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SBI MLS Rookie of the Week: Gyasi Zardes

GyasiZardesCelebratesGoalLAGalaxy1-VancouverWhitecaps (LAGalaxy)

By DAN KARELL

With Landon Donovan starring for the U.S. Men’s National Team and Robbie Keane out with an injury, the Los Angeles Galaxy needed some leadership in the front line.

Up stepped Jose Villarreal, who scored his side’s first and Gyasi Zardes, who scored the game-winning goal as the Galaxy defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps, 2-1. Zardes, who now has two game-winning goals in his first season, was our pick for SBI MLS Rookie of the Week.

Zardes beat out Seattle Sounders wing back DeAndre Yedlin, Colorado Rapids pair Deshorn Brown and Dillon Powers, as well as New England Revolution defender Andrew Farrell for this week’s honors?

What did you think of Zardes’ performance? Which rookie stood out to you in MLS Week 21?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. A defender scores a goal and shuts down his entire side of the field yet still loses out to a forward who scored a goal. Gotta love it.

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  2. Would all Zardes lovers please calm down. If you’re watching closely you’d know – Zardes is far from rookie of the year material. For all his potential, all he’s done so far is lead the team in shanks. He’s started in ten games now and taken close to forty shots and only has three goals, AND the Vancouver goal, nice as it was, was the first he’s scored with his feet. There’s raw, and then there’s Zardes-raw. He’s had half a dozen games where it appears he’s shooting after someone has tied a handkerchief around his head and spun him around three times. Dude has shown some potential, but zero consistency. I hope he develops, because I know that Keane and Donovan won’t last forever, but one nice goal does not a superstar make.

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    • why calm down? he’s had more than one nice play, if you’ve been watching, but agree he is not rookie of the year right now. But it’s not difficult to understand why we Galaxy fans are excited about what we’re seeing from the raw kid

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    • “He’s started in ten games now and taken close to forty shots and only has three goals,”

      This is not basketball. Shooting percentage does not matter.

      You want Zardes to keep shooting even if there is almost no chance. That kind of selfish courage is important in a striker.

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      • Good god. Please stay away from our youth programs. I hope to god you aren’t a coach anywhere.

  3. I am not a huge MLS follower but this seems to be one of the strongest rookie classes I can remember in terms of instant impact goes.

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    • I don’t know – there’s always been a handful who have made an impact. The difference is the league is slowly getting stronger, so it is tougher to make an impact now. That said, this kid and Zimmerman are the only ones I’m excited about long-term. Powers, Woodberry, etc., are likely to have fine MLS careers. Zardes and Zimmerman likely won’t, because they probably won’t be here long enough. Uh, the CM from UConn, too. Even though he stayed in college through his senior season, he looks polished enough that someone in Europe might give him a shot as well.

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  4. fun kid to watch and root for, works his tail off out there. sweet goal

    working with Keane and Donovan will help him develop; seems to me he’s already better than he was earlier

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  5. The kid has got game, but its just a matter of cleaning up the edges. He’s fast, he’s strong and he has some really good technique. I’m not gonna proclaim him as the future of US Soccer, but i will say that he has a slickness and a dynamic alot of our players don’t naturally possess.

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    • Yeah, I agree. It seems everyone else has an attacker this dynamic, and we’ve always had to make do primarily with set-piece, fluke or flat-out athleticism on the counter goals. Now, we’ve got an attacker like that, too.

      But not yet, and potential doesn’t always materialize, so I echo your conservative view.

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  6. This dude had Rookie of the Year wrapped up before the draft. While we miss Keane/Landon, our 1-2 punch of Zardes and either Villareal/McFrijolito is going to be scaring people a many years to come.

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    • Zardes is not going to win rookie of the year. He would have to overtake Powers, Brown, Farrell, and Yedlin. Also, once Keane and Donovan return his chances to impress will again be limited.

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      • Keane will get his fair share, but with Donovan as a creator on the wing, he’ll still get his opportunities. He’s young though, so his success rate still leaves something to be desired and should work itself out as he puts it together. ROY would be nice, but thinking long term, he’s gonna do some great things if he keeps putting in the work.

      • He’s not that far from matching the productions from the rookies in Colorado.I think you are forgetting ever since Magee left he’s been a starter up top with Keane.He’ll have a chance to beat those guys don’t you worry already has two game winning goals how many if the goals scored by Brown, Powers have? telling you this kid will put up some great numbers.Why do you think the Galaxy paid a record fee for a home grown signing?

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