I genuinely want to understand this.

After watching again last night and watching Danny Williams in the prem this season, how was Michael Bradley a lock for that position for the last 8 years?

Again, genuinely asking for understanding. What does Bradley do well? Why has he never had competition?

This is the first year of his career he's getting consistent playing time, and playing consistently well, at a top flight club. Can't judge Danny Williams in the past based on this run at Huddersfield.

Multiple coaches have stuck with Bradley and for awhile I think most agreed he was just about the best we had to fit the positional and skill needs we had.

Maybe should have been put under more pressure the last 1.5-2 years but I'm quite unsure Williams would be a marked improvement.

MB was great in the last WC when he had Jones and Beckerman next to him. The coaches since have continually asked to much from him and simply are not playing people around him to best utilize his box to box skills. Acosta and MB have been a decent pairing but it hasnt flourished in the same aggressive way it did with Jones on the field.

Ignorant Klins and Arena put him in deep CenterB instead of more forward where he was able to score or dish off for an assist !

Completely wasted .

BigJim49 AustinNowDallas said:

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Ignorant Klins and Arena put him in deep CenterB instead of more forward where he was able to score or dish off for an assist !

Completely wasted .

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Klinsmann tried Bradley in a more advanced role early during his tenure and it bombed.

Mb was not good in brazil.

Why nit-pick? He was not good not just in Brazil but for stretches at a time. Inconsistent is the term I'm using if I'm being kind to MB. I just can't get past the notion that he was the best we had for that long. That's an indictment of US soccer player development more than a nod to his quality, in my opinion.

At the very least Danny Williams should've been picked instead of fuggin' Dax McCarty. Or Feilhaber.

TheMasterplan said:

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At the very least Danny Williams should've been picked instead of fuggin' Dax McCarty. Or Feilhaber.

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Williams was "dead" to Klinsmann with the move from Bundesliga to English Championship team (Reading?). Williams is not a player Bruce knows and not high profiled enough that Bruce would need to call in. Sucks for Williams and MNT because he would've at least pushed MB to play better or at least more consistently.

carl spacklers hat said:

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Why nit-pick? He was not good not just in Brazil but for stretches at a time. Inconsistent is the term I'm using if I'm being kind to MB. I just can't get past the notion that he was the best we had for that long. That's an indictment of US soccer player development more than a nod to his quality, in my opinion.

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Agree with this profoundly.

mrmill3218 said:

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carl spacklers hat said:

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Why nit-pick? He was not good not just in Brazil but for stretches at a time. Inconsistent is the term I'm using if I'm being kind to MB. I just can't get past the notion that he was the best we had for that long. That's an indictment of US soccer player development more than a nod to his quality, in my opinion.

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Agree with this profoundly.

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I'm torn on this issue. Yes, there's the "Lost Generation" where US Soccer probably didn't do enough to develop the players. But then again, it's also incumbent on the players to push themselves and further their careers.

I know Jordan Morris has been talked about quite a bit already. If he fails to develop further, is it really US Soccer's fault that he didn't push himself? He had by all accounts the opportunity to go overseas and really develop his game but instead, he chose to stay in the MLS. I'm not judging his choice, you have to do what you feel is best for you, but you can't blame US Soccer for cases like that.

akm91 said:

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BigJim49 AustinNowDallas said:

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Ignorant Klins and Arena put him in deep CenterB instead of more forward where he was able to score or dish off for an assist !

Completely wasted .

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Klinsmann tried Bradley in a more advanced role early during his tenure and it bombed.

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Bradley made more than one game winners as I remember .

Trusting Klinsmann to coach anyone is a mistake - playing Altidore up front for years cost the USA !

akm91 said:

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mrmill3218 said:

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carl spacklers hat said:

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Why nit-pick? He was not good not just in Brazil but for stretches at a time. Inconsistent is the term I'm using if I'm being kind to MB. I just can't get past the notion that he was the best we had for that long. That's an indictment of US soccer player development more than a nod to his quality, in my opinion.

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Agree with this profoundly.

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I'm torn on this issue. Yes, there's the "Lost Generation" where US Soccer probably didn't do enough to develop the players. But then again, it's also incumbent on the players to push themselves and further their careers.

I know Jordan Morris has been talked about quite a bit already. If he fails to develop further, is it really US Soccer's fault that he didn't push himself? He had by all accounts the opportunity to go overseas and really develop his game but instead, he chose to stay in the MLS. I'm not judging his choice, you have to do what you feel is best for you, but you can't blame US Soccer for cases like that.

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On your first point, I would agree that the players have to push themselves to be better. 2 one and a half hour practices a week does not a superstar make. So, US Soccer IS limited in the criticism it might take BUT if overall player development is on US Soccer, then the lack of a true international-level talent in the midfield does fall to US Soccer to some degree.

On your second point, the book on Morris will be interesting to review over the next couple of years. So far, I'd say the first two chapters were a good first year and a regression in year two. I read somewhere (sorry, flame away on the uncited source) that the report on Morris was he doesn't have a developed left foot. That comment was made during this past season in reference to his fall-off in production, that teams had figured this out and knew if they shut down his righ, he became ineffective.

BigJim49 AustinNowDallas said:

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akm91 said:

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BigJim49 AustinNowDallas said:

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Ignorant Klins and Arena put him in deep CenterB instead of more forward where he was able to score or dish off for an assist !

Completely wasted .

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Klinsmann tried Bradley in a more advanced role early during his tenure and it bombed.

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Bradley made more than one game winners as I remember .

Trusting Klinsmann to coach anyone is a mistake - playing Altidore up front for years cost the USA !

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Playing defensive/central mid is what Bradley's skillset is best suited for. Bradley scored zero goals as attacking mid at the 2014 WC and had only 1 assist. Pretty damning stat for an attacking mid.

Quote:

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On your second point, the book on Morris will be interesting to review over the next couple of years. So far, I'd say the first two chapters were a good first year and a regression in year two. I read somewhere (sorry, flame away on the uncited source) that the report on Morris was he doesn't have a developed left foot. That comment was made during this past season in reference to his fall-off in production, that teams had figured this out and knew if they shut down his righ, he became ineffective.

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Yes, the lack of a threat with his left foot makes it very easy for defenders to guard him at the international level. it was very evident he kept trying to shoot/pass with the outside of his right foot, even when he was playing on the left site of the field or dribbling across the box to his left. There was one instance where he took a shot with the outside of his right foot when dribbling left just outside the box that hit the cross bar. It look really awkward.

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On your first point, I would agree that the players have to push themselves to be better. 2 one and a half hour practices a week does not a superstar make. So, US Soccer IS limited in the criticism it might take BUT if overall player development is on US Soccer, then the lack of a true international-level talent in the midfield does fall to US Soccer to some degree.

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Oh I agree that US Soccer does deserve criticism for the lack of overall development but it's not all on the players.

Doesn't Williams have 20+ caps? It's not like he hasn't been given a shot previously.

For what's its worth I think the times we've looked the best the past 8 years match when Bradley plays well. He's good not great playing in spots where we need a true star to be consistently good. I think Bradley gets a bad rap. He's capable of playing some great balls, applies insightful pressure and often shows up in the right place. Our problem has always been that we need him to play like a star when he's really a role player.