Photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — It is looking more and more like the U.S. Men’s National Team will have to make do without one of their most in-form players vs. Costa Rica.
Jozy Altidore remains an injury concern ahead of the Americans’ World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica on Friday night due to the thigh injury he sustained while training with Sunderland last week. Altidore was limited in training on Wednesday morning, and his availability for the match against the Ticos will be determined following Thursday evening’s practice at Estadio Nacional.
“We take it day by day. Today will be another big step to kind of make sure that everything is healed,” said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “We did MRIs, we did tests, it’s all good, nothing can happen, but obviously he hasn’t trained at a full rhythm for 7-8 days, so you want to kind of just get him there.
“We see this afternoon, we stretch him a bit more and more than yesterday, now how is he feeling.”
The loss of Altidore would be a big one for the U.S., but Klinsmann will still have a number of options should the 23-year-old striker not be able to suit up. Among Klinsmann’s options are Clint Dempsey, Eddie Johnson, Aron Johannsson and Landon Donovan, who made it sound as if he preferred to play up top at this point in his career when talking to the media on Wednesday.
“Recently, I’ve been playing a lot as a forward,” said Donovan, who spent time up top and as a right midfielder during the Gold Cup in July. “I think that’s been going well and I feel comfortable there. I am happy to play wherever, as I always have been.”
—–
What do you think of Altidore still being a question mark ahead of Friday’s game vs. Costa Rica? Expecting to see him on the field in any capacity against the Ticos? Who would you like to see Klinsmann deploy up top if Altidore can’t go?
Share your thoughts below.
Not having Jozy would be a punch in the gut for sure. But, our plethora of midfield options gives me hope we can get a result in Costa Rica.
I guess if Jozy can’t go, JK probably should go with EJ. I am not a fan of EJ but he is very good in the air and I think that it will be the type of a game in which the best scoring opportunities will come off of set pieces.
I think Ives got it right in his earlier article.
EJ
FJ Dempsey Donavon
Jones Bradley
Beasley Besler Omar Cameron
Howard
It is hard to see how you don’t start Dempsey, Donavon and Bradley in any case. Altidore will be missed, but EJ has shown the ability to score headers and the outside mids Ives has behind him can all serve balls well and Dempsey is there to deal with second chances. Brooks, I think is unlikely to start ahead of Omar, but it would not be the first time JK threw a young player into the fire. Similar situation for Johannson.
Altidore – EJ/AJ
Dempsey – Donovan
Jones – Bradley
FJ – Besler – Gonzo – Cameron
BB was right. I am thinking these days that these are the best players at their best position, the it sacrifices Beasley and moves FJ to a position that is not his best. Still, as far as our best 11, most of whom are in the position that best suits them, I think this is it, and the backups like Zusi, Bedoya, AJ, basically play the same positions and plug in well.
Is there a Thesasaurus for soccer words ? Someone needs to supply one for “in form”.
Would much rather see LD in mid. People are all excited about the streak, me included, but for WCQ you are only talking a few games and before that we were all complaining and down.
We needed LD to be able to lead the break, and at times take over a game, better done at some mid position, IMHO.
En Fuego? Ballin’? It’s like looking in a mirror?
Kicking assists and taking names
“playing well”, “loving his football”, “in the zone”, “feeling it”, “becoming close friends with the ball” (too fanciful for my taste but I’ve heard it used)
So, how did ‘Thursday evening’s practice’ go?
lights werent on in the stadium when they got there for training.
At the wing, Donovan>Bedoya>Zusi. Just my opinion.
When is the last time Donovan played on the wing?
To be fair, none of them do. They all play right-side attacking midfielder.
Just moved to Long Branch, NJ and I don’t have bein sport. Anybody know a bar around here to catch the game?
The Auld Dubliner is always fun/patriotic
Long Branch, NJ not Long Beach CA lol
Use this link (it works better on Google Chrome, than IE): http://www.usagoals.me/
Do not download anything, it works without it.
Darcy’s in Bradley beach (or Avon not sure) is a great soccer bar with good specials during usmnt games
Going to be watching it on my back deck on my computer in Lavalette with some peeps. Feel free to stop in.
I hope JK not calling in Kljestan doesn’t burn us in the end. It wont matter as long as Bradley doesn’t get a yellow card or pick up an injury, but if he does, Kljestan would have been the best replacement. Either Cameron or Beckerman can back-up Jones, but not Bradley. For Bradley, the back-ups are Kljestan, Diskerud and Torres. In a qualifier vs Mexico, I trust Kljestan more than Diskerud at this point.
I agree
He can still bring in other players against Mexico in the event guys get a yellow card and have to sit next week. If Bradley or Jones gets carded I’d see Sasha possibly getting called in, depending on who else picked up a card.
But even if these things played out, Sasha still hasn’t played as well for country as he has for club
Yeah, but he’s been pretty fair the last couple of times.
Bedoya started off as a CM, remember.
True. And was pretty decent there in his lower league.
Put Donovan up top and Bedoya on the right, problem solved.
And so were clear, YES right now Bedoya > Zusi
I smell crack smoke
That’s prolly Zusi trying any PED to emulate the work rate that Bedoya brings onto the pitch.
+1
BAWHAHHAHAAHHAAHA
JK loves Zusi, too
#HANDSOFFSYRIA
Dude, I happen to agree, am uber political myself… but try keeping this a soccer site.
There will not be a WC next year if there is WWIII, so this IS a soccer issue.
Would be funny if Ives randomly dropped that at the end of an article.. “What do you think of this news? Hoping Lichaj gets called into camp? Think the WC would be cancelled if WW3 broke out? Share your thoughts below. “
Well then lets all start posting about zombies, and meteors crashing into the earth, and massive tidal waves. Because if those things happen, there won’t be a WC either.
So no, this is not a soccer issue, regardless of how badly you would like to exaggerate the realistic spectrum of outcomes.
Well… there has been speculation that BB was a zombie, so IMO that’s totally fair game.
Hello, if we’re posting about Zombies, keep it in the Freddy Adu posts.
I have a BA in international relations and a lot of graduate work in the subject and have studied the Middle East extensively, but I refuse to discuss the issue here. Go to Huff Post or Daily Kos or something. You also might try Juan Cole’s Informed Comment. This site is for SOCCER.
I am the Am-freaking-bassador to Syria and could open you a new piehole with my mad Middle East chops, but I choose not to do so on this humble soccer site. So… back to Sasha, what what?
i think he may have been inferring that this injury is retribution for our country’s involvement in Syria.
Mess with Syria? Top scorers’ hamstring gets it.
But I may be wrong, I am afterall a vampire from a kids tv programme.
Bleh
C’mon man! I come to this site to escape from all the political b.s. in the world. Don’t ruin this for us. I repect your passion for this topic but save it for the FOX & FRIENDS.
+1
Zarathustra: #HANDSOFFMYNUTSWHENIWANNAREADABOUTSOCCER
I love how everyone says they don’t want to talk about it, yet commented on it instead of just ignoring it.
In the words of our ex-president/war criminal –
“Mission accomplished”. You can go back to sticking your heads in the sand now.
#STICKTOSOCCER
“who spent time up top and as a right midfielder during the Gold Cup in July”- I don’t remember Donovan playing on the right at all during the Gold Cup. He started the first half on the right in the friendly against Guatemala. At the half he moved forward and I don’t recall him ever being placed on the right after. I could be wrong.
the first half of the first game, he was on the right flank. at halftime they switch to 4-4-2 and put him up top.
yeah, you are remembering correctly. LD played the Dempsey role for the Gold Cup team. where we saw Dempsey play against Germany and the WCQs is where LD played, mostly, during the Gold Cup.
Start Wondowlowski. If he doesn’t Jürgen is an idiot.
I have a tick on my b@lls su€king them dry sowwie I b a dou€he guise.
what
what the f u € k
Why?
because… Wondowlowski
cuz tick
what
puff puff pass, son
what
what
but yeah, ban commenters like old school…
LD’s comments are pretty telling that he would like to start up top. makes me wonder if he’ll end up at RM after all. if he is up top, Bedoya at RM please.
Keep Altidore on the bench for this one. I see JK playing rope-a-dope, starting EJ and hoping to get to halftime scoreless, then swapping out EJ for Johannsson and moving LD up top, going to 4-4-2 and putting the pressure on the Ticos.
If you need a goal late, then you could put Jozy on to try to salvage a tie. Otherwise, play it safe, take the draw if necessary, and go for the win in the 2nd half.
+1
A tie would still be an excellent result.
My thoughts, too, except I would wait until later to bring on Johannsson. Like maybe the 65th or 70th minute. EJ does have speed to get behind their back line.
I don’t think playing for a tie is his style, and I’m glad about it. Our team often needs to play beyond the refs’ ability to stop them. I think that’s what was behind the 5 and 6 goal games a while back. So I’m ask with you on some strategies and timing late bursts, but disagree on planning for a scoreless first half.
I think we will see Altidore rested for Mexico. And will see a Dempsey, and Donovan up top with Zusi on the right wing and F. Johnson on the left.
Maybe I’m just overconfident and discounting the fact that we’ve never won there in a WCQ, but I’m not too concerned about missing Altidore for this game. Would I feel more confident if he was there? Absolutely, but I don’t think missing Altidore will impact the result as much as say, missing Michael Bradley would.
Missing Michael Bradley would be the biggest loss by far, remember all the last times they played without him? (not talking about the GC)
in the run of this streak, Altidore has been far more important for “results” since he’s the one scoring goals. Hard to argue that a guy who doesnt even get many assists is the most important player on a team. Name another national team whose best player is a DM who doesnt score goals, can’t beat guys off the dribble or get a lot of assists… Brazil ’94? Not even…
Do they have goals-against in your parallel universe?
If there is no Altidore, I think Jurgen goes:
Landon – Dempsey
Fabian – Jones – Bradley – Zusi
which I am quite comfortable with. We lose Jozy’s hold up play, which has been excellent, but I don’t think EJ can really replicate that anyway.
Not sure if Jurgen will go for it, but agreed, I think without Jozy this is as good as we can hope for. Jurgen does seem to highly value EJ, though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he got the start.
I think that EJ, Mr. wannabe “show me the money” “yall driving subarus stuck in your cubicles im stuck in the air with weed (money) crumbs under my cuticles” Can do the job if there is service. who provides that better? Donovan, Zusi, or Bedoya?
So you are saying that Zusi gets the start?