Asunto: [WC2010]USA-England

I was watching the one where he released down the right side. He found the open space and ran into it. Either way I am happy for the US. But Feilhaber went wide for a period and Donovan disappeared because he came into the middle and never got to attack the defense. As soon as Donovan went back outside and Feilhaber went into the middle Donovan created chances again. Just because he received the ball i little more inside does not mean he wasn't playing as a right mid.

And I am not sure how you say that isn't on the wing. He is 10 yards away from the sideline when he receives it.

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He was right center, exactly midfield. If we were a winger, he would have been more forward up the field. I've been saying all along, he needs to be more center and used as an attacking mid or a CAM. So the goal, where he was, was borderline right center or wing. This hasn't been a discussion about where Donovan should be standing in relation to the sideline. :-) Donovan hasn't lined up once as a LM, out on the wing, he's been used in the formation as a RW/RF, where I have said that he has been ineffective, other than his 1st goal where the Slovenia guy fell down and allowed him to stroll in 1x1. He’s ineffective there, because others need to get him the ball, I think he needs to be more center in terms of length and width, so he can get more touches and he’s the one who’s dictating the play. Who else carries the ball and passes it better than him on our team? I've also said that he needs to be used as a guy who transitions the ball from the back 1/3 to the front 1/3. Like you I'm glad with the result, they have already exceeded my expectations. Thank god, they kept Onyewu on the bench. I did have a bad feeling when they brought in Beasley. I would have kept Edu on the field and pushed him back into Bornsteins LB, or pushed Boca over and put Edu in the CB, and then brought on Holden at the end. I think they are looking good with today’s outcome not getting Germany next, and for a minute I was hoping they’d get lucky and see the Socceroos pull out a miracle and push Ghana out. Based on the way England have played, Ghana will be the toughest match for them so far. They are also due for some Karma. They can’t keep winding up on the short end of the stick with bad calls/outcomes against them….2 goals taken away, yellow cards against Findley for the ball to face, Jozy’s yellow today, the unseen punch to Dempsey’s face. They are due to get a call or two and the knockstage is good place to be when the calls start going their way.

They have been saying for a week now that Donovan has been playing as a pinched in wing.


I think this world cup shows why most Americans don't get into soccer. 2 disallowed goals nearly sent us home. And the elbow to Dempsey in the box, the ref didn't miss it he choose not to call it, should of been a straight red. Fifa is lucky we scored.

TBH, I'm just more excited for the chance for penalties now!

How can you say he has been ineffective??? He has played better this World Cup than ever before for the NT. He has been a factor in all 3 of the goals the past 2 games by playing good balls in from the right side. Him and Cherundolo have created a bunch of opportunities on the right side. He knows his role on the team now and is not forced to do more than he is capable of which is the case in the past when he was playing central.

I can say it like this, like I have been saying it over and over again. He is ineffective as a Winger/forward...As soon as he comes more center and back as midfielder, he makes things happen for the U.S. He's not making things happen while he's up the field waiting for people to get him the ball. Over and over again, I've been saying that he needs to get more touches on the ball. He's not going to get them as much if he's set up as a winger. In the first match he was non-existant. After watching the 2nd match, adjustments were made after they went down 2-0, and he started coming back more to get the ball.

The Bradley goal was set up by Donovan to Jozy, who knocked it down to Bradley. The pass came from midfield. If Donovan was upfield, he wouldn't have been in position to get that ball. He took the ball from the back third and made a great cross to Jozy from just about midfield over on the right. The first game he was non-existant because he was set up as a winger up the field. This may be were you keep getting lost with what I am saying. I am talking about his position on the field in terms of depth, not with where he is in relation to the sideline.

Today's goal couldn't have been more of an example of how I have been saying he needs to be used. He needs to come back more and be more center and transition the ball from the back 1/3 to the front 1/3 and then follow up in the attack.

He doesn't play like Messi, Robben, Ribery, or Robinho and he shouldn't be lined up as Winger or forward. He needs to be on the ball more, so he can create more for the team. Why, because no else can do anything near as well as himin terms of carrying the ball, attacking, drawing out defenders, and passing the ball to the forwards. The Bradley goal and his goal were both set up by him being set up in the midfield, not up the field as a winger/forward.

I don't think we should talk about the goal he scored when he was set up as a winger (in game 2), because the Slovenia guy fell down which pretty much allowed him to walk in 1x1 untouched on the keeper. Was the goal effective? Hell yeah, it was a goal, but I don't think that's the point. I'm sure you can agree that it was still a fluke and that the U.S. can't count on things like that happening on a regular basis.

Can we just agree to hope for more good things to come?
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Hahaha. I think we were in essence arguing the same thing in different ways. I was saying that he is better as an outside mid. Somewhere along the lines it got portrayed as winger, and I never corrected it. It has nothing to do with where in terms of sideline, but in terms of the open space he gets on the outside of the field where he does not get it in the middle of the field. At Everton it is the exact position he played (right mid), that I have been saying 'over and over again' as you put it. We still have different perceptions of the game and positioning and terminology, but that might be our different back grounds.

Agree to agree/disagree.

And lets go USA!

I'm glad that's over wtih.

Altidore and M. Bradley will be Beasts in 2014 and 2018!

Onyewu will still be a supreme Douche! :-) I can't stand him. Even though the CBs started off a little shaky today, I think aftet they settled down, we were still a better team without Onyewu.

All he is is a big body that can head the ball when it comes directly to him defensively, he sucks on offensive corners.

Also, forgot to mention earlier, your point on Cherundolo was spot on, he might be our MVP in the back 1/2 of the field so far.

Donovan is a hybrid. Just call him a Attacking Right Midfielder!

I will say this Donovan has had a better touney than Ribery and they are pretty similar in the style of play! USA!

I think Donovan's best position is in the hole behind the strikers, but the problem is that the US has nobody else of real quality to play on the right. So they play with Donovan, Bradley, and Edu instead of Donovan and Bradley in the middle, and Holden or whoever, on the right.

I agree with what B.Bradley is doing because it's better to put your best players on the pitch and design a system around them than to do it vice versa and put inferior players in just to fit the formation.

Donovan has a free role to roam into the middle and that's been effective so far. He plays a very similar position to what Messi does for Barca. Starting on the right and looking for space in the middle to receive the ball sometimes, whenever it makes sense.

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youre gary dell'abate

Yo Horseteeth, change that photo already.
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whered ur creepy fat old guy pic go

The one with the two girls I was taking home?

I'll put it back up when you post one of the two guys you picked up last night.


What did they do, feed you carrots ATM?
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so you are the creepy fat old guy, i wasnt 100% sure heh