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Torres scores beauty as Tigres routs Atlante in Copa MX

JoseTorresCelebratesTigresUANLGoal1-AtleticoSanLuis2014 (Imago7)

By FRANCO PANIZO

Jose Torres has World Cup experience on his resume after taking part in the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and he looks to determined to play in another.

For the second time in three games, Torres found the back of the net for Tigres UANL in a 6-0 Copa MX mauling of Atlante on Wednesday night. Torres scored a stunning beauty in the 24th minute to give Tigres a commanding 3-0 lead, rifling a shot from a tight angle to the top corner of the far post.

The splendid strike came just 10 days after he netted in a 3-0 triumph over Cruz Azul and ahead of next month’s U.S. Men’s National Team’s friendly with Mexico, which could serve as a launching pad for Torres (assuming he is called in) to make it onto the Americans’ World Cup roster this summer.

Fellow American Jonathan Bornstein started and played 68 minutes for Atlante in the match.

Here is Torres’ goal:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRtiie8eaHs?feature=player_detailpage]

What do you think of the goal? Think he is making a good case to be on the USMNT’s World Cup squad? Hoping to see him called in and earning a start in the upcoming friendly against Mexico?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Unfortunately he doesn’t really fit a spot in Klinsmann’s preferred system. He needs to be in a floating role. Not pushing the first wave of the attack, but also not focusing on breaking up counter attacks on defense. I still think he can be contributor, but not in the deep midfield spot. His defense just isn’t strong enough.

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    • Actually that goal was world class,a word I try not to use much.

      An outside of the left foot bender that goes out and then in comes back in taken from a severe angle, it was worthy of Roberto Carlos.

      He will be hard pressed to ever score a better goal.

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  2. Torres should definitely by among the 23. He’s a little inconsistent but when he’s on he is definitely starter material.

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    • Tim, the problem is that his “little inconsistent” problem is not spread equally among his club and country matches. He is often inconsistent when playing for USMNT, turning in one anonymous performance after another. Unless we lose a couple players due to injury, there is no way he makes the cut.

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      • Every World Cup since 1994 the USMNT has suffered from injuries in the run up to the World Cup.

        In 94 it was Reyna, in 98 it was Harkes (not due to injury); Steve Sampson hurt his head and lost his judgment, in 2002 it was Chris Armas, in 2006 it was Cory Gibbs and to a lesser extent Jonathan Spector, and in 2010 it was Charlie Davies; also Gooch and Demerit were hurt before the Cup and while they played, they were not really sharp when they came back.

        I’m hoping the RB quartet of Dolo, Chandler, Lichaj and Gatt (he played there for Molde) is the end of it but there is still a lot of time left.
        It must be some sort of jinx. In the remaining games JK should not actually list anyone as a RB. He could have three CB’s and a left back.

      • It’s a good observation, and frankly it’s rare for any team to be lucky enough to have its absolute first choice XI available to start the tournament. Rarer still after afer a few games. If I had to pick three to whom to grant “immunity” from injury, I’d take MB, Howard, and Donovan– but that’s a topic people could go on about forever. Maybe a topic for Ives if the Julian Green machine ever stops throwing off comments.

        As for Torres, I had thought he might do well in certain situations depending on our draw. As an example, I think he might have been an attractive proposition in midfield against South American opposition. But I think he’s out, for any number of reasons. A good player, but stuck on the wrong side of a logjam.

        Unless he gets some minutes at right back for some reason…. yeah i know.

      • You’ve been making some really good comments, Bongwater. Thanks. Your analysis is well put, and I like your hypothetical. I wish you would have gone a little further into why you chose those three players to receive injury immunity. You could make a half an hour debate podcast on that thought experiment alone.
        I think as great as Howard is, Guzan is arguably our best back-up at any position. I know you chose players with WC experience, who have all worn the armband at one time or another, but I guess I don’t value that as highly in comparison to some other attributes.

        I think I give Besler immunity, because the CB drop off after him is pretty substantial. I wish we had a better RB pool this time around, so that Cameron could play with him in the center, but I think it’s too late now, since they haven’t had any games together, and Cam has been playing RB for his club.

        MB, yes, no doubt he gets immunity. I will fight anyone who disagrees! (Actually, I’m willing to listen to new ideas, because obviously one perspective alone can’t see the whole picture.)

        The last one is really tough for me. After like 15 minutes of weighing it all out, I guess I have to agree with Donovan also. He has versatility when it comes to positioning, is still fast as hell, very skilled, and savvy with his vision and decision making. Not to mention–kind of a dumb phrase–his experience, his set-piece ability, and his consistency. Sure, he sometimes will disappear for long stretches, but he rarely shuns opportunities or shrinks from moments.

        I give love them, think they’re great, all that hip-hop, but regardless of what Howard, MB, and Dempsey have accomplished, Donovan is still the USMNT talisman.

        I thought about Fabian, and Demps, but in the end, my honorable mention has to go to Killa Cam.

      • Thanks AMPhibian. I like this place because there are super well-informed and articulate people here who can share well constructed arguments (as you have above) and not end up fighting in the sandbox (too often). Credit to Ives for this– there are other talented and engaged soccer writers in the US like Grant Wahl, but he must cringe every time he looks at the sad sack comments section SI.com leaves him.

        To your points, the Guzan argument had most certainly entered my thoughts, and I would say that my reasoning for including Howard regardless is a bit romanticized and shows some disregard for the more sound “replacement cost” analysis you articulated . For me, the otherwise depressing Ukraine friendly offered one inspiring confirmation — namely, that Tim Howard is still in possession of the metaphorical Superman shirt, which has floated down through our generations of mysteriously great goalkeepers, having resurfaced in 1994 on Tony Meola, and worn during our finest hours since by Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, and Howard himself. Every historic win has featured an out-of-his-mind performance from our keeper, and for one more turn, instinct and form tell me Howard is the guy. Guzan is a more than capable replacement and a worthy successor to wear the USA #1 — and his time is coming –, but getting through the gauntlet group we are facing will require another mythical effort from our last line of defense, and I look to Howard to deliver a command performance.

        As for MB — I’m completely with you… Anybody who could deliver a credible counter-argument to this would be the greatest master of soccer rhetoric ever. I’d pay decent money to hear it. Then I would kill that dangerous sociopath (assuming nobody else had).

        As for the third, this is the real challenge, and why I prefer three to five (or more) for this hypothetical… with five, the argument starts turning to formations, etc. and becomes convoluted. I chose Donovan because I believe he is still our very best creator, and our only player of truly differentiating quality… I simply cannot see a successful tournament without his fingerprints all over it.

        But I love the originality of your choice. Bold, targets the critical need, and validates a guy who has delivered the solitary strong season-long performance among outfield players in a top-4 European League (had to add a few words there to exclude Howard and AJ, not that it would’t still be sadly short list). I liked FJ too, he would be my fourth… every formation anybody chooses has him in the XI, just a matter of where.

        Curious what others think. Not that anybody will find it on this page. Cheers anyway, bud.

      • Gringo’s best role on the squad probably would be playing Mikey’s position.

        Which means Sacha who is supposedly Mikey’s first backup, is Gringo’s competition

        Right now Sacha’s place looks shakey. I don’t know who is behind him in the pecking order. Gringo has been out of the picture for so long I don’t know if he is even on the list.

        Then again if the USMNT is without Mikey and are that far down in the depth chart they are in deep kimchee anyway.

  3. I’m not sure CAM works for Torres at the international level. He is very calm on the ball and has good technique and vision… but he doesn’t seem to be able to speed up to compensate for the uptick in competition in international play. Every time I’ve seen him I’m left with the sense that the game is just moving a quicker than what he is comfortable with. I am not sure he has a way to prove himself to Jurgen in time for the world cup because as always the comment is that he needs to do it against better than liga MX comp… and there aren’t too many chances to do that left for him.

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  4. Love to watch Torres play, think he has borderline Nat team quality, but… in the context of the system they are running and players we have, where does he fit in w/ the USMNT? He’s not Int’l quality on the wing nor does he have the physicality needed at DM. I think he could provide something as a CAM, but realistically, its very late in the game, he’s down the depth chart and I don’t think he’ll get the opportunity/ a sniff of game-time at that position to prove it.

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  5. Bornstein starts, plays 68 minutes as Atlante gets hammered 6-0. Coincidence or not? Wonder how many goals Jon was at fault for?

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  6. Wow, i didn’t realize El Gringo could flip like that! Is that the Mexican Graham Zusi in the background? Looks like somebody’s making a late push to go to Brasil! He would need to play central though, and not sure where he would fit in. Deep lying holding midfield playmaker with little in terms of grit doesn’t translate well on the international stage.

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  7. I think JK has said he wanted Torres to show a bit more aggressiveness. This was a nice goal, but it was the 3rd goal against an opponent who eventually let in 6 goals.

    Still good for Torres. Another goal or 2 and JK might give him another look. BTW, I have a ball autographed by all 30 of the players at the 2010 Pre-WC camp and Torres is one of the few than has a recognizable signature.

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  8. Lovely technique on the goal and the celebration. I’m tempted to ask if anyone finds this as good Rosicky’s goal against Tottenham the other day (level of competition disregarded).

    It’d be nice if he did some how make the roster because even though he’s not “dangerous” he’s easily one of the most technically gifted and tactically mindful players in the pool.

    He’d still have to beat out Julian Green for a spot so there’s that.

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  9. I hope either Torres or Feilhaber find the form to work their way back into the national team. They both have a calmness with the ball at their feet which is lacking in most American players.

    Oh, and great goal.

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    • Lately I’ve been thinking that we could put together a pretty good midfield, composed entirely of the diminutive skillful players who are out of the picture (Feilhaber, Torres, Adu), that would be stronger than our first-choice team in certain aspect. Now if you put all of those small guys buzzing and interchanging around Bradley, with a player like FJ or Bedoya on the wing (or both if you played 3-5-2), what would that look like? Who would Guardiola start if he managed the US?

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      • Adu? Child please.

        Feilhaber may have a slim chance provided he continues to play well for KC, but I think (as mentioned above) that he’s in the doghouse next door to Kljestan’s, he’s had his chances and really disappointed.

      • Didn’t really have his chances under Klinnsmann. He did under Bradley and played pretty well. Same for Adu. Sometimes it comes down to a coaches preference.

      • Vic,

        Read everything that JK has said that he wants in a player.

        Then take Fredinho and, keeping in mind what JK looks for in a player, tell me exactly what he has that JK would want?

  10. Torres is sick. The kid can pass so well.

    I like what Klinsi is doing big picture, but he’s never given Torres a run where Torres is best.

    I hope Torres puts it all together. And gets back in the picture for the Nats.

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    • To be fair, this goal was scored when Torres was on the left, which is where Klinsmann put him and got a boatload of flak for it (including from me)

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      • Sure.

        But maybe we agree on the big picture. Which is that Torres is not going to shine that much pushed wide left and high up the field (never mind experiments at left back).

        That fact that he scored a lovely goal from wide left probably doesn’t change things, right?

    • Torres has had plenty of chances. I like the kid and he would surely have a spot on a 40 man USMNT roster, but due to scarcity, there just isn’t enough room for El Gringo. He is a lot like Kljestan, always finding a way to turn great club form into anonymous national team form.

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      • Torres is finding form and doing so in a quite noticeable manner. If this continues, he may be a bit closer to that final roster than you’re letting on.

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