For those of you who missed it, Michael Bradley scored ANOTHER goal for Heerenveen. The U.S. national team midfielder scored the equalizer in Heerenveen’s 1-1 tie vs. PSV Eindhoven on Saturday. For those of you not keeping track, that is six straight games with a goal and 10 goals in 10 games.
Bradley’s totals now stand at 13 league goals and 17 goals in all competitions for Heerenveen, which currently sits in second place in the Eredivise. The goal also gives Bradley goals against both Ajax and PSV this season. Not bad at all.
Here is the equalizer for those of you who missed it on Saturday. Great anticipation and ice cold finish.
Nobody really seems to score that much in MLS, and if you do look at the high scorers in the Dutch League, the numbers certainly do seem to be pretty high (Alfonso Alves scored 34 goals last year and the high scorer is usually in the mid to high 20s). However, those players often go on to be very successful with top teams in top leagues. So I think Bradley’s talent may well translate to productivity in a major league, whether or not the goals carry over.
Bradley is a very good young talent, and I’m glad to see he’s having some extraordinary success. But do people think he would score 20ish goals in MLS? I don’t know. This really makes me wonder about the level of competition in the Dutch League.
That said, I don’t think there’s anyone on this forum who doesn’t have their fingers crossed Bradley will turn out to be a great player and excellent ambassador for US Soccer over the coming years. Obviously, US Soccer as a whole is enjoying a period of incredible growth, and we need a select few players with whom we can identify our arrival as a legitimate footballing nation. It would be wonderful for players like Bradley and Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu to make enough progress on the world stage (and not just the British stage) to make other countries sit up and take notice.
I, for one, would love to see Bradley settle in with a “just outside the top” team in a top league. Perhaps Everton, Werder Bremen, Roma, Sevilla, etc.
I think it depends whether we are ranking the strength of a league on it’s best teams or it’s worst teams. Often, there is a hegemony in European leagues, with a couple/few perennial contenders at the top and a larger pool of also-rans. That’s why you could conceivably have leagues like the Eredivisie and SPL ranked below the Romanian Liga 1. A competitive league will always have the edge over a league with a few superpowers and a bunch of weaker teams.
I think Bradley played pretty well against the Mexicans. Sure, he didn’t score a goal, but when was that the standard bearer for playing well? By this logic, Drew Moor set up Altidore’s goal, so he obviously played great. Bradley did a lot of dirty work for the USA on Wednesday and covered a lot of defensive mistakes that I saw Moor and Coralles make. Bradley also plays an entirely different position for Herenveen. Complain all you like but he covered a lot of field, and that should be noted.
The Dutch League is a great league, and some of the world’s best have started there. They also boast storied teams like PSV, Ajax, and Feyenoord. So whoever thinks this is a Mickey Mouse league is sadly mistaken.
just unbelievable comments. a 20-year old(!) american(!) scoring his 17th(!) goal in a top European(!) league playing in midfield(!) and all you get in this thread is top-notch analysis like this:
“It is much easier to score in the Dutch league because they play Dutch soccer.”
“we really don’t know if Michael Bradley is an exceptionally good player”
so lemme just say, kudos to MB, he is doin’ it and doin’ it well. looking forward to seeing this guy in the USMNT midfield for years to come.
Rufus- I agree with everything you say, but being present at the game, i was able to monitor MB both on and off cam, and I really do think he played a pretty terrible game. I am a HUGE MB supporter, so Im not bashing, but he did not play to his potential. Everything else you say is unfortunately true, and hopefully we will get there before 2010.
I don’t understand why everyone is complaining about Bradley’s performance against Mexico. Sure, he didn’t play his best but he wasn’t awful. I’m not sure when he was suppose to be making “runs into the box” when we were barely able to contain any sort of possession in the attacking third of the field.
What is more of a concern is our ability as a team to retain possession while under pressure from teams like Mexico. It always the same story when we play strong European or South American teams. Our side lacks the overall technical and tactical ability to cope with the pressure in the midfield which prevents us from building possession and creating attacking movements.
When BB can field a roster that can play through pressure and release balls to our wings with proper space in front of them to send decent crosses into the penalty area, then we can start asking MB to make those runs and score goals like he does in Holland.
But unfortunately, this is not the case just yet.
According to FIFA, European Leagues rank right now as follows:
1. Spain
2. England
3. Italy
4. France
5. Germany
6. Portugal
7. Romania (?!)
8. NETHERLANDS
9. Russia
10. Scotland
you can see the rest athttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_coefficients
Wow. Despite his performance we really don’t know if Michael Bradley is an exceptionally good player. I hope in his next NATS outing he can squash all of our doubts.
fred- I completely agree wiht you. Our midfield against Mexico was absent. It seemed every time Mexico got the ball in the midfield, a white jersey was no closer than 10 feet away, and on the counter attack, we played a lot of long ball. Very disappointing. As much as I am not a Landon Donovan fan, I think when Landon is non existent the team just does not play well. I am not sure why that is, I dont think LD is the Pele of US soccer, but he sure seems to motivate the team both positively and negatively, which apparently drives everyone else, including MB
Iunderstand why Bradley can’t perform on the MNT like he does on his club, but what was disappointing was his total absense of runs into open space in the mexico match. I don’t know if it what the coach is asking him to focus on or what, but I sure hope he begins to display some offensive mindset in his future nat team appearences
WOW.Does anybody else think Dutch is a weird language???
Thanks for the highlight Ives, who needs Yanks-abroad?
First off… what is amazing about MB is he is a midfielder… 17 goals with more than 10 games remaining is remarkable… Dutch league or not…
Also who thinks Kuyt has been unsuccessful. He regularly makes it into Liverpool’s line-up so obviously Rafa sees plenty of ability in him. Babel is going to be a superstar too. (for the record I hate Liverpool)
While its not the top league, he certainly continues to impress fans and managers alike. The following quote from skysports.com, indicates what Heerevveens manager, Verbeek, thinks of MB. I can’t think of a bigger compliment. I also agree though, where was this on Wednesday? I think MB will become the Best player ever to grace the field for USMNT, in time!
“He is ready though for the step to a top club. Bradley has a great mentality; he will always make it.
“Just as I was convinced that Klaas-Jan (Huntelaar) would make it at Ajax, I am almost certain that he will make it elsewhere.”
Wow. I don’t care that this isn’t a “top” euro league, it’s very exciting to watch this happen for a US player. We continue to have more and more hope for a more and more competitive USMNT. Good stuff.
Ok, yes the Eredivisie is a couple of steps up from leagues like the Mexican league, the MLS, the J-League, and the A-League. But it is far from being in the echelon of Europe’s top leagues.
1. England, Spain, Italy
2. Germany, France
3. Dutch, Portuguese
4. All Other Leagues
Some players have succeeded in bigger, better leagues (RVN, Sneijder, other Dutch players), others have not (Kuyt). Some we have yet to know how good they potentially can be (Babel). It is much easier to score in the Dutch league because they play Dutch soccer.
I acutally was able to watch the game on t.v. and it was a great run and finish by Bradley. He’s having a great year, give him credit, don’t just label him Taylor Twellman. I agree that the Eredivisie is a couple of steps up from MLS and his team is tied for 2nd place, not bad.
Pretty elegant finish but I think his run to open space is even more telling. View of the field and anticipation!
“this just further indicates that Jr. Bradley is either Taylor Twellman of the MLS or his after has absolutely no idea what to do with him.”
Posted by: smokarz
1. The Dutch league is not the MLS. In fact it’s definitely a step up.
2. What was Taylor Twellman doing @ age 20?
3. Let’s see waht happens during qualifying before we crucify Bradley Sr.
4. Are you an idiot?
this just further indicates that Jr. Bradley is either Taylor Twellman of the MLS or his after has absolutely no idea what to do with him.
where was this on Wednesday?