Technical vs. Size? DA Players

[Unregistered]

How about the US getting whooped by Argentina the other night?
So the US style of soccer big, strong and fast obviously did not work against Small, Smart and Technical!!!! US soccer wants big and fast and look where it got us!!! One guy "Messi" single handily dismantled the US mens team and he is 5'6 or shorter! Am I wrong?

[Unregistered]

Except for Brooks, I think they may have actually been bigger. If you take out Messi. Higuain is like 6 ft and Lamela is even taller. They were definitely faster, quicker, and stronger. Maybe we need better athletes and more technique. Not sure how an un athletic team can pressure them.

[Unregistered]

Argentina team average height is 5'11".

http://national-soccer-teams.pointaf.../l/8/Argentina

[Unregistered]

How about the US getting whooped by Argentina the other night?
So the US style of soccer big, strong and fast obviously did not work against Small, Smart and Technical!!!! US soccer wants big and fast and look where it got us!!! One guy "Messi" single handily dismantled the US mens team and he is 5'6 or shorter! Am I wrong?

Ok smartass now that your theory on size have been disproven why don't we get down to actual talent and development. How about a true development system which we state we have but is really a pay for play sport.

[Unregistered]

Some still believe that their child didn't make a team because they were small...even with them being the most tactical and most smartest player on that field the coaches just chose the bigger kid, when in the end they just chose the kid that was A. better or B. paid more money.

[Unregistered]

Ok smartass now that your theory on size have been disproven why don't we get down to actual talent and development. How about a true development system which we state we have but is really a pay for play sport.

Our current boys DA system is like computers...garbage in, garbage out! If we can't pick out talent, then what is the use? It would be interesting to see if we had our DA staff and ODP coaches choose 500 boys and then have our US coaches choose 11 players who they feel is best of the 500. Then have a group of Barcelona coaches choose their top 11 out of the same 500 boys. I would say the US coaches find 11 players. Then I would say the Barcelona coaches would only find 1 player and walk away shaking their heads!

[Unregistered]

Argentina team average height is 5'11".

http://national-soccer-teams.pointaf.../l/8/Argentina

ur source is old. 5 of the starters are not on that roster. just sayin

[Unregistered]

ur source is old. 5 of the starters are not on that roster. just sayin

The average height on the WC championship German team is even taller - just sayin'

Look it's tough to compare the US vs Argentina because the differences were as vast as the Grand Canyon. You can't define it in black and white terms - being "athletic" (whatever that really means) doesn't mean you can't also be technical. But yes in the US coaches definitely prefer the athletic bigger kids more often than not. Kids who are younger/smaller/late bloomers have to go the extra mile to prove they can keep up with the bigger/faster kids. It can get even uglier in middle school when some kids shoot up 6" overnight while others don't start to blossom until HS.

[Unregistered]

Parents of small kids just can't comprehend the idea that players can be big, strong, fast and skilled at the same time. Just because Messi is below average height does not mean all players should be selected based on (lack of) height.

[Unregistered]

The youth academies choose bigger kids overseas too. They choose older kids also. Look at that la Masia Liga promises team. They were almost all big and older. All 2003s but almost entirely FYSA U13s. They did have 1 or two little guys that were older and skilled but not many. The only difference is they keep the younger smaller kids in the system. So as they age they still move according to level. Usually if the smaller kid is special he will still play well. If just very good them he may be on the B or C team until he can compete. In the US parents like you would rather him underperform on an A team.

[Unregistered]

source worldfootball.net
average height of Argentina's starters from the USA v. ARG game 180 cm = 5'10.9"

[Unregistered]

When the broadcasters state that the USMNT only has one player, Yedlin, with the speed and quickness to keep up with Messi and Argentina's players, then that is the problem. The USMNT players are inferior athletes to the other soccer nation powerhouses like Argentina's. No matter how great the USMNT skills are, they will always be the bottom of the barrel because their athletic talent is bottom level and unable to keep up with other top flight nations because even if their skills are equal, the other soccer nation powerhouses like Argentina's athletes are superior to the men on the USMNT.

[Unregistered]

When the broadcasters state that the USMNT only has one player, Yedlin, with the speed and quickness to keep up with Messi and Argentina's players, then that is the problem. The USMNT players are inferior athletes to the other soccer nation powerhouses like Argentina's. No matter how great the USMNT skills are, they will always be the bottom of the barrel because their athletic talent is bottom level and unable to keep up with other top flight nations because even if their skills are equal, the other soccer nation powerhouses like Argentina's athletes are superior to the men on the USMNT.

We have plenty of athletes. We don't have athletes with mad soccer skills.

[Unregistered]

When the broadcasters state that the USMNT only has one player, Yedlin, with the speed and quickness to keep up with Messi and Argentina's players, then that is the problem. The USMNT players are inferior athletes to the other soccer nation powerhouses like Argentina's. No matter how great the USMNT skills are, they will always be the bottom of the barrel because their athletic talent is bottom level and unable to keep up with other top flight nations because even if their skills are equal, the other soccer nation powerhouses like Argentina's athletes are superior to the men on the USMNT.

So what is Brazil and Mexico's excuse?

[Unregistered]

The youth academies choose bigger kids overseas too. They choose older kids also. Look at that la Masia Liga promises team. They were almost all big and older. All 2003s but almost entirely FYSA U13s. They did have 1 or two little guys that were older and skilled but not many. The only difference is they keep the younger smaller kids in the system. So as they age they still move according to level. Usually if the smaller kid is special he will still play well. If just very good them he may be on the B or C team until he can compete. In the US parents like you would rather him underperform on an A team.

That is a big and important difference. Here smaller kids/late bloomers often get pushed out or leave in frustration. There's no telling where some kids will go once puberty hits, and some kids plateau early in terms of size, speed, muscle development.