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Author Topic: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed  (Read 24909 times)

Offline adrenachrome

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Interesting article(s) from The Shin Guardian:


Quote
The Shin Guardian had the occasion to interact last week with Aston Villa beat reporter Timothy Abraham   who writes for Birmingham’s Express & Star. Abraham gives us an   unvarnished, untarnished by American lens view on the goings on inside   Villa Park. TSG is thankful to have Abraham’s thoughts here as we   respect he’s an on-staff writer for the Express & Star.

(Editor’s Note: This TSG piece on Michael Bradley–vetted by Abraham–is a requisite read beforehand.)
TSG: You mentioned Michael Bradley is struggling with game   speed. Do you think this is due to lack of game time or is it something   different?
Timothy Abraham: Some players do take time to adjust   to the pace of English football and I think this is evident in   Michael’s case. In his fleeting appearances for the first team he has   been caught in possession too easily sometimes and his passing has been   found wanting. It is in stark contrast with Jean Makoun – who joined   Villa from Lyon in the January transfer window – and has looked at home   in English football straight away.
TSG: You mentioned that Michael Bradley won’t likely be resigned by Villa next year. Is he still Premiership material?
Timothy Abraham: The jury is out at the moment. I   don’t think Michael’s situation has been helped by Villa having   struggled at the bottom of the Premier League for most of the season.   With the exception of Jean Makoun Villa manager Gerard Houllier has gone   for players who are tried and tested in English football. If Villa are   able to pull clear of the relegation battle in the next few matches then   Michael might get a run of games towards the end of the season and   given a chance to stake his claim to remain at Villa.
TSG: Will Michael Bradley’s situation be impacted at all by   Nigel Reo Coker’s? Will Reo Coker resign with Villa? If not, if Bradley   an option?
  Reo-Coker...  Timothy Abraham: Nigel Reo-Coker’s future   is up in the air at the moment. His Villa career looked over when Martin   O’Neill was in charge but he has been reinvigorated under Gerard   Houllier. The problem for Reo-Coker is that he is probably not quite   good enough for the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea etc so   that leaves him with very few options. I think Villa is about his level   but my inclination is to say that he is seeking a big contract and with   under pressure to cut the wage bill he will not get the kind of deal he   is after and will leave the club. I guess there is a chance Michael   Bradley could be a replacement but with the kind of money that Borussia   Monchengladbach want for him, and with a surplus of midfielders at Villa   I think a deal is unlikely.
TSG:  About other Americans: Brad Friedel’s club standing?   Will Eric Lichaj ever see the light of day at Villa? Or even Brad Guzan?
  I want to work....there...  Timothy Abraham: I expect Brad Friedel will   be offered a new deal although he may well have to accept that he will   not be first choice next season as Villa look to sign a keeper for the   future. Eric Lichaj has done well at Leeds and, with the exception of a   couple of mistakes in a game against Manchester City on a day when   no-one from Villa covered themselves in glory, when he came in he did   well.
I’m not sure he’s quite in the class of on-loan Tottenham right-back   Kyle Walker and with Lichaj being 22 I suspect he may move on sooner   rather than later. The same probably applies to Brad Guzan.
TSG: What’s the general perception of Houllier’s reign thus far?
Timothy Abraham: The reviews on Gerard Houllier’s   short tenure have been mixed. His development of young talent and   commitment to play more aesthetically pleasing football than previous   manager Martin O’Neill have been appluaded by a lot of fans.
However, there have been some PR gaffes which has alienated sections   of the fanbase. Not least his comments after the defeat against   Liverpool (although they were taken out of context) and in particular   the decision to field a weakened side in the FA Cup against Manchester   City which really angered supporters. Houllier has perhaps been guilty   of trying to change too much at Villa at once when he should have waited   until the summer to make sweeping changes.

Offline Greg N'Ash

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2011, 12:32:57 AM »
An interesting read indeed. i wouldn't say Makoun had adapted to the english game in such glowing terms as abrahams makes out though. He looks a cracking player at times but he's still very much finding his way.

Offline usav

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2011, 01:08:33 AM »
I'd completely forgotten about Bradley to be quite honest.

Offline Mister E

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #3 on: April 14, 2011, 06:31:06 AM »
The article could ahv ebeen written from a review of comments on here. However, I would agree that the comment about the club situation not helping is valid.
If Borussia set their requirements at a sensible level he could be a useful squad player next season, having had time to get into the English game properly.

Offline tsvet

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #4 on: April 14, 2011, 08:02:14 AM »
Quote
It is in stark contrast with Jean Makoun – who joined Villa from Lyon in the January transfer window – and has looked at home in English football straight away.
Can't disagree more. May be it's a fault at my TV if people are seeing Jean the second as a cracking player, who's made for English football, but I am on the completely opposite opinion. He looks to me a limited player with the odd good pass here and there. Losses the ball way too easily and his limitations and aggression are often pushing him to do quite dirty fouls.

Offline ROBBO

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #5 on: April 14, 2011, 08:16:46 AM »
Makoun may be better just playing behind the forwards as he has great foot skills and a good pass on him, the problem is he doesn't have the physique to play a central role.

Offline JJ-AV

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #6 on: April 14, 2011, 08:22:14 AM »
Makoun is going to be a star for us, I reckon.

Offline DB

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #7 on: April 14, 2011, 09:01:47 AM »
Quote
It is in stark contrast with Jean Makoun – who joined Villa from Lyon in the January transfer window – and has looked at home in English football straight away.
Can't disagree more. May be it's a fault at my TV if people are seeing Jean the second as a cracking player, who's made for English football, but I am on the completely opposite opinion. He looks to me a limited player with the odd good pass here and there. Losses the ball way too easily and his limitations and aggression are often pushing him to do quite dirty fouls.

At the moment yes, but he is showing signs of settling and improving, look at the move and pass for Bent for his 'offside' goal on Sunday. Next season we'll see a different player.

Offline Risso

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #8 on: April 14, 2011, 09:07:38 AM »
Quote
It is in stark contrast with Jean Makoun – who joined Villa from Lyon in the January transfer window – and has looked at home in English football straight away.
Can't disagree more. May be it's a fault at my TV if people are seeing Jean the second as a cracking player, who's made for English football, but I am on the completely opposite opinion. He looks to me a limited player with the odd good pass here and there. Losses the ball way too easily and his limitations and aggression are often pushing him to do quite dirty fouls.

I agree totally, I don't think he's cut out for the Premier League.  He certainly doesn't deserve a place in the team on current form.

Offline The Villan On The Wirral

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #9 on: April 14, 2011, 09:15:02 AM »
Makoun is going to be a star for us, I reckon.

Absolutely agree with you JJ.In my opinion we could build a team around him and Bent.If given time to settle he could be a top top player for us.

Offline UsualSuspect

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #10 on: April 14, 2011, 09:42:06 AM »
Quote
It is in stark contrast with Jean Makoun – who joined Villa from Lyon in the January transfer window – and has looked at home in English football straight away.
Can't disagree more. May be it's a fault at my TV if people are seeing Jean the second as a cracking player, who's made for English football, but I am on the completely opposite opinion. He looks to me a limited player with the odd good pass here and there. Losses the ball way too easily and his limitations and aggression are often pushing him to do quite dirty fouls.

I agree with quite a bit of that. From the limited times I have seen makoun I think his fitness is okay but gets caught in possesion too easily probably due to the pace of the game and then his next tackle is a booking.

As far as Bradley goes, if an international who has played in the Bundesliga cant get used to the pace of the game then we may as well fuck him off now

Offline Concrete John

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #11 on: April 14, 2011, 10:33:04 AM »
Bradley - can't judge after one game, but if he can't force his way into the side I doubt he'll be retained.

Makoun - jury still out to a degree, but I think he'd do well with a midfield enforcer alongside him.  He had a rep of being able to play the holding role himself, but the requirements to that position are different in the PL to France.

Offline Phil from the upper holte

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2011, 10:35:51 AM »
I think in Parts Makoun has shown some good touches and I think after a pre season he'll do very well for us, Saying that with the likes of Delph & Bannan (when he's back) I think Midfield will be least of our problems

Offline Ger Regan

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #13 on: April 14, 2011, 10:46:22 AM »
I thought Makoun was our best player at OT, from what I can remember he had very impressive pass completion stats for that game. Agreed though, he was pretty poor the last couple of times I've seen him. All in all though, and given time, I think he's got the quality to be a success.

Offline Risso

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Re: The Shin Guardian: Michael Bradley is struggling with game speed
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2011, 10:52:13 AM »
I think both Bannan and Delph will be better than Makoun personally.  Bannan's ball to Albrighton away at Fulham was world class.

 


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