Familiar Territory
For the second consecutive game, Brian McBride got on the board for Fulham, pocketing a chance in the 65th minute in his club's 2-1 win over Charlton on Monday night. McBride played the full 90 minutes and scored his goal as the team's lone striker - a role familar to him since he played atop a 4-5-1 formation throughout the 2006 World Cup.
Over the summer, I spoke to one college coach who questioned McBride's effectiveness as a solo striker. He cited McBride's lack of speed as a reason the U.S. was unable to establish an inspired attack in Germany. Though McBride was still one of the strongest, toughest players on the pitch, he had lost the ability to pull a Speedy Gonzalez past defenders.
In the international game, against conservative back lines, speed up top is necessary in order to stretch the field and get in behind back lines that rarely gamble upfield or stray from their system. Plus, the U.S. needed someone to chase down loose balls and keep possession against more skillful opponents. McBride could keep it once he was on the ball, the problem for him was getting to the rock first.
But in the more wide open Premiership McBride might better fit the role of lone forward. With opposing defenders more likely to take chances in the offensive arena, it would be possible for Fulham to break down enemy defenses without a major threat over the top. McBride could slip into the areas vacated by overeager defenders and hold the ball before quarterbacking the Fulham counterattack.
McBride scored off a set piece, granted, and Fulham only played with one striker for thirty minutes, but it will be interesting to see whether the McBride finds himself alone in the coming weeks. Against the likes of Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic, McBride had trouble finding space because those back lines stayed home and he no longer has the legs to get behind defenders like Cannavaro. But with premiership wing backs eager to try their luck in the other team's area, McBride may be able to exploit the open space in a counterattack. In that case, he wouldn't need blazing speed to disect a defense. On the contrary, he would be playing to his strengths, using his size to hold the ball for Fulham and his smarts to fuel the attack.
Over the summer, I spoke to one college coach who questioned McBride's effectiveness as a solo striker. He cited McBride's lack of speed as a reason the U.S. was unable to establish an inspired attack in Germany. Though McBride was still one of the strongest, toughest players on the pitch, he had lost the ability to pull a Speedy Gonzalez past defenders.
In the international game, against conservative back lines, speed up top is necessary in order to stretch the field and get in behind back lines that rarely gamble upfield or stray from their system. Plus, the U.S. needed someone to chase down loose balls and keep possession against more skillful opponents. McBride could keep it once he was on the ball, the problem for him was getting to the rock first.
But in the more wide open Premiership McBride might better fit the role of lone forward. With opposing defenders more likely to take chances in the offensive arena, it would be possible for Fulham to break down enemy defenses without a major threat over the top. McBride could slip into the areas vacated by overeager defenders and hold the ball before quarterbacking the Fulham counterattack.
McBride scored off a set piece, granted, and Fulham only played with one striker for thirty minutes, but it will be interesting to see whether the McBride finds himself alone in the coming weeks. Against the likes of Italy, Ghana and the Czech Republic, McBride had trouble finding space because those back lines stayed home and he no longer has the legs to get behind defenders like Cannavaro. But with premiership wing backs eager to try their luck in the other team's area, McBride may be able to exploit the open space in a counterattack. In that case, he wouldn't need blazing speed to disect a defense. On the contrary, he would be playing to his strengths, using his size to hold the ball for Fulham and his smarts to fuel the attack.
posted by jcanzo at 10:56 PM
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