By IVES GALARCEP
If you took a look at the leading scorers in Europe's top leagues right now, the list would include many of the most prolific scorers in the world. Lionel Messi leads La Liga with six. Robin Van Persie has four for Manchester United, tied for the most in the English Premier League. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as expected, leads Ligue 1 with five goals in the early season for Paris St. Germain.
None of those stars has scored more goals in league play so far this season than Jozy Altidore. The U.S. Men's national team striker has scored a whopping seven goals for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, taking his tally to seven after a thoroughly impressive hat trick (and assist) in AZ's 4-0 rout of Roda JK on Sunday.
Altidore's three-goal outburst showed off all his best qualities. His strength, deceptive speed and ever-improving passing. It was enough to draw plenty of excitement from American soccer fans on Sunday morning, but it also drew a fair share of consternation from a more cynical corner of the U.S. soccer fanbase which seemed to recite one complaint in unison.
"Why can't he do that for the national team?"
It is a fair question if all you do is look at the raw stats, which show that Altidore has yet to score a goal for the national team in 2012, and has managed just one goal for the U.S. in the past 14 months. It is not a difficult question to answer, though, if you have actually spent any time watching Altidore play for AZ, and if you have watched him toil away on in a U.S. national team attack that just isn't as good at creating chances as his club team is.
No, AZ isn't exactly a perennial goal-scoring machine. In fact, the club was only sixth in the Dutch League in goals last season. What AZ does is send numbers forward, attacking with a variety of midfield options. You know how the U.S. national team has been fielding an inordinate amount of defensive midfielders and struggling to generate chances accordingly? AZ is pretty much the opposite, trotting out a dangerous collection of midfield creators and speedsters who keep Altidore engaged and connected to a consistent attack.
Imagine being a forward for a high-octane offense, one that sets you up with chances and one made up of dynamic threats who combine well and make life difficult for opposing defenses. Now imagining leaving that behind every few months to join a national team sorely lacking creative midfield options, a team that regular leaves you starving for service.
Think about. Is Altidore missing chances for the national team? Is he squandering service and misfiring? No, he isn't even getting the chance to misfire. Instead, he often finds himself floating deep, begging for teammates to combine with, be it from the flanks or the middle of the park.
It really is that simple. Any notion that Altidore simply doesn't step his game up for the national team, or somehow isn't a good fit for the U.S. is just plain silly. It's like blaming someone for not being able to drive a tractor the same way they drive a sports car.
Some will point to Clint Dempsey, and in more recent months Herculez Gomez, for examples of players who are still producing goals despite the recent funk endured by the U.S. attack. Dempsey's form over the past year has been the best of his career, and trying to measure anyone by that standard simply isn't fair, and the reality is that it isn't as if Dempsey is finding tons of chances either. He's just burying every single chance that falls his way.
Gomez is doing well to contribute despite a lack of service, but he isn't lighting up the scoreboard at the same rate Dempsey is. He is fighting and scraping for any shred of a chance or half chance, and has done an excellent job of becoming the ultimate scavenger (Tim Howard recently compared him to retired Dutch star Ruud van Nistelrooy in that regard). As well as he has played, Gomez hasn't exactly been showered with scoring chances despite all the hard work, which is why he has managed just three USMNT goals this year, including one off a free kick. Gomez has also has not been immune from expressing recent frustrations about the U.S. attack and the lack of chances produced by it.
Much like Altidore, Gomez plays club soccer for a team that plays free-flowing attacking soccer. Santos Laguna has creators who make it fun for Gomez and strikers like Oribe Peralta to be a finisher. These days, being a U.S. national team striker is like being the squirrel in the Ice Age cartoon movies, desperately chasing a solitary acorn, many times in vain.
This all isn't to suggest that Altidore is the finished product, or a perfect player. But it is to show that criticizing him for things that simply aren't in his control, and choosing to ignore the fact that he is clearly improving and growing as a player, is a pointless exercise. Blaming someone for not having all the best traits of the other players in the pool, be it Dempsey's nose for goal or Gomez's hustle, is a pretty unfair standard to measure any player by.
What U.S. fans need to be appreciating about Altidore's form for AZ is that it clearly shows a forward improving, maturing and gaining confidence. It began last season, when Altidore scored 15 league goals and stepped his game up down the stretch as the club made a title push. This season, Altidore looks like a player fully in tune with his teammates, a player who is developing a better understanding of the forward position and how best to play in a attack that can actually function as an attack should.
To some, Altidore's big goal totals are more a product of the league he plays in than actual improvement on his part. This notion is the height of misguided cynicism. Is the Dutch League an attacking league where you're destined to see more goals than in most other leagues? Yes, but being a 15-20 goal scorer in the Dutch League is hardly an easy proposition, or more than just five players would have scored more goals than Altidore last season, and his seven goals this season wouldn't be three more than the next-highest scorer.
What it boils down to is this. Altidore is one of the best young talents American soccer has produced to date, and the fact that he is playing so well, at such a high level, should have American fans excited rather than cynical because he isn't duplicating his club exploits with the national team. Can you imagine going back 10-15 years and telling U.S. fans that a 22-year-old American was leading Europe in league goals, or even starting as a forward in the Dutch League. It would have made him a folk hero.
If and when the U.S. national team sorts out its midfield to strike a better balance between attacking and defending, and when Jurgen Klinsmann's team can start generating chances against all caliber of opponents, there is a very good bet that Altidore will be poised to take advantage of that. Whether it is the return of Landon Donovan, the emergence of Graham Zusi, the maturation of Brek Shea, or the introduction of young options like Josh Gatt and Joe Corona, something will need to change for the U.S. if the offense is ever going to get the most out of Altidore.
Until that time comes, all Altidore can do is continue to hone his skills and keep on scoring goals for AZ. After spending years toiling away on benches in Europe, Altidore is thriving and is sure to start drawing interest from bigger clubs. Still only 22, Altidore's future is as bright as any player on the U.S. national team and while he hasn't been finding the net for the U.S. lately, there is no reason to think the goals won't come eventually.
Before the goals come though, chances will have to come, so rather than responding to Altidore's next goal-scoring outburst with laments about his national team form, you might want to watch AZ play and ask yourself a better question than "Why can't he do that for the national team?"
The question you should ask is when will the U.S. national team have a midfield that can attack and create that way?
Photo by ISIPhotos.com
Simply put, Jozy is only 22 years old. NOT BAD FOR SOMEONE WHO IS ONLY 22!!!!….I think once some people get a sniff of potential, they immediately want more….Can Jozy develop more, YES….Is he developing more, YES….From comparison of his movement off the ball to about a year or 2 ago, definitely much better as most of his goals this season are from his constant movement off the ball. Not every game is going to be perfect, as no player’s ever is. Seven goals in 5 games. Think how many strikers in any league would love to have that.
Also, at the national level, remember, he is ONLY 22….Give the guy a break for not being fantastic every game. He’s had his moments. Remember, the national team isn’t together all year. And in the games where too many defensive midfielders are on the field or out of position. Target forwards NEED SERVICE! Gomez is a second forward who is supposed to drift while Jozy takes the hits. If you recall, the did had some great hold up play in the World Cup. THE WORLD CUP MIND YOU. His header to Bradley against Slovenia was spot on. His goal against Spain in the Confederations Cup was great as well. Unfortunately, many people who see this are starving for more, and forget that he’s is only 22! How many times do they have to be reminded? They think because he doesn’t score goals every single game, he’s a bust. Well now he’s scoring goals and they want more. Talk about not being able to critique. What gets me is when they say they saw a game and he didn’t play well. Yes, I’ve seen that as well. But like mentioned, all strikers have off games at times. He’s playing well in the majority of his games….
Reminds me of the Michael Bradley haters who forget how young players are and are still developing. Hmmmm, let me see, oh wait, Michael is playing for AS Roma now, and is a central piece of the national team.
Okay, said my piece….
IV,
Your version of JK’s state of mind re Jozy may be true or not.
Probably not since JK wouldn’t bother to keep trying to call him in if he had as low an opinion of him as you do. For example, JK has been very gracious and diplomatic in what he has said about Sacha but it’s pretty clear he will cap you before he caps Sacha again.
JK has made it pretty clear this is a long term project but still the USMNT has very little time and space to waste on players who aren’t sooner or later going to make an important contribution.
It is also possible that JK realizes the current set up he has isn’t exactly what Jozy has been getting used to at AZ and finds Boyd and Gomez more suited to what is currently happening. Talk about blunt instruments.
There is only one proven creative attacking fulcrum for this current group and that is Donovan who has been MIA. In the short term (i.e. for the hexagonal if we can get there) they need to get Donovan, Jozy and Dempsey, their best attacking players, working together.
BPL stands for Barclays Premier League.
Jozy elicits “so much argument within his own fan base.” because the US has very few other players worth arguing about.
If Jozy were African, or from just about any European or South American nation his performance would be noted and praised then the media would move on to the next thing.
The USMNT fan base is fanatically dying for, a real live star outfield player, especially an attacking one. The fact that Jozy is flawed elicits outrage from this fan base.
Stupid and unrealistic, yes, but that is where the fan base is right now.
Part of it is envy. The Mexicans have Chicharito, now we get Jozy. Of course Chicharito gets to play in the Champions league and star for Man U (maybe not so much lately but still) and is far bigger deal. However, if you look carefully there are a lot of people who talk about Hernandez’s lack of skill and his limited abilities.
Still he is playing at Man U and the Champions league while all we can manage is the lowly, defense poor Eredivise and the Europa league. Hell, our other great hope had to go thru all kinds of transfer hell, being ignored by all the big clubs until Spurs snapped him up at the last second, just to get a near sniff of the possibility of the champion’s league. It’s ironic that the one American outfield player best placed to play in the Champions League, if he can win playing time, is the much maligned Gooch.
Of course before Chicharito, Mexico had guys like Rafa Marquez and Hugo Sanchez succeed at the highest levels.
Fair or not, Jozy is carry the burden as the great hope of the US soccer nation. I hope he talks with Landon.
amen sucka
well said Ives, thank you. Jozy’s making statements, going off. Needs to stay healthy and ride this wave he’s on big
On the USMNT Landon will help much. Need another attacking option too for that right side, maybe Zusi, maybe others, maybe it depends on matchups, but it seems there are better options than putting Williams out there late right flank; just need more of a 2 way player., more width and bite going forward and the ability to supply quality service from out there
speaking of the wings/flanks, if Torres starts where he’s been playing, then Shea or somebody really could change the game 2nd half by bringing true flank qualities IF that player can enter and truly bring those attacking qualities effectively, the Heather O’Reilly role
I’d start the O’Reilly player and bring el Gringo 2nd half instead of the other way around after seeing Torres play in that role, but that’s me, but I think I see what Klinsmann is wanting to do. Maybe we can. we’ll see, but need those attacking width players to do it, step up, be sharp when the opportunity provides attack and bold and decisive in those moments
To continue to claim that this player has “no touch”, “no ball skills”, “laziness”, or “just puts away sitters in a league with no defense” is to completely ignore his performances last season and so far this season. It takes an absurd amount of audacity and ignorance of the substantial amount of video evidence.
Jozy is not a counterattacking forward. He’s not a power header. He’s not going to run his balls off for 90 minutes. That’s not who he is, but that does not make him a bad player. Not at all.
He likes to touch the ball, play 1-2 passes in tight windows, and make runs off those passes.
Jozy is the only player outside of Deuce in our pool that can consistently create a goal on his own.
Jozy has a howitzer of a shot and is playing with lots of confidence.
Last weekend Jozy scored two goals with his weaker foot from tough angles. He played some highly technical cheeky passes that created opportunities, and displayed wonderful touch that led to his second goal.
You’d rather stadiums not play national anthems…for national teams…with players representing their nation….while supporters from that nation are there to support out of pride?
*facepalm*
I’m going to assume you were joking. That’s the worst idea in this entire thread.
“I also think part of the problem with Jozy is he is a big man who plays smaller than his size….gets pushed around more than you’d expect and wins fewer crosses for headers than you’d like.”
I think a lot of people ignore this based on perception. He looks big but doesn’t always play big.
Not to say he’s a Kenny Cooper but, in my personal opinion, Jozy needs to add muscle to his lower body.
He’s all shoulders but he has always struck me as having a small base.
Precisely.
Diversity of opinion is what makes this website awesome.
“Your and idoit.
“So, when he starts scoring for the USMNT I’ll give him his USMNT due.”
He lead our team in goals the last WC cycle, as a teenager.
Maybe you don’t remember this because most qualifiers last cycle were played after your bed time.”
========================================
These type of responses are ridiculous.
Here’s my ridiculous response in kind: eat glass.
Brolo,
3 games, plus all of last season. That’s a decent sample size.
And tractors don’t win World Cups.
“T-moble ruined this thread for me. you don’t need to repeat your opinion a million times. most still don’t agree with you.”
He was being accountable.
Why do people feel the need to repeat the same response to him ” a million times “?
Both are ridiculous at a point..but everyone’s opinion (regardless if they’ve already been typed) is too important not to post.
You can fault his opinion but at least he stood by it…regardless if you agree with the validity in it.
This is hilarious T-moble posting as Get serious to have someone agree with him. Its obvious you like Gomez T-moble and thats fine but dont make yourself look stupid to defend him. They can both be good its ok. Also in the second Jamaica game Jozy came looking to make things happen, same with first. When the ball finally found him in the first game he was looking for a pass to setup a play, in the second it was the same we just didnt need it at the time. I think the fact that AZ is very creative in attack hurts Jozy with the USMNT, he is looking for passes and runs that his team mates are not and it can kill the attack but how can you blame him for trying to make things happen.
You must remember that aside from the specified FIFA dates, clubs have no obligation to release players to their respective national teams for camps and “friendly” games even in the off-season. They are under contract for the year, not the season.
In AZ’s case, Verbeek made a decision that Altidore’s growth as a footballer for his club team would benefit more with various team building exercises as well as relaxation during their Caribbean “vacation” As a result, Altidore fell behind in his fitness level for USMNT duty and, more importantly, his practice and synchronization with various USMNT teammates new and old. It worked well for AZ though as his practice, intensity and, more importantly, his focus improved through his more relaxed “off-season”
European team managers have a love/hate relationship with the various national teams in SA and now Central and North America. While exemplary performance may raise the stature (and value) of their player(s), they are also wary of their players coming back injured and hurt from international play. Most managers who have players that are particularly valuable refuse to release players on “soft” FIFA dates. Even if players do come back safe, the long flights and jet lag will mean they may not play a game close to an international fixture. A tired player,, is a player more easily hurt.
There is no doubt as Jozy becomes better on his team, his release for friendlies outside of the hard FIFA dates will decline or be refused altogether. This makes Klinsmann job a bit harder as he “looses” a day for transit to/from the US from Europe. not only for Jozy but for all the other Euro Players.
Expect Klinsmann to schedule more friendlies in Europe to gain an additional day or two of precious practice time.
Either way, I would like to have a great player let out for specific friendlies than an average player let out for all games.
Would you happen to have a link to these FIFA league rankings? I’ve been looking for them everywhere and i can’t find anything.
Yep, he led the USMNT in scoring in the WC qualifying with all, but one goal, scored in the hexagonal.
*facepalm*
Get over it. He’s not the only one who doesn’t do the ‘salute.’ Frankly I’d rather they didn’t play national anthems at sporting events.
I found that comment laughable as well. Dutch defenses only look worse because they play against far superior attacking talent.
MLS defenses may be more physical, but they’re not more competent.
Professional fouls merit yellow in any league, regardless of physicality. Intent and cynicism measure into the foul as well.
MLS officials keep thinking they need to compare our game against the NFL.
While I agree with most of your points, using the initials BPL makes me wonder if you have any idea what you are talking about.
I must agree. Jozy can do the 1-2 and dash towards the goal as well as anyone. What I see Herc doing better is working his A*s off and going for the goal more often. Simply put, Herc is a better forward at this moment in time than Jozy with the Nats, and Boyd isn’t far behind.
He did not “insist on vacation” before the first two qualifiers. His club insisted on him accompanying them on a goodwill trip to the Caribbean (he is a prominent player for AZ, and he has Caribbean roots, so it makes sense that they would want him to go along). As a young player, he was not really in a position to tell them no. It’s unfortunate and may reflect a lack of proper communication and compromise between Klinsmann and Verbeek, but it is silly to characterize it as Jozy insisting on vacation because he couldn’t be bothered to answer the call in a timely fashion.
Jozy is paid by AZ. His first allegiance is to AZ. His USMNT play is a part time volunteer gig.
Jozy is a much better player for AZ than he was when he got there. So he has improved as a soccer player in the last two years or however long it was.
The USMNT is his part time gig, different coach, and different players. Odds are his performances for them will get better but then again it may not happen because those who build national teams have far less flexibility than those who build club teams.
So it is possible, though unlikely, that the US will never have a squad that can take advantage of Jozy’s skills no matter how good he becomes. There is plenty of precedent for that. Messi and Argentina have only recently really started to mesh as one extreme example.
Until Altidore puts his hand over his heart during the National Anthem, he should not wear the US jersey. He can protest America’s response to a Haitian crisis any other time by not showing respect but while wearing the USMNT uniform.
We win or draw in France if its Edu and not Beckerman, and Jozy might have been the best player on the pitch. Jozy gets one service around the 18 in the Italy game, and he creates an assist. Our best line up midfield to fwd is
Williams
Bradley-jones
Donovon-Dempsey
Altidorr
AZ would be like Barca in the MLS. Not because the MLS defense is weaker then in the Dutch league but because MLS offense is more inept. Even top tier offensive team like Ajax and PSV (who just put 5 goals on AZ) has a hard time getting possession from AZ.
We don’t need to make THOSE passes, per se. But we need to play midfielders who can push forward and combine with Altidore. It sometimes seems like almost every Altidore highlight from AZ involves a one-two, and we’re not giving him anyone to combine with.
I think it’s mostly symptomatic of Klinsmann’s insistence on playing defensive-minded outside mids. Jose Francisco Torres is a deep-lying playmaker, not a winger. Danny Williams and Jermaine Jones are defensive midfielders, not wingers. If I wanted to be really cynical, I’d suspect that Klinsmann is just trying to get his German-Americans on the field even if he has to play them out of position. (Then again, it doesn’t explain why Klinsmann prefers Beckerman in the exact role that most of the German-Americans recruits play for their clubs.)
Yeah I watched what Jozy was tying to do, he was 2 steps ahead of everyone else in his attacking mindset. I don’t remember who it was, but when Jozy laid off that back heel if whoever was on the wing had kept their run going it would of been a great pass. People can hate on him all they want, dude is 22 and leading a well respected league in goals. His play drowns it your weak and callous criticisms. Put two players up top that will run with him. Do not know why we can’t, we have how many d-mids behind hm.
I believe Gomez was doing this for a while until Dallas? moved him to and outside winger position instead of striker. Once in Mexico(at a striker position) he started banging in goals mostly as a sub eventually tying for the golden boot.
That about sums it up. Excellent job bottlcaps.
One thing I am curious about is how Jozy’s increasing importance to AZ will affect his availability for the USMNT.
To say Verbeek has a dim view of JK is putting it mildly.
5 games into the Eredivisie season and 3 teams have 15 or more GF, while 6 teams have 10 or more GA. On a 34 game MLS season, that would mean 3 teams in the neighborhood of 100 GF, and 6 teams near 70 GA.
Lest people act like I’m spouting science fiction, Ajax had 90+ GF last season and Willem II had 90+ GA the year before that. In a season equal to MLS’ length!!! Average teams are routinely in the 1.5-2 GF/game range. A MLS team scoring at that rate would be near the league lead.
It’s fast break soccer in cool weather. Altidore is clearly not useless but the whole exercise must be discounted for reality. Why can’t it be that Jozy has found a league more suited to his talents? I just can’t believe AZ is seeing something everyone else missed. Instead, I think he found a league where the softer defense hides his flaws, and the style of play gives him plenty of chances, which he can still fritter a bit and come out ahead.
So to me the risk is that you buy into some non-transferable Eredivisieness, when what we need is more of a McBride, who could be sent just about anywhere and prosper. It’s like people are sweeping Hull, Villareal, etc. under the rug like they never happened.
But can you imagine if Deuce played in Holland? I think he’d have 30.
Last, I personally fear that Jozy simply does not have a body type for the work rate and precision necessary. People forget what great athletes Landon and Deuce are. Speed, endurance, etc. Plus touch. Jozy in contrast has a big body he hasn’t quite learned to use consistently yet, and somewhat stony feet. Maybe if he really really worked on fitness, but I wonder if he’s just too big a body to be that great an international. Emile Heskey would be harsh, but in present shape he’s a big man who yet doesn’t play like even a McBride as a target. I’d love to see more “Italy-style” setups. Either get nasty and use his size, or get skinnier and more technical like Boyd. But to me he’s a tweener.
It was my understanding that AZ wanted Jozy to accompany the team on its goodwill trip to the Caribbean — I see their point, since Jozy is a prominent member of the team with Caribbean roots. Naturally, there were those who saw it as further evidence of Altidore’s “laziness” — he chose to “vacation” in the Caribbean instead of joining the national team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx3PbjVf8d0&feature=related You can turn the music off… but damn that’s a fine striker. Any country. He just needs a midfield that is willing to exploit the space he creates with his movement up front… I just hope Bradley/Mix/Corona/Zusi/SOMEONEFORTHELOVEOFGOD manages to fill that creative, advancing, central mid role before it’s too late for qualifying or… festivus (no jinxing).
That is the fan in you speaking.
I doubt the people who buy goalscorers share your view. They are more interested in great scorers not scorers of great goals. Of course, if you can get both in one player it is always better.
To paraphrase what DMB once said, ” They don’t care HOW, they care HOW MANY.”
I can see both points. First, that is a great article articulating the surface of both systems and what a striker does to succeed in either. Secondly as far as the lazy argument is concerned the problem for a USMNT fan is that we’ve seen Altidore with fire in his belly and he looks unstoppable in those games. His game after Charlie Davies accident was inspiring. As well after Haiti’s earthquake a few years back he gave all, and defenses had no idea what to do with him. In those games I think Jozy raised his own bar of effort. It is easy for USMNT fans to jump on the wagon of someone who gives all. Gomez is an excellent example…and I believe Jones is growing a fan base on his effort much like MB did over the last 1/2 decade. Jozy does a lot off the ball in our system, but I personally like it when he gives all for 60 minutes!
Michael Bradley scored 18 goals in the Eredvisie in 07/08. That performance got him into a vastly better league, and in the four full seasons since he has scored a total of 12 goals. That his in no way intended as an insult to Bradley, who is a vastly better player now than he was then and has a good chance of becoming our best player.
Josy is having a great year, but rather than arguing that the national team should cater to his strengths you should be hoping that this performance is enough to get him regular playing time in a better league next season.
And the comparison with Wondolowski that you so readily dismiss is not that far off the mark. According to FIFA rankings the Eredivisie is the 9th best league in Europe, which may seem impressive but there is arguably a considerable drop-off after the Russian Premier League at #7. After that it’s the Ukrainian league, the Eredivisie, and then Greece at #10. The better MLS teams would have absolutely no problem competing in the Greek league, and I suspect the gap between the Eredivisie and MLS is rapidly vanishing.
“Also, the league thing. Although MLS arguably has better defense all-around”
So do you think RSL for example, could stop AZ’s attack?
Isn’t the bottom line that for all the talk about implementing a new attack oriented system, the US still plays a very lackluster system that generates few chances for their forwards, who generally don’t finish the few they get? Not saying they should be nailing 8 out of 10 chances, but frequently the difference in games against the best teams, the US misses their chances, while the opposing teams have ruthless finishers. Gomez, Dempsey, Wondo, Jozy these guys all have their skills, but you can’t call any of them ruthless finishers. Wondo is prob the closest to that, but he lacks the size/speed required on the international level to give himself the extra bit of space needed to do so. Jozy has come a long way in his game, and hopefully continues to grow into the player we ALL want him to be for both club and country.
He already has “doen something on the International stage”.
He had a great Confederations Cup, had a very good World Cup and had he not gotten injured, in the Gold Cup maybe the US does not get blown out by Mexico in the final.
And that doesn’t even include the work he has done in World Cup qualifying.
I never saw McBride with Fulham but I saw a lot of him with the US. For the most part the US had a better concept of how to use McBride than they ever did with Jozy. And he certainly got better service.
The age difference is very important because Bake was much more mature and savvy about his strengths and weaknesses. But of course he was older and more experienced by that point.
Jozy has a chance, statistically, to completely obliterate Bake’s accomplishments before he is done. And I think McBride would be the first to tell you that.
If you look at Jozy on AZ and see only the same Jozy as (briefly) on Villareal 2 years ago, who is the same as the Jozy on Hull 3 years ago, who is the same as the Jozy in MLS before that, then you are not looking very closely, or are looking only with a jaundiced eye. Jozy is visibly improved in his movement, touch, and passing from earlier in his career.
What you’re not acknowledging is he insisted on vacation before the initial two qualifiers and then showed up unfit by the coach’s assessment. That cannot be totally separated from the player.
Also, you’re neglecting that his usage may in fact reflect Klinsi having an opinion of the player close to his critics’ assessment. Klinsi has been witness to the same punchless US offense the past two years we have. Klinsi tends to outwardly express hope and the best for players, but in the four qualifiers he has started him only once, and that time we lost.
I’d assume a former WC winning striker is sharp enough to notice these things, and I’d also assume he sees who produces regularly for us and who doesn’t.
Last, that Gomez can score a free kick, as can Landon (and Dempsey can finish one), is hardly a strike against them. To me it reflects a level of skill and finishing as well as a varied usefulness to the team. In comparison, Jozy is a crude instrument with the Nats. I should discount the others because he’s too sloppy to handle a free kick or penalty?
Gomez has no hold up play. So I don’t buy that argument. Gomez has 1 speed: straight at goal. I like him, and he’s the hot hand, so I don’t mind him playing right now.
But ideally, he’s best in the channels playing off Altidore.
Stiffer defense is any international match is usually always going to be tougher than during a league match, making goals harder to score at that level. I haven’t seen many Eredivisie games, but judging by the clips of Jozy’s goals, defense doesn’t seem a huge focus. The clips show that when he has time and space in the box, his finishing is deadly. But he’s unlikely to get the same looks playing for the U.S. because of the nature of international games, especially when many CONCACAF opponents put 10 men behind the ball against the U.S.
One thing Klinsmann could possibly do to better utilize Jozy’s skills during qualifying is to focus on getting him the ball early in games before play tightens up and during any counterattacks, with Donovan setting up. Bringing him in as a second half sub as in the second Jamaica game when the U.S. had gone into more of a defensive posture isn’t a good use of his talents.
Rubbish. I’m so sick of people who ‘think’ they know football calling strikers lazy for not playing like a defensive midfielder. Also, high pressure is a TEAM concept. Not a single player concept, or it’s wasted energy. Not only shouldn’t Altidore be criticized for not pressuring when the team isn’t, it would be stupid of him TO pressure in those circumstances.
A striker has one purpose, to score goals. Altidore does that in spades when he’s utilized properly.
And while Altidore USED to have a bad first touch, if you watch him with his club, you see that isn’t the case now. Watch the goals he scored and his assist on the 2nd AZ goal. All deft touches. Touch comes from confidence with the ball. Altidore has that now. He didn’t always. But hey, blame him for being an 18 year old striker when he was.
I agree that Mexico plays well, and I enjoy watching Mexico games, however, what I have noticed is that sometimes Mexico gets the type of treatment that the US gets from referees, but most of the time I see more balanced refereeing where the Mexican players do not get chopped down without consequence. Most teams that play against Mexico will receive yellow cards and red cards for their fouls, which allows Mexico to play good attacking soccer from the beginning or in rough games at least after the first 20 to 30 minutes of hacking has stopped.
I fail to see how having watched a player play for the Nats, and often struggle, is disqualifying of criticizing his role with the Nats. It strikes me as just the right experience to ask WTF?
Because to me the people saying woah you have to see his AZ play to understand why he should play for the Nats are acting like this is some newfound discovery or completely marginalized player, like Starikov or Wooten or Gatt. Usually that’s the context where someone acts like you don’t understand what I’ve seen from a club player.
Cause this is more like Wondo or Twellman or something, if they were somewhat productive but still not themselves. We’ve seen the club production before, NYRB, and seen mediocre translation of that to international play.
Cause to me he could score a hat trick every week for AZ and the question would still be, when is that going to come across internationally. I think he had something to prove in club play because of the Spanish mess, but that doesn’t wipe away asking, ummm, where are the qualifying goals since T&T? Where was the World Cup production?
I’m not diminishing the club production for diminishment’s sake. It does indicate a player to take note of. But the history of the Nats as well as his history suggests even good forward production at the club level must be set aside to await whether he’s turned the same corner internationally. I still say he’s maybe the 3rd or 4th best option based on strike rate and composure.
I don’t think defense is an afterthought in the Eredivisie so much as coaches are let go for playing a style that is defensive or “ugly”. In 2001, Ajax fired their manager for this very reason while their team occupied first place.
Back to Jozy, though, last year was the first of his European career where he had more than 26 appearances in one year, combining club and international play. His previous high in 2010 included Confederations Cup and WC Qualifying matches. All this is to say that his 48 appearances in 2011/2012 shows that he is becoming more valuable to someone and he’s not being put on the pitch to jog lightly. The experience is clearly paying off, at least at the club level. Whether it pays off at the international level…
My personal opinion: I don’t think it makes sense to be too dismissive with regard to his scoring ratio when he is much, much, much less experienced than Dempsey/Donovan/Gomez. This is not to say that he deserves a free pass. I think the overall point of Ives’ article was more to say Jozy’s coming along quite nicely and that his talent is starting…that’s right, just starting…to shine through.
P.S. I chose to respond to your comment in particular because it was the most well written criticism in the comments thus far.
Players come in and out of form and lose/gain playing based on that. By your standards Charlie Davies should be starting for the USMNT because he used to score goals for us.