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    #76
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    There is a theory that you can make anyone into a defender. All the talented players start up the pitch, and only much later on those who maybe lack the quality in the final third are pushed into the back.

    What that creates are skillful defenders who can attack and make great entry passes. But, they are offensive players are the heart and lack a defensive mindset.

    Beside calling me an idiot, thoughts on that?
    Also not wrong. Quality technical players tend to be forwards or midfielders early on. I’ve watched my own kid go from a forward/winger as a ulittle to attacking midfielder to CDM and occasionally fill in at left fullback or centerback the higher up the league/team she has gone. The college coaches she has talked to want her for CDM... Meanwhile, players I knkw who were defenders early on didn’t develop technically or tactically and haven’t moved up in their youth soccer career. Anecdotal, but matches your view almost exactly.

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      #77
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Also not wrong. Quality technical players tend to be forwards or midfielders early on. I’ve watched my own kid go from a forward/winger as a ulittle to attacking midfielder to CDM and occasionally fill in at left fullback or centerback the higher up the league/team she has gone. The college coaches she has talked to want her for CDM... Meanwhile, players I knkw who were defenders early on didn’t develop technically or tactically and haven’t moved up in their youth soccer career. Anecdotal, but matches your view almost exactly.
      Pretty similar to my kid's story. Always an attacking or a holding mid, occasionally a center forward or a wing (which she hated...too much running).

      As she moved up into higher levels, she got onto one team where there was a glut of CMs and they needed a defender. She said she'd play there. Never comes off the field now and owns it. It helped I have two friends who went into college as forwards and graduated as left backs, so she had a good reference.

      A defender who can attack is arguably the most dangerous person on the pitch:

      *opposing defenders are not used to having defensive quality around them, so they can easily get penned in.

      *Nobody seems to mark the outside back so they are free to roam as they want

      *Most teams use the outside back for entry balls now (see Liverpool) so they are heavily involved in attacks

      *You are making the forwards mark them, which takes them away from what they want and they will run themselves out on defense.

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        #78
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        Pretty similar to my kid's story. Always an attacking or a holding mid, occasionally a center forward or a wing (which she hated...too much running).

        As she moved up into higher levels, she got onto one team where there was a glut of CMs and they needed a defender. She said she'd play there. Never comes off the field now and owns it. It helped I have two friends who went into college as forwards and graduated as left backs, so she had a good reference.

        A defender who can attack is arguably the most dangerous person on the pitch:

        *opposing defenders are not used to having defensive quality around them, so they can easily get penned in.

        *Nobody seems to mark the outside back so they are free to roam as they want

        *Most teams use the outside back for entry balls now (see Liverpool) so they are heavily involved in attacks

        *You are making the forwards mark them, which takes them away from what they want and they will run themselves out on defense.
        Meant to add with all that...they still need to ensure their defensive responsibilities remain.

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          #79
          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          let's get a little real here. dest has played in the ajax youth system for 7+ years. that's acknowledged to be among the best, if not the best, youth academies in Europe (and therefore, the known universe). he's a 19 year old starter on a champions league quality team. his training from 12-19 would be better than anything that any USSF academy could provide, and I think the USSF would be the first to admit that.

          he's also been getting call ups for the US YNT since U17 and played in 2 youth World Cups. so if anything, the oranje were the yokels who overlooked a quality player in their backyard, smug in their belief about the quality of their back lines.

          so kudos to dave van den bergh, who was savvy enough to bring in dest to the US program at an early age. and we'll all acknowledge that the best players the USMNT could field are the ones who haven't played a lick of soccer in the US since at least their 16th birthdays.
          Totally agree, but the question remains what is lacking if we select more players with European experience over homegrowns coming up in DA and MLS academies? Short-term you need the best players from wherever they are to remain competitive so this is acceptable now, but long-term it’s sending the wrong message. It seems like USSF is taking an easier path of relying on European training rather then building that environment here.

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