Friday, June 6, 2008
Canales Corner #3
Another Friday edition of Canales Corner. I have tried to incorporate some of the valid suggestions many readers kindly took the time to give. However, to be completely honest, it's going to be tough to upgrade to a multiple camera set up, get a real studio, plus lighting and sound engineering. I don't have any money for that, and even the time involved (time away from the teaching job that pays the bills) would probably be an issue. So for right now, it's pretty much just me talking to the camera on a tripod. I think I'm getting a little better, though, a few less "Uhs".
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25 comments:
result against Mexico = result against Argentina
Road win = road game.
Do you think Bob Bradley simply doesn't know how to use Michael Bradley? Michael seems to play so well for his club and impressed at the U-20 World Cup, but never seems to do anything with the senior team.
Great job with your comments.
Regarding your comments on Bradley and his son, I'll throw this question out there. Does Michael Bradley stand to make more money potentially if he is looked at as a first team full time National player? Maybe there is a monetary conflict of interest?
The US performances have been very lame. Boring, uncreative soccer, no fire or winning attitude from the players.
My biggest problem individually is that our forwards and midfielders lack of ability in holding the ball under pressure. They play hot-potato with the ball instead of putting their foot on the ball and holding it. Bradley always says that 'they need to move the ball quicker'. I disagree, I think they are trying to move it quicker than they are capable of and that's why they turn it over so easily. They need to hold the ball and shield it under pressure with some skill and composure. That will relieve the pressure they always seem to be playing under.
On Josy, I think he will be an exception to the normal American struggling overseas. I do agree that we shouldn't get overly excited until we see how he actually fits in.
Michael Bradley is surely still getting used to the senior team's players and the different mix of teamates in the midfield, don't you think?
As for Michael's tiredness at the end of the Spain game - I think Coach Bob knows he wants Michael in the starting lineup from here on out and was taking a page out of the Phil Jackson playbook where you leave young guys out there through the tiredness and the other team's runs - let them figure out how to reach down and push through it. I also don't think Bob sees Mastro as part of the plan in the future. IMO.
I have to say, this team with or without Donovan concerns me. It looks like they are working on something different than putting the ball in the net. These guys have the mentality to go down swinging? Who is the killer out there?
I'm not sure monetary gain would be a big incentive to Bob or his son. That's not the way I read either of them at all. I do think Bob is trying to throw Michael out there for development purposes, but I've thought from the start that he should cut his son a break there - let him work with the U20 and Olympic team more than the senior level. However it could be that Michael needs more senior team minutes to facilitate a transfer to England. As in the case of Guzan, I'm conflicted with the potential use of USMNT playing time as a boost to club careers. Yes, I want these players to make it to England, but I don't think I want that consideration to be a factor in playing time. It seems tainted, somehow, though some might consider it simply working the system.
Let me also say that I fear Michael Bradley a bit late in games. Th foul against Brazil, the way he dropped off on Fabregas. He's a fine player when he's fresh, but he makes some poor decisions (granted, young players are prone to those) especially when he's tiring.
Who doesn't make late game bad decisions playing Brazil and Spain in Spain and England at Wembley? I mean those are some awesome teams after all.
Look at Andrea, getting practice in to be a soccer contributor on Around the Horn. =]
In all seriousness, all the stuff you post on here is exceptional for a free site.
Congrats, to both of you.
Wooohooo...
Check you out Andrea. On the 3rd installment shes going with the Hair down...
The song
"A mi me gusta andar de pelo suelto" comes to mind... lol.
Hey Andrea, Will you marry me?
This is one of the things where I don't necessarily agree with AC on, in regards to Michael Bradley. I think that Bradley has shown his worth by playing well with his club and I don't think that he's getting any unnecessary playing time. If he really is a key figure on the squad, then he should play as much as possible. So should Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra, whomever Bob Bradley has decided will be the core of the group. The guys still fighting for more playing time or any playing time such as Eddie Johnson, Eddie Lewis, Maurice Edu, Freddy Adu, etc., are interchangeable until they can cement their status in the starting xi but important to the squad for the qualities they bring and depth they provide.
I feel that Michael Bradley has reached that level by succeeding in a foreign league where people could not care less who his father is and what his connections to the national team are. It might be different if young Michael were riding the pine for a second-division German team and then all of the sudden appears as a starter against all these great teams. But that's not the case.
I also don't think that there is any point in letting young guys develop with the youth teams if they are good enough to play at the senior level. Why banish someone with talent simply because they are young? Freddy, to me, should be a part of and play with the senior team for as many games as possible. So should Jozy Altidore. And if Michael Bradley falls into this category, so be it as long as they earn it.
Andrea and I have actually had a lot of these discussions before so it's nothing new to her.
... but I just thought I'd share them with our readers :)
Yep, the great thing about sharing a blog is that readers can get divergent perspectives.
I see inconsistency, however, even if I follow your argument, Luis, that MB is so good that he deserves to be there all the time. No other young player is getting that consideration from BB on a consistent basis. Why exactly is Michael the great exception? I think MB is a good player, but I don't think his play in Holland merits all the time he's gotten with the senior team.
Who do we have better than Bradley in the center???? Bradley needs to learn to play through tough stretches...Pablo is finished as a long term nat team player.
Case closed...
Fabulous choice of words..."or at least very solidly not bad"
Ha...probably the best analysis I've seen from any expert.
MB's club form is good enough to get him starts on the national team. Now that he's there, we should look at his national team form and ignore the club form. He hasn't been performing at the international level, so his playing time should go down.
Canales Corner = Brilliant Stuff!
don't worry about the sound/equipment/lighting.
What more could we want.
It's the best MLS/US/LA/Galaxy soccer blog that provides us with lots of news, videos, pressconferences, interviews, pics and as the icing on the cake a soccer "vodcast" presented by a beatiful host! :)
It's the first time I've seen "Canales Corner". I'm impressed!
A comment, and two questions.
Comment: It seems you are having to lean over to get into the camera frame. It sure doesn't look comfortable. Is it possible to reorient the camera so you can face forward more like a sports announcer would? Silly, comment, I guess.
First question: I'm a little surprised that you pegged KC has having the talent to get a result against RSL. In terms of talent do you think they are better than DC, for example? Or did you mean that the way they use their talent matches up better with the conditions at Salt Lake?
Second question: It was an interesting point you raised about the shellacking Mexico took from Argentina perhaps grounding in reality the situation the national team faces and so helping Sven get the attention of his new players . We Yanks have had a number of poor results in the last year and a half, a few that were at least as bad as the one Mexico just suffered. One could reasonably argue that our national program is at least as troubled as Mexico's. What do you think would have to happen for our USSF, our players, and our Media to admit that it is time for a significant change in leadership? Or do you think that will simply not happen, no matter what, until we are out of the WC picture?
Goff is reporting that Garber is now against streamers during the run of play.
Bradley should play his regulars but Dempsey looks like he is very burnt out and Bradley might have hurt someone, and gotten himself suspended,in the second half of the Spain game. He continues to use those two-footed,in the air, slide tackles from behind that are just unacceptable, especially when they miss so badly. He treated the ball like it was made of plutonium and that cannot be good for his confidence. A very unprofessional display.
John
Maybe you're right about the leaning in. I thought it might be a good idea to just do the vlog at my desk, where I write, so readers could see a little corner (Canales' corner) of my world, but I don't want my leaning over to look awkward.
Keep the ideas coming! If it's an inexpensive sort of change, I'm willing to try it. Thanks again.
It'sh impresshive, but thish reader and shoccer fan thinksh maybe shomething needsh to be conshidered regarding shome of the shounds of the conshonantsh.
I think it'sh jusht the shound of the mike or the echo or shomething.
Other than that, intereshting thoughtsh on the national team.
I'm part Castilian - I have to be true to my heritage.
Or blame the microphone.
To add to the Michael Bradley debate: I have heard a lot about his bad tackles late in the game, and while he does have a bit of a past with that, this was not the case in the game against Spain. He had three tackles worth talking about. One in the second half at the top of the box that got called. It was not a good tackle but not bad, just set up a dangerous free kick. His second one was for the yellow card. Bad touch then professional foul. The third was where the ref looked like he wanted to give him another yellow, but as all replays showed it was a good tackle and not even close to a foul. So I don't think the argument of bad tackles really flys here.
I originally felt the same way as you about the Michael Bradley late substitution issue. But after thinking a bit, it makes sense that Bob leaves Michael in there late. If he is to become the future anchor of the US midfield, or become a starting Premiership midfielder, he's going to need to be a 90-minute player. By leaving him out there, Bob is pushing him and challenging him to his limits and forcing Michael to adjust. It's just a friendly. If this was the qualifiers or the World Cup you'd never see this. Bradley isn't going to become a total 90-minute player on the international level by being subbed out, that's for sure.
keep it comin ac
For winning a friendly, you bring Pablo on at 60 minutes. In developing for the future, you play Michael for the full 90 minutes so he can gauge the game more effectively when is fatigued against high quality opposition in a competitive situation.
I have to say, Michael deserves to start every match, so I disagree slightly there Andrea. Its not just like he was merely getting consistent starts, he scored 20 goals, and was Heerenveen's leading scorer. If he doesn't start there , who does? Edu maybe, but he also played, Clark has played in most matches this season, and Mastro won't feature in 2010. Of course, you don't have to play two deep lying central mid fielders...
Part of my frustration with the current Men's National Team formation is actually Bob Bradley's persistence in playing his son deep, and not allowing him to play the forward moving role he did at Heerenveen supporting the strikers with late runs. Certainly part of this is dictated by personnel and the greater quality of opposition (than Veen' face), but its a bone of contention none the less.
Excellent work with the video, and I like the lean, it makes it seem warm and free spirited.
Great job on the blog. Your comments and insight are always objective and interesting without being over the top. Keep up the good work. ESPN needs to hire you!
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