Stuart Holden (That lad that has blond hair and plays for Bolton)

Carl

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I've been meaning to start this thread since the Bolton v Stoke game but as he's scored today I thought it would be a good time to create it.

As some of you may know I get to a few Bolton games a season and that lad has really impressed me every time. Decent passer of the ball, great work rate, good tackler and a great engine. He's a very typical "box to box" midfield player.

I'm not suggesting we go and buy him or anything like that, just thought i'd get some other views on him particularly from the resident American posters who will have no doubt seen him a fair few times for the national side.
 

Neil_Buchanan

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I like him, hes very energetic and is in good form this season. Glad to see he recovered from that injury okay.
 

holdsteady

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He's been our best player since the WC. His creativity has really shone with Donovan being rested.
 

RDCR07

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He was supposed to be something big for the US just like how Maurice Edu was supposed to be great. :lol: But injuries kinda thwarted the good start to his career and he has been just decent since then.
 

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nah Holden has been better than 'just decent', with the way Bolton are playing, he's seeing a lot of the ball, and is involved in just about everything they do going forward and when the opposition attack.

I'm not saying one of the top 4 should be breaking down the barn door to sign him or anything, but he's been very very good this season(yes it's only 13 matches in).
 

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He originally played as a winger for the national team and did well in the Gold Cup. For Houston, I think he played on the wing or in the attacking midfield role. I was a bit surprised to see him playing in central midfield, but he's done quite well in it apparently.

Also, RDRC07, it's Freddy Adu, not Maurice Edu. Maurice played pretty well against United at Old Trafford for Rangers. He also did reasonably well in the World Cup when are idiot coach put him on the field.
 

Seedorf

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Maurice Edu surged below the radar. No one expected anything great from him. Now he's almost irreplaceable for country and doing really well for his club (Rangers).
 

MrMarcello

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He's no box-to-box guy that I've ever seen. He's an attack-minded midfielder capable of playing on the right wing or in center. Decent player and a shame he got crocked last year after a nasty tackle by that cnut de Jong.
 

MrMarcello

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Seedorf said:
Maurice Edu surged below the radar. No one expected anything great from him. Now he's almost irreplaceable for country and doing really well for his club (Rangers).
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He played in central defense for the US during a recent international match. As long as he's fit, he'll be a mainstay in the US side. Not sure if he'll move to CD permanently considering Jones-Bradley looks a sure bet to be the regular central midfield duo. But Edu's ability on the ball would compliment Onyewu quite well.
 

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How did Stuart play today? I missed the match but heard that he did well. What do you guys think? He seems to be a great signing for Bolton despite the fact that he's playing in central midfield. I'm really happy for him.
 

Excal

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MrMarcello said:
He played in central defense for the US during a recent international match. As long as he's fit, he'll be a mainstay in the US side. Not sure if he'll move to CD permanently considering Jones-Bradley looks a sure bet to be the regular central midfield duo. But Edu's ability on the ball would compliment Onyewu quite well.
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Holden gets very little international playing time because Bradley (the Elder) is a useless idiot who can't wrap his head around the fact that a straight 4-4-2 does not suit this team, or any idea of how to use the talent we do have. He plays Donovan and Dempsey on the wings, Altidore and a 2nd forward who generally has no business being in our Top XI, e.g. Buddle, meaning there's no room for Holden behind Jones/Bradley/Edu (and that assumes he even recognizes those are our top midfielders, and isn't playing someone like Clark or Torres instead.)
 

Brwned

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Was a lovely goal and he's looked pretty handy all season but he reminds me a bit of Tamir Cohen. Had a similar start looking all-action and a very decent finisher but just faded away after a while.

Early days.
 

holdsteady

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Hope he's alright, shame he'll miss out against Argentina for the nats.
 

Man-United

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fecks sake Evans. Bolton would have needed him against Arsenal in April....
 

Ferguson

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Excal said:
Holden gets very little international playing time because Bradley (the Elder) is a useless idiot who can't wrap his head around the fact that a straight 4-4-2 does not suit this team, or any idea of how to use the talent we do have. He plays Donovan and Dempsey on the wings, Altidore and a 2nd forward who generally has no business being in our Top XI, e.g. Buddle, meaning there's no room for Holden behind Jones/Bradley/Edu (and that assumes he even recognizes those are our top midfielders, and isn't playing someone like Clark or Torres instead.)
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Spot on. Failing to play Edu from the start against Ghana in the World Cup was moronic from Bradley and typical of the MLS mentality that is holding the U.S. back.

I'd play Holden as the second striker if he insists on having Dempsey on the wings.

The U.S. are starting to look like a complete team. They just lack a centre back with a bit of pace IMO.
 

Man-United

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Fantastic footballer, deserves to play for a side in the Champions League.
 

Carl

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alastair said:
Not to sound harsh, but blood tends to be a good thing. Probably means no real ligament/break damage.
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There was shit loads of blood when Dave Busst broke his leg. Schmeichel was sick.
 

Carl

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Man-United said:
Fantastic footballer, deserves to play for a side in the Champions League.
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Hmmm I dunno. I like him but there's no way he'd get games at Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs or City. He might get the odd game for us but only because our midfield has been far from great.
 

davisjw

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The thing that'll keep him out of the top 4 is a lack of penetration... He hustles and keeps posession but I've never seen him make the killer pass... Better than Bradley mind you...
 

Ace

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cw1984 said:
Hmmm I dunno. I like him but there's no way he'd get games at Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs or City. He might get the odd game for us but only because our midfield has been far from great.
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He was talking about Champions League teams
 

MrMarcello

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Ferguson said:
Spot on. Failing to play Edu from the start against Ghana in the World Cup was moronic from Bradley and typical of the MLS mentality that is holding the U.S. back.

I'd play Holden as the second striker if he insists on having Dempsey on the wings.

The U.S. are starting to look like a complete team. They just lack a centre back with a bit of pace IMO.
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Not sure about his pace but Omar Gonzalez looks a good bet to be a starting CD for a while. But knowing BB he'll go with Tim Ream or some other average player.
 

Excal

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Ferguson said:
Spot on. Failing to play Edu from the start against Ghana in the World Cup was moronic from Bradley and typical of the MLS mentality that is holding the U.S. back.

I'd play Holden as the second striker if he insists on having Dempsey on the wings.

The U.S. are starting to look like a complete team. They just lack a centre back with a bit of pace IMO.
Click to expand...
I'd like to see a move away from 4-4-2 in favor of something that suits our players, and I'd like it to happen sometime soon, while Donovan and Dempsey are still in their primes. We don't have two strong strikers. Really, I'm not even sure we have one. Instead of Altidore and whatever useless git with pace Bradley takes a liking to up front, I'd almost like to see a sort of 4-3-3 with Donovan/Dempsey Holden in the other "forward" slots, where any or all of them can drop back when it's needed. Something along these lines:

Or, if you absolutely must play Altidore, a 4-2-3-1 instead:
 

MrMarcello

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Or could just go really against the mold and do what the likes of Wynalda, Balboa, etc. say and go 3-5-2 since they lack quality in both defense and midfield.
 

MrMarcello

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The man speaks the truth in this event. The likes of Bornstein et al are not full backs so might as well make them wing backs. Pack the midfield, use the wingbacks as width and put the likes of Donovan and Dempsey further forward. Brazil uses a similar style (granted with a billion times more quality).
 

Sir Matt

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Our weakness isn't midfield. It's defense and attack. We have a group of really solid midfielders but none who's especially attack-minded. Our fullbacks are bad, and the only strikers we have that work together or at all is Jozy/Davies. Too bad Davies has been out so long.
 
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