Free kick Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Scottie Thank you! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills over here! No, you are not the only one. I came to the same conclusion a while ago. I began to doubt my beliefs when hearing that he landed in teh Bundesliga but after the last WCQ matches, it only re affirmed my initial beliefs. The real problem, is that we dont have a real threat up front. we have some potential ( eg.: Jackson ) but that all it is, potential. PS.: I have not seen these last two games so I am going by my prior observations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free kick Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Ed So Jackson > Friend in your opinion? I'll stick with the Bundesliga club's opinion thanks. But the player is not producing. And not showing signs of producing. Yes, he plays in the Bundesliga and that is certainly a factor you would consider when evaluating talent, potential and performance. But it cant be the ONLY thing. What happens when and if he get relegated? or what if he moves to a lower division club, does Hart drop him immediately? Gerba was no where near the bundesliga and yet he outperformed Freind. And yet, I am not even a big fan of Gerba either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonovision Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Clearly there is a coaching or tactical issue with the way Canada has deployed Friend. You don't get to the Bundesliga without being able to score goals and influence games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Ed So Jackson > Friend in your opinion? I'll stick with the Bundesliga club's opinion thanks. Based on both their performances in Canada kits, yes. Obviously there's more to it than that but Friend has had way too many games for us in which he has done next to nothing, while Jackson is still young and just getting started on what will hopefully be a solid career. Friend is looking like he will never become the powerhouse in international matches that we all hoped he would be, myself included. What I really have a problem with is Friend time and time again making our starting 11 because of his club pedigree and then doing nothing internationally to back it up. We should keep calling him to matches because let's face it, we don't have a lot of options, but Rob Friend is not starting material. Our starting strikers should be a proven goalscorer and a young up and comer, of which Rob Friend is neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Well you obviously have the blinders on when it comes to Friend. I don't want to argue religious issues here. But, on the other hand, what exactly has Jackson done with our MNT to deserve to start? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Ed Well you obviously have the blinders on when it comes to Friend. I don't want to argue religious issues here. But, on the other hand, what exactly has Jackson done with our MNT to deserve to start? You've found the hole in my arguments Ed. Jackson has done very little for the MNT so far, but we have the opportunity to develop Jackson into a better player with more playing time, something that is at the moment being wasted on Friend, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I think we'd be better served working on developing players and a system of play so that we can put balls in from wide positions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Why are we debating Friend vs. Jackson? They are totally different players and their presence on the pitch is not mutually exclusive. Why wouldn't they play together? Hume, Radzinski, DeRosario and even Hoilett are really all midfielders at this stage in their career. We should be debating Friend vs. Occean or Gerba, shouldn't we? It is kind of funny that Ali seems to work a lot harder for his country than his club, and vice-versa for Friend. I only saw a few minutes today, but Rob did look a bit like he was a hot shot Bundesliga striker awaiting service. Canada is McDonalds at best. You want service, you'd better go up and get it. Having said this, I've seen him play very well for Canada and not get rewarded with a goal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by youllneverwalkalone Why are we debating Friend vs. Jackson? They are totally different players and their presence on the pitch is not mutually exclusive. Why wouldn't they play together? Hume, Radzinski, DeRosario and even Hoilett are really all midfielders at this stage in their career. We should be debating Friend vs. Occean or Gerba, shouldn't we? It is kind of funny that Ali seems to work a lot harder for his country than his club, and vice-versa for Friend. I only saw a few minutes today, but Rob did look a bit like he was a hot shot Bundesliga striker awaiting service. Canada is McDonalds at best. You want service, you'd better go up and get it. Having said this, I've seen him play very well for Canada and not get rewarded with a goal. 2007 GC vs Costa Rica, Rob was excellent! But mostof the time, I must say I've been disapointed with his play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I was going to do up a reply to this thread, but it ended up getting away from me, so it turned into a blog post at http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com Suffice to say that I don't care what his 1.Bundesliga production is like. Playing for Canada, with a healthy sample size and currently in his prime, Friend is not onbly the worst full-time striker in the national pool but the worst by a jaw-dropping margin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 CP report is up: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Soccer/Canada/2009/11/18/11798511-cp.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VPjr Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Lord Bob Suffice to say that I don't care what his 1.Bundesliga production is like. Playing for Canada, with a healthy sample size and currently in his prime, Friend is not onbly the worst full-time striker in the national pool but the worst by a jaw-dropping margin. Unless we have the kind of wing play that will give Friend the kind of service he requires, he will never impress. Unless the team is swinging hard high crosses into the 18 with regularity, he's nto going to produce much for Canada. He's not in Bundesliga because of his feet but rather his head. He is a proven professional goal scorer at a very good level because of his cranial prowess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Thank you Lord Bob. One less blog to read. And to nitpick with VPJr, Friend is in the Bundesliga because he can score goals in the Bundesliga (26 goals in 65 games in Bundesliga 1 and 2). He is known to be strong in the air of course, but he has scored more Bundesliga goals with his feet. If you want stats to back that statement up, just say so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonovision Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 None of Canada's striker options have scored much of anything for Canada, except Gerba. (And Radz, if you think he has a future). This is a tactical thing. Even when Dwayne was scoring in bunches it wasn't as a pure striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by VPjr Unless we have the kind of wing play that will give Friend the kind of service he requires, he will never impress. Unless the team is swinging hard high crosses into the 18 with regularity, he's nto going to produce much for Canada. He's not in Bundesliga because of his feet but rather his head. He is a proven professional goal scorer at a very good level because of his cranial prowess Probably true, but are we ever going to get that kind of wing play? Is there any prospect of us dreaming of possibly maybe ever having that sort of lineup? The point is not "Rob Friend is bad at soccer". The point is "Rob Friend is bad at soccer on the Canadian national team", which is an important distinction. quote:Originally posted by Ed Thank you Lord Bob. One less blog to read. Oh, please, I've said much more infantile things than criticizing Rob Friend's goal rates! Really, if you were reading my blog before and this was the straw that broke the camel's back you were gone sooner rather than later anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loyola Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Friend goalscoring rate has been excellent at the B2 level and ordinary at the B1 level and poor at the International level, what can we make of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonovision Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 If it makes anyone feel better about our friendlies this week, the Yanks also lost twice, to Slovakia 1-0 and to Denmark 3-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 The article was advertised as follows: "Friend is not onbly the worst full-time striker in the national pool but the worst by a jaw-dropping margin." I find that statement ridiculous and did not bother reading the blog entry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by loyola Friend goalscoring rate has been excellent at the B2 level and ordinary at the B1 level and poor at the International level, what can we make of that? The 'ordinary' striker still led his Bundesliga team in scoring last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanKeay Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Im with Ed on this one, I really think Friend just needs to work himself out on the field and start playing in this style. He is the better striker, he has a better touch then Ali and from watching him in Germany he is just a better player. You play Friend along side a guy like a Radz and it will come... the problem was when we used to play Friend, he was the lone striker and he was useless because he isnt the kind of guy to create a chance for himself by beating a few guys. I love Ali, always have... but you cannot bank your scoring on a guy who will never find a club team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbailey62 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by The Ref Hirsch seems to be blind on one eye. His depth perception is off. A regular Tommy Banks. No offense to Tommy Banks but don't you mean Gordon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay20 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I have to say that Poland impress me with few things, but I would like to mention just one. Very young line up. Second half goalkeeper: Szczesny 19 Defenders: Rzezniczak 23, Sadlok 20 Midfielders: Malecki 21, Rybus 20 Strikers: Majewski 23, Lewandowski 21 Just for comparison I found age of our youngest players. Goalkeeper: Wagenaar 24 (on the bench) Defenders: Jakovic 24, Klukowski 28 Midfielders: Peters 22, de Jong 23 Strikers: Jackson 22, Friend 28 Few of ours midfielders are young, but the quality of their play wasn’t the same. Beside that. For this game Poland had just 2 players over 30 years of age. Can we make line up similar to them and have team for the future not just for 2 exhibition games? I think we can do this. We could easily have young keeper. Latendresse-Levesque, Misiewicz, Stillo or Street would be worthy to be call up for MNT. There are young defenders, midfielders and strikers. We just need coach who has nothing to lose but everything to gain. I rather see young side loosing and gaining necessary experience to any European Nation than some burn down players yelling at each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearcatSA Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the match today, so I'll add my thanks to those who watched and provided posts here. Scottie, your arguments against Friend makes you sound like me ranting about Harmse! But seriously, as an MNT supporter I don't really care who's in the striker spot as long as he's scoring. But rest assured this argument over the merits of Gerba, Friend, and other striker candidates will continue to generate a ton of debate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by SeanKeay Im with Ed on this one, I really think Friend just needs to work himself out on the field and start playing in this style. He is the better striker, he has a better touch then Ali and from watching him in Germany he is just a better player. You play Friend along side a guy like a Radz and it will come... the problem was when we used to play Friend, he was the lone striker and he was useless because he isnt the kind of guy to create a chance for himself by beating a few guys. I love Ali, always have... but you cannot bank your scoring on a guy who will never find a club team. Thanks Sean. I just get pissed off at all this malice aimed at Friend when our 'world-class' midfield ****s the bed in the last few games and the alternatives are jokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 quote:Originally posted by Ed The article was advertised as follows: "Friend is not onbly the worst full-time striker in the national pool but the worst by a jaw-dropping margin." I find that statement ridiculous and did not bother reading the blog entry. Then I will provide you, and those who may share your opinion, with some of the relevant facts I cited. Ali Gerba: 0.536 goals per national team appearance (15 in 28) Ali Gerba against only CONCACAF hex teams: 0.231 (3 in 13) Tomasz Radzinski: 0.213 (10 in 47) Kevin McKenna: 0.196 (9 in 46) Olivier Occean: 0.133 (2 in 15) Simeon Jackson: 0.125 (1 in 8) Paul Stalteri: 0.089 (7 in 79) Rob Friend: 0.083 (2 in 24) Iain Hume: 0.071 (2 in 28) Issey Nakajima-Farran: 0.053 (1 in 19) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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