable midfielder (or 33yr old Beckerman). We don’t even people as good enough as Claudio Reyna or John O’Brien to possess the ball (and don’t mention Fielhaber or Lee Nguyen).
That being said, out 18 – 23 have A LOT of potential. Let’s see if they work out.
GW, you are back! Welcome back buddy. You were MIA the last couple of days.
“I think there are probably more people than that who want to see the USMNT keep moving forward instead of falling back” – Wait to you are equating Klinsmann to the USMNT “moving forward”??!?? Aww man you are back to your old tricks. In my mind I had imagined you taking a break to reassess your views and your staunch/blind support of Klinsmann. Shame on me for being so naive. Well i guess every argument/debate needs a devil’s advocate and that’s what you are. Cheers!
UCLABG
You have mistaken me for someone else.
I don’t support JK. I don’t know JK, BB or Arena. These guys aren’t friends of mine. I support the USMNT not the manager.
I read the posts on the USMNT and if I find them illogical or ill informed, I research them and then reply to the posters.
I did exactly the same thing with BB and would have with Arena had SBI been around then ( was it?).
My main problem with JK is he probably talks too much but that is probably unavoidable as one of the biggest issues with BB was he said virtually nothing of substance to the media so I’m guessing the USSF wanted more “apparent ” transparency from the next guy.
This is a guy who after all, was very used to jousting with the German soccer media who are probably on a whole ‘nother level when it comes to scrutiny and pressure compared to the US media.
Other than that I’ve never had too much problem with JK or with following his logic, probably because his attempts to transition the USMNT bear more than a little resemblance to the transitions of many other teams, in a number of sports, not just soccer.
The characters change but the basic principles remain the same. This USMNT transition is no different.
My guess is that’s why JK waited so long to take the job, having first been approached after the 2006 World Cup. He wasn’t saying yes until he got all kinds of unprecedented concessions and contractual protections out of the USSF.
I’m guessing that even if he should get fired it will be a matter of being kicked upstairs to Technical Director or else getting a settlement that would make most of us cry all the way to the bank.
JK knew exactly what he was getting into and he wasn’t going into a gunfight with a stick.
And if you think he won’t get another job in soccer think again. He’s extremely well connected and can probably take his time about what he wants to do next assuming it all goes bad. Lots of really good managers in this game get fired all the time and if he gets canned here it’s no big deal. Van Gaal practically was thrown out of Bayern Munich and look at him now.
I think you will find the vast majority of the people in the soccer world view the USMNT manager’s job as a no win situation. As I’ve often said, I have never heard JK make a criticism about soccer as it relates to the USMNT, that wasn’t voiced by some American, before him.
+1
LOL
when has Klinsmnn said anything of substance? and there are players a tiny step ahead of Donovan ‘ doesnt count.
maybe the part where no one in the US really understands what happened in Gold Cup
onlyagame.
I wrote “apparent” transparency”.
This is far from actual substance.
Do you value your managers by how many comments of substance they make?
Because if that is so you are going to be disappointed for the most part no matter what sport you follow.
And you are right, that quote about Donovan is probably the single most substantive thing JK said. It signified that the team was really going another direction from what LD represented and that is the main reason for the extreme polarization you see in the opinion on JK’s tenure.
Yeah, I get it. Klinsmann was a great player on a great team. But he is NOT a good coach and has no idea about how to evaluate players, tactics and overall strategy. When Klinsmann was Germany WC coach, it was Low who pulled all the strings. In fact it was Low who selected players and it was Low who managed tactics and strategy. We just stuck with the wrong German.
“has no idea about how to evaluate players, tactics and overall strategy”. Thank you for clarifying that Mr. bottlecaps. You must know so much more about soccer then Herr Klinsmann. If only Sunil Gulati could listen to your expert opinion.
Just in the last year he has brought Zardes into the team and made him a starter, discovered Morris and Ibarra. Gave opportunity to Bobby Wood when he was out of contract, got Brooks into the team when he was 19 and so on. What you really mean is you don’t agree with some of his player selections, which are two different things. I don’t think you could be around the game at a high level as long as he has and not have some decent ideas about recognizing talent. But nobody’s perfect. Both BB and Wynalda thought Robbie Findlay was going to have a breakout World Cup in 2010 and Wynalda predicted stardom for him. BB also stuck too long with Bornstein and Ricardo Clark, IMO. People see what they want to see and ignore what conflicts with their previously reached conclusions.
Bottlcaps,
I know that you are older (from your previous posting, you are in your late 60’s and I am only in my 30’s), so I am going to be very respectful in this response. I used to live in Germany for a little bit and during my time there, the critique of him was that he had a great eye for talent. Some questioned whether he had the best tactics (so feel free to question that). However, his eye for talent was never in question. I live in NY now, but I still have friends in Germany (including a guy who was in the Nuremberg youth system), and there was talk that Jurgen he found a lot of the player that were integral to this team and was part of the revolution of German football.
I don’t think he is a great tactician, but I think he is better than a lot on his board believe him to be. Then again, I defended Bob Bradley and Michael Bradley when a lot on this board and ESPN were slamming them.
While USMNT has a lot more depth than they did in the 70’s/80’/90’s, they simply aren’t that good. The top level talent is weaker than the generation before. I WANT us to play possession ball, but we cannot take do it. I remember JK saying when he took over than he wanted players not afraid to take the game to the opponent. The problem is we didn’t have the technical players to do that. On top of that, outside a 5 or so players, we cannot counter attack with speed. I view this team as a placeholder until the next generation.
As a side note, if you think whining is bad now, we are still noting compared to the English media.
bottlcaps,
“has no idea about how to evaluate players…”
And you do?
You would not have said that if he had taken Landon to Brazil.
Why is Mix Diskerud even being called in anyway?
Two words: David Luiz. For that matter Traffic Sports picks the roster for Brazil so there are plenty of players we could pay them enough to get on the field. In conclusion, David Luiz.
He’s never played Jozy in another position that I can recall, or Omar, or John Brooks, or Brad Guzan. When a player has a skill set that is only suited for one position, they play in one position.
That isn’t true. Bedoya the other day is just one example. Did you forget the memorable Danny Williams as winger experiment? And MB hasn’t played in his best and natural position for ages. I think the best example of JK’s contrariness is Brek Shea. He was the one who actually first played him a LB and I’ll give him credit – he got that one right. So much so that he now plays as a LB at club level. So what does JK do when he reports for USMNT duty? Move him back to LW. It was only one game but come on. Maybe it was just to make him “uncomfortable” I guess.
You know who else is uncomfortable these days? USMNT fans watching their team.
I’m more upset that he sets his players up to fail or make them “uncomfortable” then he throws them under the bus.
The thing this teams lacks is chemistry. It is killing the team, no one has that never say die attitude. Just like in the army, you aren’t fighting for your flag, you are fighting for your fellow brother in arms.
The only hope I have with the Mexico game is the fact that it is Mexico our arch rivals. Other wise I’d not hold out for much hope.
slowleftarm,
Danny Williams on the right wing vs Italy?
I watched that game very closely and you should do the same with a replay.
Maybe you were fooled because Williams wore a #7, typically a right winger number.
SA: 1-Tim Howard; 2-Steve Cherundolo, 4-Clarence Goodson, 5-Carlos Bocanegra (capt.), 3-Fabian Johnson (13-Jonathan Spector, 77); 6-Michael Bradley, 8-Maurice Edu; 7-Danny Williams,10-Clint Dempsey (17-Edson Buddle, 90), 11-Brek Shea (16-Sacha Kljestan, 73); 9-Jozy Altidore (18-Terrence Boyd, 79)
Subs not used: 12-Nick Rimando, 14-Michael Parkhurst, 15-Geoff Cameron
JK knows the Italians well. He knows they love to dominate the midfield and from there put pressure on the defense.
So he placed Williams in midfield to do two things:
1. Add another good defender in midfield to help keep the Italians from overrunning the midfield.
2. Give the US defense another outlet to pass the ball short to and thereby help keep some possession. Williams is very good on the ball.
The strategy worked and the US won 1-0. Basically, he beat the Italians at their own game and Williams was one of the keys.
Don’t take my word for it watch the game again.
yeah, i remember that game. he definitely played on the wing; it was pretty bad. at least we won the friendly, though–that’s the important thing.
We beat Italy in Italy, and you can’t even give credit for that.
It was more than one game and it was a total failure, just like Beodya as a DM, just like MB as a #10. Pick a system that fits the players you have and then put the best players in each position on field. Some experimentation is fine but at some point endless experimentation is just a sign of someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. We are long past that point.
“It was more than one game and it was a total failure, just like Beodya as a DM, just like MB as a #10”
You care to explain that? The US beat Italy at their own game and Williams was one of the reasons.
How was that a total failure?
Because Danny Williams was terrible at RW and ill-suited to that position. The fact we won a game despite the mistake of playing him there doesn’t change that. And that was not the only game he played RW.
slowletarm,
“Because Danny Williams was terrible at RW and ill-suited to that position.”
Sorry. I forgot to explain it to you.
Danny was not there to play right wing like Yedlin or Zardes ( neither was yet in the picture) would have. He was not there to dribble down to the byline and get a cross in or cut in and shoot, even though he occasionally likes to try that. He did play at right back and the right side of midfield for Freiburg after all.
The Italians like to dominate the midfield possession and make a team like the US pull themselves out of shape and leave openings for a guy like Giovinco, who played for Italy in that game.
Having both Williams and Edu gave the US more “bite” in the midfield and putting Williams, who is very good at keeping the ball or at least he was in that game, in front of Dolo gave the US more defense and possession down that side. As I recall Giovinco likes that side of the field.
There were several instances when I was expecting a long clearance out of defence and instead the ball was passed short to Williams thus buying the US a bit more possession
What other games did Danny play right wing? If you can tell me which games, I’ll see if I can look them up and maybe find the tactical explanation for you.
By the way I get you hate JK but no one from the US was terrible in that game.
The concept of adjusting to fit the situation is apparently beyond some people. The same people who say Klinsmann doesn’t know tactics.
By the way, I notice Orlando has moved Shea between left wing and left back
brek shea had played LB before klinsmann put him there.
Again MB hasn’t played this #9 role everyone complains about except in the games of the WC after Jozy went down. As soon as that was over he has slide back into his same basic position. I didn’t see the first half against Brazil so I’ll give you he perhaps played farther forward with 2 CDMs behind him.
Since Klinsman the US and most teams now in the world play possession out of the back instead of long balls from the keeper. Thus our CBs are higher and so CMs like MB have to be higher to gain space. And when you play MB opposite say Beckerman primarily defensive on the international level, instead of say Torres, Clark, or even Edu he has to play higher as well. Everyone acts like he’s playing Dempsey’s old spot right behind the striker role and he’s not.
bradley’s never played the #9 under klinsmann. if you’re talking about him playing the #10, that’s closer to what he was playing when klinsmann was fielding the diamond midfield last year with jozy-dempsey up top, and yes, with bradley directly behind the forwards. they played that way in the run-up to the world cup, and even started the first game that way until jozy got hurt.
i didn’t get to see the peru game, but in the brasil game, he was–again–the closest to goal of all the midfielders, sometimes even swapping with jozy as the furthest player forward.
Closest to the forwards ok, but he’s still 20 yards off them until we have secure possession. When his dad was coach he was still closest to the forwards. Its like you guys look at the opening kick and say look Bradley is right on the circle he’s going to be out of position all game. But once the game materializes he is playing in the exact same space. And for the hundredth time its the same spot he plays at Toronto. I think a 4-4-2 is better suited for our players right now too, but this myth that Bradley is playing as a third forward is so beyond truth its become humorous.
you’re way off. he’s certainly not 20 yards off the forwards; i was going to say that, in the brasil game, he was often alternating with jozy in pressing their centerbacks in possession.
and no, when bob bradley was coach, donovan and dempsey (as wide mids) were closest to the forwards; bradley and the other central mid were both defensive mids.
i guess it’s easier for you to just dismiss others as ignorant (yes, i am aware that players move around during the game, and still, it’s really not that hard to see that bradley’s playing higher up the field than he was a few years ago), but it’s not a good look, and doesn’t really help your argument.
Donovan and Dempsey were essentially the 2nd and 3rd forward (withdrawn to help with defense, but still attacking first) in Bradley’s formation or one of them played directly alongside another forward, they played much higher than MB is playing now. And by the way at the time your dream formation with Demps, LD on the wings and MB and Clark/Edu both in DM was highly criticized because it generated little offense and possession against non-concacaf teams.
Bradley also played for Herenveen, two clubs in the Bundesliga, Chievo and Roma. I know he scored a lot of goals for Herenveen and I never saw him play in the Bundesliga. Given he has been playing professionally for about a dozen years, I imagine he has played both attacking mid, defensive mid and other sorts of mids at one time or another.
Slow, I’m not sure if you were replying to my post because you didn’t address it at all. Are you saying that those players have skill sets suited to only one position? If so you’re in disagreement with every one of their club coaches. Bedoya, Williams, MB, Shea, all of them have played more than one position for a significant number of games at club level.
I would rather see Findley and Lletget before Nagbe, tbh.
Really hope you mean Finlay and Not Findley. We already went down the Findley road.
No, we need a veteran striker to lead the line and Robbie Findley is having such a break out year with TFC! 😉 Finlay**
If you think Findley is an answer, you really have lost credibility.
Great news. Klinsy can play him as a defensive midfielder or a lone striker in order to challenge him and keep him fighting for his spot.
Sarcasm aside, he’d be a great creative fit for the USMNT.
I think he sees him more as a left back.
Nah, he’s likely our new goalie
settle down guys- he’s in MLS. Won’t happen.
I was going to make a joke about him being played out of position for the national team, but it looks like you guys have this one covered. Well done.
Come on guys, you all know he will slot in best at third base.
Definitely at center back.
I think he’s a little too old and experienced to play center back for Klinsi
Great news!
I’m sure Klinsmann will welcome another entry in the goalkeeper pool.