Borussia Moenchengladbach saw its five-match unbeaten streak ended by Bayern Munich on Friday, but U.S. national team midfielder Michael Bradley did enjoy one of the bright spots of the match for the underdogs, a clever assist on Moenchengladbach's lone goal.
Here is Bradley's assist:
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Good thing I skipped college. 😀
Terrible defending IMAO by the way.
We love the 1 touch assist
Those announcers sound like the two guards at the border crossing in Stripes. (Though yes, I realize the guards were supposed to be Czech and I am pretty sure the announcers were Polish.)
Nice leave, Mikey.
must be the shoes.
Bradley was amazing as an 18 year old for the Metrostars. Unfortunately nobody realized it then.
One of the best plays I’ve seen an American make in a while was the second goal against Costa Rica. Bradley absolutely breaks ankles to get by one player (the guy ended up in maryland). Now Bradley had two obvious options. He had space to run into (which 50% of players in that position would do). He could dink it into the box and hope something happens (the other 49.9%). No he took the third option which didn’t seem to exist at first which was play Landon out wide with a PERFECT ball. Landon then crosses and Sequiera (or whoever it was) gives up the inane corner.
Bradley stills needs some polishing. As some have noted that he can make some bad plays. Sometimes his will to win also gets the better of him. What is obvious is that he’s probably the best d-mid we’ve ever had at the age of 22. John Harkes playing in a similar position had 6 goals in 90 games. In 38 games Bradley has 7 goals and most have come in BIG games.
He’s class.
it appears the video is down, here’s a link to the entire match highlights (in english)
other notes taken from said highlights:
Bradley could have done much more to defend the first goal against ‘gladbach, he was ball watching with Mario Gomes sizing up a shot at the edge of the box, not great defense.
also bradley’s touch lets him down on a good chance to go 1on1 with the bayern keeper, hits it too far.
and bradley also set up another glorious opportunity for a teamate that could have been a goal with a better shot.
http://www.footytube.com/video/bayern-munchen-v-borussia-m-gladbach-28811
Haha. He’s not. He’s got really blonde hair that makes him look like he’s going bald. He will eventually, but not yet. I’ve examined hi-res pics. 😀
duh, they weren’t round enough.
IT’S ROUNDER!
Darn it, you beat me to the punch
wow, that was a handball by Beasley…
It’s easy to SEE a pass like that, but a lot of players will play the ball to heavily or too lightly. Bradley hit the ball on the sweet spot with the perfect amount of weight on it.
Anyone could’ve made that pass? Give me a break. Thats a world class deft touch.
Isaac makes some good points; Bradley might be better than many US fans, including myself, think. (I tend to think that the US’s current crop of youngsters, including Bradley and Jozy, are only slighly worse than Mexico’s vaulted youth.) The problem with Bradley is not that he fails to produce good moments–the problem is that he produces about as many bad moments. It is on the afternoons Bradley gives up the ball that the US fails to play well. If Bradley can play well and keep possession for the US, along with chipping in a goal or two, then the US can do very well in this World Cup. Replacing Clark with Jones or Edu will help Bradley on both the offensive and defensive ends, and this simple upgrade should not be underestimated as improving American play on both ends of the pitch.
It was a nice pass BUT, at this level, anybody on the field could have made that pass. I don’t think it was anything special. Good result but nothing special
(SBI-You never have anything good to say about anybody named Bradley, do you? Still think the USA is going three-and-out?)
Yes, post collegiate age baldness is very common….
Roundest ball yet? What the hell was wrong with the other ones?
It’s supposed to be the roundest ball yet.
He’s going bald. . .
http://watchsocceronline.blogspot.com/2009/12/beasley-earns-penalty-in-rangers-win.html
Bradley is turning out to be a Ballack/Gerrard/Scholes mix. A two-way player with fairly good ball skill, exquisite touch, pinpoint distribution, and a 90 minute intensity and work rate. For all the ragging that people do on his passing, his passing and distribution lead to a lot of goals
-Bradley found Donovan on the 3rd goal against Trinidad
-Bradley combined with Donovan on the 2nd goal against Egypt
-Bradley found Spector out wide on the 3rd goal against Egypt
-Bradley found Davies out wide on the 1st goal against Spain
-Bradley found Feilhaber out wide on the 2nd goal against Spain
-Bradley found Donovan on the goal against Mexico
-Bradley found Donovan on the 2nd goal against El Salvador
-Bradley skinned a Costa Rican defender and found Donovan leading to the corner for the second goal.
There is also this goal as well. He shows nice mobility, vision, and touch to play that ball right away. No, his passing isn’t perfect, but it’s improving every game, and I think I’m most excited to see how he does in the World Cup.
ROFFLMFAO!
Don’t forget H1N1 influenza!
did anybody notice that the Bundesliga is already using the WC Jabulani ball? advantage Germany? the Prem is still using that ugly arse yellow Nike ball.
Additionally, the Gulati-Bradley axis is also the conspiracy behind 9/11, the Kennedy assassination, faking the landing on the moon, and secretly trying to poison us by putting fluoride in our drinking water.
Beasley came on at 64th and drew a penalty for Rangers…
I know! He looks better with hair. Gotta stop shaving that head.
Baby Bradley! We can take the English midfield, and beat them.
i like the hooligan look. just by looking at him you’d expect him to speak in a liverpoolian dock worker accent.
its better than those latin primadonna’s with shoe laces around their heads and pony tails
If somebody not named Bradley had made a play like that in the Uzbek 3rd division, half the soccer blogosphere would have been ripping Bob for not calling the guy up.
Ha ha!
hell yah, even CB!!!
Bradley should regrow his hair.
more proof that anyone who says anything about ‘nepotism’ and mikey bradley is a clown. kid can play, and does so more consistently than any of the vaunted u20s he came up with.
adu would have scored instead of getting the assist. He’d have probably gotten a hat-trick in this game. he is the answer to every question on our team.
I can’t believe you had to go and ruin the whole evil scheme by exposing it here! Way to go.
I bet with a little searching, we can find posters who think Bradley’s spot on the national team is the result of nepotism and should be given to Adu…
Bayern still wants to work marketing angles in the US so they let the American kid assist on this to boost US interest. More evidence of the Gulati-Bradley axis of evil, the conspiracy to foist Michael Bradley on the American public as a good soccer player. Don’t be fooled. It’s all a sham.
Eh, he was only in the game because his dad is the coach.
22 years old and yet to reach his potential. Great player.
yea he is pretty bad……. can’t wait to see him pushed up higher more often with Jones lying deep.
chuck D radio interview on stu holden’s web site http://www.stuholden.com/2009/12/stu-holden-brian-ching-interview-charlie-davies-on-their-radio-show/
agreed. i think bradley-jones pairing at the WC would be a MAJOR boost to the squad. real ability to get the ball and hang onto it
I could not agree with you anymore. Jozy just gets love because he is a forward but Bradley is doing all the work.
Nifty!
thatta boy m-brad!
not only his game but borussia’s mochendsjlakfjlksad has definitely been playing better football this season (*KNOCK ON WOOD*)
good stuff from both, keep it up
If Bradley’s last name was “Smith” there would be a lot less hate for the player. The guy is only 2 years older than Jozy and look how much love that guy gets. Cant wait to see him pushed further up the field with Jones cleaning up the junk behind him.
Going to holland was the best thing that ever happend to him
I hope that one touch pass makes up for the lackadaisical defending on Bayer’s first goal. He should have closed in fast since he had a clear shot at Gomes. Good to see him getting minutes though.
Cheers
That’s a world-class ball.
Before you hate, remember, I didn’t say he was world-class. I said the ball was. If he can remain in form in the midfield, look out England.
Suck it haters!!
What a beautiful first time touch. He’s really been playing great this season.