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SBI MLS Player of the Week: Edson Buddle

Edson Buddle 3 (ISIphotos.com) 

Photo by ISIphotos.com

If Edson Buddle keeps this up, he will have a few awards named after him.

Buddle was the easy pick for this week's SBI MLS Player of the Week, and the NASR (North American Soccer Reporters) agreed, giving him the official league honor as well.

Buddle's two goals against Real Salt Lake helped the Los Angeles Galaxy improve to 4-0 and increased his goal tally to an incredible seven in four matches.

Others in the running for this week's prize were Joe Cannon, Bouna Coundoul and Brian McBride.

What did you think of Buddle's performance? Did he get your POW vote this week?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Michael Jordan is still in some sort of shape; maybe he can come back and help the Bulls.

    If you can guarantee me that McBride can be the US version of Man U’s Ole Gunnnar Solskjaer then fine bring him on. I love Bake but he never that kind of player. Otherwise, the US can’t afford the luxury of having a 20-10 minute player on the bench.

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  2. No one is giving Jozy a free pass.

    The fact is the US does not have a lot of options. The US player pool is thin and limited. We are a second tier power in this regard.

    If you’ve got a better, proven alternative to Jozy then name him. People on this site are always ripping BB for picking player A or B yet they really never offer viable alternatives.

    This is a fan base that wants a guy who nearly died a few months ago to come back and be a star in the World Cup when he should really be more careful about this in terms of his long term career.

    If that doesn’t tell you that the USMNT fan base eats its own young and is delusional about the abilities of it’s players I don’t know what would.

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  3. Gee, I guesss anyone can socre goals in the MLS then. If it was you being set up would score as many goals?

    I sick and tired of people like you thinikng score any goal in any professional league is easy. If that were true then people like you would be paid to score goals instead of blogging about it.

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  4. nolan,

    Jozy has 8 goals in 24 appearances for the US. That is an average of about one goal every three games. 7 of those 8 came during WC qualifying or the Confed Cup.

    What this means is he and Clint Dempsey are the two most dangerous American scorers, when the games count, in the last year or so. The US does not score much so it needs all the proven, legitimnate scorers it can muster.

    Buddle and Gomez are hot and deserve a look but, in terms of performing for the US when it matter, they haven’t proved diddly. World Cup Games (and qualifiyng and the Confederations Cup) are a very different thing from the MLS and the MFl altogether.

    In fact, both Gomez and Buddle are so hot, you have to wonder if the math doesn’t dictate that they will cool down by the time June rolls around. With all due respect, these two haven’t proven themselves yet to be world class like Torres and villa of Spain for example. I hope I’m wrong about that.

    If and when they cool off then what have you got?

    We know Jozy can contribute on other ways even if he himself is not scoring. He has done that for the US before and for Hull.

    Gomez and Buddle are competing with the ghost of Charlie Davies while Altidore’s competition (really his backup) is Brian Ching.

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  5. Notice that when those games are played, the MFL teams are in form while it’s just the start of the season for the MLS teams. Not a reliable gauge. Mexican teams have no salary cap and are better funded and deeper. It’s a credit to the MLS teams that they are in these games at all.

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  6. All we can ask is that BB brings in Altidore, Buddle, Gomez, Davies (if healthy), etc. and picks the players that are performing best leading up to the Cup. Part of that is not just their personal form in MLS or whatever league, but how they interact with the other players (Donovan, Dempsey, etc.). Chemistry is a significant issue that is too often overlooked. For all USMNT fans, the more guys playing well and the harder the choices for BB the better. This includes Bedoya in midfield as well.

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  7. 8 goals out of 2 appearances? and who were they against? Trinidad & Tobago? I’m not being foolish and I seriously think you are misusing the word hyperbolic, but you saying that “he has accomplished a lot,” doesn’t mean anything. I just need him to do what a forward should do, and that is to score goals. And for some reason, he can’t seem to do that for the U.S. or for Hull. He rarely even starts for Hull. Heck the team that owns him (villareal) doesn’t even want him!

    Maybe if he scored some goals we wouldn’t need this conversation. I’m just upset b/c everyone gives him the free pass, like he has accomplished so much. Well, “improving his play” is not an internationally recognized accomplishment that I know of.

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  8. McBride is one of those guys who doesn’t look that much different as they age, but it’s really catching up. The Olympics were just sad to watch and his game has fallen since then in MLS. It’s over for the toughest guy to ever lace em up for the US. It happens.

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  9. Definitely worried about Altidore’s lack of goals, but besides the assists he’s drawn a ton of penalties which he never gets to take. It’s troubling, but he’s still class.

    On Buddle, everyone who thinks this is an aberration should remember his 15 goal 2008 where he was finishing with a ton of confidence as well. He was also well on his way to double digit goals last year but was derailed by injury. Face it, Buddle got his head straight and has a quality track record 3 years running. Give him a shot.

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  10. Buddle has put some nice polish on most of his finishes lately.. Very interested to see if he can continue.. I’d gladly have him on The WC team.

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  11. Buddle obviously is off to a great start but I think his teammates deserve a lot of credit. They set him up very well with the ball. He basically gets it and shoots. He doesn’t really have to make any crazy runs passed defenders.

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  12. What? Are you serious or are you just putting everyone off?

    The goal against Spain was not even that nice. He struck the ball hard, but got lucky Casillas was leaning to his left and it bounced in after a weak save attempt. He has scored 8 goals in 24 appearances for the US team, which is better than the one you give him credit for.

    Jozy has earned his pass. Stop being foolish and hyperbolic. He has accomplished a lot and is only improving in his play and tactics.

    My hope is that Bob Bradley will have a selection headache with Buddle, Davis, Altidore, and Gomez. The harder that decision is for Bradley, the better for our team.

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  13. I totally agree!! What has Jozy Altidore done, not just lately….but EVER??? He has a horrible first touch, he never tracks back to help defend, never fights for 50/50 balls and oh yeah….he NEVER scores!

    Ok, he had one nice goal against Spain. ONE!

    One goal in something like 20 games!!?? Why does this guy get the golden pass? You have to prove yourself. Edson Buddle and Herculez Gomez are doing exactly that!

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  14. When he played in Bullard and did not get the return pass, HE LOOKED TO BLOW A GASKET! hands flailing, brow furled and eyes of fire. check the replay.

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  15. The irony is that Altidore is providing better service to Bullard, Kilbane, and Fagan and they keep f-ing it up. He just looks so frustrated at Hull City. After each wasted opportunity by a teammate he almost throws himself to the ground in bemusement.

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  16. I think he just means its a far more physical league than the Mexican league. Also the reason we don’t get farther in CONCACAF would be the salary cap restrictions compared to the Mexican leagues. They pay far more for attacking players than we do, and I think once our salary cap keeps increasing you will see MLS teams advancing farther and farther in the competition.

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  17. my vote would have been for mcbride. look at the immediate impact he had on the game once he was in. assist – 2 minutes in, goal 8 minutes later. maybe, i’m just be careful about jumping on the buddle bandwagon.

    (SBI-I’d say Buddle’s performance came against a MUCH tougher opponent so he that’s why he gets the nod.)

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  18. I was always skeptical of Buddle, because I got a little annoyed with all the MLS strikers Bradley called up that didn’t ever cut it. Cunningham, Findley, and Casey (except for honduras) come to mind. Even when I was told that Buddle scored twice against RSL, I dismissed it.

    Then I saw the highlights of his second goal, where he displayed touch, control, and speed to take advantage of the half chance.

    Call that man into camp, and give him a shot.

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  19. Altidore should start because he is better. He has looked very good in his last several outings even though he has only scored one goal. The service he receives at Hull is null. If we have any realistic chance of making it to the quarterfinals in the World Cup, we have to play our best players and hope they play well.

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  20. Altidore played very well in the time that was given to him and has recently shown an ability to take the very little service he gets and make something out of it, against EPL competition nontheless. He showed well against the Netherlands and while part of him not scoring is his fault, can you seriously say that Hull provide him with a good stream of service? I would also argue about Jozy’s touch and hold up play, which has improved quite a substantial amount since his first introduction to this team. I mean, what do you think led to the goal against Spain? Sure the Spanish defender made a mistake, but credit to Jozy for bodying up and turning his man. Another thought is that maybe Jozy has been focusing on being the target man and taking the lumps from the back line instead of scoring. He hasn’t always been playing next to VofH.

    ha ha? huh?

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  21. Both Gomez and Buddle should be on the roster. They are our only 2 forwards that actually score goals consistently right now. I don’t know why everyone even speaks as if Altidore should be a given starter over those two. He has scored 1 goal in 6 months of soccer! His touch is not nearly as advanced as Buddle/Gomez, his holdup play is still very much lacking, and he hasn’t scored in a few months. I say Gomez/Buddle to start with Altidore off the bench, ha ha.

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  22. I’m not sure who the ” everyone says he doesnt [deserve a shot at the WC] because he plays in the MLS ” but even before Donovan went to Europe, that argument is just snobbish and above all ignorant.

    With that said, I agree with most that Buddle deserves a chance.

    While I’m in the Buddle camp over Gomez, because I believe MLS to have superior defending and rate it as a much more physical league, I think Bob will favor competition and perhaps (in a perfect world) let them play for the spot when he calls in his 30.

    As they say: competition brings out the best in people.

    To Gomez and Buddle: May the best man win.

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  23. I believe whole heartedly that Buddle deserves a shot at the World Cup. For everyone that says he doesn’t because he plays in MLS, just think back to our squad in WC 2002. We had 14 players on that team that were playing in MLS and we seemed to do ok in that tournament. I could be off a player or two but it was close to 14

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  24. He belongs on the WC squad because, if he keeps playing at this pace, he will be the only American striker in the mix who comes into every game confident that he can score a goal. (assuming BB doesn’t take a look at Gomez). Also, I am impressed by his touch and technique of late. He is truely coming of age at a time that should be the prime of his career.

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