Comments on: Keep Going Brian

By: Sugar Mountain Ringtone

Sugar Mountain Ringtone — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 05:26:36 +0000

Sugar Mountain Ringtone

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By: Chumbawumba

Chumbawumba — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 08:44:51 +0000

I disagreech he acquired . I haven’t seen much from McBride – other than heart. That’s good, but we haven’t scored in two games and we need some change. It’s too bad, but I think McBride’s warrior mystique which he added to (rightly so) after the elbow, will keep him in starting line up.

By: littleguy

littleguy — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 06:55:58 +0000

Brian just gives us too much overall player end to end to not be in there. He’s experienced and cool under pressure (despite his easy chance against the Italians). You really have to have him in there as much as possible. He can also win balls in the air and score too. Eddie should get in to games but at the expense of defensive play and Josh is right, Eddie plays out of position, gets lost on the field and is a liability getting back on defense. Brian is the man!

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 01:17:53 +0000

I’m glad people are coming around on this. During the game I kept thinking, “Everybody looks dead out there–why isn’t Arena using his last sub?” And then I’d try to figure out who he should take off. I kept coming back to McBride, but every time, I’d stumble. I just couldn’t see anybody on the bench playing with the same combination of craftiness, effort, and sheer balls that McB was bringing to the game. I finally gave it up and decided that all of that was more important than fresh legs.

By: John

John — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:26:22 +0000

I say start McBride and let him play until his legs give out. Reyna’s captain, but McBride is the quiet leader of that side. He leads by example. When De Rossi split his face open, he didn’t cry, he didn’t gesticulate to a ref, he just picked himself up, trotted off the pitch, got cleaned up, and came right back on. He’s the workhorse of the US side, for damn sure.

If LD, Reyna, or whoever replaces PM can service him with some good air balls, McBride’s head might just be the difference against a fast but somewhat shorter Ghana side. I’d still rate McBride’s noggin right up there with anyone playing in this Cup.

By: ken

ken — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 20:59:16 +0000

totally agree – along with the 200 or so American fans in a Washington DC bar watching the game, I was chanting ‘Put-in Ed-die Johnson’. But upon reflection, when you only have 8 outfield players, you can’t afford to have anyone be out of position. EJ may have offered a little more going forward, but I can easily see him unbalancing the team.

By: Cajun Nick

Cajun Nick — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 19:45:51 +0000

Well…I still would have subbed him at the 85th minute.

I think that pound for pound, McBride is the true captain of the US squad. Maybe not the most skilled or talented, but what he’s got, he gives it all, unselfishly.

By: US Soccer Fan in HK

US Soccer Fan in HK — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 17:01:49 +0000

Daryl,

Had similar sentiments during the match, however, late in the game, fully appreciated McBride’s defensive positioning, which likely had a lot to do with experience. In particular, his angles were solid and (in as much as he could), his positioning encouraged the Italians to knock the ball back or side to side… knocking important seconds off the clock.

While EJ may have provided some POTENTIAL offensive flash, I’d think that his experience and role in a 9 v. 10 situation may have proved wanting.

By: Jono

Jono — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 13:02:10 +0000

You gotta love McBride. Took a blow to the face, didn’t swing back or cry like a baby. Went off the field to get washed up and went back on fighting!

I’d like to see Johnson come on at some point, but not to replace McBride.

Does anyone know if Beasley was just slacking off, or was he playing 100% defense shortly after he came on?